Metaphysics

It is the collection of questions searching for meaning.

What is being?

What is the nature of reality?

Do we have free will?

….does everything HAVE to have meaning behind it?

Telos - an inner goal that is hoped to be attained; what is meant to be

Aristotle believed everything had a telos. An acorn was to become a tree, baby chicks become grown birds.

Human Life’s Telos

Aristotle believed human life had a telos, for humans to be happy.
St. Augustine believed human life’s telos was to love God
Martin Heidegger believed a human life’s telos is to live without denying a human's true condition - life, hardships, good moments, death, and so on.

Basically, everyone has a different idea of what a human life telos is supposed to be - they won’t all be your cup of tea.

But there’s a difference in what a person is supposed “meant to be” vs. what they “want to be.”

What attributes make something what it is?

Aristotle drew two distinctions between essential and accidental properties.

those without a thing wouldn’t be what it is, and accidental properties are those that determine how a thing is, but not what it is.

For ex. Aristotle believed rationality was essential to what made Socrates who they are. Without it, it wouldn’t be Socrates.