Journey in being—presentation text
Anil Mitra, © 2008
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Outline
Introduction to a Journey in being
The Universe is all being and contains all Entities, Forms, and Laws
A Domain is a part of the Universe
The Void is the absence of being and contains no Entity, Form or Law
An ultimate picture of the universe
Human world: individual and society
Common and experimental endeavor
A system of modes of being and knowing
Some human modes, common and experimental
Specific cultures and their limits
Analysis of some common views and their limits: summary
History of transformation and its theories
Detailed development of the dynamic
Objections and counterarguments*
Doubts about demonstration of the nature-existence of the Universe and the Void
Formal problems concerning the fundamental principle
Adjusting the fundamental principle and its consequences to realism
Objections not based in rationality (content or method)
Topics from the history of ideas*
The nature of the problems of metaphysics
Classification of the problems of metaphysics
Problems raised in the present development
Principles of thought and action
* Topics that may be omitted or mentioned in passing
The story began with a personal journey—with ambitions of discovery in understanding and knowing. In the outcome, the idea of the journey is seen as fundamental to being. The journey emerged as one of discovery, experience and transformation of being. Discovery included that of a focused, precise and grounded view of being—A map of the universe at whose center lies a grounded and ultimate metaphysics or view of the nature of being—the terms are explained later—and, therefore, of the Universe. The metaphysics provides a framework for the experience and transformation of being
The following introduction is a quick introductory sketch
Universe, Entity, Form, Law, Domain, part, Void, absence
creator, Possibility, Actuality, mind
There is exactly one Universe. Form and mind are and must be part of the Universe
The Universe exists and can have no creator. All creation lies within the Universe
Whatever is Possible must be Actual. The Actual and the Possible are identical
Note: Logic begins to be seen as immanent in the—idea of the—Universe
Domains exist
The Void which is the complement of the Universe in itself exists
One part of the Universe may create another
Creation, Form and Law may be imposed by one domain on another. Mind may be imported from one domain to another
existence, manifest state, fundamental problem of metaphysics, individual, identity, Identity, Logic, fiction, Substance, absolute indeterminism, determinism, ultimate explanation, ultimate, depth, variety, breadth, adventure, becoming, transformation, necessity, Normal
There is no difference between the existence and non-existence of the Void
The Void may be taken to exist
If some state of being is not accessed from what may be taken to be the Void, that non-access would be a Law of the Void
Every state of being is accessible from what may be taken to be the Void
The Void exists—and contains no Entity, Form or Law
The Void is equivalent to every state of being. Any state of being is equivalent to every state of being
Or—Every consistent concept or idea is realized
More precisely—The only restriction on accessible states is Logic
This defines the concept of Logic
The principle of reference—a logic is a system or grammar that ensures that all sentences of the system have reference
Objection. Immense conclusions are made here from the concept of Logic. However, since ‘The one Law of the Universe’ or of all being defines Logic, how is it now possible to conclude anything at all from the ‘fact’ that Logic is the one Law of the Universe? Response. The motivation to the ‘definition’ was not definition per se, i.e. not the introduction of a new concept, but the possible contradictions arising from ‘the set of consistent statements…’ and the extension of Logic is at least some large set of consistent statements, i.e. the immanent and ultimate realization of the idea of logic
Cosmology begins in Logic—there are no fictions except Logical fictions. Subject to Logic, every fiction, every story, every myth, every scripture, every legend, every novel, every science, every imagination, every truth implicit in a work of art or music is real
The Universe must pass through both Void and manifest states—this explains why there is something rather than nothing and, as will be seen, implies that the fundamental problem of metaphysics is ‘What exists’
What is actual is necessary. This—our—cosmological system is necessary. Every individual is necessary; and their identities are necessary. Any limited domain recurs infinitely. There is Karma. The identity of every individual merges with the Identity. Every particle of being may interact with every other particle; this interaction can be not other than knowledge at an elementary level; the Identity is the Universe. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead in countless cosmological systems. The manifest Universe may be subject to annihilation at any time
Substance has been an immensely important concept in the history of metaphysics. From the history of thought, one important meaning of substance is that of substratum of the world—this is perhaps the most important meaning of substance in history of thought
Substance must be of the world. It is essential to the significance of substance that it be simpler than its manifestation as the world and that—the process of—manifestation as the world be deterministic. However, from the foregoing, manifestation must be absolutely indeterministic since every state is accessible from every state—including the necessarily accessed substance state. Therefore the world can have no substance in the classic sense
The Void, however, may function as substance as may every state of the world—except, however, that such substance would not be deterministic and therefore have little significance
The significance of this lack of substance is that it is not necessary to seek ultimate explanations beneath the surface of things as, e.g., in the atomic conception of matter (whose next question is ‘What lies below the atoms?’ and so on)
Thus the metaphysics that is emerging is ultimate with regard to depth but the actual depth, even though the fact is profound, is ultimately shallow
Since every state is accessible from every other state, the emerging metaphysics is implicitly ultimate with regard to variety or breadth. It is in breadth or variety that the mystery of the world lies and there lies the ultimate adventure of discovery, being and becoming or transformation of being
The apparent conflict between the necessity of this world and the Universe as described above will be resolved via the concept of the Normal. In fact, however, there is no conflict
limit
The only limits are Logical limits
The human endeavor is characterized by limits
The journey is* a bridge between the human and the universal
*Includes
picture, human endeavor, journey
An ultimate view in depth, dimension—extent and duration, and variety…
tradition, individual, culture, institution, metaphysics, empirical, philosophical discipline, occult, grounded, demonstrated, implicit view, science, myth, scripture, experience, Universal metaphysics, Metaphysics of immanence, true, criteria, novel
At one point of convergence in the journey a picture of the universe emerges
Naturally, this picture draws from tradition. However, it is not a mere drawing together of common elements of the human tradition ancient or modern—whether articulated and coherent or in collage form. The elements of tradition and what are perhaps original ideas, are wrought into something new
It is fair to say that every individual has such a picture but that the individual pictures are typically a combination of explicit elements of their own invention andor drawn from the culture and implicit elements defined by how they live their lives, their values, their commitments, and where they turn in moments of joy and crisis… The culture itself may have one or more pictures, not altogether distinct, that have explicit elements such as art, literature, scripture, myth and science and implicit elements in its institutions. There is give and take between the individual and the culture
A metaphysics in the sense used here is, roughly, an explicit conceptual but not non-empirical picture of the world and its nature. Metaphysics is the philosophical discipline whose concern is the development and grounding or foundation of such pictures. In other uses, ‘metaphysics’ refers to what is remote or occult. In the present use, no distinction is made between the immediate and the remote. The significant present distinction concerns whether the ‘picture’ that is presented is grounded or demonstrated
A writer whose explicit intent is no more than to tell a story may paint an implicit view of the world in the telling. Another writer may intend to paint an implicit picture in the telling; such pictures are metaphysical. A scientific metaphysics might be one that says that the fundamental elements of the world are the elements of science. The Biblical Genesis story is metaphysical in the present sense. A metaphysics in the present sense could be conceptual or philosophical—and might be called a philosophical metaphysics. Such a metaphysics might be entirely conceptual or, alternately, might draw some of its ideas from one or more of science, myth, scripture… It is unlikely that a metaphysics will not draw from experience but it does not follow that it will be a formulation of experience
At the core of the picture of the universe that emerges here there is an explicit metaphysics. This metaphysics, referred to as a Universal metaphysics or the Metaphysics of immanence has the following characteristics. First, there is more to this metaphysics than painting it; it is endeavored to paint only what is true and it will be seen that the criteria that determine knowledge of truth emerge together with the knowing. Second, it is ultimate—i.e., it is explicitly shown that the metaphysics is ultimate in depth and breadth (‘breadth’ and ‘depth’ are defined.) A third characteristic of the metaphysics is that it is novel. Elements of the metaphysics including some of the central insights have been glimpsed in the history of thought. However, there are new and essential elements; the picture has not been put together before in its present coherent form; the picture is demonstrated—this is new; indeed, the picture develops its methods of demonstration that are shown to be integral with content; all this permits an elaboration of the picture and application to a variety of disciplines and human activities that are ultimate—in a way that is defined and grounded—and essentially new
It is true and perhaps natural that the metaphysics that emerges is not altogether explicit but is also immanent in the emphases and interests of the developments (and in the author’s life.) An example of such an emphasis is the concern with ultimate things. Some might say that such concerns are futile and that they minimize the human condition and human problems. The counterargument has a practical side according to which the ultimate and the immediate are not distinct, that they are connected, that they illuminate one another—that the ultimate may provide meaning when no other meaning at hand. It is shown that there is a real connection between the immediate and the ultimate. Additionally, while the practical is concerned with the means of living, a view of the nature of the world provides both ultimate and immediate reasons for living. A conceptual counterargument is that the potential return on an interest in the ultimate is immense and cost is so little—10 billion dollar particle colliders are not required to be built—that it does not detract from the immediate
being, study* of being, inquiry into what exists, study of ultimate reality, study of world as a whole, study of first principles, metaphysics—emergent nature of, metaphysics—non-duality of the subject and the Object, existence, Void, Logic, Logos, Universe, Normal, Experience, doubt , Method, meaning, grammar, Object, substance, form, explanation, cosmology, mechanism, mind, journey, Human world, faith
* Science is sometimes used instead of ‘study’
A preliminary account of the sense of metaphysics used here has been given. In the present sense, the term has a variety of connotations; first according to precisely what it is that makes a study metaphysical and, second, according to the extent of what is studied
There are a number of classic ideas regarding what makes a study metaphysical—those interested in these ideas may consult the essays—Home—or other literature. Here, as already noted, it will be seen that the method and nature of the discipline and method will emerge in interaction with the investigation. Therefore, the precise nature of metaphysics will not be specified in advance of development. It is not altogether in error to attempt precision at the outset of metaphysics—the purpose of such precision may be to introduce and to instruct. However, it is a fundamental error to think that the world (the subject of metaphysical study) and metaphysics (the study of the world) are independent
experience, concept, doubt, existence, Being
awareness, subjective, quality, feeling, object, immanent, reflexivity of experience
Experience may be characterized as what is felt when there is awareness—this is the meaning of ‘experience’ as used here. This meaning is used extensively in the study of mind. In the subjective awareness of a shape, a quality such as fragrance, a thought, an emotion, an intention to act, and in the feeling of one’s body in motion—in all these there is experience. In this sense experience is roughly synonymous with feeling
There are many other uses and meanings of the word ‘experience.’ These other meanings are not used here even when they intersect the present meaning
Experience may be pure experience or experience of some thing external to the experience itself. Even ‘pure’ experience has potential reference. Thus experience may be said to be conceptual. An experience is a concept and what is referred to is the object; and though distinct, the concept is often conflated with the object
The concept is not the object. However, there is something that is immanent in the world—the object—to which the concept refers (when there is no such something the idea of referring can be retained by saying that the reference is empty.) Instead of saying that what is immanent in the world is the object, it could be called the Concept. The Concept is the object of the concept. Since we are accustomed to conflating concepts and objects we can introduce clarity by writing Object instead of object; then the object would be the concept that refers to the Object. Then, concept and object are identical—they are the experience—and Concept and Object are identical—they are what are referred to in the experience. We will use this Capitalization convention extensively but not exclusively
Capitalization will also be used for special meanings as used here, e.g., the concept of logic as it emerges here will be labeled Logic; however since the meanings developed here will be ultimate and therefore immanent, the dual use of the convention will mutually affirming rather than contradictory. Thus we read laws in the natural world but what the law refers to is the Law that is immanent in the world. Similarly there is experience of form that refers to immanent Form. As long as the convention is understood there should be no confusion. When the word is the fist word in a sentence the immanent Object form is indicated by using a different format for the first letter as in the following example. Form is the idea of Form. Form is the immanent Object to which form refers… After we have become used to it—and to the meanings of words as used here—we will see that the Capitalization convention may be safely dropped
Experience and concepts are not ethereal and they do not reside in another world. Experience is reflexive, i.e. there can be experience of experience. Thus experience is capable of being subject and Object. However an experience and the experience of it are not—at all—the same even though they are of the same kind. It is not usually thought that other kinds of Objects can be both subject and Object
mind, science, positivism
Is there such a thing as experience? This question has been raised on many accounts including the claimed difficulty of fitting experience into a scientific world view. The position here is that there may be difficulty fitting mind into a positivist version of science—i.e. a version in which things not explicitly described in science do not exist but that there is no reason at all to subscribe to scientific positivism (which is not at all the same as an attempt to describe more and more of the world in terms of current science)
Further issues about the concept of experience are addressed in the section Objections and counterarguments*
doubt, question, objection, problem, paradox, action, incomplete knowledge, outcome of action, significant doubt, dual theory-method
Numerous doubts, questions, objections, problems, and paradoxes—some of which are classic—have arisen along the way. So as to keep the development direct many of these have been placed in the separate section Objections and counterarguments*
Forward motion—action—is an immense intrinsic value that is often neglected and is important even where doubt remains. The importance of forward motion or action in the presence of incomplete knowledge arises when action is necessary and when the outcome of action is estimated to be of such value that it cannot be ignored
Some of the objections and doubts will be obviously serious while others may seem to be mere word play or even neurotic doubt. All doubts that are entertained are either easily dismissed or significant. The significant doubts should be (a) so serious as to block reliable development if not cleared, andor (b) issues whose clarification leads to significant conceptual andor methodological andor practical consequences
Later, in analyzing being, experience and existence, content or fact and method—meaning, empiric, symbol—will receive dual foundation in an ultimate and dual theory-method
name, the fallacy of foundation, reference, faithful
Existence is a name for what is there—more precisely its ‘property’ of being (there.) The fact of experience proves the fact of existence. The idea that definitions and foundations form an unending series is a fallacy—if there was no existence, this narrative would be neither written nor read—even in illusion. Still, these doubts are further addressed in what follows
When experience seems to refer to something, does it actually so refer? If there is reference is it faithful? These important doubts are also deferred
existence in entirety
Being is identical to existence, i.e., whatever exists has being. Because a ‘concept’ might have referential and non-referential parts, we might make the clarification: whatever exists in its entirety has being
Problems of the root of ‘being’ in the verb ‘to be,’ of ‘being’ as reserved for special kinds of existing thing, of distinctions in the uses of ‘being’ and ‘existing’ are deferred. It will emerge that being and existence are or may be taken to be identical and that there may be special kinds of being but that these fall under the generic notion of being as used here
all, abstract, Universal metaphysics, duality, non-duality, method, content, Local, global, Actuality, Possibility, Necessity, Universe, existence, Objects, Form, Necessary form, normal, Law, Void, state, Logic, Logos, principle of reference, logics, fundamental principle of metaphysics, Normal, form of experience, meaning, mechanism, domain, part, mind
The Universe is all being, i.e., all that exists
paradox, empirical, empiric-rationalism
There is a concrete sense of ‘all’ that refers to everything-in-all-details. It is well known that too encompassing a use of ‘all’ harbors paradox. The all-encompassing use does not—even—have definite meaning for there is no definite specification of all-in-all-its-details but even given one such specification then, if ‘all’ has more than a few parts, the number of re-compositions is much larger
However, in ‘the Universe is all being,’ all is used in a rather abstract sense that does not recognize detail. It is important to be clear about the meaning of abstract. While ‘abstract’ often has the connotation of remoteness of the concept from the object, here it denotes something that is profoundly close to the object, profoundly empirical. Here the meaning of ‘all’ is the meaning of experience in which no distinction is recognized. This is deeply empirical—it is the original empiric and it is only formally that it is recognized as a concept. Here resides the source of what will be elaborated as the dual empiric-rationalism of content-method. It is in the (non) dual of sense and concept that method and content arise together and are without essential or final distinction, i.e., method and content constitute a non-dual. I.e., the non-duality lies, first, in seeing them on par (as a pair) and then in seeing the pair as one
Existence can be taken locally, in terms of extension and duration or space and time andor other mode of difference, or globally over all space and time
Usually what is not actual but possible means there is another circumstance or world in which the possible could be actual. Relative to the Universe there is no other world; what is not Actual cannot be Possible, i.e. what is Possible is and must be Actual. Of course, the Actual is Possible. Therefore, the Actual and the Possible are identical… and therefore identical to the Necessary. This meaning of the Necessary is that of necessity in some context; the usual meaning is that of necessity in all contexts. It is not clear that either meaning of necessity is necessary because each is implicit in its own sphere of discourse
immanent, Platonic world, sentient individual, world of mental things, world of concepts, One Universe, physical world, world of forms
While law and form are the result of reading from being, what are read from are Law and Form, i.e. law and form are concepts of Law and Form which are objects or Concepts. Thus, Law and Form are immanent in being; there is no separate world of Law and Form—no separate Logos or Platonic world. Still, law and form are immanent in another way—since the sentient individual is in the Universe; there is no separate ‘mental world’ or world of concepts. There are Forms and there are mental processes and objects but they are very much Objects that reside in the one Universe
Later, Forms will be seen to be abstract objects… but there will be seen to be no essential distinction between abstract and particular or ‘concrete’ objects
It is possible to talk as if there is more than one world—for example the physical world defined by the physics of today and its known consequences, and another world of forms, and yet another world of mental things. However, these are lesser modes of speech in contrast to the ultimate mode of one world—One Universe. Shortly, the significance of the idea that there is one Universe will be strengthened
There is no actual or existing thing outside the universe
The Void is the absence of being; therefore, if it exists, it contains no Object—no Law, no Form. The Void appended to the Universe is the Universe; therefore it makes no difference whether the Void exists. So it may be said validly: the Void exists and contains no Object—i.e., no Form or Law
If from the Void a state of being that involved no contradiction did or could not exist, that would be a Law. Therefore, every non-contradictory State of Being exists
Law of Logic, Logic
More succinctly, no contingent Law is universal. There is one law: it is the Law of Logic. This does not derive from other conceptions or realizations of logic—it defines Logic
An ultimate view of the Universe—only Logical limits obtain. The Logos is the universe according to Logic. The Universe is the Logos
Metaphorically, the word is the world
The Logic is immanent in the Logos or Universe. All principles of logic are subject to doubt except this—for the immanence of Logic in Logos is the concept of Logic… and on account of the fundamental principle and its consequences below it is the ultimate concept of Logic
principle of reference, logics
From the immanence of Logic it follows that the ultimate principle of Logic is the principle of reference that the concept of Logic is defined by reference or, in greater detail:
Logic (Logos) is the Universe and therefore, trivially, refers to the Universe. Regarding its realizations—the logics—every element of a logic should have reference and no element should refer to the non-existent
From this flows all other conceptions and realizations—the logics—of Logic
fundamental principle of metaphysics
The fundamental principle of the emerging Universal metaphysics:
The only fictions are Logical fictions, i.e. the candidate facts that do not satisfy the principle of Logic
Some consequences of the fundamental principle may seem to be absurd. Some may appear to violate common andor scientific notions of reality. These concerns will be resolved later
The following consequences of the fundamental principle are representative of the dimensions of its reach and show its power
First, a summary of consequences. Cosmology. The consequences include the vastness of the universe, recurrence of all local events, annihilation of the manifest universe, existence of the void, the immense variety of being, the fact of Karma, the fact of Jesus Christ and the miracles. Substance is untenable and unnecessary. There is no substance and no need for substance—i.e. foundations of being lie in the Void or any state of being. Ultimate character of the metaphysics. The emerging Ultimate or Universal metaphysics or metaphysics of immanence is ultimate in breadth and depth, the Universe must pass through every actual and possible state and this includes resolution of the question sometimes called the fundamental problem of metaphysics ‘why there must be something’ rather than nothing, origins may be single or multiple stage. Objects. The character of the Object was set up in discussing experience. Particular and abstract objects. The character and foundation of particular and abstract objects is now developed. Character of particular and abstract Objects. The distinction between particular and abstract objects vanishes in light of the principle of reference that every consistent concept has an Object. It is not characteristic of abstract objects that they are intangible or exist outside space. Logic is an object. An essential list of particular and abstract Objects
The consequences now follow
Cosmology
recurrence, manifest universe, substance, fiction, karma, miracle
Also see Origins below
Substance and explanation
substance, explanation, determinism, absolute indeterminism, absolute determinism, infinite regress, foundation, non-relativist philosophy, ultimate depth, transparent, superficial explanation, fundamental problem of metaphysics
Origins
saltation, incremental emergence, variation, selection
Theory of Objects
theory of Objects, Kantian theory, necessary Objects, Particular object, abstract Object, partial Object, full Object, genera, instance, Mathematical Object, Universal, Value
—Cosmology. Anything is possible! There are infinitely many cosmological systems and more. The laws of this cosmos are violated in the large and over relatively great times; and in the small. Every local actuality recurs infinitely in all dimensions of extension (including duration and spatial extension.) The manifest universe is subject to annihilation at any time. The Void exists… and contains no Object, or Law, or Form. Every state of being, including the Void, is equivalent to every other state of being. Note that it is manifest in the foregoing that metaphysics and cosmology intersect—in their broad meanings they have identity of concept but are distinguished by their interest. Substance—substance is untenable and unnecessary. Thus there is no substance. Ultimate character of the metaphysics—depth—the fundamental principle. Every Logical fiction is Actual; i.e., there are no fictions. Ultimate character—breadth. Subject to Logic, every legend, every myth, every literal scripture is true and, if local, is true with infinite recurrence. There is karma—as fact. Jesus Christ and the actual miracles—those that do not harbor violation of reference—repeat infinitely; this of course does not imply that occurrence on this earth; in later vocabulary Jesus Christ may be seen as an abstract object. Substance—continued—and the question of determinism. Because no simple, worldly, kind with deterministic behavior can generate variety, there is no ultimate substance or essence of any kind or mode; except the Void or any state of being can be seen as substance but this violates the implicit deterministic aspect of substance—substance or essence and determinism are duals; the thought shows, also, that there is no need for substance… and, here, it may be observed that Heidegger’s repudiation of substance was incomplete in that he did not reject the deterministic side of substance for substance and determinism are duals… which aspect—i.e., determinism—of ‘substance thinking’ may be seen to be rampant—because of its practical utility despite its ultimate invalidity and misdirection—in human thought and habits of thought. Absolute indeterminism and absolute determinism are identical. The Universe is absolutely indeterministic in that no state is inaccessible from any state; it is absolutely deterministic in that every state is accessed from every state—which determinism is not a determinism in the usual sense of a given linear temporal sequence. Ultimate character of the emerging metaphysics. The metaphysics that is emerging, named the Universal metaphysics or Metaphysics of immanence is an ultimate metaphysics. It is ultimate with regard to depth in that it eliminates any need for substance—in that the Void or any state can function as substance—in that it provides an ultimate foundation for the understanding of being without substance or infinite regress—in that this foundation is, as will be seen, empirical and therefore rational, i.e., the traditional distinction empirical / rational breaks down in the light of the metaphysics—in that every other foundation must be contained in it—and finally in that it is a non-relativist philosophy that requires no substance which is contradictory to the strong tradition of thought that only relativist and unfounded systems can do without substance. Although of ultimate depth, the metaphysics is also transparent and shallow; there is no need for explanation in terms of something behind the surface. The metaphysics is also implicitly ultimate with regard to breadth or variety in that every Actual object—whether particular or abstract—lies in its Object; the breadth is implicit in that this does not imply that the metaphysics can be used to specify every Actuality. No contradiction with common knowledge, science or—valid—common sense. All actual Objects must exist, i.e. they could not have not existed. This cosmological system is necessary. Every faithfully known actuality must exist. This does not explain origins. The universe must pass through every actual state (tautology.) The universe must pass through a state of being the Void; and from the Void there must come every Possible and Actual state. This resolves what has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics and what may therefore be called the primitive fundamental problem—the problem of why there is being, why there is something rather than nothing… and reveals that the true fundamental problem of metaphysics is the question of what exists. Origins may occur in one step—this follows from the fundamental principle (distinct from the fundamental problem.) Alternatively they may occur in multiple steps via variation and selection—where what is selected is by definition a relatively stable and, as will be seen, near symmetric form. Objects and the theory of Objects. The character of the Object was set up in discussing experience, used informally above, and is now formally developed. The Kantian theory sets up the nature of the Object and the present metaphysics confirms the theory in an absolute sense provided that the meaning of faithfulness is allowed to remain implicit and given that absolute faithfulness is Logically impossible and therefore undesirable in all cases. I.e., the lack of absolute faithfulness is a fundamental source of meaning. However it has been seen that there are necessary Objects—Being, All, and so on—that frame the metaphysics and that, given the undesirability of absolute faithfulness regarding the contingent Objects, they, too, have foundation in the metaphysics. Particular and abstract Objects. Since every consistent concept must have reference, the distinction between particular or concrete and abstract objects breaks down, i.e., while there may be distinctions such as partial and full (Objects,) and genera and instance, there is no categorial distinction of particular and abstract. Character of particular and abstract Objects. What is called ‘particular’ is suited to empirical study; what is called ‘abstract’ is suited to symbolic study; lying behind this distinction is the principle of reference. Number and Euclidean Geometry, for example, begin as particular objects, i.e. early in their history, but it is then found that they are most powerfully amenable to study in symbolic terms—they ‘become’ abstract; the non-absoluteness of the distinction is underlined by the bringing back of mathematics into the semi-empirical domain by the computer assisted proof of a number of fundamental theorems. Logic is an Object; that is, Logic is defined by the principle of reference. These reflections make analysis easier by clarifying the conceptual side of various abstract mathematical and logical objects; however empirical problems remain regarding, for example, actual infinities and the meanings of actual infinities… and other abstract concepts. This shows that abstract objects do not exist outside space (or time) but, rather, that their being in or outside extension is, according to the case, partly or totally irrelevant to their being. Similarly, the immanence of reference shows that abstract objects are not characteristically intangible. It is only the incomplete prior understanding of abstract objects that renders them apparently intangible and not resident in space (or time.) Sources of abstract character. Mathematical Objects are those whose form is simple enough to be capable of symbolic study and sufficiently universal to be usefully applicable. It is often thought that mathematical proficiency is a fortuitous result of other proficiencies that are adaptive. It is not clear that this is altogether true, first, because, as the principle of reference reveals, mathematical and physical intuition are not disjoint and, second, especially though hypothetically in that mathematical ability is not universal it may have been selected for in cultural adaptation. Universals have an abstract character in that they are generalizations of aspects of particulars; in fact, universals now appear to be a cross of particular and abstract aspects. Values are abstract in that they are not present actual Objects but preferred potential Objects whose preference is determined by some combination of adaptation, adapted-ness, and intuition-symbolic process. An essential list of particular and abstract Objects. Being, the Universe, Difference, the modes of difference, Domain, Complement, Entity-Process, the Void… are particular objects. Relation, property, form, mathematical objects, value, morals, ethics, truth… may be regarded as abstract. An Entity as entity—as distinct from entity-process—is abstract
The foregoing thoughts show the immense and profound depth of the fundamental principle
However, they also reflect an apparent absurdity. Many cosmological systems beyond this one—this is not so absurd after all but is a thought from modern physical cosmology; there is a difference in that here the collection of systems that make up the Universe obeys no Law except Logic. Anything is possible! Not quite; the principle of Logic requires that known facts may not be violated—the existence of this cosmos and all its seeming laws and limits. However, what of Karma and an abstract Jesus Christ that is an infinity of actual ones? The apparent absurdity is resolved via a conception of the normal which is defined here and loosely related to but otherwise independent of other conceptions (and therefore not subject to any objection ‘but what is ‘normal’?’) We leave the meaning of ‘normal’ somewhat implicit; it distinguishes the world as it appears, including its stabilities and ephemeralities, from the world as it is, i.e. as revealed by the necessity of the fundamental principle. The normal is related but not identical to the probable and is, no doubt, realized differently in different circumstances and, additionally, relative to what is known
Any void generates every void. It is irrelevant whether the number of voids is taken to be infinite, finite but greater than one, or just one. The number of voids may be taken to be one. It may be said that—
There is one and only one Void
From every state, including the void state, every other state is accessible i.e. no state is inaccessible
The universe is equivalent to the void
The universe enters—and leaves—a state of being the void
Although the concept of the Void does not satisfy the requirements of the classic notion of substance, except for the requirement of determinism, the Void may trivially play the role of universal substance. However there is no gain in taking the Void to be the Substance
Relative to the concept of substance, the Void is ultimately simple. The Void does not appear to be simple because of its absolute indeterminism and related features—although it is characterized by absence, all entities, laws and forms may be seen as potential in it. This, however, is appearance but not actual non-simplicity; if the Void were deterministic it would be a necessary non-simplicity; the habit of deterministic thinking, then, makes the Void complex. On this account, then, the Void is supremely simple. However, the simplicity just referred to is simplicity of fact. The simplicity of the Void is essentially conceptual and lies in there being no assumptions of substance being built into the Void; instead any substance-like features of the Void emerge from the necessity of the Void and its concept
Although there is no—deterministic—substance there is Form. There are forms in experience. Except contradiction, these forms must be realized—by the fundamental principle
However, the forms ‘all’ and ‘absence’ are necessary in that they did not require the fundamental principle for their being. This was at the empiric-rational foundation of the Universal metaphysics. There are other necessary forms such as difference, perhaps mode or dimension of difference such as extension and duration, domain and complement…
principle of adaptation, Dynamic Form
The other forms of experience, e.g. the external world, the identity of the Individual, space and time, everyday entities, although they need no practical foundation, require, if foundation were needed, the fundamental principle to establish their being. Their being is established otherwise by a principle of adaptation which follows from our ability to negotiate the world—without some faithfulness no negotiation would be possible. The fine faithfulness of some objects such as space and time and physical law is a contingent characteristic of this world—however, given the fine acuity of visual perception it is not surprising that the laws of light and more generally of electromagnetic radiation are simple and define their Object with precision. Generally, faithfulness is sufficient faithfulness. Further, faithfulness is implicit, without ‘external’ mooring, and not universal over all our presumed facts. This faithfulness is the faithfulness of the Kantian intuition extended by symbolic language and is the result of being adapted to the world and includes the case of non-separation of concept and action and immersion in the world. Thus there are Forms; and this includes the Dynamic Form. The relation between form and Form, between concept and Concept / object, is that faithfulness is absolute but trivial for the necessary Forms and imprecise and implicit but non-trivial for the contingent forms. There is a famous quote due to Einstein that says something similar (to the effect that certain knowledge is not about the world and knowledge about the world is not certain) but is distinct from the present case in that even the contingent forms have a necessary aspect
Roughly, the word is immanent in the world
method, meaning, grammar, logics, potential objects
It is evident that the terms ‘method’ and ‘meaning’ are significant. So far, these terms have been used informally. It is now possible to introduce useful formal considerations of method and meaning
In the way that method and metaphysics arise together it is evident that they are not completely separable
It is first seen that there are necessary forms of experience—being, all being, difference, domain, absence… The understanding lies in the empiric extended by symbolic description
These contain the seeds of the metaphysics but do not have recourse to the metaphysical system
The Kantian analysis, justified by adaptation, extends via implicit and sufficient faithfulness to the other forms of experience
This results in the concept of the Object that encompasses objects and potential objects
Logic is an Object. Since its conception is implicit, the logics are open to discovery
Meaning is originally moored in the empiric-logic, i.e. in use; secondary terms may be defined in terms of the primary
Completed meaning requires a completed metaphysics. Ultimate meaning is possible only with regard to an ultimate metaphysics. A completed and ultimate metaphysics is available with regard to depth
In the discovery of this metaphysics, meaning is in flux; it starts in use and the common system of secondary terms; it lies in system, not just individual words; as illustrative of this point, metaphysics and meaning reside in grammar; net meaning is distributed with some arbitrariness among the system of word-concepts
The metaphysics is ultimate with regard to breadth as well but only implicitly so. Therefore the emergence of meaning in the discovery of variety remains in flux; it may be completed in a particular direction if / when discovery in that direction is complete; knowledge of completed meaning requires demonstration of completed discovery
The understanding of the system developed here crucially requires attention to these reflections on method and meaning and, more specifically, to the meanings that emerge here. Although most of the significant terms are common, their present meanings are often uncommon; in all cases, the common meaning must be set aside and attention paid to the present meaning even when it may happen to be coincident with any common meaning
humor
In addition to an apparent absurdity, now resolved, the Universal metaphysics appears to be separate or alien to our day-to-day experience and its codification in intuition, institution and culture. However, the alienation is resolved in seeing the normal remoteness of the Universal metaphysics but otherwise its connection via the empiric-rationality of experience. Also, in humor-as-adjustment-to-the-unexpected, the individual has a category whereby he or she can appreciate behavior that lies outside the normal realm
contingent form, incremental origin, variation, selection, saltation, relatively stable, symmetry, perfect symmetry, near symmetry, dynamics
Mechanism is a contingent form. More precisely the normal mechanism of incremental origination by variation and selection is contingent. As part of the normal world, such mechanism is infinitely more likely than saltation or single step origins. However, it is undoubtedly normal that saltation and incremental change mix. In the normal case what is selected is relatively stable as a result of near but not perfect symmetry. Although Logically Possible, perfect symmetry is frozen. Dynamics is determined by symmetry / near symmetry; and therefore, local dynamics, and origins are interwoven though not identical
Since every ‘particle’ of being can interact with every other particle and does so except for Logic, the one Universe is truly One
creator, space, time, space-time, absolute, relative, origin of space and time, patchwork, signal speed, matter
For the Universe as a whole—there can be no creator that is external to the Universe; space and time or space-time must be immanent in it, i.e. relative and not absolute—however the space and time of a domain may be absolute; there is no Universal space and time; there can be multiple times in the sense of highly and weakly coordinated times, space and time may have a dual origin and be a patchwork with regard to large and small scales and there need be no Universal signal speed; due to the dual and embedded origin, space, time, actuality or matter are not independent but may achieve local independence
mind, feeling, experience, relation, higher mind, consciousness, dim consciousness, bright consciousness, awareness, pan-psychism, Unity of Consciousness, object constancy, unity of consciousness
Experience or feeling, i.e., mind is a relation and must be immanent in being down to its elements; higher mind is a manifestation of this; the unconscious is either potentially or dimly conscious; normal consciousness is bright consciousness; conscious is a continuum that presents in bright consciousness as on-off; higher consciousness is the layering of elementary feeling; this is not a pan-psychism in the sense of human or animal type minds immanent in being—any more than we would think of materialism as being the realization of bricks and Eiffel Towers as immanent in the elements; the fundamental principle requires Karma and, beyond Karma, the disunity of consciousnesses in the Unity of Consciousness
The phenomena of object constancy and unity of consciousness have explanation in adaptation, e.g. origins
Many of these Universal Necessities break down in the normal case where a cosmos can have a creator, space and time can be either absolute or relative and ‘universal’ and there may be a ‘universal’ signal speed, identity may be discrete; and there may be a practical distinction between the feeling and the inert
The universal metaphysics is ultimate with regard to depth and variety of being
It clears away millennia of diversionary substance theory and centuries of confusion regarding the mind-body ‘problem’ and the nature of the empirical and the necessary
It provides a foundation for being that is non relativist but that requires no substance
Thus the depth is shallow even though ultimate. Stated another way there is no looking beneath a surface to find the nature and foundation of being. The foundation is to be found in the analysis of experience and its necessary elements that are simultaneously intensely empirical and rational
In consequence of the ultimate depth of the metaphysics it is also possible to raise the understanding of the following disciplines to an ultimate level: theory of Objects, Logic, study of mind, and Cosmology. Specific disciplines, e.g. the study of the Human world, are limited only by the clarity of the concept
The metaphysics reveals an infinite and unlimited variety—more precisely, the variety is limited only by Logic. The only fictions are the Logical fictions. Thus, as seen earlier in detail, Universe is revealed to be infinitely more varied and of infinitely greater extent in extension and duration than any given conception. At the same time, the metaphysics requires the facts of our being in this cosmological system
It will be seen that the metaphysics also sheds light on the Human world where the related disciplines may be raised to a level that is ultimate relative to the necessities of that world. The Universal metaphysics shows new dimensions of possibility for faith. It also reveals a world of infinite possibility for human being
It is expected that the vastness, novelty and simplicity of the view that emerges will give some audiences difficulties of understanding the view in itself and in relation to the world as commonly understood. These difficulties may be overcome by attention to the development of argument and meaning
Here is a convenient point to organize earlier developments of the ideas of Cosmology
variety, particulars, abstract objects
Cosmology is the study the variety of being
Variety includes particular entities which includes thing, relationship, process, origins and ends; and abstract objects including the mathematical and logical objects as well as the ethical such as value and justice. Truth straddles the ethical and the actual
fundamental principle, the normal, fiction, identity, karma, Jesus Christ, recurrence, annihilation
process, determinism, indeterminism, causation, dynamics, mechanism, adaptation, variation, selection, incremental, saltation
There are clear mutual implications among the Universal metaphysics and the study of the physics of the local cosmological system including the study of the fundamental forces, force—gravitation-matter-space-time, and the quantum vacuum and quantum theory
Such studies have not yet been taken up but may be an aspect of the ‘experiments’
The present development has considered implications for the extent of the Universe, the origin of the laws of this cosmos and their non-universal character, the non-origination and non-ending of the Universe, recurrence, annihilation, the relative character of any space-time for the entire Universe, the necessity of both relative and absolute space-times for local systems, the possibility but general improbability of saltational origins of local cosmological systems, the incomplete loss of information in transitions through the Void state, universal interaction, the origins—and possibility and meaning of origins—of laws and space-time, and the non-universal character of speed of propagation of forces
Object, theory of Objects, ultimate, empirical, rational, particulars, abstract objects
Particular Objects
thing, relationship, process, property, Jesus Christ, instance of a recurrent abstract Object, Universal, Truth, origins, ends
Abstract Objects
mathematical Object, Logic, Logical Object, Jesus Christ, recurrent Object, Universal, Truth, Ethical Object, value, justice
A conception with an ultimate and empirical—recall that in the present notion, the empirical includes the rational—foundation of the Object has been presented above
The development includes the following
A foundation of the nature of things or entities and knowledge of things in the concept of the Object
That the notion of entity or thing includes particular as well as abstract objects
That particulars may be seen as including what are thought of as concrete objects as well as part, relationship, process, and universal which includes property and which straddles the distinction between the particular and the abstract—which straddling, on the traditional account of the distinction, would be paradoxical but on the present account is not
That there is no actual distinction of the particular and the abstract; the distinction is one of whether the most convenient method of study is empirical (in the limited empiricist interpretation of deriving from bare sense data) or symbolic. The abstract objects are not inherently intangible or non-resident in space. As noted, some objects such as universals straddle the distinction between the particular and the abstract
The variety of objects and process and origins and ends are the subject of cosmology
Since the Object straddles being as well as knowing and mode of being, it is perhaps the essential concept of the development. There are, however, a number of other concepts such as experience, being, all, absence, that are associated with original insight
Another fundamental insight is the sense in which there are no particular original insights but it is being-in-the-world which includes the here and now and the ultimate and being-in-process that are fundamental
The following ring of ideas encapsulates the logic of the development
Note that Kantian, action, and immersion objects may be conflated to the Kantian. Make and remark the conflation
Experience / concept—necessary objects—existence—metaphysics: all, void, part—object: necessary, Kantian, action, immersion—method—meaning—particular—abstract—mind—object catalog—cosmology—human world—transformation
common, experimental, limits, problems, possibilities
human being, social world, civilization, state-of-the-world, history, faith
choice, charisma, action
Here are given some characterizations of the human endeavor; a more comprehensive treatment is available in the essays—Home
The first distinction is that of individual and society
freedom, action, choice, commitment, absolute freedom, natural law, individual form, culture, society, feeling, element of experience, intensity, quality, body-feeling, primitive emotion, sensory feeling, bonding, perception, attitude, bound-free dimension, memory, pure experience, icon, symbol, integration, emotion-motivation-cognition, categories, consciousness, bright consciousness, unconscious, dim consciousness, self-reference, awareness of awareness, focus awareness, on-off, apparent, awareness without experience, apparent, language, speech, dual function, expression, communication, memory, written form, preservation, symbolic representation
The individual has the important characteristic of freedom of choice and action whose non-trivial expression requires effort and commitment and that is not absolute freedom but stands in balance with various necessities of natural law, individual form and tying in to culture and society. A second characteristic is feeling that is the element of experience or mind and has the dimensions of intensity, quality, body-feeling including primitive emotion and external-sensory feeling, bonding in perception or ‘attitude’ and action to world and individual versus freedom in potential, bound-free dimension and memory, e.g. pure experience, memory and memory-processing, icon and symbol, integration as emotion-motivation-cognition; the hyphenation indicates not just un-separation but inseparability, e.g. cognition is feeling-is carried of necessity by unnamed motivating feeling-and inspired by named emotion which in turn is an integration but with an obviously different primary component; see The modes below for categories. Normal consciousness is bright consciousness; the unconscious is dim consciousness or feeling. The higher human modes are elaborations and layering. Bright consciousness does not require self-reference but such reference enhances brightness in the ability to be aware of awareness and to focus awareness… and it is—likely—this that accounts for the apparent on-off character of consciousness in the living individual. Apparent awareness without experience is generally dim awareness without awareness of awareness that, if not too dim, may enter into acute awareness. Language, treated in detail in the essays—Home—begins with the dual function of expression and communication which expands, in memory and the written form, to preservation. The ability to manipulate the environment is enhanced by symbolic representation and preservation
society, institution, group, lineage group, family, kinship, culture, cultural group, actual group, functional group, city, university, hospital, bank, regulatory agency, church… institution, culture, modes of knowing, institutions of knowledge, creation, preservation, transmission, discovery, representation, storage, education, factual and conceptual knowledge, factual, conceptual, value, moral, know-how, human freedom, trade, practice, know how, group process—institutions of, economic, resource, material, cultural, psychic, trade, deposit of security, note of agreement or contract—i.e. money, moral-legal code, judiciary, church, opinion, military, law-enforcement, politic
Society is characterized by institutions and groups that are themselves institutions such as family, kinship; fixed and functional groups regarding the institutions—especially those that follow that include, e.g., cities, universities, hospitals, banks, regulatory agencies, churches… Institutions include culture which encompasses the modes of knowing and is fundamental to the institutions. Other institutions include the institutions of knowledge—creation, preservation and transmission, i.e., discovery, representation and storage, and education. Knowledge includes factual and conceptual knowledge, value and morals which are required to balance destructive expression of human freedoms, enhance the creative and constructive, and a variety of implicit forms such a