Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality. It includes questions about the nature of existence, identity, change, space and time, cause and effect, necessity, actuality, and possibility. Metaphysics is considered one of the four main branches of philosophy, along with epistemology, logic, and ethics. The word "metaphysics" derives from the Greek words μετά (metá, "after") and φυσικά (physiká, "physics") . It has been suggested that the term might have been coined by a first-century CE editor who assembled various small selections of Aristotles works into the treatise we now know by the name Metaphysics. The prefix meta- ("after") indicates that these works come "after" the chapters on physics.

Metaphysics is not limited to the study of physical reality, but rather explores the immutable laws of nature, set by The Creator, God/Universal Presence, in the creation of the Universe. It includes questions about the relationship between mind and matter, between substance and attribute, and between potentiality and actuality. Metaphysics is concerned with explaining the features of reality that exist beyond the physical world and our immediate senses.

In modern philosophical terminology, metaphysics refers to the studies of what cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality. Areas of metaphysical studies include ontology, cosmology, and often, epistemology. Metaphysics uses logic based on the meaning of human terms, rather than on a logic tied to human sense perception of the objective world.

In summary, metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, including questions about existence, identity, change, space and time, cause and effect, necessity, actuality, and possibility. It is not limited to the study of physical reality and includes questions about the relationship between mind and matter, between substance and attribute, and between potentiality and actuality.