Metaphysics

What it is

The Metaphysics is a collection of philosophical treatises by Aristotle, likely compiled from lecture notes, dealing with substance, causation, and first principles. The page shown is from a manuscript copy held at the Vatican Library.

Why it matters

Aristotle, writing after both Socrates and Plato, gives important testimony distinguishing Socrates' own ideas from those of Plato. He credits Socrates with developing inductive arguments and universal definitions in ethics, while attributing the theory of Forms to Plato instead. This distinction is a key piece of evidence scholars use when trying to separate the historical Socrates from Plato's literary character, a puzzle known as the Socratic problem.

Look closer

• Why is it useful to have a source written by someone who studied under Plato, rather than by Plato himself?
• What problems arise when trying to tell apart what Socrates actually said from what Plato invented?
• How does a handwritten manuscript copy differ from the original work as Aristotle wrote it?