China Social Science Review

No.2, 2022

 

The Metaphysics of Essence: A Critical Overview

(Abstract)

 

Dai Haiqiang

 

Metaphysics is a classical philosophical issue, but it has given rise to numerous debates and was at one time the subject of denunciation by philosophers. The contemporary era shows signs of a metaphysical renaissance which is shouldering the task of transforming and constructing the objects of its own discourse. To further examine the more representative essentialism of contemporary metaphysics, we focus on two issues to do with the nature of objects: the ontology of essence, which concerns the relationship between essence and entity, essence and existence, etc., and the epistemology of essence, which concerns a priori essence, a posteriori essence, and hybrid essence. Contemporary essentialism is relatively well developed, but many questions are hidden within it. Further research and introspection are needed on what “essence” is.