Metaphysics, Isn't

Metaphysics, isn’t.

There is nothing physical about metaphysics.  Do not be fooled by the name – it is not, nor has it ever been, any kind of science,

Metaphysics is merely imagination and opinion.  At its best, it is wishful thinking, but at its worst, it is prejudice masked as reason or divine decree.

Anything described as ‘metaphysical’ cannot be sensed.  You cannot see metaphysical sights nor hear metaphysical sounds.  Nothing that is categorized as metaphysical can be grasped or even touched.  You cannot smell or taste metaphysical objects.  Nothing that is metaphysical can be measured, it cannot be tested, it is – in its entirety – a construct of the delusional ramblings of unhinged minds.

Everything that is real can be measured.  There are real things in this universe that we have not yet been able to directly observe or measure, and more things than we have imagined or can even imagine that will be measurable.  There are real limitations on space and time that inhibit our ability to discern these things, but in time we shall detect and measure them and when we do they will become science – a part of the body of human knowledge.

There are no special humans who have special access to special emanations from the universe.  There is no special intelligence out there in space and time that metes out special information to a special cadre of humanity in order to safely shepherd other humans through the mental and physical minefields of life.

This does not mean the things we imagine are not important.  Our imagination allows us to make certain assumptions about future possibilities.  Our creativity allows humans to solve human problems, because nothing is coming to save us – not Angels from Heaven or Aliens from Planet G.  It is only our ability to recognize patterns and order our thinking that helps us to make sense of what has already happened and share this awareness of history and our anticipation of future events with others.

Unfortunately, our minds are also delusion generators.  Honed by eons of evolution, we jump when the wind rustles the grass and then try to explain to others our jumping at nothing by reporting that we thought we saw a snake move the grass.  In truth, our eyes and attention focused elsewhere, our minds received data that the grass had moved and prompted a reaction without any coherent thought or conscious act of will because sometimes there are snakes in the grass.  We are the evolutionary products of those who jumped believing in imaginary snakes because others who did not jump when there was a snake did not survive to have nonjumping offspring.

And there are snakes in the grass, and they will prey upon your imagination and your fear of what isn’t real so that they can make you jump.  And once you become a jumper at phantom fears you become their thrall.  Whether you are a meek underachiever blaming the banks and the corporations for the ecological ruin of Earth and the economic manipulation of billions of humans, or some sad believer in metaphysical beings who randomly and infrequently intervene in human affairs for reasons that would only make sense to a psychopath, you are still their thrall.

The universe is a real place occupied by real people with real problems and metaphysical imaginings accomplish nothing.  Deposit your unfulfilled prayers in one hand today and pile the filth you would otherwise flush down the commode in the other and see which one fills up first.  There’s your metaphysics.