JOURNEY IN BEING
OUTLINE

ANIL MITRA

FIRST EDITION—JUNE 2003

CURRENT EDITION—August 2012

Copyright © Anil Mitra PhD, 2003—2012

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DIVISIONS

CONTENTS

PLAN

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JOURNEY IN BEING

INTRODUCTION

Overview

Worldview

Essential Version

Introduction

A Universal Metaphysics and its Meaning

Doubts From Science

Significance of the Metaphysics

Science and Metaphysics

Endeavor1

Essential Version

Ideation and Action as Modes of the Human Endeavor

Vehicles and Agents of the Endeavor

The Tradition of Endeavor

Tradition

The Modern Canon

Secularism

Limits of Secularism

Religious Fundamentalism and its Limits

Limits of the Modern Canon—A Summary

The Future of the Tradition of Ideas and Action

Journey—Essential and Regular Versions

The Idea and Nature of a Journey

For Limited form

For Unlimited form

Sources for the Idea and its Development

Origin of the Idea of a Journey in Being

Vehicle for and Nature of the Journey

Phases

Significance

The Human Endeavor

Ideas, Thought, and The Academic Disciplines

Science | Religion

IDEAS

Being

Existence

Definition

Problems Regarding Existence

Nature of the Definition

Existence versus Being

The Charge that Existence is Trivial and Empty

Possible Emptiness and Non-Robustness of the Idea of Existence

The Problem of the Non-existent Object

Objects

Some Functions of Doubt

Meaning

Concepts

Meaning

Problem of the Non-existent Object

Experience

Definition

Examples of Experience

Nature of the Definition

Significance

Problems

Being

Definition

Nature of the Definition

Problems of Being

Similar to Existence

Robustness

Distinction from Existence

Why is there Being?

What has Being?

What has Being? Some Examples

Problem of This Conception

Significance of Being

Extension and Duration

Universe

Definition

Domains and Complements

Definitions

Results

Law

Definition

Laws Have Being

One Universe

Cause and Creation

Void

Definition

Properties

Metaphysics so far

Universe

Metaphysics

Definition

Fundamental Problems

Possibility of metaphysics

What has Being?

On Demonstrations So Far

The Fundamental Principle of Being

Demonstration

Reply to an Objection to Indeterminism

The Fundamental Principle of Being

The meaning of ‘Limit’

On Demonstration and Interpretation

A Doubt

Existence of the Void

Alternate Proofs

Realism

Conceptual Realism2

External or empirical Realism

Existential realism

Logic

On Doubt and its Functions

Epistemological Doubt

Ontological Doubt

The Universal Metaphysics

The Metaphysics is Foundation of Understanding of the Universe. Substance

The Metaphysics Implicitly Represents All Objects

The Universe is Shown to Be Ultimate

Forms of FP

Deduction and Interpretation

Journey

Logic

Realism

Logos

Induction and Deduction

Logic and Metaphysics

Art

Preliminary

Art

Religion

Preliminary

On Religion

Science

Universal Hypothesis versus Compound Fact

Science and Metaphysics

Identities

Difference

Critique

The Inspiration

Miracles

Inspiration

Future of Science

Unlimited Form

For Limited form

Objects

The Idea

Concrete or Particular Object

The Idea

Extension of the ‘Kinds’

Abstract Object

Examples

What is an abstract object?

What Kind of ‘Entity’ is an abstract object / Where do abstract objects reside?

Unified Theory of Objects

Demonstration

Interpretation

Perfection Revisited

The Seeming Perfection of Abstract Objects

Sources of Imperfection for Abstract Objects

Implications for Nature of Logical Mathematical Truth

Some Symbolic Systems are Clearly Experimental in Intent

A Variety of Objects: Exploration

A Variety of Objects: Particular

Entity

Interaction

Process

Substance

Tropes

Ideas and Concepts

Values

A Variety of Objects: Abstract

Mathematics and Logic

Universals

Properties

Concepts and Ideas as Abstract

There are no mental objects besides concepts

Form

Value

Duality of Particularity and Abstractness

Applied Metaphysics

Inhabiting Abstract Objects

Method and Meaning

Referential Meaning

Method

Justification

Discovery

Discovery / Justification

Existential Attitude

Philosophy

Logic and Mathematics

Cosmology

Introduction

Concept of Cosmology

Significance of Cosmology

General versus Special Cosmology

General versus Physical Cosmology

General Cosmology

Method or Principle

Variety

Extension and Process

Being and Extension

Principle of Being and Process

Examples of Process

Origins. Evolutionary and Special Processes

Origins of Cosmological Systems

Dynamics and Its Origins

Entropy

Being, Space, and Time

Immanence of Extension and Duration

Patchworks of Space and Time

Signal Velocity

Multiple Times and Signal Velocities

Uniformity of the Cosmos

Circular Time

Space-time

Mind and Matter

Mind, Matter and the Universal Metaphysics

Consciousness and Awareness

What entities are conscious?

Moral Implication

Objection from Materialism

The Universal Case

Consciousness and Evolution

Freedom and Determinism

Some Considerations of Mind and Matter in The Universal Case

How Pervasive is Mind?

Attributes

Special Metaphysics and Cosmology

Metaphysics and Science—a Program

Relationships

Sources in Science

Implications for Science

Death

What is Death?

Secular Thought

The Metaphysics

What Can we Learn From Death?

In Secularism

Under The Metaphysics

Power

The Concept and Nature of Power

Universe as Ultimate; Inheritance

On God

God as Ultimate Power

God as Highest Principle

On the Concept of a Personal God

On Personal Gods

A God that is Abstract and Personal

God as Open

 ‘God’ as Destiny

…as Discovery

…as Conceptual Exploration Awaiting Realization

There are no True Atheists; no True Believers; no true Agnostics

Mediate Powers

Organism and Psyche

Society, Person, Institution

Nature

Ultimate Power

Ultimate Powers

Access

Special Metaphysics and Powers

World

On Explanation and Method

Concept of Explanation

Related Concepts

Explanation and Theory

Explanatory Ideal

Explanatory Systems and Explanatory Triads

Phenomena

Elements

Explanatory Framework

Explanatory Framework—Universal and Particular

Element and Framework: Arbitrariness of the Distinction

Method

Science

Immersion and Participation

What is to be explained?

Nature

Matter

Phenomena

Explanatory Framework

Elements

The Local Cosmology

Phenomena

Elements

Explanatory Framework or Theory

Origins of the Local Cosmology

Life and Organism

Phenomena

Elements

Theory

What is life?

Human Being

Human Organism

Psyche

Human World

Human Being and Psyche

Freedom and Constraint

Triad

Phenomena: The Categories of Intuition

Elements

Framework of Explanation

Timelines and origin of the higher elements

Human Being and Psyche

Primary Goal

Balance Between Freedom and Constraint

Mind and Matter

Parameters

Structure and Processing in Human Mind

Is Human Nature Complex andor Ineffable?

Society

Freedom and Structure

Phenomena

Elements

Social Sciences

Economics, Political Science, and Political Philosophy

Framework of Structure and Change

Human Endeavor—Essential Version

Modes

Ideas and Their Incompleteness

Action and Its Completeness

Vehicles and Agents of Endeavor

Tradition

Modern Tradition and Its Limits

A Future for the Human Endeavor

Openness

Human Endeavor—Longer Version

Ideation and Action as Modes of the Human Endeavor

Vehicles and Agents of the Endeavor

The Tradition of Endeavor

Tradition

The Modern Canon

Secularism

Limits of Secularism

Religious Fundamentalism and its Limits

Limits of the Modern Canon—A Summary

The Future of the Tradition of Ideas and Action

JOURNEY

Introduction

Outline of Contents

Ideals

Powers

Ways

Review of Pertinent Developments

Nature and Concept of the Journey

Aspects of Approach to a Journey (‘Method’)

Metaphysics and Tradition

Ideals

Ultimate

Knowledge

Aeternitas

Icon

Aeternitas as Such

Mediate

Being in The Way of Being

Ideas and Action

In the Ultimate

In the Immediate

In Sharing this Endeavor

Powers

Dimensions

Being

Ultimate

Mediate

Process

Ultimate

Mediate

Essential Powers

Mediate

Individual

Society (group)

Material and Technological

Process

Ultimate

Knowledge of the Ultimate

Ultimate Being

Icon

Aeternitas as Such

Ways

Ways

Traditional

Approaches

Eclectic and Experimental

Comment on Received Ways

Practice and Action

Progress

Dynamics

Catalysts—Enhancing and Inducing Factors

Types of state

Enhancing or Inducing Factors

Magic

What is Magic?

Magic and Transformation

Awareness of Death, Crisis Sense

Sensitivity

Places and Place, Include the Sacred

Ritual, Include the Sacred

Acting and Drama

What is Written, Include the Sacred

Charismatic Transformation. Emphasize Sacred Charismatic Transformation

Action

Transformations of Ideas

Transformation of Being

What is Transformation of Being?

Transformation in Ideas is Essentially Incomplete

Focused Phase: Technology, Artifact, and Society

Organic-Mechanical Being

Modes of Being and Process

Range

Modes of Mimesis

Design and Development

Social Being

Civilization

Progress So Far. Examples

Dynamics of Ideas and Identity

Meditation in Action

A Minimal System of Experiments

Experiments

Principles and Planning

Phase of Being—Ideas

Ideation—A Program

The Metaphysics

Scientific Method

Science

Art and Related Endeavors

Religion

Journey

Expression and Communication

Narrative Form

Writing

Speaking

Networking

Publication

Learning

Phase of Being—Transformation

Psyche, Spirit, Body / Being

Emphasis

Practice and Action

Catalytic Practice and Action

Self, Culture, Society and Charismatic Action

Self

Charisma

Action

Nature and Catalytic Practice

What is Nature?

Action

Universal

Special Phase

Organic-Mechanical Being

Modes of Being and Process

Range

Modes of Mimesis

Design and Development

Social Being

RESOURCES

Stories

Special Issues

Sources

Glossary

Index

NOTES

1 Human

2 I am not using ‘conceptual realism’ to refer to the reality of certain things that at first glance seem to be nothing other than creations of mind, e.g. Plato’s Idealism in which Ideas have reality (in the later section Objects abstract objects will be seen to be real but in a sense unanticipated in traditional notions of ‘realism’; the nature of this realism will be so direct that it cuts through the realism versus nominalism debate: it gives a ‘this one world’ foundation to realism that makes the positing of ‘other worlds’ unnecessary—and contradictory—so that a nominalist response to realism becomes unnecessary) . Here, conceptual realism refers to the property of referential concepts to have actual reference. If it were not for FP, ‘actual reference’ should be replaced by ‘possible reference’; however, as we have seen, in a Limitless Universe the actual is the Logically possible.