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This means, however, that "theoretical" is not the right word to use to refer to inquiries concerning the structure of things in themselves as distinct from inquiries concerning the meaning of things for us. But what the right word is for this purpose is not all that obvious.

I once thought that "contemplative" might be a good choice, understanding that its use for this purpose would be governed by the distinction between "action" and "contemplation," and so by the contrast with "active." Thus, while religious and technical inquiries, both being concerned, in their different ways, with the meaning of things for us, could be said to be "active," metaphysical and scientific inquiries could be distinguished as "contemplative," because they are both concerned, in different ways, with the structure of things in themselves.

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