Poznanie metafizyczne w świetle rozróżnień abstrakcyjne– konkretne i ogólne–jednostkowe

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present an approach in metaphysics/ontology, which is founded on two distinctions: abstract–concrete and universal–particular. To different cognitive issues one can assign different “categorical coordinates”, namely: a place in the spectrum of abstractness and one of the three following characteristics: particularity, proper universality, total universality. The thesis of this paper is that metaphysics should be located in the region of universality and high degrees of abstractness. Such a localization is connected with specific cognitive difficulties which are present in this branch of philosophy. I demonstrate some problems from the history of philosophy which could be interpreted as caused by these difficulties. Applicability of my thesis to such concrete cases is treated as its indirect justification.