The Elimination of Metaphysics

The elimination of metaphysics refers to a philosophical movement, primarily associated with early 20th-century thinkers like logical positivists, which argued that many traditional philosophical questions about existence, reality, and the nature of things are meaningless because they cannot be verified through empirical evidence or scientific methods. Essentially, it suggests that claims about what exists beyond observable experience—such as spirits or absolute truths—lack meaningfulness. This movement aimed to clarify philosophical language and focus on statements that can be tested or verified, trimming away questions that scientists consider nonscientific or nonsensical.