Metafizyka jako ancilla scientiae (Nauki przyrodnicze: metafizyka – wiara)

The author attempts to answer three questions: 1) What is metaphysics, with its intention to become the i rst among sciences, also among natural ones; 2) Is there any necessary relations/connection between metaphysics, natural science and theology (which partly means also relations between faith and reason); 3) In what way metaphysics can be used in natural sciences (also in theology) and how do these sciences benei t from it? In reply to the i rst is- sue, the author has stressed that metaphysics is an interpretation of persons, animals, plants and other things. A relationship between metaphysics and natural sciences, which is the problem discussed in the second part of the article, is necessary when a naturalist (and also a theologian) uses the results of his research to built a certain world view. Discussing the third question, the author shows that metaphysics, natural sciences and theology could cooper-ate in constructing an integral image of the world and man, form an adequate terminology to name particular problems, making people aware of the limits of research methods and teaching a principle of freedom in doing research in order to defend science from being ideology-oriented.