Part I: Qualitative Inquiry and Philosophy -- Introduction: Situating Metaphysics and Epistemology in Qualitative Research -- Part II: Key Epistemological and Metaphysical Problems -- In Search of Truths: Epiricism Versus Rationalism -- Scepticism, Idea-ism, and Idealism -- German Idealism, Phenomenology, and Hermeneutics -- Realism, its Varieties and Contenders -- Part III: Intangible Realities -- Social Ontology -- Quantum Reality: Contemporary Views of the Things-in-Themselves -- Part IV: Philosophy in Qulitative Research -- Conclusions: On Academic Creativity and Philosophical and Methodological Freedom.