This is the text of my seminar on ultrametaphysics on Friday here in Albuquerque. An attempt at a history of ultrametaphysics in five chapters Hilan Bensusan I begin with some of the words in the title. First, ‘ultrametaphysics’, then ‘history’ and ‘chapters’. ‘Ultrametaphysics’, which I discovered that in my mouth could sound like ‘ autre metaphysics’, intends to address what comes after metaphysics assuming that metaphysics is an endeavor – or an epoch, or a project, or an activity – that reaches an end, perhaps because it is consolidated, perhaps because it has reached its own limits, perhaps because it is accomplished, perhaps because it is misconceived. In this sense, other names could apply, first of all, ‘meta-metaphysics’ – that alludes to metaphysics coming after physics, the books of Aristotle that came after Physics , or the task that follows the attention to φύσις, or still what can be reached only if the nature of things is considered. ‘Meta-m
Paul Livingston, in his Logic of Being , starts out reminding us of the battle of gods and giants at stake in Plato's Sophist according to Heidegger. To the association of being with ousia is connected the very psycho-logic of permanence underneath changing appearances. Reading the Sophist with Severino makes one hint at a connection between the parricide (the introduction of nothingness as a possible object of thought - and consideration) and the link between being and ousia . And, as a consequence, of the origin of the metaphysics of presence in the gesture that introduced nothingness to (Greek) thought. Severino's Parmenides holds that whatever is is permanent. Appearances, to be sure, come and go, but nothing is lost, degenerated or annihilated. Being remains, but it is shown only partially always, it depends on what is exposed and nothing is fully exposed at once - because time passes only in order to make appearances come about. Think about it as a book with bits that a