The question of the nature of physics is not a question in physics; it is a question about physics. It is a philosophical question and it is therefore not surprising that some physicists have no opinion about the nature of their subject; nor is it surprising that physicists who do have such opinions reach no consensus. But, the nature of metaphysics is itself a philosophical issue. And, in light of the skepticism that has arisen, from time to time, about whether there really is such a subject as metaphysics that is capable of discovering truths, it is, I think, incumbent upon metaphysicians to address the issue more seriously than they perhaps have.

In the introductions to introductory books on other subjects, one often gets a characterization of the subject being introduced that is sometimes at least moderately helpful. But in introductions to metaphysics, what one often gets, by way of a "definition," is something like "metaphysics is what metaphysicians do" or "metaphysics is about the big questions" or "metaphysics is the study of the general character of reality. "Metaphysics is a philosophical inquiry into the most basic and general features of reality." Remarks like these are not very helpful or informative. They fail to answer such questions as, how do metaphysical problems arise? What it is that unifies those problems, that is, what justifies their all being metaphysical problems? What makes these problems metaphysical in the first place? What is the appropriate method to be used to solve metaphysical problems?

It is regrettable that these questions haven't been given clear answers and regrettable that the platitudes don't explain how such a subject as metaphysics is even possible. And that only provides more fodder for the skeptics. It is also philosophically disreputable in my view. It is this situation that I want to help rectify.

Lawrence Lombard was born and grew up in New York City. He was an undergraduate at Cornell, majoring in philosophy; and received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Stanford University. He came to Wayne State in 1969, his first (and only) academic job. He started out as one of the philosophy department's philosophers of language and fairly quickly his interests turned to metaphysics. His metaphysical interests have centered around the concept of change, the concept of an event and causation. In addition to courses in those areas, he taught courses in basic philosophy, logic, ethics and ancient Greek philosophy. A philosophical "hobby" has been in the philosophy of space and time. (Non-philosophical hobbies include training my therapy dog, tennis, photography and travel (especially to Paris).) He retired this past May after fifty-four years on Wayne's faculty.

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A Wayne State University Emeritus Academy Colloquium Series presentation.