The contemporary conception of metaphysics is represented by Lublin philosophical school with its leading representative Mieczyslav A. Krapiec. Metaphysics as the most universal autonomous science has its specific object: the reality, i. e. the real things. The first task of the methaphysics is the determination of its object. Its method should not be derived neither from any philosophical school, nor from any theory of knowledge. It rather should arise from the nature of its own object - from the reality itself. (...) The realism and the scientific character of metaphysical know_ledge is based rather on the explanation of the reality in the perspective of its existence than on the explanation of our ideal constructions of knowledge. It is a complex methodological process , which must meet the standards of scientific neutrality and its controlable proceedings. This process does not result in any abstract, essenital, unambiguous concept of being, but rather in an analogical - transcendental concept of being verified by all analogically existing plurality of particular beings. The proportion of existence to essence varies in every being, but is at the same time analogical in all of them. The method of separation is not subject to any systematic changes - it is corrected by the relaity itself, to which it is directed. (shrink)

A small work On being and essence entered the discussion of that time on the concept of being, represented by Aristotle’s works and his Arabic interpreters Avicenna and Averroes . Thomas follows the Aristotelian realistic understanding of reality, but, as for its explanation, he signalizes a new understanding of being. It is clearly his own philosophical way, which enables him to enter independently into the conflict between the Augustinians and Averroists, i.e. against both sides. Thomas Aquinas’ conception of being helps (...) to read and understand his further philosophical works more profoundly. It is the metaphysics, which from the philosophical perspective becomes a philosophical basis of the interpretation of the real world as well as a starting point for the study of the Thomas’ thinking as a whole. (shrink)

The author emphasize the fact, that the world of really existing compound and distinct things leads to the first questions in our spontaneous cognition of the world, such as: "What is it?", "What for?" Spontaneous cognition thus means the primary, direct experience of the real world, which is the basis of common sense. From common sense arise the first fundamental principles of thought and knowledge, such as "For that, what is, it is impossible not to be", expressed in natural language. (...) Although the designations and functions of the natural language are manifold, the rules of its real meanings are determined by the reality itself. All this pre-scientific, spontaneous cognition enters philosophy, being a necessary and sufficient starting point for the epistemological realism, which offers the way leading to the know_ledge of the real world. The common sense knowledge, based on natural language, prevents the philosophical knowledge from apriori formulations in interpretation of reality. The realistic philosophy thus must meet the natural needs of human know_ledge. This can be achieved through developing the common sense knowledge in the frame of realistic knowledge. (shrink)