Sep 22, 2024

The necessity of metaphysical realities

We all live in metaphysical world. We value things. We love one another. We say things are useful, beautiful, or sometimes not.

But many—eg, materialists and some atheists—deny the existence of metaphysical realities. More commonly, laypeople assume materialism without consideration of its implications. For example, people often say that emotions are “just chemical reactions”. This is either absurd or dangerous. It is absurd when people act as if they believe in metaphysical realities. It is dangerous when they don't, inviting hell on earth.

I present a short argument for the necessity of metaphysical realities in four versions: a one-sentence version, a one-paragraph version, a short essay, and a logical argument.

One-sentence version

Metaphysical questions about meaning and purpose require metaphysical answers, and denying these truths leads to chaos and suffering, ultimately affirming the necessity of metaphysical realities.

One-paragraph version

Physical questions demand physical answers, while metaphysical questions—those about meaning, value, love, and purpose—require metaphysical answers. Accepting the reality of metaphysics means acknowledging that these fundamental aspects of human existence cannot be adequately addressed by physical explanations alone. Denying metaphysical realities invites chaos and suffering, as evidenced by historical atrocities that manifest as profound existential crises and moral voids. These horrors illustrate the consequences of rejecting metaphysical truths, leading to disorder and distress that transcend physical explanations. Thus, even the denial of metaphysical realities paradoxically affirms their necessity, as rejecting the foundations of meaning and purpose ultimately leads back to the inescapable need for metaphysical understanding.

Short essay

Physical questions demand physical answers—questions about how the material world works can be addressed through science and observation. But when we turn to metaphysical questions—those that ask about meaning, value, purpose, or why anything exists at all—these require answers that go beyond the material realm. Metaphysics, in its classical sense, deals with the fundamental nature of reality, including concepts like existence, causality, and identity, which aren't easily explained by physical laws alone.

Materialists, particularly atheists, often reject metaphysics, insisting that only the physical world is real and that questions of meaning or value are either reducible to physical processes or irrelevant. This view, however, encounters a significant issue: by rejecting metaphysical inquiry, they deny themselves the ability to meaningfully answer the very questions that define human existence. If we discard metaphysical explanations, we are left with only the cold, mechanical operations of the universe—devoid of purpose, meaning, or intrinsic value.

The consequences of rejecting metaphysical truths are not merely intellectual but existential. History provides a stark lesson in the form of the 20th century's atrocities—totalitarian regimes, wars, and genocides—which can be seen as expressions of a nihilistic worldview that denies any higher meaning or value. In the absence of metaphysical grounding, ideologies that reduce human beings to mere material objects, tools of the state, or expendable units of production can flourish. This is what is meant by "inviting hell." Without a higher, metaphysical order, the world descends into chaos and suffering—a kind of hell on earth.

Thus, even for those who deny metaphysics, the consequences of that denial affirm its reality. The existence of such horrors—whether understood as manifestations of existential despair or as expressions of unchecked human power—suggests that metaphysical questions are inescapable. If there is no meaning or value beyond the material, then human life itself loses its worth, leading to the moral void witnessed during some of the darkest periods of human history.

Therefore, if we accept that metaphysical questions are real and require answers, we must acknowledge the necessity of metaphysical realities to provide meaning and value. Denying the existence of any metaphysical foundation leaves us adrift in a purposeless world, which, in turn, reinforces the need for such a foundation. In this sense, even materialism or atheism, by rejecting metaphysical truths, paradoxically points back to the necessity of metaphysical realities—almost by contradiction. Without some metaphysical grounding, there is no coherent framework for answering the most fundamental questions of life.

Logical Argument

Definitions:

  • Physical Questions: Inquiries concerning the material world and its observable phenomena.
  • Metaphysical Questions: Inquiries concerning meaning, love, value, purpose, and the fundamental nature of reality beyond the physical realm.
  • Physical Explanations: Answers derived from empirical observation, experimentation, and scientific methods addressing physical phenomena.
  • Metaphysical Realities: Aspects of existence that transcend physical explanation, involving abstract concepts and fundamental principles.
  • Chaos and Suffering: States of disorder and distress that affect the human condition beyond mere physical descriptions, involving psychological and existential dimensions.

Premises:

  1. P1: Metaphysical questions (e.g., meaning, love, value, purpose) cannot be adequately answered by physical explanations.
    • Justification: These concepts involve abstract, non-empirical aspects of existence that transcend quantifiable physical phenomena.
  2. P2: Denying the existence of metaphysical realities leads to chaos and suffering.
    • Justification: Without acknowledging metaphysical truths, there is no foundation for meaning or morality, resulting in existential nihilism and moral relativism.
  3. P3: Chaos and suffering are metaphysical phenomena.
    • Justification: They encompass psychological, emotional, and existential experiences that go beyond physical states or processes.

Proof by Contradiction:

  1. Assumption (for contradiction): Metaphysical realities are unnecessary; all questions can be fully answered by physical explanations.
  2. Implication of Assumption: Denying metaphysical realities should not result in any metaphysical consequences since all aspects of existence are explainable physically.
  3. However, according to P2, denying metaphysical realities leads to chaos and suffering.
  4. From P3, chaos and suffering are metaphysical phenomena.
  5. Therefore, the denial of metaphysical realities results in metaphysical consequences (chaos and suffering).
  6. Contradiction: The assumption that metaphysical realities are unnecessary leads to the emergence of metaphysical consequences, which contradicts the idea that everything can be explained physically.

Conclusions:

  1. C1: Denying metaphysical realities results in metaphysical consequences, affirming that metaphysical realities cannot be dismissed.
  2. C2: Physical explanations alone are insufficient to address metaphysical questions and their associated consequences.
  3. C3: Therefore, metaphysical realities are necessary; physical explanations alone cannot adequately address questions of meaning, love, value, and purpose, nor prevent the metaphysical consequences of chaos and suffering.

Explanation:

  • From P1, we establish that metaphysical questions inherently require answers beyond physical explanations because they deal with abstract concepts not measurable or observable in the physical world.
  • By assuming that metaphysical realities are unnecessary (assumption for contradiction), we expect that all phenomena, including those related to meaning and purpose, can be fully explained physically.
  • However, P2 and P3 show that denying metaphysical realities leads to chaos and suffering, which are metaphysical in nature.
  • This results in a contradiction: If metaphysical realities were unnecessary, denying them should not produce metaphysical consequences. The emergence of such consequences implies that metaphysical realities are inescapable and necessary.
  • Therefore, the initial assumption is false, and metaphysical realities must be acknowledged to adequately address the fundamental questions of human existence and prevent negative metaphysical consequences.

Summary:

The argument demonstrates that metaphysical realities are essential for providing meaningful answers to fundamental human questions about meaning, love, value, and purpose. By employing a proof by contradiction, it shows that assuming metaphysical realities are unnecessary leads to metaphysical consequences (chaos and suffering), which contradicts the assumption that physical explanations are sufficient. Therefore, metaphysical realities are necessary, and physical explanations alone cannot fully address the depth of human experience or prevent existential disorder.