noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Philosophical term contrasting with 形而上 (metaphysical). Refers to things that have form and can be perceived by the senses; the tangible, empirical world.
形而下の世界を研究するのが自然科学だ。
Natural science studies the physical world.
彼の
His argument remained focused on material concerns.
物質的 is a more common, everyday word for 'material' or 'physical', whereas 形而下 is a technical philosophical term.
From Chinese 形而下 (xíng'érxià), literally 'that which is below form', used in classical Chinese philosophy to denote the concrete, as opposed to 形而上 (xíng'érshàng) 'above form', the abstract.