Is Metaphysics Useful?

"Don Ross is best known among philosophers for his book, written with James Ladyman, Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized, in which they argued that analytic metaphysics with its goal to offer the most general description of reality is a failed endeavour because it prioritizes highly subjective human intuition and "common sense" over the objective, often counter-intuitive findings of modern science."

"What may strike some of my readers, most of whom have never studied philosophy, as a bold assertion is in fact a widely shared view among philosophers who regard much of traditional analytic metaphysics as a pure form of castle-building in the sky, conducted from a philosophical armchair with little attachment to reality."

""It's worse than redundant. In trying to discover general truths about reality that are independent of science, it implements a counter-Enlightenment project. James and I argue that it is a barrier to knowledge.""

A substantive portion of analytic metaphysics prioritizes armchair analysis and personal intuition over empirical methods. Many philosophers view traditional analytic metaphysics as detached castle-building lacking attachment to observable reality. Critics argue that this approach elevates subjective common sense above the objective, frequently counter-intuitive discoveries of modern science. Don Ross and James Ladyman contend that analytic metaphysics attempts a counter-Enlightenment project and functions as a barrier to knowledge. Their critique maintains that metaphysical methodology often conflicts with scientific findings and that reevaluation or naturalization of metaphysics is necessary to better align with empirical investigation.

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