For Aristotle's work, see Metaphysics . For Avicenna's work, see Avicennism.
(right) and Aristotle (left), by Raphael (Stanza della Segnatura, Rome)]]Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that investigates principles of reality transcending those of any particular science, traditionally, cosmology and ontology. It is also concerned with explaining the ultimate nature of being and the world.Geisler, Norman L. "Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics" page 446. Baker Books, 1999. Its name derives from the Greek words ???? (metá) (meaning "after") and ?????? (physiká) (meaning "physics"), "physics" referring to those works on matter by Aristotle in antiquity. The prefix meta- ("after") simply meant the chapters in Aristotle's work that physically followed after the chapter "physics". Aristotle called them "first philosophy". Over time, the meaning of "meta" has shifted to mean "beyond; over; transcending" in English. Therefore, metaphysics is also the study of that which trans
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysics