The Pat Flynn Show Philosophy Friday: Introduction to Metaphysics with Dr. Michael Torre
Nov 13, 2020
Dr. Michael Torre, philosopher and author of What Is, offers a clear intro to Thomistic metaphysics in plain language. He explains what metaphysicians ask and why skepticism is a good starting point. He debates scientism, defends teleology in nature, and explores how metaphysics interfaces with science and religious credibility.
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Start Teaching By Addressing Skepticism
- Teach metaphysics by scaffolding difficult primary sources with clear handouts and stories to engage beginners.
- Start with skepticism to remove students' initial objections before exploring deeper metaphysical claims.
Metaphysics Is Study Of First Principles
- Metaphysics studies first principles that come "after" physics and examine what underlies the physical world.
- It seeks ultimate explanations for existence, knowledge, and causes beyond empirical science.
Scientism Begs Philosophical Questions
- Scientism often assumes science's methods justify all knowledge without defending that claim philosophically.
- Philosophy of science examines those assumptions and shows science doesn't automatically answer first principles.
