NEW CONCEPTS AND IDEAS FOR
THE MOST RECENT INTERNET AND PRINT VERSIONS
AND THE PROLOGUE
ANIL MITRA PHD, July 1, 2005
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Introduction
In July 2003, with the completion of the essay Journey in Being, the knowledge foundation for the Journey in Being Project was also substantially complete
This was marked by revision and maturation of the foundations, synthesis and revision of almost all areas of my thought and writing
As a result, I embark upon the remaining phases – outlined in Journey in Being – of which the first is Dynamics and Experiments in the Transformation of Being
Of course, nothing is finally complete; new ideas are recorded below. For further plans for the Journey itself, see Design for a Journey in Being
The new content may be directly incorporated to Journey in Being or noted in Design for a Journey in Being
Supplements
The purpose of the SUPPLEMENTS is to avoid the need to repeatedly revise, upload and reprint the present document
Planning details for the Prologue and Journey in Being are in the sections for those documents. For remaining documents, minor changes may be done at any time but major changes that are not part of the ‘Journey’ are deferred until ‘after’ it
1. JOURNEY IN BEING AND FOUNDATION
Journey in Being and Foundation: New Concept, Concepts, Organization and Outline
2. MATHEMATICS AND ITS FOUNDATIONS
3. WORDS / BEING AND METAPHYSICS: A LEXICON
4. DESIGN FOR A JOURNEY IN BEING
5. HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
On Future Development of the History of Philosophy
CODE
§ = section | p = page | c = column | ¶ = paragraph | s = sentence | w = word | - = counting from the end | Links in grey or sky blue may be unavailable on the Internet
1. JOURNEY IN BEING AND FOUNDATION
JOURNEY IN BEING: CORRECTIONS
Corrections may also distributed among the general comments
No corrections at present
JOURNEY IN BEING AND FOUNDATION: NEW CONCEPT, CONCEPTS, ORGANIZATION AND OUTLINE
The first run through was: 1.26.04 – 2.17.04
OUTLINE
Modifications to the Overall Structure | Foundation | Prologue | Metaphysics | Transformation | Variety | Action
CONTENTS
POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS TO THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF JOURNEY IN BEING
Plan. Combine the present document with Journey in Being and Foundation
Free and Bound Elements in Process and in Mind
Truth, falsity; possibility and necessity
The Order of Topics in the Metaphysics
Task. Consider the Overall Structure
Task. Develop Charismatic Format
Plan. Implementing the modifications 2.19.04
Task. Planning the modifications 10.29.03
Top®down, Universal®local, and Universal®personal emphasis
Importance of Presentational Form
Journey in Being is about All Being and Therefore about All Knowledge
Metaphysics is Universal and its Treatment is prior to that of Knowledge
Task. Consider the Logic of the Development
Task. Collect and Consolidate Considerations of Interaction Among the Parts
Task. Therefore, consider multiple arrangements
Task. Change section ‘Human Being’ to ‘Human Being and Community’
The structure of the sections on ‘ethics’ and ‘politics’
Motivation, ‘Excite’ –poetry, language, charisma– especially in the Prologue, Structure
Main Concepts and Points: Logic, Interrelations, Consolidation
Tables of Contents and Locations
Nature of the Personal and Related Issues
How the personal is significant
Consideration of the present version of Journey in Being
Implications of the New Foundations for [Theory of] Being
Task. Placement and Development of Theory
The following considerations arise
Import to Division 1 of Fundamental Theory
Task. Import of Theory from Division 2: Experiments in the Transformation of Being
Preliminary Task. Integrate with Experiments in the Transformation of Being
Theory from the preliminary section
Theory of the Dynamics of Being
Theory of the Variety of Experiments
Task. Import of Theory from Division 3: The Variety of Being
Task. Import of Theory from Division 4: Action and Influence
Plans for the document. After placement
Changes and Additions in the Prologue may also need to be made in the Introduction
… and may also have implications for the main text for Journey in Being
The sense of the following may go to the Prologue, detail to the main text
Horizons and Mileposts | 9.14.03
Improve in the Prologue and in the Main Text of Journey in Being
Meaning of Nothingness | 9.14.03
Logic and Flow of the Prologue | 9.14.03
Use of ‘Being’ in Modern English | 9.14.03
On the Use of Probabilities in Relation to the Void | 9.22.03
On the ‘Local / Universal’ Distinction | 9.28.03
1 POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS TO DIVISION 1 ON METAPHYSICS OF JOURNEY IN BEING
Plan. Significant distinctions to be maintained
Issue. The Values of Metaphysics, Especially of the Present Kind of Study
1.1 Theory of Being or General Metaphysics
Preliminary: The Place of Epistemology and the Treatment of Knowledge
Treatment of Knowledge Deferred
… and Why the treatment of knowledge is now deferred
The Primary Purpose for Inclusion a Treatment of Knowledge
Preliminary: The Significance of Epistemology
Introduction: Some Thoughts on What ‘Theory of Being’ May Include
As far as possible make the development Universal rather than parochial
On the Approach to Understanding Through the Void | 8.20.03
[More] on Nothingness… and on Law | 9.2.03
The Nature of Nothingness and Possibility; What is Possible is Necessary; Analytic Proof | 1.1.04
Analogy with other Disciplines
Plan for Logic… and Logic & LOGOS
Wittgenstein’s Tractacus. Plan to use in the study of language
The Plan is to Include Mathematics
A Synthetic, Necessary Proposition – ‘What is possible is necessary’ | 10.05.03
Alternate Statements of the Principle of Being | 11.20.03
Task. Analysis of Possibility, Necessity and Logic and Metaphysics | 2.18.03
The Constitution of Being is a Result of its Becoming
The Fundamental Problem of Metaphysics
Planning: Function and Location for the Fundamental Problem
The Logic of the Foundations: Its Development
The Logic of the Foundations: Issues: From “There is no universal law,” anything can be derived
Task. Review logic of the Theory of Being
On Criticism, Construction and the Ultimate |2.1.04
On Criticism – Further Comments; Radical doubt | 11.28.03
1.1.3 Characteristics of Being
Introduction: On Selection and Proof for the Characteristics
Introduction: Kinds of Characteristics – primary, derivative, existential, possible, and fundamental
Plan: A Brief [Re-] Formulation of Fundamental Characteristics
Characteristics and Categories of Being
1.1.3.2 Absence [derivative and perhaps primary]
1.1.3.3 Accessibility and Identity [derivative]
1.1.3.4 Process, change: Time [existential]
Becoming; Being and Becoming; Atomicity
1.1.3.5 Extension: Space [existential]
1.1.3.6 Indeterminacy [derivative]
1.1.3.7 Community and Interactivity [derivative]
1.1.3.8 Meaning [existential and, perhaps with generalization of the meaning of meaning, primary]
1.1.3.10 Experience [existential]
1.1.3.11 Presence [existential and primary]
1.1.3.12 Matter or Material Nature and Other Properties [existential]
1.1.3.13 Actuality [existential and primary]
1.1.3.14 An Infinite Number of Attributes? [possible] [existential – in Cartesian philosophy]
Task. Review Descartes and Spinoza
1.1.3.15 Recurrence [derivative]
1.1.3.16 Fecundity [existential]
1.1.3.17 Good and Evil [existential and perhaps primary]
Ethics Requires an Interplay between and Action of Free and Bound elements
Human Being, Mind and Society; and History
Symbol; Art, Religion, Artifact [Technology]
Task. Develop the Considerations of Ontology. Determine Placement of ‘Ontology’
Plan. Catalog the Distinctions among Categorial Systems
Plan. Criticize the Distinctions among Categorial Systems
Plan. Analyze what First Principles may imply for Categorial System
Plan. Use Archie Bahm’s ‘Introduction to Philosophy’
1.1.5 Entities in Being and Becoming: Brief Characterization
Task. Review content; combine with, especially, Ontology and Human Being
Task. Develop a symbolic calculus for collections of entities on a trt metaphor
On a Mistaken Distinction: Wide and Narrow
[Task. Determine the placement of this section]
1.1.6 The Being of All Being and The Elements of Being
1.1.6.2 The Being of The Elements of Being
1.1.6.3 The Being of All Being
1.1.6.4 The Being of All Being as A Community of The Elements of Being
1.1.7 Existence and Modes of Existence
Issue. Topic to Incorporate: Aristotle [and Others] on Being
Issue. Note or topic to Incorporate: Theory of Being is closely connected with General Cosmology
1.1.8 The Fabric of the Universe
Task. Placement of the parts of this section
1.1.9 The Range and Variety of Being
Task. Placement of the parts of this section
Principles of Articulation of the Variety of Being
A Theory of the Variety of Being?
Task. Placement of the parts of this section
Whitehead and ‘The Human Soul’
Possible topic: The Range of Knowledge
1.1.11 The Possibility of Knowledge and Realization of the Real, of All or of Ultimate Being
Task. Placement of the parts of this section
Task. Review and re-determine titles for the sub-sections for ‘General Cosmology’
1.2.1 Development of the General Cosmology
Task. Review content. Task. Whether and how much to combine with The Theory of Being
1.2.1.1 Outline of a General Cosmology
1.2.1.2 The Categories: Immanent or Imposed
Alternatives to the Immanent and Imposed Interpretations of the Categories
1.2.1.3 A General Metaphysics of Space, Time and Being | 3.8.04
Relativity and quantum mechanics
Prototype pre-quantized theory:
Plan of Development: Developments so far
Plan of Development: Additional Topics
Plan: the Article Time from Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
1.2.2 A Foundation for a Physical Theory of Space-Time-Matter
1.2.2.1 The main ideas for A Foundation of a Physical Theory of Space-Time Matter
Foundation of being and uni-verse in the void or nothingness
Development of the concept of the void
Foundation of being and uni-verse in the void
Notes on the physics of this phase-epoch of the uni-verse and uni-versal law
The nature of the quantum vacuum
What then is the relation of the quantum vacuum to the void?
Origin of the present phase-epoch in the becoming from the void
1.2.2.2 The Philosophy of Time | 9.17.03
Plan: Extend the following to space-time-matter; incorporate into Journey in Being [/outline below]
First, some Principles of Understanding and Explanation
Now, comments on the Philosophy Time and its Place in Cosmology and the Theory of Being
1.2.3.1 Actual and Physical Cosmology
On Cosmology and the Foundations of Physics | 8.20.03
Foundations of Physics | 9.2.03
1.2.3.3.1 Adaptation versus Evolution | 8.2.03
1.2.3.6 Human Being and Human Society
1.3 Mind, Individual or Person and their Metaphysics
1.3.1 The Metaphysics [Nature] of Mind
Some Comments: Mind / Body; and Atomism | 8.29.03
‘Eliminating’ the Concept[s] of Mind | 12.24.03
1.3.3.2 Categories and The Mental Functions
Task. This is the point to include the treatment of mind from the current version
1.3.3.3 On Mental Functions | 8.26.03
1.3.3.4 Additional Areas of Function Needed
1.3.4 A Finite Number of Modalities of Knowing and Being
1.3.5 Other Significant Aspects of Mind
1.3.6 Using the Developments in Mind and Categories to Elaborate and Improve the Treatment of Being
1.3.7 Some Further Topics and Issues
1.3.7.2.1 How to Define the Kinds
1.3.7.4 Side topic: Development
1.3.7.5 Side topic and Application: Mental Disorders and Creativity
1.3.7.6 Problems in the Philosophy of Mind | 9.21.03
1.4 Symbol, Language, Logic and Mathematics
1.4.2 Add Topic: Communication
1.4.3 Using the Developments in Logic to Elaborate and Improve the Treatment of Being
1.4.5 Language and Freedom; concerning natural language
1.4.6 Language and Reality | 10.4.03
1.5.2.2 Gettier Problem and the Nature of Knowledge | 12.24.03
1.5.2.4 Two roles for knowledge
1.5.2.5 Modes, Kinds and Distinctions
1.5.2.6 What is the Status of the Modes, Kinds and Distinctions
1.5.2.7 Two aspects of knowledge
1.5.2.8 Analysis of Belief, Truth and Justification… and of Knowledge
Epistemology Remains Important
Significance of Epistemology and Knowledge
1.5.2.9 On the Synthesis of World and Idea | 12.17.03
1.5.2.11 Knowledge as a form of Being
1.5.2.11.1 Metaphysics and the Possibility of Knowledge and Logic
1.5.2.12 On the Possibility of Knowledge
The Nature of Science | 9.3.03
1.5.2.13 On Platonic Argument | 1.21.04
1.5.3 Possible topic: The Range of Knowledge
A Consideration on Artistic Genius
Possible location for topic: Technology
1.5.4 Using the Developments in Knowledge to Elaborate and Improve the Treatment of Being
1.5.5 Knowledge and its Role in Journey in Being | 9.25.03
1.5.6 Noumenon and Phenomenon, The Problem of. Discussion and Plan | 2.21.04
The Theory of Being in the Analysis of The Problem of the Noumenon
Kantian Synthesis of Knower and Known | 12.8.03
Supplementary Discussion: The Inferred Character of the Noumenon | 11.11.03
Plan. The problem of the noumenon
The Mental Axes: Experience, Attitude and Action | 10.14.04
Revised Mental Axes: Attitude, Idea and Action
On Assumptions in Inductive Inference | 3.1.04
On Presentationism versus Representationism | 10.1.03
On Representational Theories of Consciousness
Plan. This discussion may go to §1.6.6.2 of Journey in Being; see bookmark ‘representation’
1.6 Theory and Approaches to Group Action and Value
Task. Integrate with Social Theory
1.6.1 Ethics; ethics versus Ethics; Axia or Ethics? Organic Unity of Axia, Knowledge and Being
1.6.1.2 Using the Developments in Ethics to Elaborate and Improve the Treatment of Being
1.6.1.3 Are Human Beings Ethical in Nature? | 8.27.03
1.6.2 Political Philosophy and Theory
1.6.2.2 Political Philosophy and Ethics
1.6.2.3 Politics and Ethics | 8.27.03
1.6.2.4 On the Possibility of Theory. Additional comments | 9.11.03
Task. Include: Economics, History, and Law?
1.7 Classical to Current Problems in Metaphysics
On Relations between Philosophy and the ‘Disciplines;’ especially Science | 8.20.03
1.7.1.3 Contemplation and the Value of the Great Questions
1.7.1.4 The Question Does not Exist to which there is no Answer
1.7.2.1 Some Comments on Systematic Metaphysics
1.7.2.2 An Apology for Systematic Metaphysics
Task. Determine where to place Systematic Metaphysics
1.7.3 The Range of Being, Experience and Knowledge
Encyclopaedic Formulations: Britannica
Encyclopaedic Formulations: Modified Britannica
The Modified Britannica System
1.7.4 Possible topic: The Range of Concepts
Task: update the following summary
2 EXPERIMENTS IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF BEING: POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS AN OUTLINE
Experiments: Nature and Role in Journey in Being
Role of Experiment / Transformation in Journey in Being
2.1 Dynamics of Being and Becoming
Task. Consider the addition of ‘and Becoming’ in the title in Journey in Being
2.2 Classic Systems of Experiment in Transformation of Being
The first set of experiments is in ‘Awareness or Experience’
2.2.1 Perception and Vision-Quest
Task. Consider eliminating ‘and Vision-Quest’ though retaining the material
Task. Consider combining ‘Perception’ and ‘Meditation’ and, possibly, ‘Dreams and Hypnosis’
Task. Documents to review and integrate
Task. Review, incorporate significant ideas from Thich Nhat Hahn The Miracle of Mindfulness, 1975
Task. Consider separating ‘Dreams’ and ‘Hypnosis’
The second set of experiments is in ‘Being’
2.2.4.1 A note on the Yoga of the Bhagavad-Gita
2.2.4.2 A note on the System of the Bhagavad-Gita and Tantra
Task. Consider Alternate Classification to the Distinction: Experience / Becoming
Task. Purposes a section on a ‘System of Experiments,’ separate from the Classic Systems, include
3 THE VARIETY OF BEING: POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS AND NEW OUTLINE
Task. Consider Possible New Title and Reorganization of Topics
3.2 Actual, Potential and Hypothetical Being; Chain of Being
Plan: Review A. O. Lovejoy’s “The Great Chain of Being”
3.3 Computation and Networking: Theory and Experiment
4 ACTION, CHARISMA, AND HISTORY: POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS AND NEW OUTLINE
Plan. The following theoretical topics or parts of them may go to Division 1
Plan. Possible New Title and Reorganization of Topics
4.1 Introduction: Purpose and Function
4.2 Action, Influence and Change
4.2.2 The Culture of Fear | 9.28.03
Plan. Here, I note some points unsystematically
The Possibility of Theory i.e. Ideas | 10.7.03
Modern Political Philosophy: Analytic and Continental | 10.11.03
Issue. Adam Smith and Karl Marx – a comparative study
A Note on the ‘Possibility of Theory’ and the despair of Continental Philosophy
Political Philosophy: Two Theories | 10.7.03
Divorce of Politics and Theory
Institution of Integration of Politics and Ideals [and theory]
The Death Penalty as An Example of Ethics, Politics and Rationality
Task. Integrate §4.6.5.3: Political Systems of Journey in Being with The principle of the forms
Plan: Incorporate the principle of the following forms:
4.4 Theaters and Platforms of Influence
4.5 Results, Applications, Plans
Example: The being of an entity is constituted by its becoming
The being of an entity is constituted by its becoming
Variation and selection is the fundamental dynamic of becoming; it is variation or variation and selection; as variation it includes all possibilities; as variation and selection it ‘channels’ realization along stable paths; selection is a phase of variation; it includes the principle of organization from quantum mechanics; and the dynamics of classical physics; it includes Whitehead’s concept of history as ‘force’ and ‘idea;’ it realizes all possibilities potential within the womb of being; and is an expression of that potential from the void; it is the dynamic complement to the resting state of all being outside time or change
[Integrate variation and selection, force and idea into History]
A free organism has both bound and free elements; and, it is this that is required by and that generates ethics, genuine care, knowledge and potency in the world; the becoming [stability, bound] and transformation [free, mutability] requires them to be atomic in both extension and duration: and thus meaning is a project
…somewhat analogous to the distinction bound / free:
fixed / plastic
memory / processing
The different things that are done in being logical; the different notions and concepts of logic; the different ‘kinds’ of logic
Gather, unify
Sources for logic: Journey in Being, History of Western Philosophy and the present document
True, false; possibility, necessity – necessary truth is ‘truth in all possible worlds,’ an idea due to Leibniz
Sources:
Mind in Journey in Being
Cosmology in the present document and in Journey in Being, Philosophy of Time in the present document
…search others
Theory of Being with general concept of mind and knowledge or knowing -> cosmology -> mind -> knowledge -> symbol -> group action; or
Theory of Being with general concept of mind and knowledge or knowing -> cosmology -> mind -> symbol -> knowledge -> group action
Consolidate all material on concepts / slack
Is “slack” the best word to use? Alternates: partially determinate, free / bound, vague, open, fuzzy, fluid, dynamic, evolving
What is it for a concept to be slack? Generally, the idea corresponds to the concept for an object that does not have the concreteness that we usually associate with material objects [but note that even objects that seem concrete are not so – almost regardless of how the metaphor of concreteness is interpreted] and often associate even with non-concrete things such as time, self, government, knowledge and so on. Here are some specific ways in which concepts are slack:
It is not true that all objects either do or do not fall under the concept
It is not true that the concept as understood is validly capable of projection to the universal; in this case it is the ideal concept rather than the actual one that is slack
Not only that meanings are not precise and do not need to be i.e. that [the illusion of] precision is imprecision but also that meanings are unfolding… that a systems of meaning are unfolding and, for Wittgenstein, there is no ultimate clear light at the end of a single tunnel
In various ways of give and play among concepts of a system. Concepts do not exist in isolation from one another or from some framework. Such frameworks may be precise and formal but I am not thinking of precisely defined systems; rather ever ‘theater’ of use constitutes a loosely connected, partially determinate, open ‘system’ where I use quotes to de-emphasize the idea that a system need be systematic. There are, then, a number of ways in which a concept derives slackness from being with in the system: indefiniteness of the system itself –and of its elements– and of its application; and, give and play among the concepts within the system
And, tentatively,
During development of understanding, concepts that may later become precise are allowed slack and this encourages progress toward what precision may obtain
Appropriately understood ‘vague’ concepts are precise
In some ways, it is superfluous to have a Prologue and an Introduction. However, the functions are different: the Prologue is an overview that is intended to present an accessible and brief sketch of the whole picture including the main landmarks; it is intended for all readers – professionals who want an overview before deciding to read the whole work or parts of it and others who may not be interested in or inclined to the lengthy technical development of the main text. The Introduction covers those general and personal motivations for the work, describes those aspects of my development –of My Journey– that are pertinent to The Journey, motivates the structure and contents of the work and points to the locations that the major developments can be found. Thus the Introduction contains the essence of the Prologue and perhaps there is a way to reduce the redundancy
Perhaps there could be two parts… in the following example the titles are tentative: Part I The Elements of A Journey in Being would contain the first two divisions; Part II would be titled Projects in Being, or Applications, or Contributions Toward a Journey in Being and would contain the third and fourth divisions
Another possibility – three documents: 1. Prologue, 2. My Journey – narrative of highlights, the essential ways in which the personal and universal interact; functions also as the introduction, and 3. Journey in Being
Charisma and action; essence, brief, stark, visual, courage… put it out there…
I speak to you – the
individual; I show you life and light
Poetry and simplicity – speaking from and to the core
Brevity | crystal clear logic | bold statement
Force from my person and action
The Journey: Possible! And necessary!
Speaking
directly
to the being of the individual in a way that places him or her immediately,
fully, essentially, and
starkly in the stream of the dynamics of all being
“As far as knowledge and
ideas are concerned, I must again turn away from what clear light I have seen
and toward intuition and diffuse light to sense and seek what further truth
there may be”
1. Get the main structures down. [a] Outline of the new version of Journey in Being, [b] Structure of the section Characteristics of Being, and [c] Relationship between Theory of Being and subsequent sections of Division 1 [d] continue this list
2. Identify and mark all task and planning points; collect / structure them
3. Before making global change [a] find placement, [b] review literature and sources for ideas, key thinkers, experiments, variety / machines, social action, [c] collect items on the main points, [d] review and improve such main issues as void –> being and underlying logic / language, philosophy of the categories including space-time… [e] continue the list in item d, and [f] do some implementation of Divisions 2 – 4
4. May make corrections, incremental changes as the occasion arises but only if the time needed is moderate
The development of Journey in Being thus far has, significantly been detail / local first; of course not to the exclusion of the universal whose consideration was significantly intuitive in the process but became formal
The approach to subsequent versions must necessarily have a Top-down and Universal-local emphasis; this is what I am doing here but not to the exclusion of details
It is important, however, to not get involved in details until the overview has received sufficient and repeated attention from numerous points of view: new ideas had, the now clear deficits in structure of Journey in Being, the new perspectives from the definitive foundation that –finally– manifested only in the 2003 version of Journey in Being
…and what can be shown but not said
…i.e. what cannot be said in factual language but can be said indirectly by talking around it i.e. e.g. in presentational form
During transition, Journey in Being will be the current version; Journey in Being 7.3.03 will be maintained as a record; a new version of Journey in Being will be established
‘Corrections’ will be made in Journey in Being; and New Ideas will be incorporated to the new version
When the process is complete, Journey in Being and Journey in Being 7.3.03 will be consolidated as ‘old,’ and the new version will replace Journey in Being
Not exclusively, but it is important to keep this point in focus
It has been shown that this is necessary and good; keep this point, too, in focus
Overall: Prologue, Introduction, Main
The phases: and interactions
The sections and subsections: duplication – to remove or retain case by case, placement and order of topics and sub-topics
The anticipation of later sections by earlier ones without circularity
Anticipation of the nature of ‘experience’ and its non-distinction from the actual [material]
Give and take among the parts
That the disjunction into separate considerations [sections] is neither unique nor precise
Topical
Alphabetic
Other: see Evolution and Design and related material for arrangements
This may be separate, may be part of cosmology, may combine with ‘mind’
This has implications for the treatment of ethics and politics and where they go
Where they go
How they interact with other sections such as ‘Theory of Being’, ‘Human Being, Experience and Community’, ‘Life…’
This is very important and a base of communication and advertisement and deserves careful revision: natural and simple with some sections marked as advanced; complete with regard to the main issues; as general as possible
The concepts: being, existence, nothingness or void, knowledge, language, logic, mind, cosmology…
The logic: think it through and clearly state it; whole ® part
Consolidation: at the main logical point; some details at other points as convenient – repetition possible but only when essential
General
Short TOC for prologue at its head?
Add the distinctions: representation versus presentational nature of knowledge; formal versus intuition; innate versus acquired
Make a tree / matrix of kinds of knowledge
‘Journey in Being’ is used in two meanings. One meaning concerns being and its paths from through all its possibilities including the void – and what regularities and accidents constitute the paths: this implies a general theory of being and knowledge and their varieties… make that explicit. In the second meaning ‘Journey in Being’ is an account of my understanding of and experiments in the actual Journey of Being and includes those parts of my personal journey that I deem significant to my success and failure in understanding and experiment
Consolidate the personal story in one place; distribution of information among the personal story, the Prologue and the Introduction
See pertinent places Journey in Being
Variety of paths; contribution to my experience
Persistence, sustenance of belief
My psychology; how it contributes
Reasons to acknowledge motivations; motivation does not invalidate ideas – that appears to be true with regard to content but not with regard to significance of the ideas... however, acknowledgement of motivation makes for awareness of the issue of significance and its evaluation
Significance of straddling academia and the real world; although there is a certain artificiality to the academic world it is nonetheless important and the distinction from the ‘real’ world is also somewhat artificial. What is important is [a] that being at large in the work-economy adds a dimension of experience, of truth, and of connection to the world of the individual – I have experienced its unsheltered aspect; and [b] that the academic world and the work-economy balance one another
The primary sources for Journey in Being are linked in the Site-Map under the heading JOURNEY IN BEING and sub-headings
The Journey in Being has a Prologue, an Introduction, and four main divisions – Division 1, Division 2 and so on: 1. Metaphysics with Theory of Knowledge and Being, 2. Transformations of Being, 3. The Variety of Being, and 4. Action, Charisma and Change. The logic to the organization is as follows. The concept of Journey in Being is that it is an exploration of being in all possible modes. The primary modes are conceptual [Division 1] and experimental [Division 2.] On the assumption that the conceptual exploration is foundational to the system of experiments, the conceptual is placed first. This is of course a simplification for the conceptual and experimental are interactive. Since the exploration is of all possible modes, an attempt has been made to make the first two divisions comprehensive with regard to, at least, the human history of experience in the relevant areas. Thus, Journey of Being, includes an account of the Journey of Human Being in its dimensions of possibility. Additionally, there is an attempt to weave all strands together and, in a personal contribution, to go beyond what has come before; this is in fact the nature and tradition of contributions to the Journey, to civilization or to history. Thus, I have attempted to found, unify, generalize and universalize; in Division 1, one main approach to this is through the theory of the void and its relation to possibility, necessity, being and becoming; in Division 2, a central approach – based in fundamentals and the nature of being rather than merely in ritual or prescription – is what I call The Dynamics of Being. There is some elaboration of the basic ideas and some research projects, plans, ongoing work and results are described in the first two divisions. The future includes a continuation and elaboration of these; and of course ongoing review and – as occasion – modification of the fundamentals. Additionally, Divisions 3 and 4 of Journey in Being are different in nature and scope to the earlier divisions: the two final divisions are [relatively] specialized projects in realization of the earlier divisions – research and experimental projects in aspects of being; additionally, the latter two divisions aspire to be / include both conceptual and practical contributions
The foundation of being[in the void and other considerations below and in Journey in Being has implications for overall concept and structure of Journey in Being and its divisions; some of these are discussed in Journey in Being and some below; this consideration is merely begun: I must further consider and apply what the implications are, what modifications in concept and structure are entailed
In general I will place theory in Division 1; this includes the theory associated with the remaining divisions
The theory of Division 1 should be fundamental and fit together coherently
Some theory may remain in Divisions 2 – 4 when it is clearly connected / interactive with the objectives of those divisions; some repetition may be good
… and integration into and enhancement of the theory [theories] of Division 1
…and reorganization / restructuring of the conceptual basis
…and enhancement of the developments
Especially the sub-sections:
Purpose and Nature of the Experiments
What is a Transformation of Being?
The Value of Transformations of Being
The Discipline of Transformation
…integration into nature of being and experience [mind]
… integration into theory of mind [experience and, more generally, presence and being]
…integration into variety of experience and being
Dynamics: Elaboration of the examples
Becoming: Concept of becoming. Topics: Vision-Quest, of Dreams and Hypnosis, of Yoga and Meditation; Basis in and implications for Nature of Perception and Cognition
Journey: Concept of the Journey – inspiration, vehicle, being and becoming e.g. becoming adapted to a not over-civilized environment – body and perception. Topics: Effect of Journey on Perception, Cognition and Mood; upon Discovery; upon Journey of Being
The System of Experiments: Basis of Variety of Experiments in The Variety of Experience and Becoming
Establish the essentials of the system
Basis and elaboration of the experiments
e.g. the mental functions: perception, cognition, mood and emotion
e.g. the basis and elaboration of the experiments in personality in theory and concepts of personality and personality in being
e.g. experiments in becoming, transformation and arching
Theory of the complete, minimal set
Currently [February 17, 2004]the details of the tasks for Division 3 are in The Variety of Being
Currently [February 17, 2004] the details of the tasks for Division 4 are in Action, Charisma, Influence and Change
[Collect together with all related commentary and with metaphysics lexicon.html and words, language, metaphysics.html]
Observing gender is necessary but becomes cumbersome: he / she, man / woman / human; and poetry is lost
Need: a way to preserve poetry and brevity; and introduce respect
Possibilities: the old German ‘man,’ ‘wo-man,’ and ‘wer-man’ scheme; solution to non-specific gender words he/she, him/her, his/hers – invent words, use e.g. Latin words, or use a randomizing scheme
This new foundation has been germinating as a maturing of the foundation of being in the void established in Journey in Being by July 2003 and was written April – May 2004 in the document foundation
Strengthening the concept of the void; improving the foundation in the void; general consequences from the logic of the void
A new concept of logic that includes the traditional concept; a working out of the concept; showing how the traditional concept of logic fits in
An analysis of the system of ‘Problems of Metaphysics’ to develop a complete set; resolution of the essential problems in terms of the logic: the place and working out of the concept of the absolute idea and the dialectical concept of history; enhancement of the earlier analysis of existence; analysis and solution of the problem of universals and forms; deepening and resolution of what Heidegger called the fundamental problem of metaphysics ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’…
An approach to the foundation of the understanding of space-time and the foundation of quantum mechanics in the void; this needs to be worked out
Reworking and improving various aspects of my thought and their interconnections: the nature of being and existence; cosmology; the nature of mind and the mind-matter problems; symbol, language, logic, mathematics and knowledge – natures and relationships; ‘The Theory of Group Action and Value’ as a join of aesthetics [ethics] and political philosophy; foundation of the system of experiments including the variety of being, the being of machines, social action
Elaborate the following general and specific plans with considerations from the design, journey and foundation documents
General Plans
Combine the present document, foundation and Journey in Being; abridge to essentials [keep old versions]
Rework the three experimental sections as the work is done; abridge to the essentials [ " ]
Improve and integrate all topics especially those in the above section What’s New: Some Topics
Perhaps incorporate History, History of Western Philosophy and other major documents
Considerations from major experimental-experiential [Yoga, Shamanism, Dynamics and Logic, Mysticism, Exploration, Political Action…] and systems of thought including Indian and Western Philosophy; reworked; implications
Specific Plans
Continue to develop the concept and the formulation of the Journey and its Foundation – the first two sections of