Rome metaphysics

International forum for interdisciplinary dialogue

dedicated to exploring and debating the fundamental questions of experimental and experiential science..

Edition 2025

Why and what for

How

Under the initiative of Fernando Rielo, this forum was born at the beginning of the new millennium as a response to the crisis and abandonment of metaphysics. Faced with a serious anthropological crisis, marked by ideological pressure and a growing “technological Prometheism”, this space seeks to promote a flourishing, creative and transformative metaphysics. Its objective is to promote life, science and culture, based on the universal vocation of the human being towards reflection and the search for meaning.

Vision

The World Conference on Metaphysics is based on the assumption that the human being, in order to base and orient his understanding of the different realities, feels impelled to conceive the ultimate and originating field of his thinking and acting. This vision is continually enriched by new contributions from particular sciences and personal experience.

Purpose

Its fundamental objectives are: to promote, accommodate and open a worldwide dialogue on reflection on the human being in all its integrity; to bring metaphysics back to the heart of culture; and to encourage ecumenical reflection of the various religious traditions and the dialogue of different mentalities.

On the spirit of the conference

Objectives

The main objective of the conference is to promote an interdisciplinary dialogue that offers a more holistic view of the human being, highlighting the implications of this understanding in pedagogy, economics, ethics, law, ecology, psychology and other human sciences.

01

It aims to promote, accommodate and open the dialogue around the reflection on the human being in all its integrity.:

On the three levels that constitute it: body, soul and spirit. On the four spheres that relate to oneself, to the transcendent, to other human beings and to nature: personal, sacral, social and cosmic. On the multiple dimensions in which all the work that comes out of his hands for his physical, psychological and spiritual well-being is integrated, such as history, science, religion, art, culture, therapy, economics, politics, sports…

02

It aims to put metaphysics back at the heart of culture.

As a guiding light, it truly fulfills its founding and integrating role in every sector of research applied to life: the physical, biological and social sciences; reflection on medicine, law, politics, economics, the arts, and the peaceful coexistence of peoples.

03

It fosters ecumenical reflection of the various religious traditions and the dialogue of different mentalities.

Channeling the most intimate aspirations of human beings, now, in this globalizing era of almost universal pluralism due to the great planetary migrations, in which more than ever it is necessary to adequately interpret and value the diverse forms of experience and to develop an authentic interpretative model that revolves around the magna quaestio of our time: the definition of the human person, with all its scientific, social, juridical and spiritual implications.

Spirit of the
Romemetaphysics conferences

The inquiring and possessive tendency of the ultimate reason for things, in different ways, is manifested in each of the phases through which human life passes.

Humanity today faces the need to find integrative answers that will alleviate the problems affecting our society and heal the cultural, religious, social and political divisions that have marked modern history.

Neither science combined with technology, nor the economy, nor even the religious dimension alone can fully respond to these challenges. Science cannot exhaust the vast field of culture; the economy is not enough to guarantee a solid coexistence; and religion, when isolated from a broader reflection, runs the risk of falling into fundamentalism or fanaticism.

The metaphysical mindset, as a deep impulse of the human spirit, has been present since the dawn of our history and manifests itself as an innate quest, visible even in childhood. As described by Fernando Rielo, the child is not satisfied with possessing fragments of knowledge; he seeks a deeper, more affective and total connection with “someone” who can fulfill his aspirations. This search, as ancient as it is universal, shapes every stage of our lives, shaping both our formative orientations and our possible deviations.

Today, more than ever, it is necessary to correct and revitalize metaphysics in order to return it to the heart of culture. Its role must be that of a guiding light that integrates the various fields of knowledge – physical, biological and social sciences, medicine, law, economics, the arts and religious traditions – offering a framework that favors peaceful coexistence and channels the deepest aspirations of human beings.

Metaphysics, in dialogue with mysticism and supported by an inclusive and transformative epistemology, has the potential to lead a vital and creative humanism. This approach not only makes it possible to clarify who human persons are and how their existence is configured, but also to protect them against any attempt to manipulate or attack their dignity and life.

Previous editions

The first 8 editions have been held in Rome (2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012), convened by the Fondazione Idente di Studi e di Ricerca (FISER). In 2015 and 2018 it was held at the Pontifical University of Salamanca (Spain), linked to the Fernando Rielo Chair of the same. In 2021, the edition was online.

To date, WMC has brought together more than 3,000 participants from around the world.

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