This distinguished illustrated edition of Ontology; Or, The Theory of Being by Peter Coffey presents one of the most important introductions to classical metaphysics and scholastic ontology ever written in the English language. Carefully formatted for modern digital reading, this edition includes newly prepared illustrations, an original foreword, enhanced navigation, and a detailed study of the author’s philosophical legacy.

First published during the great revival of neo-scholastic philosophy in the early twentieth century, Coffey’s work examines the deepest questions of existence: What does it mean to be? What is substance? How do causality, essence, individuality, and reality itself operate within philosophical thought? Drawing upon the traditions of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, Coffey develops a rigorous yet accessible system of metaphysical inquiry that shaped generations of philosophical and theological education.

This illustrated edition enriches the reading experience with carefully designed imagery inspired by classical academic painting, medieval manuscripts, scholastic symbolism, philosophical libraries, and intellectual life in Europe during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The result is both a scholarly resource and a visually immersive philosophical classic.

Readers interested in metaphysics, ontology, Thomism, theology, logic, scholasticism, and the foundations of philosophical reasoning will discover in this volume a profound intellectual journey into the structure of reality itself.

This edition features:

A fully illustrated presentation designed for digital readers
A newly written foreword introducing the historical significance of the text
Expanded author biography and historical background
Professionally formatted chapters and navigation
Carefully restored and edited text for readability
Classical artwork-inspired visual atmosphere throughout the edition

Ideal for students, scholars, theology readers, philosophy enthusiasts, and collectors of classic intellectual literature, this volume preserves the enduring power of scholastic metaphysics while presenting it in a beautiful modern illustrated format.