Metaphysics and the good

Abstract

The intersection of metaphysical structures and normative values provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating theistic metaethics, modal ontology, and the history of modern philosophy. Moral obligation and excellence are analyzed through the lens of divine commands, yet alternative social-command theories propose secular accounts that emphasize social conventions and interpersonal requirements over transcendent grounds. In modal metaphysics, the contingency of existence is maintained through Aristotelian actualism, which resists necessitarianism by distinguishing between existence in and existence at possible worlds. Furthermore, critiques of Molinism suggest that the groundless nature of counterfactuals of freedom poses a potential threat to the consistency of divine omnipotence and human agency. Reinterpretations of Leibniz and Kant clarify the early modern transition from “from-grounds” a priori proof to non-empirical cognition, while reassessing the necessity of final causation in relation to mechanical efficient causes. Within the philosophy of mind, the explanatory gap facing physicalism is addressed by positing that introspection may provide inaccurate representations of phenomenal qualities, potentially closing the rift between mental and physical properties. Finally, in the context of ethics and history, a rational moral faith in human progress serves as a necessary orienting commitment, justifying the continued pursuit of intrinsic goods and the realization of excellence in human activity. – AI-generated abstract.