Aristotle, Kant and the Unity of the Metaphysical Problem

Abstract

The current investigation tries to answer two questions about Metaphysics: a) Is metaphysics a science about general principles of beings, or does it ask concretely about some special beings? b) Is metaphysics in its Kantian conception, a complete rupture from Aristotelian Metaphysics,? To answer these questions, in response to the first question it is shown that the problem of metaphysics begins with the question of the general principles of beings. However, this question leads to the question of special being, i.e., the unconditioned (thinking of thinking). Therefore, the knowledge of general principles of beings is the same as the knowledge of supreme beings. After explaining the nature of Aristotelian metaphysics, by examining Kant's texts, it turns out that, contrary to the popular belief, Kant's explanation of beings is always tied to the question of the unconditioned. Therefore, according to Aristotle and Kant, metaphysics is always connected with the unconditioned.