The ‘Philosopher’s Stone’

Abstract

Physicists have long been in search of the final theory—a physical theory that can be regarded as the truly fundamental description of nature. But metaphysicians likewise aspire to describe the world as it is most fundamentally. I argue that if we take a naturalistic approach to metaphysics, a final theory is even more crucial to success of the metaphysical project than it is to that of the physicist. This is because the non-fundamental theories produced by contemporary physicists may at least be said to approximate the final theory, and so physicists may be said to at least be making progress towards their goal in advance of having achieved it. Metaphysical theories, by contrast, cannot be said to be ‘approximately true’, and hence do not obviously partake in such progress. This raises questions of the value of engaging in naturalistic metaphysics prior to the emergence of a truly final theory.