ONTOLOGY
(adapted from a modern Latin form
ontologia
used by Jean le Clerc 1692; Gr.
?ν
,
?ντο?
, pres. part, of
ε?ναι
to be, and
λ?γο?
, science), the name given to that branch of
philosophy which deals specially with the nature of being (
ο?σ?α
)
i.e.
reality in the abstract. The idea, denoted in modern philosophy
by the term “ontology” in contrast to the broader
“metaphysics” and the correlative “epistemology,” goes back
to such phrases as
?ντω?
?ντα
, which Plato uses to describe the
absolute reality of ideas; Plato, however, uses the term “dialectic”
for this particular branch of metaphysics. Aristotle,
likewise, holding that the separate sciences have each their own
subject matter, postulates a prior science of existence in general
which he describes as “first philosophy.” So far, therefore, the
science of being is distinguished not from that of knowing but
from that of the special forms of being: as to the possibility of
objective reality there is no question. A new distinction arises
in the philosophy of Wolff who first made “ontology” a technical
term. Theoretical philosophy (metaphysics) is by him divided
into that which deals with being in general whether objective
or subjective, as contrasted with the particular entities, the soul,
the world and God. The former is ontology. This intermediate
stage in the evolution of the science of being gave place to the
modern view that the first duty of the philosopher is to consider
knowledge itself (see
Epistemology
), and that only in the light
of conclusion as to this primary problem is it possible to consider
the nature of being. The evolution of metaphysics has thus
relegated ontology to a secondary place. On the other hand it
remains true that the science of knowing is inseparable from,
and in a sense identical with that of being. Epistemological
conclusions cannot be expressed ultimately without the aid of
ontological terms.
For the wider relations of ontology, see further
Philosophy
.