Modern Western Philosophy, Metaphysical Rebellion

Metaphysics, a subject that studies the transcendental substance or essence, had ever been the main trend of the western philosophy. But the contemporary western philosophy has risen in opposition against it generally since the mid-term of the nineteen. How to appraise "the opposition" involves a series of important problems, such as the nature of philosophy, the object of philosophy and the relation of philosophy and science etc. So studying the issue is very important to establishing the right philosophy outlook.In recent years, many studies have been made on the phenomenon of the contemporary western philosophy opposing to metaphysics in the philosophy field. But, on the whole, there have still been no systematical studies, and there have been more negative appraisals than the positive ones. In consideration of these problems, the thesis, starting from the common conception of metaphysics, tries to investigate historically the development, evolution and position of metaphysics; study the opposition and its ways of the contemporary western philosophy against metaphysics; and then make a Marxism's appraisal of "the opposition" practically and realistically. The thesis consists of three parts:The first part deals with metaphysics, its developing and evolving course and its historic position. As a subject that studies the transcendental substance, metaphysics have four basic features, seeking the absolute things, rationality autocrat, binary opposition and abstract metaphysically. Metaphysics took shape in old Greece Age. Having developed and evolved in Middle Age, it was established by R. Descartes. G. W. F. Hegel's philosophy marks its completion Being the base and the main trend of the traditional western philosophy, metaphysics had occupied a dominating position in the western philosophic history for a long time.The second part dwells on the reasons and the ways of "the opposition" Metaphysics itself has insurmountable inherent contradiction. The development of natural science and the changes of social and historical conditions have challenged to it to fight from outside. So the contemporary western philosophy has risen in rebellion against metaphysics generally: The early Positivists, A. comte and E. mach, insist on abandoning metaphysics by the positivism'sprinciples; The Logic Positivists, M. schlick and R. carnap, advocate eliminating metaphysics by means of analyzing the logic of language; The Voluntarist, A. Schopenchauer and F. W. Nietzsche, criticize metaphysics from irrationalism's standpoint; The Existentialist, M. Heidegger and J-p. Sartre, claim to substitute a new ontology for the traditional metaphysics.The third part analyses the rationalization and the defects of "the opposition". The opposition, on the one hand, is reasonable and right: it is a mecesity of the mordern westen philosophy developing; It is a transformation of philosophic thinking ways; It is a kind of transcendence of the traditional philosophy. On the other hand, the opposition is wrong and limited: It has constructed unconsciously another form of metaphysics; It has denied the positon of philosophic thinking in scientific studies; It has negated the significance of studying philosophy ontology.