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Full Idea
Metaphysics can be divided into two parts: first ontology, which is supposed to tell us what there is in general. The second part is the rest of metaphysics, which is supposed to tell us what these things are like, in various general ways.
Gist of Idea
Metaphysics is (supposedly) first the ontology, then in general what things are like
Source
Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 01.1)
Book Ref
Hofweber,Thomas: 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' [OUP 2018], p.1
A Reaction
Hofweber is a fairly sceptical guide to metaphysics, but this has been the standard view for the last decade. Before that, Quine had set an agenda of mere ontology.