The Foundations of Rational Metaphysics

The Foundations of Rational Metaphysics systematically explores the building blocks of the world through two conceptual layers: First Metaphysic and Second Metaphysic. The First Metaphysic investigates the principles underlying any world conceived as a unity of many beings. It analyzes the fundamental concepts that allow us to partition the world into distinct objects. Closely aligned with formal logic, this layer advances new theories of predication, negation, quantification, and more. It also introduces the arch-theory of manifolds, offering a unified foundation for mereology, collection theory, and set theory. These inquiries culminate in a novel logical system—Concept Calculus—that departs sharply from standard Predicate Calculus. This system articulates eight foundational concepts of any possible world and identifies the First Partitioner of being. The Second Metaphysic examines the principles of our world as mediated by our basic cognitive tools. It proposes four ontological spheres—thought, language, reality, and noumena—and analyzes their interrelations through key epistemological and ontological concepts, including a proof of the external world’s existence. This yields twenty-four foundational concepts specific to our world. Together, these two metaphysical layers constitute a comprehensive philosophical framework—rare in contemporary thought—built on original logical and analytical foundations. Benjamin Brown is a full professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Jewish thought and modern philosophy.