Meta-

From Free net encyclopedia

In epistemology, the prefix meta- is used to mean about (its own category). For example, metadata is data about data (who has produced it, when, what format the data is in and so on). Similarly, meta-memory in psychology means an individual's intuition about whether or not they would remember something if they concentrated on recalling it. Any subject can be said to have a meta-theory, which is the theoretical consideration of its foundations and methods.

Another, slightly different interpretation of this term is "about" but not "on". For example, a grammar is considered as a metalanguage, a meta-answer is not a real answer but a reply, such as: "this is not a good question", "I suggest to ask your professor". Here, we have such concepts as meta-reasoning and meta-knowledge.

The prefix is derived by back-formation from the Ancient Greek preposition and prefix meta- (μετά) which meant either "after" or "beside". This prefix occurred in the name of one part of Aristotle's works, the metaphysics, which originally meant simply "(the parts that come) after physics". The title was later understood to mean "(that which is) beyond physics", and meta- was thus re-analysed as meaning "beyond".