Journey in being


	Metaphysics
	The following developments are summarized over the slides through but not including ‘Objects’
	‘Metaphysics’ has rough meanings as (1) the study or science of existence, and (2) as the study of the occult. Here, it is the first meaning that is used
	In the present development, ‘method’ emerges in parallel with ‘content.’ It is found that this is necessary in that method and content are fundamentally related. It is consistent with this finding to allow the precise sense and subject matter of metaphysics to emerge rather than attempt to make specifications at outset
	•The metaphysics that is developed, the Universal metaphysics or Metaphysics of immanence is demonstrated below to be ultimate in depth and breadth
	The senses of ‘depth’ and ‘breadth’ will emerge as part of the development
	Necessary Objects
	Being
	•Being—existence—is a necessary Object
	All being
	Consider ‘all being.’ If this refers to ‘everything’ in all its details, it is not empirically known. However, if ‘all being’ abstracts all distinction, it is empirical and, trivially, precisely known
	•Therefore, all being is a necessary Object
	Domain
	Similarly, difference and therefore part or domain is necessary
	Since complement is defined in terms of domain, complement is necessary
	Unitary character of rationality, i.e. the apparently dual empiric-logic
	•Here, we see the dual origin of empiric-logic (sense and symbol) which will receive completion below in consequence of the fundamental principle to be established under Void
	The dual use of sense and symbol lies in Intuition; however, since sense and symbol have common origin the use is unitary. Since the use here is valid it is Rational
	Universe
	The Universe is all being, i.e. all that exists
	Fundamental consequences
	•The Universe exists; there is exactly one Universe; the Universe has no Creator; the Universe contains all Objects—all Ideas, all Forms, all Laws, and all Creators
	A God that created the Universe makes no actual or explanatory sense
	It will be seen later that Ideas, Forms, Laws are Objects
	Possibility and Actuality. Introduction to Logic
	There is no measure of Possibility other than Actuality—whatever is Possible is Actual. The common concept of possibility is a local (contextual) concept that assumes another world, universe, or context. It is trivial that what is Actual is Possible
	•Therefore, the Possible and the Actual are identical
	Note: Logic begins to be seen as immanent in the—idea of the—Universe
	There is one Universe
	The Universe contains all actual ‘kinds.’ If there is mind then all mind is in the Universe. If there is matter, all matter is in the Universe
	From the given character of experience, mind exists and is fundamental; the concept of mind starts with experience and not somewhere else. Some textbook examples study questions ‘what is mind’ beginning with a list of characteristics that appear to be ‘of mind.’ While that approach is not entirely useless, it is not especially useful. It is perhaps less than useful if the initial list is regarded uncritically. This narrative is not a textbook and the audience is not treated as caricature schoolchildren… Later, it is seen that all being may be associated with Mind—Mind is universal even though mind is not
	The being of matter is a theoretical concern. This does not imply that matter does not exist but that precision is required regarding the term ‘matter.’ For example is there an Object of the concept of matter from modern physics? In the present cosmological system, that concept of matter defines an Intuitive object with great local precision. It does not follow that this precision extends to the Universe and we will see that it does not
	There are no separate universes of matter, of mind or mental Objects, of Forms
	We may talk as though there are separate worlds of actuality or matter, Form and Mind. However, there is exactly one world
	There is one and only one Universe
	This assertion is logical. The Universe will be later seen to be more than a merely logical unity
	Space and time
	•Universal space and time are coeval and relative (meaning is later given to ‘origin of space and time’)
	Relative: immanent in rather than—absolute—framework for
	It will be seen below that local space-times may be as if absolute even when fundamentally—i.e. in relation to the Universe—relative
	‘Universal space’ refers to what spatiality there is in the Universe and the reference is not intended to suggest that this space is Universal in ‘extent’
	Domain
	There are domains
	See Domain for details
	Domains may create other domains
	Creation, Form and Law may be imposed by one domain on another. Mind may be imported from one domain to another
	A limited god may make actual and explanatory sense. This argument gives no support to a literal god of this cosmological system except perhaps to remove some sense of absurdity to such a god
	Thinking metaphorically yet still concretely there is no reason to not think of the sun or the creation of the cosmos as god; and there is a legion of somewhat reasonable metaphorical interpretations of ‘god.’ It may be interesting though not a new idea to seek the essential psychological meaning of ‘god.’ However, the present development, especially that of the next section, Void, may give this line of thought a fresh slate
	•Local space-time may be absolute in relation to its region of immanence
	Void
	The Void is the absence of being, i.e. the Void can contain no Object—no Idea, no Form, no Law
	Existence of the Void
	The Void is the complement of the Universe in itself. Therefore the Void exists
	This proof and assertion constitute the cornerstone of the ultimate Universal metaphysics that is emerging and, therefore, scrutiny and criticism are paramount and considered together with various objections in Objections and counterarguments—Doubts about demonstration of the nature-existence of the Universe and the Void
	•The Void exists and contains no Objects—no Ideas, no Forms, no Laws
	The Universal metaphysics
	Introduction
	The system of understanding that is being developed is called the Universal metaphysics or Metaphysics of immanence
	The ‘Universal’ character of the system lies in—the demonstration of—the results that the Actual Universe could not be larger than it is and that every Actual Object is at least implicit in it
	The system is a Metaphysics of immanence in that it is not ‘entities’ that count as Objects but the Objects of the metaphysics include Form and Law—i.e., Form and Law are immanent in being as are what are called the abstract Objects. In some systems of thought the real is made of a number of worlds, e.g. the world of matter, a mental world, and a world of Platonic or ideal forms
	In the system to be developed here there is exactly one world, one Universe. It may be useful to think as though there are distinct worlds; however, such thinking will be seen to be based on misunderstandings
	The cornerstone of the emerging metaphysics is the fundamental principle of the Metaphysics of immanence
	Fundamental principle of the Metaphysics of immanence
	The principle will be the most important result of the metaphysics—it will be pivotal in showing the ultimate breadth and depth of the Metaphysics of immanence. The principle will be called the ‘fundamental principle’
	If there is a consistent concept whose Object does not manifest, that is a Law of the Void. Therefore, the following preliminary statement—
	Every consistent concept has an Object (fundamental principle)
	‘Anything is possible’
	That, of course, sounds absurd therefore consider, more precisely but still roughly, that all consistent concepts have Objects, i.e., subject to logical requirements there are no impossibilities. Conversely, inconsistent concepts have no reference or, alternatively, inconsistent concepts have empty reference
	For doubts and responses see Objections and counterarguments—Formal problems concerning the fundamental principle and Adjusting the fundamental principle and its consequences to realism
	•Principle of reference—all consistent concepts and only consistent concepts have (non-empty) reference
	The detailed essays——have some experiments with logics that suggested this principle and the importance of reference. The proof of the principle, however, was not at all dependent on the suggestive arguments
	Provided that the concepts contain no contradiction, Intuitive Objects are necessary in this sense
	On Logic
	•The only restriction on actual states is that of Logic (final and most precise form of the fundamental principle)
	This defines the concept of Logic—as distinct from logic and the logics
	We saw earlier that the Universe contains all Objects
	Concepts that violate Logic have no Object
	Alternatively, the Object of a concept that violates Logic is the ‘zero’ Object
	The Void is equivalently the absence of Objects and the system of zero Objects, i.e., the zero Object
	With the extended meaning of Object, i.e. allowing the zero Object which is contrasted to actual Objects, the Universe contains all Objects
	Even though the assertions ‘Concepts that violate Logic have no Object’ through the previous one appear to be little more than word play, they may turn out to have significance. In any case, the flexibility of thought cultivated in these assertions may be useful
	It is of no consequence whether the Universe is regarded as containing or excluding the zero Object or the Void
	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
	•A principle of reference—a logic is a system or grammar that ensures that all sentences of the system have reference (or, in a context, be capable of reference)
	The definition of the concept of Logic is implicit; it is the principle of reference that permits its realization as logic or logics. The principle of reference will be the measure of the principles of logic which include, for example, the principle of non-contradiction
	•The Objects and the Logic of the Universal metaphysics are both necessary consequences of the analysis of Intuition
	Project. Develop this thought further
	Objection. The following claims have been made. (1) The fundamental principle is derived from Intuition (experience.) (2) The Logic of the derivation is also derived from Intuition. Is it not circular that Logic can be so derived? Response. The kind of circularity in question is the derivation of logic from logic. There is no such circularity. However, there is a problem. It does seem absurd that Logic can be derived from an analysis of Intuition. This appears to contradict the later discussion of the bringing of logic from the realm of the absolute to the realm of the contingent or Normal. However, here a very simple logic is in question. The logic necessary for the developments above is the simple one of set inclusion, i.e. the sentence or propositional calculus. It is known that this logic is consistent and complete, i.e., it belongs to Logic. Now, another problem arises. Are not the Objects to which the sentence-Logic applies contingent or Normal Objects? I.e. is there not uncertainty about their status as domains? No there is no uncertainty because their Object status has been established as necessary. When the Logic is applied to an arbitrary domain that seems to contain another, there may be doubt about the fact of containment but there is no doubt that there are containments and this is all that is necessary to the discussion for the conclusions that are being derived
	A cosmological variety
	•A principle of reference—a logic is a system or grammar that ensures that all sentences of the system have reference (or, in a context, be capable of reference)
	The definition of the concept of Logic is implicit; it is the principle of reference that permits its realization as logic or logics. The principle of reference will be the measure of the principles of logic which include, for example, the principle of non-contradiction
	•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 an affect or in a work of art, architecture or music is real
	What is actual is necessary. This—our—cosmological system is necessary. Every individual is necessary; and their identities are necessary. The non-fictions include infinite recurrence of every limited domain; every part of the Universe may interact with every other part—stronger version of the unity of the Universe; Karma; ‘Jesus Christ rising from the dead’ occurs in countless cosmological systems—this does not at all imply its occurrence in this cosmos although it may remove some of the sense of absurdity surrounding the rising from the dead; the manifest Universe may be subject to annihilation at any time; the identities merge in Identity
	Limited gods are necessary. This gives no support to the idea of a god of this cosmological system except that it shows that that idea is not absurd
	•The Universe must pass through both Void and manifest states—this explains why there is—must be—something rather than nothing which has been called (e.g. Heidegger) the fundamental problem. As will be seen, this implies that the fundamental problem of metaphysics is ‘What exists?’
	There is no limit to the extent of the Universe. Objection. It should be equally true that there is a limit. Counterargument. The presence of a limit is a law; the absence of this limit is not
	The Normal
	The fundamental principle and its consequences have the apparent absurdity that they violate common sense, science, and our common pictures of the universe
	These appearances of absurdity are resolved in the concept of the Normal
	There are contexts in which the possibilities of the real are limited and take on apparent necessity. These limited but apparently necessary ‘realities’ are Normal
	•The Universe is one of limitless actuality. Contexts or cosmological systems in which behavior is apparently limited by ‘Laws’ such as the laws and theories of science are termed Normal
	The behavior of this cosmological system is Normal
	An explanation of Normal behavior is possible; see Mechanism below. However, explanation is not necessary
	•The existence and necessity of Normal states follows from the fundamental principle
	•The fundamental principle resolves its own apparent absurdity
	The idea of the Normal in relation to science and this cosmological system casts serious contingent or Normal doubt on but is not a logical rejection of the idea of a god of this cosmos—at least in the literal interpretations of the standard scriptures (so far as they have internal consistency)
	The edge of the Normal
	What is this cosmological system? What lies at the edge of its putative spatial boundary, at the edge of time, at the threshold of its very small? There is a positivism that answers ‘Nothing!’ However, the putative edges are the edges of our contingent or Normal sciences and even those sciences admit some warp in validity—some warp in space, and time and magnitude—that is a window beyond the putative boundary… which of course is required by the fundamental principle
	Substance, determinism and explanation
	Substance arises in the search for explanation—explanation of the complex in terms of the simple. The pertinent meaning of substance is that of substratum of the world or Universe
	From simplicity, substance in this sense, must be simple—uniform and unchanging; and its manifestation as the world must be deterministic—else there is no explanation; finally, substance must be of the world—else it is mysterious rather than simple
	•Clearly, from the fundamental principle, the Universe is not merely indeterministic but absolutely indeterministic—all states are accessed from every state. Substance, therefore, is untenable but also unnecessary
	•Substance and determinism would be explanatory duals. If substance were tenable, determinism would be its explanatory dual. Each is empty without the other. Together, however, they crumble
	Heidegger’s critique of substance metaphysics stopped short at critique of determinism
	The Void or any state fills the ‘void’ created by the denial of substance. However, on account of indeterminism, the Void is not substance in the classic sense (above.) Yet, the following is shown
	The Universal metaphysics is ultimate in depth and breadth
	The emerging Universal metaphysics is a non-relativist metaphysics, i.e. it is founded in a terminating scheme of explanation (the Void.) However, this is accomplished without substance—in contradiction to the strong tradition of thought that only a substance metaphysics can have a foundation, i.e. a terminating system of explanation
	I.e. the Universal metaphysics is ultimate with regard to depth in that it provides a Rational (empirical-logical) foundation for being in being itself, i.e. without substance or need for substance. That is the depth lies in ‘superficiality.’ In a sense this is not a true depth but a clearing away of confusion regarding depth explanation
	The metaphysics is ultimate in breadth in that its Object contains every Object; the breadth is implicit in that this does not imply that the metaphysics can be used to specify every Actuality
	•The Universal metaphysics is a non-relativist metaphysics of ultimate depth and breadth
	Completion of the rational (empiric-logic) ‘Method’
	The Rational system began with primitive experience. It is completed in the demonstration of the ultimate character of the system
	Form
	Form is immanent in being and requires no explanation—there is, however, explanation of Form in Mechanism, below
	Limits
	Normal laws that are not Logical are ‘contingent’ or at most very probable in some contexts. Similarly the contingently or Normally impossible is at most very improbable or infeasible in certain contexts
	•The only limits are Logical limits. The Logically impossible is the only true impossibility and, in the Universe, the only non-Actuality
	Our ‘common reality’ including science and even logic may be experienced as necessary; this, however, is a Normal necessity; i.e., it is very probable. The necessity of Logic, however, is absolute