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In metaphysics, substance refers to what exists independently and is the primary constituent of reality. It's often contrasted with properties, which substances possess.

Essence signifies the set of attributes that make an entity what it fundamentally is, and without which it loses its identity.

Existence in metaphysics pertains to the state or fact of being, and the debate over what types of things can be said to exist.

Ontology is the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of being, existence, and reality, including the relationships among entities.

Monism posits that reality is ultimately composed of one kind of substance or principle.

Dualism is the metaphysical view that there are two fundamentally different kinds of substances or realities, such as mind and matter.

Idealism is a philosophical viewpoint where reality is considered to be mentally constructed or otherwise immaterial.

Materialism holds that only physical matter and its movements or processes constitute the fundamental nature of reality.

Platonism is the view that abstract objects like numbers, mathematical sets, and possibly ethical values, exist independently of the physical world.

In metaphysics, realism asserts that certain entities or truths exist independently of our conceptions or perceptions.

Nominalism is the philosophical position that universals or general categories do not have an independent existence but are merely names or labels we use.

Phenomenalism suggests that physical objects do not exist as things in themselves but only as perceptual phenomena or sensory stimuli situated in time and space.

Necessity in metaphysics relates to the concept that certain things must be the way they are and could not have been any other way.

Contingency means that something is not necessary and could have been different, depending on various conditions or causal factors.

Causality refers to the relation between cause and effect, asserting that all events have causes that explain why they occur.

Determinism is the doctrine that all events, including human actions and choices, are determined by preceding events in accordance with universal laws.

Free will is the metaphysical concept that individuals have the capacity to choose between different possible courses of action unimpeded.

Possible worlds are hypothetical universes or totalities of existence that might have been if different conditions were met, used in modal analyses.

Identity in metaphysics refers to the relation each thing bears just to itself, and the principles of sameness and change over time.

Time is a fundamental aspect of human experience and metaphysical inquiry, involving the sequential progression of events and the notions of past, present, and future.

Space in metaphysical study is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which all matter exists and events occur, often alongside the concept of time.