ANIL MITRA PHD, COPYRIGHT © June 2004
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The discussion in the prologue draws on material from the essay and the foundation
MAIN IDEAS, AIMS AND ARGUMENTS
Journey in Being and its Goal | Nature of The Journey | Form of the Journey In Being | An Individual Journey | What is Being | A Journey into Being Itself | Two Pillars | Knowledge | A Revolution | Nothingness: the Void | The Ultimate or the Absolute | To the Reader | Relations Between Our World and the Absolute | Local / Universal | Knowledge and Significance | Experiments in the Transformation of Being | My Inspiration | Mileposts… and Horizons | Characterizing Being | The Stumbling | The Journey Continues… | Recent Developments | Contents: The Paths of the Journey | Journey in Being Website
Journey in Being refers to a journey and to its story[1]
The Journey begins with an individual life[2] and through confluence[3] it seeks to become the universal journey of ultimate being. It is a Journey of Being for explicit transformation of being is sought in addition to knowledge and learning
The broad purposes are two: realization of ultimate being –of ultimates– and being in the present
…and of relations –interaction, distinctions, and identities– between the ultimate and the present
The ideas of Being and Journey are both important. Being refers to the true nature and ultimate possibility of individual beings or entities and of all being and of the universe or cosmos. It also signifies that the being of the individual is important: thought and knowledge are not sufficient to the Journey. Realization of true nature and ultimate possibility do not occur in a moment or as a phase of a life but are, and require[4], the Journey of a life. Journey in Being is not merely a process of discovery of what is given: it is a construction, through experiment, action and reflection, of what is potential or possible
The journey is one into –as far as possible– all being and knowledge, all objects and ideas that do and could exist: ultimate being and knowledge
The nature of being: the actuality of being or being as it is and as we know or experience it; and the possibilities of being
The history of being: being in time – origins, life and death of the forms of being and of the entire universe
Journey in Being is the becoming, being and dissolution of Being within All Being and of All Being i.e. within and of the entire UNIVERSE. The essence of Being is that of the Journey…
In the previous paragraph, ‘being’ is used primarily to refer to a thing but also to a process as in ‘the becoming, being and…’ it is only in a concrete cosmology that these distinctions are ultimate
Dissolution or un-becoming is also becoming. Becoming, being and dissolution are similar to creation, preservation and destruction. A distinction is that while the latter terms are suggestive of the power of an external agent the former terms are used here to emphasize that that the becoming, the being and the dissolution are intrinsic to Being. Since there is nothing ‘outside’ All Being, the intrinsic character of ‘creation’ and so on is essential
Journey in Being, is the Universe in its journeys of being and becoming, its knowing and coming to know. These, together, are the Journey in Being which includes all knowing, understanding, discovery, creation, all narratives and stories
…for, properly understood, Mind [Knowing] is coeval and coextensive with being; Mind is being-in-its-relations or, MIND IS BEING
Journey in Being is, also, the confluence of individual journeys –especially the author’s and those surrounding and interacting with the author’s; and the author’s efforts to engage with others, with this world, with All Being, with the One Universe– in the universal journey that is the being of the entire uni-verse. ‘Journey in Being’ is this journey but refers, also, to this WEBSITE which includes the narratives for the journey
There is an opportunity, through networking, for the narrative, the history of philosophy, to become, not only cumulative though otherwise static, but dynamic in that single narratives may evolve through multiple and ongoing authorship
The Form of the Journey is a binding among knowing, acting and being… including the unbound or symbolic forms; JOURNEY IN BEING refers also to my journey, its narrative, and WEBSITE
The form of ‘Journey in Being’ is a binding –interaction– between understanding and becoming. Becoming includes action and essential transformation of being. That understanding has degrees of separation from becoming as in a traditional concept of knowledge is given; however, at root, there is no final separation and the assumption that there is a final separation leads to error –including delusions of unbounded rationality– and incomplete fulfillment. The ultimate commitment of this Journey is realization and essential transformation and, except for the dictates of LOGIC, employs but does not wait for the progress of knowledge in any limited concept
Journey in Being is not a new form –of becoming and knowing– but a reversion to an original form that includes and employs but is not restricted to newer forms made possible by the symbolic capabilities and their various enhancements as in e.g. poetry, art, philosophy, analysis and science
Journey in Being, it was noted, is also my journey, the story of my coming into the ideas and paths that make up The Journey. My life is a part of the journey – but this document is not a vehicle to tell an intimate story of my life. What is significant is how I came to undertake and continue the journey, especially to the extent that the origins are essential in understanding and founding the journey
These purposes are consistent with the nature of the Journey
My motivation in undertaking the journey and its narrative include, of course, expression, realization and enjoyment. Contribution and sharing are also motives. There is also a mixture of confidence and doubt, of intuition and reason. Many of the central propositions of the present essay have origin in intuition and hope – suggested by my own reflections and the thoughts of others. Without confidence in the intuition, I would not sustain the propositions as beliefs. Without doubt, the beliefs would not have made the transition to the status of propositional thought. Without some confidence in the originality of the ideas, I would not write; without doubt, I could not create
…and what is the purpose of the focus on being?
Here, being is used in two apparently distinct senses. In the first, being is that which exists. This leads to a problem ‘How is it known that any alleged being actually exists?’ In turn, analysis of ‘existence’ is required which leads to classic difficulties and therefore to the postulation of categories of being. Thus we may say, a rock exists as matter, an individual mind as mind, a relationship as relationship, a number as number and so on but what does it mean that something has unqualified existence? ‘Existence,’ ‘matter,’ ‘mind,’ ‘relationship,’ ‘number’ and other mathematical objects and related concepts are analyzed in the essay and the foundation where common ground is established for the varieties or categories of being – eliminating the need for the categories. There, the characters of mind, matter, laws, and concepts such as number… are clarified and their root identities are shown in the common ground of e.g. power i.e. the capacity for effect. In consequence, it is possible to assert, simply, that having being is existing. It is now possible to ask, with hope of an ontologically sound answer, ‘What is the character of some compound entity?’ Having placed mind, matter, relationship, idea on a common plane it is possible to say, simply, that its character is its set of constituents [or elements – where specification of what are allowed as elements is intentionally left open.] This leads into the second sense of being: the being of an entity is what it truly is; the admission of this sense of ‘being’ is equivalent to the questions ‘What is the nature of being?’ ‘What is the science or study of being as being?’ i.e. not as any particular kind of being…
As used here, the being of an individual –of an entity– is what it truly is and that includes its possibilities and potentials or likely possibilities
It includes what is tangible or sensible and what is real – and what is potentially real. The sensible includes the body. The real includes the sensible, and the possible; and mind, and all concepts that correspond to what is real: examples that could be considered are spirit, soul and substance. However, while consideration of a wide range of possible forms and kinds of being from the history of thought is useful in developing an understanding of the fullness of being – of its nature and possibilities, it is unnecessary to attempt a review of all forms and kinds
The nature of being, the real, has been approached in many ways: conceptually, through knowledge and understanding as in the sciences and the tradition of philosophy; through exploration whose counterpart in science is experiment; through exploration and construction in of the possibilities of the form of being, for example the human body and human experience and in art and technology; through exploration in the world; and, not the least, by interactions among these modes. Interaction is necessary for the understanding might start with a concept of being, then an exploration in science or in the world or in ideas… and then the original concept may be modified and so on in the approach to improved understanding; and while an individual or a culture builds on what has come before, the question of being must be lived in order to have fullness of meaning
While there can be no entity that has no effect i.e. since all being may enter in some way or manner into awareness there is also a sense in which all being comes before any particular awareness or study of being. Fullness of being is lived and not merely thought. This is fundamental
That the being of an entity is ‘what it truly is’ begins as an implicit characterization. The value of an implicit characterization is its generality and openness; however, an explicit characterization –taken up later in the prologue– is also valuable even if we do not know that it will apply to all being. [It is part of the power of the metaphysics of being developed in the essay and the foundation that what would often be thought of as an implicit characterization is also, as noted above, an explicit characterization]
Being and knowledge of being have both definite [actual] and indefinite [possible] or unrealized aspects. It would be absurd to claim that human being has realized or knows all possible kinds or aspects of being or to claim that there is no knowledge or realization at all
The meaning of the being of an individual or entity –what it truly is– defines the first purpose of the focus on being. A related, purpose to the focus on being is that the concept of being includes the indefinite: what is unknown and unrealized but what is possible; the question of the nature of being is an invitation to adventure – an ultimate adventure… the ultimate adventure
Because of the indefiniteness, coming into knowledge and realization is and must be a Journey into Being
… a journey in understanding of the possibilities or potentials of being; of knowledge and traditions of knowledge – for all being and understanding
… and in transformations in being – experiments in realization of possibilities; of traditions of experiment with being
Knowledge or understanding and experiment are the main paths of the journey. There are two further areas of study and experiment: the variety of being, intelligent and conscious artifacts or machines; and action and influence including social action, that round out the Journey. These four phases or areas of activity are described in and constitute four main sections of the essay. Each phase is a part of the journey; additionally the phases complement one another through the following functions. The approach through knowledge shows what is possible and moral and, as far as is possible, seeks to provide foundation for all phases and areas of the journey. The experiments constitute the core of the journey; additionally knowledge and experiment are mutually interactive in discovery and in providing confirmation and justification. The studies in the variety of being round out both knowledge and experiment through investigation of different kinds of being – there is a specific emphasis on the being of machines as agents and as additional “data” points in the study of being. The phase of social action and influence may be seen as sharing of the journey with others and, through, mutual action a further dimension to understanding and experiment in being
Reflection will show that the complete journey will encompass more than a personal story, more than the history of thought, action and transformation; more than the history of civilization and of life or even of the present phase and epoch of the physical universe. Journey in Being encompasses all being, that entire universe whose a priori nature belongs to no physical or other category and of which there is no before or after, no inside or outside or in between, no foundation in another element or substance more permanent or more basic. Journey in Being will be a journey into ultimate or absolute being – and so, it must be the journey into ultimate being
The two pillars, already mentioned, are knowledge of and experiment with being
I first sought knowledge and understanding of knowledge. Knowledge would show what is possible, what is desirable – and moral, and how to achieve what is possible; this statement appears to imply a separation of knowledge and action and the possibility of an independent foundation of knowledge. However, knowledge is not ultimately distinct from action and, so, while knowledge and action remain in interaction i.e. there is no a priori guarantee of a final external foundation of being, I sought what foundation there may be… this is taken up in the main essay. An understanding of the nature of knowledge would provide foundations by showing conditions for the reliability of knowledge and thought. The problems are stated simply but the task is complex and difficult. Knowledge as metaphysics, the sciences and the practical arts and foundations or epistemology are part of the tradition of civilization and have attracted many minds in an ongoing dialog. My journey traced the same path, art and beyond
I came to seek to found my understanding of being, of the universe, upon nothingness. At that depth, deeper than the vacuum of quantum physics, before –or conceptually prior to– substance, before law and causation, before space and time and matter, before the existence of actual objects, before manifest mind and experience, the distinction between entities and qualities disappears and so one may equivalently say nothing, nothingness or void. I sought, for example, a foundation in modern physics where the universe could come into existence from nothing without violation of the principle of conservation of energy: the positive energy of matter would be balanced by the negative energy of gravitation. But possibility is not actuality or necessity. Further, the foundation in physics would yield little about the range and modes of being even as we know them; and would tell us little about mind or about our presence in the universe. And to complete the story from physics and even biology would require speculation
A revolution in my thought came when I turned away from a restriction to only this world –and knowledge of this world– or even possible worlds as the source of understanding and made an expansion to include the idea of nothingness itself
In a state of nothingness there will be no law, no causation, and no limits –except limits of logic– for if there were causation or law or limits there would not be nothingness: nothingness is not merely the absence of things but also of laws or patterns [a pattern may be seen as a complex thing.] Within nothingness even the limits of logic may be questioned since a contradiction when applied to nothingness involves no material paradox; and, while this point is minor, the extent and nature of logical limits –including limits on limits– will be taken up later. Therefore, at once, there are no limits on nothingness. I.e. nothingness is equivalent to every possible state of being and therefore every state of being is equivalent to all states of being. Within our universe or, more accurately, within the domain that may be labeled our phase-epoch of the one universe and subject to its quantum mechanical laws, the transition from one state of being to another state of being will, unless the two states are connected by the patterns or laws of the phase-epoch, be associated with colossally small probabilities
However, if laws, patterns and objects alien to our phase-epoch are allowed then the probabilities are no longer small. Instead, the transitions are certain. This follows since the void or nothingness is a possible intermediate phase in the transition if there is no restriction to our phase-epoch. Further, as noted below in the discussion on experiments in transformation and since it is constitutive of being to want to enter into local transformations, approaches are sought to find what transformations normally thought to be infeasible while remaining in the present phase-epoch can be made feasible. Modern science provides many examples of such transformation such as mechanized flight and nuclear power and transformations
These conclusions are extremely robust and depend very little on the foundations in knowledge that I initially sought – the concept of nothingness is further elaborated in the text where nothingness is found to exist, to be omni-present and eternal. There are also a number of issues and problems, some not even alluded to, that I have not addressed in this brief beginning. One problem concerns the idea of nothingness which –although I can have an idea and speak of it– might be a fertile ground for paradox since nothing is, in a sense, the complement of everything and since, as is known from philosophical logic, an unrestricted use of predicates –descriptive phrases– allows construction of paradoxes. Since nothingness may be thought of as the absence of all things, an approach to avoiding paradox may be based in asking what shall be allowed to count as a “thing.” There is also the problem of the smallness of the probabilities which is briefly addressed in this prologue, below. These and other problems and questions are further addressed in the main text
The general conclusions regarding nothingness and the transformations of being are also true for any phase-epoch with sufficient form and structure
Foundation of being and understanding in nothingness is an end to the search for substance whose concept is that unchanging, undifferentiated object from which the universe is made i.e. that constitutes the universe… and an end to the search for spirit as the substance of the individual
The foundation is, in a sense, an absolute foundation – requiring and needing no further foundation or infinite regress
The journey described in this essay, a story of being and of my travels in being, covers a vast territory. I now see that only some parts of the journey were logically necessary to where I have arrived. However, in the beginning and during the process I did not know what was necessary and I could not have fully articulated the nature of the result. Therefore, in a sense the entire journey was necessary. Throughout, I was sustained by a sense of wonder and of trust in the being of the universe
I always seek responses from readers. I am encouraged by and appreciate kind words and praise but I have learned most by responding to challenges that have ranged from careful criticism to total and sometimes hurtful if careless negation of my thought and being. You may learn something by tracing the path described here. However, the spirit of my journey includes the following. In addition to wonder, I have also been sustained –especially when the sacrifices seemed to be a burden– by the thought that I may make a contribution to our journey. I have always thought that while the particulars of an individual journey may be erratic or quixotic, the universal journey is necessary and is built upon individual effort. In that sense, at least, the distinction between failure and success is thin; to fail is to have not sought and followed your vision, to have not undertaken your highest mission – which is already latent within you and which is your greatest joy and pain
It may seem to some individuals that this is an invitation to reject our immediate world. That is not true. It is sometimes necessary –effective– to turn away from the details to achieve understanding. However, that understanding is an understanding of the details and how they stand together. The understanding binds together our common world and the absolute or infinite and illuminates both i.e. understanding of what is seen is [vastly] enhanced by the admission of existence of the unseen
From the essay: There are two great sources of meaning: first, experience and enjoyment of and action in the immediate world – the life and relationships of the individual and, second, in the process, in arching from individual being to universal Being
It may sometimes seem that I am asking readers to give up their most firm and sound beliefs – the system of common belief that is the foundation of our unspoken concept of the world. That, too, is not true. What I ask is for an extension of the common system of belief. The normal concept of the world undoubtedly has validity within a certain domain and we do not appear to be in a position to extrapolate beyond that domain. How then can I say anything about all being or the one universe? My response is in the foregoing discussion. Sustained by wonder and intuition, my search started in the world-as-I-experience-it and continued there through many avenues and over many years. Yet, despite many attempts including analysis of belief and knowledge, I could not give to my intuition the label of knowledge. Finally, I turned away from extrapolation and examined the concept of nothingness where I found, as stated above and as detailed in the body of this essay, that nothingness contains, in a sense, all being the entire one universe. The journey is a travel through human knowledge and through our world to this ultimate point that is a foundation to and meshes smoothly with all being and the system of common belief
In some systems of thought, the world as we experience it is all illusion. Here, we find that the world of experience, the forms of intuition and the system of common belief are practical guides to our world, essential to living in that world, that do not constitute an illusion when not held as absolute. The world of intuition where we experience time, space and the distinctness of individuals is embedded in the most inclusive perspective in which nothingness is the womb of being. Thus it is valid to experience space, time, individuation, pleasure and pain and the other forms of intuition such as causation; and it is also valid to know a world that e.g. contains but is not in time and in which the individual –you or I– is identical to all being that stands with the ability to be distant from the individual and his or her singular attributes and experience
The universal is the absolute or the basis in the void. The local is the basis in the understanding of an actual phase. Thus reference to the quantum theory is local and, for any actual phase, may be replaced by reference to the best understanding of that phase. However, the universal understanding and basis do not change
If nothingness is equivalent to every state of being, then nothingness is equivalent to the entire universe. Starting with this point as a primary point of information, a foundation for cosmology is derived in the main text
This foundation has consequences for the nature of concepts, matter, mind, knowledge, logic. Of especial significance is the consequence for the nature of the idea of substance and, consequently, an –approach to– resolution of the great divides between the understandings of mind and of matter
That every state of being is equivalent to all states of being implies that, in contrast to appearances: individuals are not distinct, that there is a sense in which the history of the one universe repeats itself, that individuals –in that sense– transcend death and approach the absolute; and that individuals participate in being whose awareness transcends individual boundaries. The existence of such being and related arguments in the text resolve the problem that there appears to be no continuity of identity between identical but separate individuals or between distinct instances of the same individual e.g. in another life
What can be said of the practical issue that, in our being in the present phase and epoch of the universe, the transition between states of being has, generally, an extremely small likelihood?
In the first place, knowledge of our true nature affects the quality of our existence in this life. It shows to be mistaken the conclusion made from science by some writers that we are a lonely accident at the edge of the universe. Significantly, while the conclusions are mistaken, science itself, as it applies within the present phase and epoch of the universe is not discredited: the foundation developed here connects law and what causation there is in the present phase to the void, it requires stable existence to be founded in law and pattern. In any case, nihilist conclusions from science derive their human impact from considerations that are not the province of science but are, for example, expressions of the emotional tenor or personality of the individual or of perception of conflict between science and personal belief. Thus, for example, the idea that we are a lonely accident is not a factual conclusion since “lonely” as used here is an emotional quality; further any objective component to the conclusion is a projection of the science of this world to the ultimate
Secondly, I seek to connect our immediate presence to the absolute in two detailed ways. One way, already described, is through knowledge and understanding. Another way that complements and interacts with the way of understanding is through experiment. Being is founded in being rather than thought alone
The processes of knowledge, science and technology are experiments in transformation. However, focus is especially on the transformation of being itself. Examples from the traditions include western mysticism, Yoga, psychotherapy, meditation, the Shamanic vision-quest, the classic Heroic Journey-Quest. As described in the body of this essay I have considered these traditions critically, constructively and experimentally and have often adapted the traditions to my purposes
While I have taken up and continue to experiment with a number of classical approaches in transformation of awareness and being, the foundations of my experiments are in what I call the dynamics of being. A detailed discussion of the dynamics of being and its use is taken up later
The central and fundamental idea of the dynamics is that an individual can experiment with, learn about and often overcome what are seen as limits to his or her own being. The process may be seen as a variation or generalization of the scientific method or of the Socratic approach to criticism and ideas. What are the final limits to an individual being? The argument from nothingness shows that there are no limits except logical limits e.g. one cannot have property X and not X or be object A and not A at the same time. However, even this restriction does not have the force that it is often thought to have. For different objects A and B, it is usually thought that being A implies being not B. However, there may exist compound objects C whose state of being is a compounding [in quantum theory the term is superposition] of A and B. In general, all objects partake of a compound character similar to that of C. This follows from the fact that every state of being is equivalent to all states of being and is not at all dependent on quantum ideas
[Further, the universe of logical paradoxes is seen as smaller than originally thought when it is recognized that not every meaningful statement must be either true or false]
The question of low probabilities is approached by seeking an analog to catalysis in chemical transformations – the agent of catalysis in the case of being is mind or intelligence. Two approaches are possible [a] local or short-term – by discovering the laws and patterns of our phase and [b] global – by discovering how to go outside our phase-epoch… or, simply, by waiting which guarantees success. Moral considerations are significant in justifying a search for perceiving and realizing states with limited likelihood
My development has many influences and inspirations. Most of all perhaps are the influence of my mother who listened to my thoughts – even those most incomprehensible and absurd; and my journeys in nature where I receive inspiration in ideas and passion and resolve, and experience contact with The Source
The Journey continues but has come a long way and some Mileposts are:
Human Knowledge is without necessary limits. Already, we have seen an example in the use of the idea of nothingness
Knowledge can be seen as having biological and symbolic bases. As an example, spatial perception is based in neurophysiology; thus the perceived properties of space are a joint function of the world and the perceptual system i.e. space is one of Kant’s forms of intuition. However, space can be described symbolically e.g. through co-ordinate systems and, in that case, discovery of space and its properties is a scientific enterprise in which the form of intuition may suggest the symbolic form but the result is subject to criticism and experimental comparison with the reality of the world. As we now know, space is not an independent object; rather, a better description is obtained when space, time and matter are regarded as the object being described. The symbolic approach allows for description of curved space-times which means that the simplest description of the world is obtained when space-time is curved. This is not accessible in human intuition which appears to be limited to visualizing two-dimensional curved surfaces in three-dimensional space – this is not an absolute e.g. partial intuition of higher dimensional spaces may result from consideration of their projection onto two- or three-dimensional spaces. Additionally, space may turn out to have more than three dimensions [in some recent theories, space has ten dimensions of which all but three are so tightly curled up as to be smaller in extent than is accessible to the finest of direct measurements.] The geometry or physics of an eleven dimensional space-time is accessible to symbolic description but not to the forms of intuition
Thus it is possible to know and understand being-as-it-is [Kant’s thing-in-itself] through the use of symbolic representation as just described. This may be supplemented by taking individual and object to be a single entity
Whereas limits to intuition were just considered, according to previous discussion there should be no limits to the forms of intuition. Since there are no limits to the forms of being accessible to a given being, that conclusion is true but there is a practical limit – that of finding a catalyst to overcome extremely small probabilities in the this phase-epoch of the universe. However, transcendence of the intuition by the symbolic approach is available and actual here and now
Although a variety of general conclusions from the identity of the world and the void are robust, detailed and precise description of phenomena within our phase-epoch is exacting and the questions of its science and its foundations are real. The quantum theory is one step –or rung in a ladder– toward a connection between our world and the void. The symbolic way provides one approach to foundations where, in a spirit of openness, infinite regress of substance or ideas is replaced by revisability of the intermediate theories. However, although we learn from the history science and reflection upon its “method” that the central theories may be subject to revision it does not follow that the fundamental theory of our phase-epoch is infinitely revisable. There are excellent though not absolute reasons to think that modern theoretical physics has already provided the scaffolding of such a final theory. Some important limitations of such a theory should be noted. It will not, as discussed in the essay, imply that mind does not exist or is reducible to matter; rather, as is seen, the mental and the physical are alternate modes of description… and that the mental is as deep as the physical or other, hypothetical, modes. The numerous human or animal modes of experience and description –economics, culture and so on– will not be rendered trivial, empty or unnecessary. And, finally it does not follow, automatically, that the trajectory of the physical universe will be computable
A Characterization of Being: given below
A Resolution of the Issue of Substance Ontology
As noted earlier foundation in nothingness is an end to the search for substance, there is no need for further foundation or infinite regress: the ontology based in the void is not an ontology of substance i.e. it is neither a monism nor a dualism. Alternatively it may be seen as a substance ontology with the number of substances equal to zero. Locally, with respect to a given phase-epoch of the universe, and with respect to a system of understanding, there are practical issues of adequacy of understanding and description that may be formulated as substance issues. These, however, are not fundamental
A study of mind with new understanding of the concept and nature of mind; consequently, resolution of mind-matter questions and a foundation of a mapping [elements and functions] of mind and treatment of classic problems such as those of binding problem and of object constancy
The possibility of metaphysics; relation between metaphysics and the possibility of knowledge and logic
Cosmology as a topic in logic; and origin of causation, time and physical law… and an explanation of the paradox of the idea of an origin to time
Foundation of physics and physical cosmology; and of evolution and indeterministic process as applied to the physical universe and to life
Determinism and causation: our phase-epoch of the universe is neither deterministic nor causal but there are realms of deterministic and causal behavior e.g. as described in [large but not all] parts of classical physics. In the main text it is shown that [and how] law or pattern, structure, deterministic-like and quasi-causal behavior may arise out of nothingness and, also, in theory such as quantum mechanics that is indeterministic at its core and does not support full causation
Time: the text has a discussion of the origin of multiple times from the void and how, in a phase-epoch of the one universe, the multiple times may coalesce into a single dominant and dynamic but local time i.e. every particle in the phase-epoch may be thought of as having its own time but the times are more or less in coordination within the phase-epoch. The animal primitive intuition [experience] of time is that of a limited domain within our phase-epoch of the one universe and may be modified in various ways. Theoretically, there are modifications to the idea of universal time that arise within e.g. relativistic physics. Conceptually, starting from the void it is possible to understand the origin and end [without end] of times and of local time. The human experience or psychology of time is fluid in that the passing of time may appear real in the moment-to-moment, in the days [except in the far North or South] and in the seasons [except at the equator.] However, individuals may have the experience of eternity i.e. the suspension of time that may coexist with the experience of moments. The precise experience of time and timelessness is an individual phenomenon that is also influenced by context and culture; the experience [and mythology] of living in a timeless world is common within “hunter-gatherer” communities
Detailed discussion is in the main text. There it will be seen that although I have drawn inspiration from ideas from modern science, the reasoning is not dependent on or founded in science
Transcendental logic, which is the use of logic to make real conclusions. This sounds paradoxical. However, a brief explanation has already been given and is elaborated in the main text
The concept of logic receives re-vision; this is spelt out in recent developments which provide background and detail for the following generalizations of the traditional idea of logic: first, logic is the understanding of what is possible; here, logic continues to be understood as mental or symbolic operation; however, in further generalization, second, logic is the realization of the possible. In the second generalization logic is no longer a knowledge or mental operation [as narrowly understood]
Fundamental principles include
The Principle of Identity that the void is equivalent to all being which follows from logic as follows. The concept of the void is introduced as that of contingent nothingness; it could not be necessary or eternal nothingness for that would imply the presence of law which would not be nothing or nothingness. Similarly, void cannot be barred from transformation into any or all being. It is necessary to understand that the void and its equivalents include ‘our’ coherent phase-epoch of the universe as a ‘speck’ and the equivalences in question do not hold if transformations are required to remain within our phase-epoch. However, absolute restriction to the phase-epoch is not possible even though once there, there is a practical sense in which ‘escape’ is unlikely [in the absolute sense it is certain]
The Principle of Being that all being is open to every being – practically, the likelihood from within our phase-epoch is colossally small though transformation to every / all being is absolutely certain in the absolute sense
There is Exactly One Universe. This follows from the fact that All Entities May Interact with Every Other Entity which in turn follows from the fact that the void may interact with every entity
What is Actual is Possible [important even though trivial] and what is possible must, on account of recurrence as discussed in foundation, be actual
What is Conceivable –thinkable, describable and so on– is Possible if its existence does not involve contradiction
What is Possible is Necessary in the sense that it must occur in some phase of the universe. For the possible to be ruled out would be a law. This is The Law of Contradiction that in the entire one-universe only the impossible i.e. what involves contradiction will not occur. From these considerations:
What is possible –thinkable, non-contradictory etc– obtains over and over without limit –beginning or end or boundary– in space-time. This is eternal recurrence in time and infinite repetition in extension
There are entities whose beings span the distinct repetitions of a localized individual; this gives meaning or significance to the recurrence. The individual is equivalent to all being – the Vedantic Principle; from a practical perspective from with of a phase-epoch realization of this equivalence is colossally unlikely but from the actual perspective it is necessary
What has been called The Fundamental Problem of Metaphysics: ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ is extended to the formulation ‘Why is there presence or sentience rather than nothing?’ and rendered trivial
Original identity of being, knowledge and ethics or, more accurately, the ethical nature of being
…and analysis of ethics in relation to origin from nothingness and the elements of being
Dynamics of being and its foundations in the metaphysics
Foundation of transformations of being
A set of complete but minimal experiments in the transformations of being
Philosophy and the academic disciplines: in a culture in which there is an academic establishment with a number of academic divisions or disciplines [and sub-disciplines] there are likely to be problematic relations including self-relations among the disciplines regardless whether the divisions are convenient or essential. In modern and recent philosophy c. 2000 there has been ongoing discussion of the nature of philosophy and its relations to the other disciplines. Does philosophy say anything about the world and can it instruct the other disciplines – or is its role more humble, indeed can it say anything at all? These questions have been asked and discussed by philosophers and others including individuals from science. The discussions range from the illuminating to the merely contentious. I have written on this subject in greater detail in another essay, the History of Western Philosophy. Here, I will limit my discussion to two comments. [1] What is illuminating in the ‘conversation’ often appears to be limiting but such the rationally basis is necessarily in an underlying world view or metaphysics – even when strong claims about absence of or impossibility of metaphysics are made: ‘impossibility of metaphysics’ contains a concealed metaphysics; and the spread of such philosophy is usually the result of success of some categorically limited but extremely powerful venture such as ‘science’ or the persuasive power of a ‘master.’ The origins of crisis and contention include cultural factors: the nihilism of an era, the insularity of the disciplines which is a negative aspect of specialization, the professionalization of ‘knowledge’ with its attendant and fragile premature if implicit claims to completeness – and claims to ignorance which may be distinguished from doubt as an approach to understanding, should be viewed with as much suspicion as claims to knowledge. While education in philosophy does not typically involve exposure to science, the scientists are often limited in their awareness of the depth of philosophical concerns. However, it is clear that regardless of the lines of demarcation, philosophical thought is often enhanced by a broad understanding that includes academics, science and its foundations; and scientists do, when occasioned, engage in philosophical thought. [2] The concept of the void is a topic in transcendental logic rather than in science –as narrowly understood– and it is clear that an analysis of the void and of becoming are informative and in some ways foundational to modern physics which, in turn, informs more complete thought on the nature of the void and of becoming. This provides a stark and deep example of the potential for modern and current interaction between philosophy and science
Experiments in the Transformation of Being: the discussion here covers the general experiments of Experiments in the Transformation of Being and the more particular experiments of The Variety of Being and of Action, Charisma, and History
In Foundation, the dynamics and logic are integrated as part of Logic. This unifies the foundation of the ‘experiments’ and of ‘metaphysics.’ The general foundation of ‘A Complete, Minimal Set’ of experiments is completed. The experiment in ‘Universal Knowledge’ is essentially complete; and the remaining experiments are in varying stages of progress which is substantial for all experiments except ‘social influence’ and the full ‘transformation of being’
In the Journey-Quest, Ideas and Experiments are Integrated
Other developments are described in what follows
It is now possible to give a brief explicit characterization of being. For a more complete justification of the following account, the reader is referred to the main essay
That the being of an entity is “what it truly is” is an implicit characterization. The value of an implicit characterization is its generality and openness; however, an explicit characterization is also valuable even if we do not know that it will apply to all being
In the main essay, I take up the idea of concepts and discuss the notion of a slack concept. A slack concept is one that is not completely definite –its properties are not specified with complete precision– and for which, given an object, it is not always possible to tell whether the object falls under the concept. However, that a concept is slack does not necessarily imply ignorance in the case that the object of application itself is not [and need not be] definite. Thus the recognition of conceptual slack is, in some cases, the recognition of a virtue. An example: if an autonomic nervous process is intermediate between two clearly mental states or processes, is the autonomic process itself mental? An adequate response is that, generally, it is not necessary to label the autonomic process as mental or not mental for nothing is gained either way… The relevance here is that the following brief characterization may turn out to be parochial rather than universal
Journey: The coming into realization is a [cumulative] journey. Of course, not every event or phase adds to the cumulation; and some that are thought to add are later dropped
Mind: Being is characterized by mind which is the instrument of being and becoming. Mind has been said to be too high level a concept to be characteristic of being. The basic facts of mind as far as “higher” being is concerned are experience and presence. Bound and free aspects of mind, discussed in the main essay, are essential in the process of becoming. For entities that are sufficiently “low,” the free aspects are not internalized. There is a “high level” mind that animal being recognizes as such but, as discussed in Journey in Being, mind also occurs at lowest of levels. It is necessary to refer the reader to the relevant parts of Journey in Being to understand precisely what is being said and its foundation and explanation
Action: Action is conceived as an aspect of mind
The Principle of Being: As developed in this prologue and elaborated in the main essay, all being is open to every being or all states of being are equivalent to every state of being [it is necessary to allow states outside any given phase-epoch of the universe for this to be a logical principle]
Dynamics of Being: The use of mind, experiment and action in recognizing and overcoming limits – explained more thoroughly below and in the main division of the essay on Experiments in the Transformation of Being. The rational base of the dynamics is the principle of being; a practical basis in the laws of a phase-epoch of the universe is discussed below
The Principle of Meaning: There are two great sources of meaning: first, experience and enjoyment of and action in the immediate world – the life and relationships of the individual and, second, in the process of arching from individual being to universal Being. It seems to me that this is trivially obvious
Cosmology: Cosmology is not limited to physical cosmology. Cosmology is the study of entire existence, the one universe as a whole. The italicized phrase would be a better title for this point but I use cosmology because it is the title of a section in Journey in Being. Cosmology includes the following: the equivalence of the one universe and nothingness and the principle of identity; the necessity and sufficiency of indeterminism to explain the origin of the actual universe and its structure from nothing; and physics and physical cosmology. Matter has been held to be a high level concept but the concept of matter is understood, here, in a more basic way than the physical stuff of the present phase-epoch of the universe and not as something distinct from mind – rather mind and matter are different modes of description
Ethics: Being is ethical in nature. This does not mean that every individual “does the right thing” at all times. Ethics is possible only when there is choice and the existence of choice implies that the right thing will not always be done and hence a need for ethics. Ethics, like mind and matter, occurs at various levels. And there is an ethics of the human context and an ethics of being-in-the-one-universe which do not necessarily mesh smoothly; there is no need or sense to a perfectly smooth mesh
Recent developments: the following aspects of characteristics of being are developed. Selection and Proof for the Characteristics. Kinds of Characteristics – primary, derivative, existential, possible, and fundamental. Characteristics of being: existence, absence, accessibility and identity, extension-duration, indeterminacy, community and interactivity, meaning, mind, experience, presence, matter or material nature and other properties, actuality, soul, an infinite number of attributes – rejection of the ‘attribute theory’, recurrence, fecundity, good and evil
Common Ground for All Being: while a variety of kinds and aspects to being has been listed above in the fashion of categories the variety has not been presented as a system of categories which is unnecessary due to the common ground in What is Being
In the system that follows, those ideas that are original build upon the ideas of others. Sometimes, as in the developments in cosmology, my ideas have been suggested by existing theories even when the dependence on those theories is not logical or formal
Especially when the ideas are original, and even though I have devoted much study and thought and sought much inspiration, I sometimes feel that I have accidentally stumbled upon the ideas rather than developed them or found them as a result of a careful or systematic search. As an example, I have been thinking about the role of concepts of nothingness for a number of years. However, the final insight on how to view the relationship between nothingness and the world occurred without intimation one morning when I stopped for coffee at a bakery at the foot of the Trinity Mountains, Trinity County, Northern California
The first intent in this final part of the prologue is to make statements about the nature of the processes of my discoveries and perhaps about all discovery. Dependence on the ideas of others is simply a fact. When my ideas have external influence, the dependence is often unconscious since I am immersed in a culture of ideas. The feeling of stumbling is this: where I sought concepts, insight and understanding, I did not expect the actual ideas or their final form and, and the certainty, magnitude, depth, breadth of application, and beauty of the ideas significantly exceeded my expectations in their breadth and in the logic of the foundation. Even what I hoped for was exceeded: for what is not conceived there cannot be explicit hope. Thus, the form of the foundation in nothingness –the elucidation of nothingness, the certainty of the conclusions, and the release from infinite regress and substance ontology– were, despite earlier hopes and glimmers of the result, surprising and, of course, exhilarating as a result of the breadth and crystal clarity. However, even if my discoveries are accidental or serendipitous in any objective way, that being should make the essence of the discoveries is necessary
The idea of ‘endless vistas of discovery and knowledge’ has been an ideal, in Western Civilization, since the end of Medieval Scholarship. Here, in the equivalence of nothingness –the void– and all being a closure to ‘endless vistas’ has been realized. Simultaneously, nothingness is the ‘womb of all being’ and in that infinitude contains our –local– universe as a mere speck not only in size but in variety and possibilities: closure has not eliminated gazing out upon distant horizons
The next phase is a return to the focus on the experiments described in the second section of the main essay
As far as knowledge and ideas are concerned, I must again turn away from what clarity of vision I have experienced and toward intuition and diffuse light to sense and seek what further truth there may be
Since completion of this essay in July 2003, greater clarity has been obtained in foundation and concepts
In foundation, the underlying logic –the nature of the void or nothingness, its use in understanding the nature of possibility and logic, its use in understanding being and the relationship between the our cosmological system and the entire uni-verse– is brought into sharp relief. The new formulation of the concept of logic, which includes the traditional concept, is an extraction of the essential logic of the void and is the single law of the entire uni-verse. In consequence, greater unity, depth and breadth are obtained in the resulting metaphysics and the topics in Journey in Being. A summary of the improved and the new results follows
General metaphysics and cosmology; includes physical cosmology and MIND. The theory of the VOID and the LOGIC result in a metaphysics without substance, a foundation without regress i.e. that ‘terminates in the void.’ The system of metaphysical problems is resolved into real and artifactual problems – those that have origin e.g. in a limited world view. The underlying LOGIC enhances the distinction, the resolution of the real and illumination of all problems and concepts
Symbol; language, knowledge, logic, mathematics… the free symbolic capability makes possible, as distinct from the root, human knowledge, logic, choice, value… Some thinkers hold that the range from the root and up but prior to the fully free symbol does not constitute e.g. knowledge. There is an analogy to the question whether the earth rotates around the sun or vice versa; either position can be validly held but it, in classical mechanics, it is the latter that makes for the simplest description [in fact rotation about the center of mass of the solar system provides the ‘simplest’ description.] Similarly, what is important for knowledge is the distinction marked by the free symbol. Given the distinction, allowing the pre-free symbolic adaptation to count as a kind of knowledge is to acknowledge the fact of continuity of the human with the universal. Epistemology is defined by the following limits. As the part is less than the whole, epistemology is secondary to logic and metaphysics; this follows from the LOGIC of the VOID. It is inherent in the nature of the free symbol that there is no a priori justification of symbolic knowledge; at the same time, allowing for a transitional field of concepts opens up the possibility of an end to transition
Value: the free symbol makes for the possibility of creation and recognition of possibilities for action; the concept of value addresses the resulting freedom and guides action under freedom… and this implies the underlying unity of all value. Complete rationality in value is contradictory to the concept of freedom and, while there are guides and rationality, there is also an essential freedom of choice that cannot be eliminated
In CONCEPTS, I have recorded new ideas, modifications, elaborations and plans
WHAT IS ‘JOURNEY IN BEING’ is a brief review of the foundation for understanding of being and the nature of the journey that further improves the results from the document, foundation. The individual concepts of LOGIC, VOID, UNIVERSE, MIND, BEING, INDETERMINISM, COSMOLOGY, knowledge, process, relationship, universal, form, fundamental divide, symbol, logics, physical cosmology, determinism, causation, STRUCTURE OF MIND, nature and history of PHILOSOPHY and METAPHYSICS, PROBLEMS OF METAPHYSICS, THEORY OF VALUE AND CHOICE or ETHICS, and the RELATIONSHIPS among them are clarified. A greater economy, breadth and depth of thought and approach to action is obtained. These enhancements together with the synthesis of disciplines of JOURNEY IN BEING and METAPHYSICS, result in a further enhancement of the system of thought
The working out of the details is planned and it is anticipated that the result will be a significant improvement in DEPTH, BREADTH and ECONOMY of presentation… and, I hope, a contribution to the IDEA and the HISTORY OF THOUGHT
The essay is in five divisions. The first division is the Introduction which goes beyond this prologue in providing details on origins and motives for the Journey
The interest of this personal part for the universal and for the nature of discovery includes the following. The significance of belief and intuition in discovery. The nature of belief. The importance of breadth and of continued contemplation and refinement over years as complement to –though not a replacement for– specialization, rigor, immediate publication and judgment in the process of discovery and understanding. The importance of, having achieved a peak in understanding, seeking a fresh viewpoint, of starting again at the ground. The value of assuming a variety of paths or ‘careers.’ The values of non-academic work as a complement to work in a research establishment, or a university: exposure to what is real in the being of the individual, loss of occasion to indulge in niceties of detail and sophistication at the expense of real vision and action, freedom from academic politics – the pressure to near slave-like adherence to the standard view of the world but simultaneous freedom to use and be immersed in that view
The objectives of the journey are understanding [theory] and transformation – action and experiment. The Metaphysics focuses on foundation and understanding. Transformation takes up essential transformations in being focusing on the questions, ‘What transformations are possible?’ and ‘What transformations are ideal i.e. desirable and feasible?’ The remaining paths are concerned with specific areas of transformation or experiment: Variety addresses the variety of being in general and then on symbolic and machine realization of being, mind and life; Action takes up social change and political action focusing on three concerns: the implications of the theory of being developed in the metaphysics and in transformation, ideals in political institutions and action, and practical issues of social change and political action. Together, these four ‘paths’ constitute the content of the Journey
For the core essays, secondary, supporting and other documents that include design and planning see the Site-Map
The electronic version is updated at all revisions and is, therefore, more current than print versions
Anil Mitra
June 22, 2004
Outline
Prologue - above | Introduction: an Adventure in Being | The Story | Metaphysics | Experiments in the Transformation of Being | The Variety of Being | Action, Charisma, and History | Latest Revision and Copyright | Sources | Footnotes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROLOGUE TO JOURNEY IN BEING - ABOVE
INTRODUCTION: AN ADVENTURE IN BEING
The Significance of the Individual Journey
Origins of the Dynamics of Being
Reflections on the Principles of Being and of Meaning
The origin of the Principle of Identity
Experiments with the Variety of Being
1.1 Metaphysics and The Theory of Being
1.1.1.1 The Possibility of Metaphysics
1.1.2 Importance of Metaphysics for the Journey in Being
1.1.2.1 As a Foundational aspect of the Experiments in the Transformation of Being
1.1.2.2 Every Organism has an Intrinsic Metaphysics
1.1.2.3 Metaphysics and Science
1.1.3.3 Existence and Concepts
1.1.3.8 Being, Process, Cause, Time and Dynamics
1.1.5.1 What is Ultimate Being?
1.1.5.2 The Possibilities of Actual Beings
1.1.5.3 What Possibilities are Good?
1.2.1 Reflections on the Number of Universes
1.2.2 There is Exactly One Universe
1.2.3 Regarding “Something from Nothing”
1.2.4 Regarding the Existence of Consciousness and Presence
1.2.7 Kinds of Process and Cause
1.2.8 Co-origins of Being, Causation, Dynamics and Time
1.2.9 Reflections on the Approach to Co-Origins
1.2.11 Anthropic Principles as Examples of the Transcendental Method
1.2.13 Language, Words and Metaphysics
1.3.1.2 The Fundamental Role of Experience or Feeling
1.3.1.3 Unconscious Mental Processes
1.3.1.4 Unconscious Mental Processes and the Body
1.3.1.7 Mind / body: summary and consolidation of philosophical conclusions
1.3.1.8 Mind / body in science
1.3.1.9 Noumenon and Phenomenon
1.3.2 Characterization of Mind
1.3.2.1 Purpose of this Section
1.3.2.5 Relation to Environment
1.3.2.7 A Unified Theory of the Functions of Mind
1.3.3 Dimensions of Mind / Being: Introduction
1.3.3.1 Indefiniteness of Concepts
1.3.3.2 Example: Humor and Emotion
1.3.3.3 Dimensions of Mind / Being: Outline
1.3.4 Dimensions of Mind / Being: Foundations
1.3.4.2 Criticisms of the Classical Functions of Mind
1.3.4.3 Explanatory / Organizing Principles
1.3.5 A System of the Dimensions of Mind, Being and Action
1.3.5.1 Character of Mind / Being
1.3.5.2 Functions: States and Processes
1.3.6 Metaphysics and the Possibility of Knowledge and Logic
1.3.6.1 Knowledge and Inference
1.3.6.2 Knowledge and Inference in an Organism
1.3.6.3 Metaphysics and the Possibility of Knowledge
1.3.6.4 The Possibility of Logic
1.3.6.5 Analytic and Synthetic Propositions
1.3.6.6 Metaphysics and the Possibility of Implication / Inference
1.3.6.7 Not Every Idea is a Form
1.3.6.8 The Variety of Logical Structures
1.4.1 The importance of language
1.4.2 Analytic or Linguistic Philosophy
1.4.2.2 The Concepts, “Everything” and “Nothing” or “Nothingness”
1.4.3 Meaning and Communication
1.4.4 Kinds of Linguistic Meaning
1.4.5 Formal Systems and Formal Meaning
1.5.3 Intuition and Formal Knowledge
1.5.3.1 Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description
1.5.3.2 Journey in Being is an Adventure in the Forms of Being and Thought
1.5.3.3 Alien world view of Knowledge; Presentationism and Representationism
1.5.4 How is Knowledge Possible
1.5.4.1 The Functions of Knowledge
1.5.5 Knowledge, Belief and Truth
1.5.6 Knowledge, Meaning and Reference
1.5.9 Criticism, Skepticism and their Radical Forms
1.5.9.1 What is the Depth of Knowledge in the Organism?
1.5.10 Justification and Action
1.5.13 Knowledge Used in the Journey in Being
1.5.13.2 Range of Human Knowledge
1.6 Theory and Approaches to Group Action and Value
A Purpose: Constructive, Aesthetic and Global dimensions of Ethics
1.6.1.1 The Possibility of Moral Conduct
1.6.1.2 What is good is not laid out in advance
1.6.4 Philosophical and Reflective Ethics
1.6.4.1 Constructive vs. Passive and Prescriptive Ethics
1.6.5.1 The tension among imperatives
1.6.5.2 Ethics, Metaphysics and other concerns
1.6.7 Ethics, Being, Knowledge
1.6.8 Ethics and Journey in Being
1.7 Classical and Modern Problems of Metaphysics
1.7.1 The Problems of Metaphysics
1.7.2 Modern Problems in Metaphysics
1.7.3 Types of Metaphysical Theory
1.7.5 Argument and Construction in Metaphysics. Meta-questions
2 EXPERIMENTS IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF BEING
Purpose and Nature of the Experiments
What is a Transformation of Being?
The Value of Transformations of Being
The Discipline of Transformation
2.1.1 The Dynamics of the Real and of Being
2.1.1.1 The Principle of Being
2.1.1.2 Introduction to the Dynamics
2.1.1.3 Twenty-One Examples of the Dynamics
2.1.1.4 Cultivation of the Dynamics
2.1.1.5 Dynamics as Bridge between Modes of Knowledge and Being
2.1.1.6 Further Experiments with the Dynamics
2.1.1.7 The Dynamics of Being and its Theory
2.1.1.8 Some General Aspects of Dynamics
Distribution of Experiments in this Document
2.2.1 Perception and Vision-Quest
2.2.2.3 The Meaning and Function of Dreams
2.2.3.1 A Short Introduction to Yoga
2.2.3.3 Meditation, Yoga, and Life
2.3.1 Wilderness Journey-Quest: Preparation
2.3.2.2 What I Learned at the Lake
2.3.3 The Journey-Quest: Nature and Process
2.3.3.1 The Nature of the Journey
2.3.3.2 Grounding: Metaphysics
2.3.4.1 Sources of Information
2.4.1 Kinds of Experiment: Principles of Elaboration
2.4.1.2 Polarities and Continua
2.4.2 Experiments in the Character of Mind and Being
2.4.3 Experiments in Function: States and Processes of Being
2.4.3.1 Memory, Attitude – and Concepts
2.4.4 Experiments involving Extension in Time
2.4.4.1 Learning and growth; development of the functions
2.4.4.2 Personality and its Development; commitments
2.4.4.3 The dynamics of being; becoming; local / non-local
2.4.4.4 Arching from the Individual / Here-Now to the Universal
2.4.5.1 Experiments in Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action
2.4.5.2 Transformation of Being: Journey-Quest – Wilderness
2.4.6 A Complete, Minimal Set of Experiments
2.4.6.3 A Complete, Minimal Set
2.4.7 Results, Prospects and Plans
2.4.7.1 Some Additional Experiments
3 THE VARIETY OF BEING: IDEAS, CONCEPTS AND THEORY, AND EXPERIMENTS
3.2.1 The Potential and the Possible
3.5.2 Finite, Discrete and Continuous State Machines
3.6 Machine or Computational Intelligence: Introduction
3.6.3 Useful Features of Computation
3.7 Machine or Computational Intelligence
3.7.1 Analog vs. Symbolic Machines
3.7.1.4 Computational Models of Mind / Cognitivism
3.7.2 Objectives: Machine Intelligence in Journey in Being
3.7.2.1 Understand and Construct Being / Mind
3.7.2.2 Assistants and Independent Tools in Research and Other Tasks
3.7.3 Theoretical and Conceptual Background
3.7.5 Implementation of Objectives
4 ACTION, CHARISMA AND INFLUENCE, AND HISTORY
4.1 Introduction: the function of Action and Influence
4.2 Action, Influence and Change
4.2.3 The Place of Social and Political Theory
4.2.4 Charisma and Patriarchalism: Two Kinds of Influence
4.2.5 The Problem of Significance
4.3.1 Cultivating and Maintaining Charisma
4.3.2 What are the Social Theatres or Platforms of Change?
4.3.3 Sources of Influence – Institutions for Change and Support
4.3.4 Using Institutions: The Importance of Context
4.4.1 Theories of Social Structure
4.4.2 Social Change and Dynamics
4.4.3 The History of Influence
4.5.3 The Origin Theory and Possibility of its Application
4.5.3.3 Origin and Possibility of Action
4.5.3.4 Political and Moral Theory
4.5.4.1 Social Theory, Foundations, Knowledge
4.5.4.2 Application to Other Fields of Endeavor
4.5.5.1 General Purposes of this section
4.5.5.2 Purposes for Journey in Being
4.6 Theatres and Platforms of Influence
This introduction is a short story of my journey. The account is not an autobiography – its purpose is to show what aspects of my life have been important to my journey. For a short account of the main ideas, aims and arguments, see the Prologue
Journey in Being began as my journey – is also my journey, the story of my coming into the ideas and paths that make up the journey. The story of my life is a part of the journey – but this document is not intended to be a vehicle to tell an intimate story of my life. What is significant is how I came to undertake the journey, especially to the extent that the origins are significant in understanding and founding the journey
In the beginning, my life –as for all lives– had joy and pain. I enjoyed love, beauty in the world, the sense of adventure, places, ideas… the world was full of wonderful potential and, perhaps, if that was all there was, my journey might have been quite different. It was the beauty and the emptiness[6] – from a desire for beauty – that sparked my journey. Beauty was my light, emptiness my flame…
I spent twenty years in the academic world of study, research and teaching. I found understanding more satisfying than performance, breadth as important as specialization and depth. There were low points but it was largely exciting and enjoyed. Always, I sought life that was broader than the academic confines[7]. There remained an incompleteness. I thought, and felt – and still feel – that knowledge was a path to the center of being but, still, incomplete. I expressed this later: at the end of knowledge and insight, the being of the individual is little changed. Therefore, I sought other experiences in the world and although this was deliberate the process was also spontaneous; I lived independently for four years; I lived with many people and families. There was no rejection of knowledge - I immersed myself in many disciplines[8]… learning so much from my formal and my self-education, I traveled, lived in nature – in the wildernesses of North America and Mexico where I experience connection with nature… with being and where I received my best inspiration, designed and operated a restaurant, did work for pay – especially psychiatric care where much was learned and experienced especially about personality and its mutations and about the dimensions of mind from some of its extreme manifestations, I lived and loved, felt and gave much love and much tragedy, became a parent, I experimented with the transformations and transmutations of personality, the use and development of my charisma, I wrote and thought much about the nature of being – evolution, science, philosophy, maintain[ed] a website as a record of all these experiences and as a presentation the Journey in Being, I felt success and failure. One meaning, for me, of living in the moment is working out the details of my vision every day. In that mode of living though not only in that mode I am in the present. Sometimes I break from that mode and look back; I sometimes cherish the variety of my experience. It has been essential to my journey
Living in the academic world has been important – there I learnt much in the way of ideas and discipline. Living outside that world has also been significant. I have been kept ‘honest’ for the very pressure of day-to-day living has meant that I cannot rest upon mere sophistication. More importantly, there is a truth to everyday living; contact with that truth has informed my thought and journey… and I have been required to and enjoyed contact with the world and with real people with real lives. There is here no comparison or judgment of the two ways of life; I say, simply, that both have contributed and that there is something vital about each, something lovely… and, sometimes, something artificial
What is it about myself that has made me open to the two ways and to perception?
Opportunity: I was fortunate to have had an excellent education and to have lived in a family that had some appreciation of ideas, beauty, art and education. Whatever intelligence I have, too, was a gift
Openness: I learned to enjoy life in all its ways, to be tolerant of and to love others, to perceive, to appreciate beauty. All this is in large measure due to my mother
Discipline: from my father I learned to doubt myself; and from this doubt came, in some measure, self-discipline and the desire to be better – sublimated as a desire for the universal
Seize the moment: a combination of the foregoing, a gift from the universe, a sense of the infinite, tenacity in following my passion
Often, the academic disciplines emphasize, not without reason or value, impersonal narrative. However, for the Journey in Being, the personal is crucial – the universal journey is confluence of individual journeys. Simultaneously, there is a perspective from which – a place where – the individual recedes and there is one being, one vision. The individual journey also has significance in showing where it may meet the universal – in sharing one’s life, in being part of the great stream – and as an example and in avoiding self-deception. In an endeavor which is purely scientific personal accounts, when interesting, may be published in non-scientific literature, and are appropriately kept separate from formal science. However, the personal approach is essential to the Experiments in the Transformation of Being where there is, ultimately, no method. There, there is a role for the impersonal but the approach to transformation, in the absence of method, will include idiosyncratic and personal aspects. Since my journey began with immersion in a science oriented career, the continuous path from science to the Journey to the Edge of Being – also a journey to the center – is significant to the question of whether there may be some methodological elements to the Journey
A significant discovery, relevant to the Dynamics of Being, has been the way in which the formal and the intuitive interact. Repeatedly, in the academic sphere, I learned formal approaches and used them until I would be able to reduce the formal to intuition… and then build further formal, then intuitive understanding upon the earlier foundation
The origin of the Dynamics of Being was in my experience and reflection upon how my being and experience became and become modified. My experiences just described – ambitions, hopes, love, charisma, academic work, travels, living in nature, restaurant development, psychiatric work, being a father – above were essential regardless of degree of success in this development. Some of these paths, rather labyrinthine, were recounted in a letter that I wrote to my parents in 1996; it was in that letter, in the process of subjecting my life to review, I first recognized and named the Dynamics of Being
The development of the dynamics, initially unplanned, was the product of numerous elements in interaction. The first element is my experience described above. I will not labor over details or a comprehensive list of the elements but give some examples:
Dynamics of Being – in this and related sections I have described some of the classic disciplines [academic thought, science, yoga, meditation, journey-quest] as being examples of the dynamics; the dynamics also incorporates the development of an individual over time, as an element of history and as participating in society
Metaphysics – this section includes discussions of Being | Mind | Cosmology | Ethics, Being, Knowledge; the developments are interactive with one another and in each case I have sought to bring out the aspects that are dynamic in the sense used here e.g. for mind in the section Extension in Time
In Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action I have used reason to verify a concept of the cosmos and ultimate being… and to analyze the possible transformations of being. Principles and details from Natural Philosophy [9] may be used to fill in the picture
In Experiments in the Transformation of Being, I outline an approach to transformation – the Dynamics of Being; and the dynamics is used to weave together some classical and some personal ways of transformation. Some applications are described in Experiments in the Transformation of Being. I plan further experiment into transformation – for the intrinsic interest and as a test for The Principle of Being. A complete, minimal set of experiments is formulated and described in Experiments in the Transformation of Being
The Variety of Being and Action and Influence describe further phases of the Journey and additional experiments. Further elaboration of the status of the Journey is in The Four Paths or Ways, in the corresponding sections and secondary essays
Although I have ambitions, hopes and plans, I do not know my ultimate destination… or, in my very[10] present form, where my journey will take me until I get there
I do not intend or hope that my ambitions and projects will have continuity even in this life. That is, there may – and I intend that there will – come a time where I will turn away from my present path and to another or come to a place where I will end all designs and be, simply, open
Journey in Being began as my journey – a personal and unstructured search, a seduction by the world that, over time, acquired structure, logic, direction and universality. In the beginning, I found, in the story of cosmos, life, humankind and its cultures, civilization: friendship and light, a passage to the edge. Journey in Being is – and became – the universal adventure into ultimate possibility and being…
Journey in Being began as mine but, of course, it began much before…
Although I state a number of principles, all follow from The Principle of Identity which follows from logic
Consider the assertion: All Being is open to every being! This is the Principle of Being
The Principle of Being includes an idea that individual being becomes all being in the same sense that a fertilized ovum “becomes” the individual
We will consider, later, the meaning of “being” and potential paradoxes contained in the assertion… especially those associated with “all” and “all Being”; and ways out of paradox – how to restore meaning
Even if paradoxical or simply untrue, consideration of the assertion will be extremely useful
Is the Principle of Being true? The following questions arise:
What is all being – ultimate being, the ultimate in being? Is there an ultimate in being?
Is there a meaning to “ultimate being” outside of the projection of a “finite individual.” Would not such meaning have to await the arrival of ultimate being [assuming that the ultimate is not already arrived]
To what range of being[s] is that ultimate accessible? This is the question of truth
How is that possible? What is the likelihood or probability? Are there “catalysts” – that bring with reach what is otherwise colossally improbable – to transformation
Becoming the ultimate… is that desirable – good?
What is accessible to any given being or class of beings, specifically to human being?
Focus on the Principle of Being might seem to imply that the immediate –the here and now– and the enjoyment of an individual life are unimportant. Similarly, focus on high ambition might seem to imply not accepting one’s condition. Such implications are not intended. I said above that the individual and the universal are interdependent for existence and meaning. This is:
There are two great sources of meaning: first, experience and enjoyment of and action in the immediate world – the life and relationships of the individual and, second, in the process, in arching from individual being to universal Being
Here, of course, meaning refers to significance and not to linguistic meaning
A fundamental choice facing every individual the balance of the two sources of meaning
Further, what is acceptance? If it is in human nature to have ambition then a merely passive life is acquiescence but not true acceptance. Consider the imperative “Do not change the order of the world!” If the nature of being includes changing, then, to be only passive or to exalt flow above active endeavor is to change the order of the world
The principle of meaning is a foundation of the Hero-Quest
The discussion below is interesting because it was written before I had completed the logical derivation of The Principle of Identity
The Principle of Meaning has a degree of self-evidence: the individual – the atomic[11] – and the universal are mutually dependent in fact – this may be interpreted in the context of life: the concern of the individual and the concern of the environment; the desire for wholeness and the enjoyment of the particular; the experiences and insights of leaders in the world of the sacred and psychology. This is not offered as “proof” and it may be doubted that a universal principle of this magnitude, though possessed of truth, could be proven as a theorem – this question of validity and the next are elaborated later. What is not evident is the balance and way to the wholeness implied by the Principle of Meaning. The lack of evidence is evident from the complexity of individual life, the variety of individuals and inclinations and the needs of the group, of society, for such a variety
The Principle of Being does not have the self-evidence associated with the Principle of Meaning but now consider it to be true, that All Being, the ultimate is open to every being – and, specifically to human being! Temporarily, regard it as true
Why would one believe that? There is, of course, delusion, defense against impotence, and the fact that an unjustified or even untrue belief may make an individual or group stronger. In one way this raises the question of the meaning of the assertion – of any assertion: that the meaning is not always the content whether literal or metaphorical. However to argue from this kind of meaning – the assertion as a sign – is to undermine my intent: I do want to consider the meaning of the content. I will take up questions of meaning and the specific question of the validity of the Principle of Being later
An initial commonsense reaction might be that the Principle of Being is false but reflection would call that into question so a reflective commonsense might hold that the Principle could be true but, perhaps, it cannot be known whether it is true or false. The next reflection might hold not that it cannot be known but that it is unknown; then that it may be known or have been known but is unknown to the individual in question; then that it is highly if not staggeringly improbable; and then, perhaps that any estimate of probabilities is only an estimate. Assume, therefore, that the Principle of Being has a truth value, that it is either true or false, but that we do not know whether it is true or false. In that case, what reason is there to believe it – to act as though it is true? Such a belief is rather counter to science and philosophy, especially analytic philosophy, or, at least, to received or putative views of science and philosophy. There the valuable received and tested paradigm is one of incremental though not infinitesimal steps of understanding and experiment which is rather analogous to the evolution of life
Here is a rationale for belief in something that we do not know to be true but that could be true – or something that is true but extremely unlikely. If the outcome is of great value then there may be good reasons to hold belief despite ignorance or to act on belief despite improbability. So, we would not waste time considering all manner of unlikely possibilities such may be shown in magic for entertainment
There would be a rational way to hold such a belief. It would not lead one to irrational acts, to defying clear and simple common sense. It would not lead one to disregard science and valued institutions. It would not ignore ignorance and improbability. Oftentimes it would be held as a possibility. This would be balanced by the thought that belief can affect outcome. I said above that I will show the truth of the Principle of Being. Thus, the kind of belief in question would be needed, not to address impossibility or ignorance but only to address improbability. This approach to belief is developed, below
It may be thought that I am saying that something may or should be believed, not because it is true, but because of the value of the belief or the value of the potential object of belief. Certainly, if a belief has a truth value but the value is thought to be unknown or unknowable, there may be value to holding it to be true – to thinking and behaving as though it is true. Further, there is the question of the meaning of the belief; although the belief may be taken quite literally its connotation may be something else. There may be a range of literal and other meanings. And, perhaps, believing may result in realization; this is clearly true, even on a literal meaning of realization, for social reality; the possibilities for physical – for the most basic level – reality are a part of the agenda for discussion in this essay especially the sections Analytic Philosophy | Nothingness | Mind / body | and Cosmology. These are real issues, often discounted by modern secular materialism. However, as I will show, there is a way to demonstrate the truth of a number of interwoven principles including the Principle of Being from logical first principles
I will show that the Principle of Being is meaningful and true and in what ways it may lead to ethical action. I will also consider probability – even if the Principle of Being is true, would not action based on such an unlikely outcome be wasteful? That is not true but, as I show below, it depends on the way in which the belief is held and on the way in which action is carried out. Full reflections on the role of probability are, currently, deferred. However, the following can be said. Talk of probability can be guided by common sense and by science. Science often appears to contradict common sense but only when the latter is unreflective. An unreflective common sense will usually find the Principle of Being to be untrue. But science, especially the quantum theory and physical cosmology, would appear find realization of ultimate being by an individual being to be, not untrue, but improbable
In order to question such probability considerations, consider the following. Based in the best theoretical considerations and empirical evidence, the universe is thought to be uniform with regard to direction [isotropic] and place [homogeneous.] Based on this it has been argued that if the universe is populated by life then human being and technology are unlikely to be the most advanced; and, therefore, given the age of the universe, if we are going to be visited by “aliens” that would have already occurred. However, the estimate is not unassailable. Consider the question of whether the universe is uniform; we are completely ignorant of the edge of the universe: it is entirely possible that the homogeneous solutions of the theory of gravitation are approximations with wildly non-uniform edge behavior
What are the transformations of being that may result from sources at the edge?
Return to the transformation of being in itself. From quantum mechanics we know that spontaneous transformation of being is possible but unlikely. The smallness of the probabilities staggers the imagination. However, such estimates are not unassailable. It is entirely possible that mind and being may be able to colossally magnify probabilities, that common creativity is – in, perhaps, a small way, just such a process; it is entirely possible that the boundaries of mind and being are not their putative boundaries; and, further, even though quantum theory penetrates nature closer to the heart of nature further than previous physics, there remains a gap between the quantum theory and the nothingness that generates all possibilities… In Co-origins of Being, Causation, Dynamics and Time, the quantum theory is seen to stand between the determinism of classical physics and nothingness; The Origin of a New Idea develops one way in something like quantum mechanics is necessary for mind
One of the developments of Metaphysics is a way to talk of absolutes, of the heart of being, in a way that circumvents any dependence on hard science where I use “hard,” not derogatorily, but positively, in the sense of being the best development, theoretically sound, penetrating further to the heart of nature than anything before, in agreement with experiment to the best available accuracy in all known conditions, in all applications, and the basis of numerous successful technologies…
This is a definition but also more than a definition. See Cosmology
All being, the universe is equivalent to nothingness
The principle of identity is derived from logic. The first discussion is in the Prologue and then in later sections and other core essays
Explanation of the significance of the principle of identity. See The Principle of Being
Elaboration and definition of the concept of nothingness and problems and resolutions of contradictions that are potentially inherent in the concept. See The Principle of Being | The Concepts, “Everything” and “Nothing” or “Nothingness” | Nothingness
I held some version of this principle in my mind for many years – often in irrational form. Factors that contributed were: my desire to believe yet my need for rationality – for the mere desire to believe in itself would be no guarantee; my learning and my abilities; and patience or tenacity. The final insights that led to rational formulation of this principle came without expectation or warning. It is thus that I feel that I have been a discoverer rather than a creator
The following illuminates the origin of the paths
The first path is Knowledge. Knowing is about the way the world is, shows what is possible and how that may occur. The core essay for this path is Metaphysics whose content has been placed in the section Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action starting at the section Metaphysics. Ways to prove or validate knowledge are important for, if validated, there is confidence in what is claimed to be possible. Ultimately, however, there is and cannot be a foundation to knowledge outside of the process. Therefore, knowledge is tied into action. This is similar to the idea that meaning is tied into use. The ultimate action or transformation must proceed in the shadows or in the dark. This is the way it was in the beginning
The study of knowledge shows what is possible and begins to address the questions of value, actualization [how] and realization [probability]: what transformations are worthwhile, how may they be realized and what approaches are there to catalyzing, to magnifying the probabilities of transformation. The study of: knowledge – its nature, processes and range, concepts, symbols and language, science; of metaphysics: its nature and possibility, the role of formal knowledge, being, mind / physiology, action, cosmology and ethics provide the first approach to these questions
The central approach to transformation, value and realization is in Experiments in the Transformation of Being from the core essay of the same name which considers, in interaction with knowledge / metaphysics, the theory and practice of transformation and draws from but goes beyond the classical foundations and modes. The Transformations of Being is a design for and narrative of action. Two further approaches, each of individual value as contributing to knowledge and understanding of being, to transformation, value and realization are The Variety of Being and Action and Influence
The Bibliographies record some details of my travels in the dimension of knowledge
The second path is the Transformation of Being itself. The process of knowing is a transformation of being but, as intrinsically transformational, it is limited. What are the limits of transformation? The Dynamics of Being, developed in the core essay Experiments in the Transformation of Being whose content has been absorbed into the present document in the section of the same name, is a way of understanding and entering transformational possibilities and questions all actual limits and the nature of limits as absolute
The Variety of Being is the third way. The focus is experiment with other forms or modes of being. Three objectives are [1] construction, and transformation of being, and this includes the transformations of technology [2] understanding of being that may result from additional modes or data points – see The Variety of Being, and [3] application. The Variety of Being includes a focus on machine intelligence and being starting at Machine or Computational Intelligence. The current core essay for this path The Variety of Being has the same name and content as the section in this essay which includes the material on machine intelligence that is also the content of a secondary essay, Computers Beings Minds
The fourth way is Action and Influence in which the emphasis is on action in society. Some objectives are [1] sharing for its own sake and as enhancing the endeavor, [2] as an example of a mode of being – the objectives of the previous paragraph are relevant here, [3] a definite group endeavor – Horizons, dedicated to the Journey in Being and provision of services, and [4] transformation and influence in the human world. The core essay is Action, Influence, Charisma and Change whose content is identical to that of the section Action and Influence
In the system that follows, those ideas that are original build upon the ideas of others. Sometimes, as in the developments in cosmology, my ideas have been suggested by existing theories even when the dependence on those theories is not logical or formal
Especially when the ideas are original, and even though I have devoted much study and thought and sought much inspiration, I sometimes feel that I have accidentally stumbled upon the ideas rather than developed them or found them as a result of a careful or systematic search. As an example, I have been thinking about the role of concepts of nothingness for a number of years. However, the final insight on how to view the relationship between nothingness and the world occurred without intimation one morning when I stopped for coffee at a bakery at the foot of the Trinity Mountains, Trinity County, Northern California
Here, I want to say something about the nature of the processes of my discoveries and perhaps about all discovery. Dependence on the ideas of others is simply a fact. When my ideas have external influence, the dependence is often unconscious since I am immersed in a culture of ideas. The feeling of stumbling is this: [1] where I sought concepts, insight and understanding, I did not expect the actual ideas or their final form and, [2] their certainty, magnitude, depth, breadth of application and even beauty often significantly exceeded my hopes and expectations. Thus, the form of the foundation in nothingness – the elucidation of nothingness, the certainty of the conclusions, and the release from infinite regress and substance ontology were – despite earlier hopes and glimmers of the result – surprising and, of course, exhilarating as a result of the breadth and crystal clarity. However, even if my discoveries are accidental or serendipitous in any objective way, that being should make the essence of the discoveries is necessary
I wrote the following after understanding the nature of the void and the absolute. What is pertinent is the understanding of incompletion, imperfection
The next phase is a return to the focus on the experiments described in the second section of the main essay. I turn away from knowledge to action and transformation
As far as knowledge and ideas are concerned, I must again turn away from what clarity of vision I have experienced and toward intuition and diffuse light to sense and seek what further truth there may be
Where should a journey into ultimate being begin? The actual journey, as will unfold, is without beginning or end – and to be is to be in the journey, so an individual or society may ask, “Where should our conscious journey into ultimate being start?” It could start with the first step or with an idea – the idea of the journey and its possibility. Arguments could be made for action and for thought. The journey will cycle through both and if I look to the origin of my journey, I might think it began with wonder but it seems to me that wonder would not arise without the ability to walk
In the originally stated the account with knowledge because it seemed that an understanding of being and the possibilities might be founded in knowledge; however, even in the older account, it was be seen that knowledge and action are essentially bound together and so the choice was one of convenience and, secondarily, of preference
However, in the Prologue and, later and more definitively in the Foundation, I have since shown that the epistemic foundation is unnecessary. It is therefore, proper to begin with metaphysics; consideration of knowledge and its nature is retained for its importance and suggestive power. It is necessary to understand something of epistemology to understand its ultimately secondary status relative to metaphysics, as demonstrated in the Foundation
The metaphysics lays some foundation for the remaining divisions, Experiments in the Transformation of Being, The Variety of Being and Action, Charisma and Influence, and History. These divisions have experimental aims; their theoretical foundation is in the metaphysics and the plan for this document includes placement of all general theoretical concerns in the first division
In the Experiments, I focus on action and transformations of the core of being itself. The focus is first on the possible transformations and then on the proper means and desirability of transformations i.e. on ethics. The interpretation of ethics is broader than that of morals in its narrow sense. ‘Ethics’ is taken to be whatever guides choice whether it be aesthetic, moral or practical
The final divisions round out some kinds and possibilities of transformation. In Variety, I am concerned with hypothetical being and with ‘machine as being.’ In Action, I am concerned with social action and change
Almost every consideration in the present essay is illuminated and enhanced in Foundation. Often, considerable simplification is possible. I have not yet decided whether to implement changes in this essay or to start afresh on a new version
The core essay for this section is Metaphysics whose full content has been placed here under Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action. As explained below, knowledge and ethics are metaphysical objects. Therefore, title of the section could equally well be “Metaphysics,” but the given title is preferred in relation to the Journey in Being. Knowledge and language are considered in preliminary sections because of their importance in evaluating metaphysical content – including what is possible – and the possibility of metaphysics. Ethics has a role in showing, out of all possibilities, what endeavors are good. Ethics, being and knowledge are considered in the final section so as to emphasize their unity
My present concern with metaphysics began in the essay Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness where the focus was on consciousness. Subsequently, my concern shifted to mind in general and then to metaphysics as a framework of understanding. Here, metaphysics stands on its own and as a coherent framework for understanding a variety of problems including the concept of existence; the nature of being and knowledge; through modal concepts as a foundation for cosmology and the nature of the [one] universe, the necessity of being [why is there something rather than nothing,] and a general framework for theoretical physics c. 2000; and mind-matter questions
In specifying what is meant, here, by metaphysics, the received concepts and practices are acknowledged. The meaning should have continuities with the received meaning but not be governed by it
“Metaphysics” originally referred to the books that came after the books on nature [ta physica] in the arrangement given by the editors of Aristotle’s works. The name later came to refer to what is beyond [meta] physical or sensible nature. Aristotle defined the tasks of metaphysics in three ways: the science of first principles and causes, the science of being as being, and theology. Metaphysics is concerned with ultimates; and therefore with ultimates in knowledge. Though the cultural setting is human, it is valid to ask “What are the ultimates in knowledge for any being and for all being?” It is clear that the intention was that metaphysics would be the most basic or fundamental and most general of disciplines but it is not precisely clear how this study should be carried out or what topics and objects would fall within its province
In virtue of the considerations on knowledge above, should metaphysics be a discipline or action in interaction with a discipline [study]; there is realm of action that is metaphysics and knowledge in interaction with action that may be abbreviated metaphysics-action and labeled metaphysics. Then “metaphysics” has two connotations, metaphysics-action and the discipline and study. Both connotations are used here; the more inclusive connotation is taken up specifically in Metaphysics / Action
It stands to reason, in the fundamental nature of the study, that “What is metaphysics?” is a valid question that is worthy of study – see, also, Concepts and the subsequent sections. Further, should the province of metaphysics be specified by enumeration e.g. traditionally, or conceptually and by reason. We will find, below, that the latter is necessary and comes after and as part of doing some preliminary metaphysics. Thus, the nature of metaphysics is not independent of the study
One of the received disciplines of metaphysics is ontology – the study of being as being, the study of the conditions of existence: of what is common to all beings or the characteristics of all beings as a result of their existence; see Being. The specialized sciences such as the sciences of matter [physics…] and of life [biology…] are not concerned with all aspects of being; ontology is concerned with being itself
Originally, metaphysics [ontology] considered all actual beings as its objects; this was subsequently expanded to all possible beings [beings whose concept entailed no contradiction] and later to impossible beings
Reflections on Cosmology suggest that there is no distinction between the possible and the actual
The study of impossible objects, even though such objects do not exist, may [1] shed light on the nature of the possible, [2] make the study of ontology simpler, [3] have implications for logic, and [4] make way for understanding of beings not yet conceived by a reorganization of the underlying constituents / logic in which what was impossible becomes possible
A primary division in metaphysics as practiced c. 2000 is general ontology or the theory of objects; and metaphysics as practiced is ontology and a variety of Classical and Modern Problems of Metaphysics
A second traditional division within metaphysics has been Cosmology – the study of what kind of things there are. Cosmology includes the study of first principles and causes. The absence of ultimate distinction between what is possible and what is, demonstrated in Cosmology, opposes a logical division between ontology and cosmology even if the topics are somewhat different
As noted in Two Roles for Knowledge and subsequent sections, understanding of the scope and limits of knowledge is essential to the study of metaphysical possibility and so, from the previous paragraphs, of metaphysical actuality. In this essay I have taken up, among other issues, questions of the nature and possibility of knowledge. Additionally, one of the roles for knowledge is as a metaphysical object itself. Language and logic are important as instruments of knowledge. Logic and LOGOS as the science of the possible are particularly important to the actual world, its form and origin through their connection to the possible
Additionally we will see, in Ethics, Being, Knowledge that ethics is essentially connected to metaphysics / knowledge; more generally, axiology, the theory of value whether in action or art or other activity, has essential connection to metaphysics
It is clear from the foregoing that instruments of ontology and of cosmology include the study of meaning, logics, modality and modal logics; the rational and conceptual aspects of the sciences, especially mechanics, the quantum theory, relativity, biology and evolution, anthropology, and psychology [as the study of mind and not merely of behavior] as studied, especially, in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of nature
Metaphysics: an endeavor whose goal is to enumerate whether by description or from first principles, describe and understand all being in the world; the study the real nature of things which entails the study of all reality by all means and at all levels of depth; in view of arguments made below, metaphysics might be viewed as the science, art and practice of being
In reviewing this discussion I note [1] the reflections say more about metaphysics than a set of traditional enumerations of the topics of metaphysics, [2] we might think of metaphysics as “reality as studied according to first principles” and allow whatever special or general topic that comes into logical play, [3] the considerations of Cosmology provide a tighter picture of reality than might be anticipated at the outset, and [4] although, in relation to the Journey in Being, I prefer the title Knowledge and Action for the present division, it might have been called Metaphysics [note: the title has been changed to Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action]
The answer to questions such as “what is metaphysics?” is always an unfolding – see Concepts. It is essentially unfolding because the nature of metaphysics itself changes character; it is necessarily unfolding as understanding of its character goes through changes that include both advance and change in the “spirit of the time.” There is also an unfolding as the various elements in the total field of understanding trade components and shift in their roles. Further, in the section on Metaphysics and Action the concept of metaphysics is generalized – even to the point where it may be said that metaphysics is beyond concepts. In the foregoing, result of metaphysical study is knowledge or knowing. In this further meaning of metaphysics implied by an ultimate way of acting and being; this meaning includes the former – at least as an approximation that is good for a restricted human context – and it is originally motivated by the idea that knowledge and action are not ultimately separable
The radical skepticism of Hume applied equally across all knowledge as it did to ontology
Kant’s resolution was to limit the scope of metaphysics to what is knowable or what can be experienced. However, some of Hume’s arguments apply to Kant’s resolution. The problem with any inductive generalization is that it is always one of many possible generalizations. We do not know that what is now the knowable world will continue to conform to the forms of intuition. Much of modern science does not conform to the perceptual forms even though it does to the formal ones. Of course, Hume’s argument could be applied to being itself; being is not the rock of definiteness that it appears to be. Hume’s criticism assumes an ideal of knowledge that is not possible; but that ideal is neither desirable nor necessary and, if the mind / brain were built to conform to that ideal and if it were in a universe in which that was possible there would be no knowledge at all except knowledge that was built in to the organism: discovery would be impossible. The ideal of knowledge is not only unattainable, not only not worth attaining, it is not ideal at all – as an ideal it is a deception
A more traditional response to Hume is as follows. It is a skeptic’s response to the skeptic Hume. The argument is associated with Karl Popper but similar arguments have been given by others. The argument occurs as a natural consequence to anyone who thinks carefully about the so-called hypothetico-deductive method. The argument proceeds as follows. True, laws and theories are generalizations. However, at any time an accepted and useful scientific theory explains a wide array of phenomena and is not contradicted by any known experiment. When a scientific theory is contradicted by an experiment, there is, in one standard version, a search for a new theory. However, the situation can be viewed as follows. Many theories stand in for not just many observations but many kinds of phenomena. Therefore, the single contradiction must be rechecked, analyzed to see if the contradiction is indeed a contradiction, other contradictory experiments of a variety of kinds may occur or be sought. The greater the bulk of contradictory evidence the greater is the pressure to seek alternative theories; at the same time the new data are also useful in formulation of new theories. Of course, the formulation of new theories is often a largely conceptual process and based in modifications of older concepts. Meanwhile, in the gap between the old and new theories, or in the absence of a new theory the old continues to be useful. Older theories continue to be useful in their domains of validity because they are conceptually and computationally simpler and because they help understand and implement newer theories. However, it remains true that the current theories of an era appear to be, rather than full and positive knowledge, nothing more than the best of a series of theories. This is somewhat dismal to anyone who would like to hold a positivist view of knowledge. However, as noted in the previous paragraph: why would we want science to be more definite than being itself? Thus the tentativeness of science can be seen as positive. It does not mean that there is no end to tentativeness. In the present essay there are a number of positive though general conclusions from a basis of being in nothingness. Focusing on the here and now, is there anything to be said about the theories of an era beyond being the no more than the best available? Yes, for there is a degree of uncertainty and perhaps confusion associated with the search for new concepts and new theories; and when the concepts and theories come together as a unified system there is an order and a clarity that replaces the uncertainty. A form of nature has been discovered; and this is often experienced as beautiful. True, the discovered form of nature may not be universal but it significantly expands the domain of what is understood; there are new predictions, verifications of predictions and, in some cases, prolific application. The quantum theory is such a theory. However, the quantum theory has been associated with paradox and incompleteness from its beginnings. A major incompleteness is the allegedly essential role of the observer and the fact that the process of observation is not subsumed under the formalism of the theory. Recently, however, there have been excellent developments that argue to unify the evolution of systems and the process of observation, eliminate the observer dependence of the theory and provide a foundation for nature and knowledge. I have long found the quantum theory suggestive in understanding the nature of existence – the origin of the known universe from nothing is not a violation of quantum theory; it is a violation of classical physics in the sense that creation / destruction is not a classical phenomenon. However, conservation of energy is not necessarily violated when mass and gravitational energy are balanced. In the present essay, I have shown that, in general terms, based in an analysis of the concept of nothingness, that the origin of the entire, one universe as well as an outline of modern physics [the quantum theory and Einstein’s theories of matter, process and gravitation] may be understood
In other words, nothingness can be seen as a universal ground. The approach from nothingness will show that being and knowledge are not definite objects. However, indeterminateness or indeterminism in a universal context at a microscopic level may [and does] result in determinateness, form, structure in another context or at a macroscopic level. The criticism of Hume is turned around in more than one way. First, the criticism itself is based on certain assumptions. As Europe awoke from its era of dogma, to visions that were fresh and progressive it may have been natural to think that there could be no end to that process; and the view of the process was modeled on a concept of being as an infinite realm of ultimately unfounded facts that were occasionally found to be in grand patterns understood as theories. The view from nothingness turns this attitude around; in our phase-epoch of being there may in fact be an end to understanding [in a general way; of variety though not of every detail of the variety.] However, that is not an end to the possibilities of being and its creation and construction. A partial response to this way of thinking is that the assumption of essential ignorance is the safest or most secure; this careful assuming of ignorance will not lead being into error. The critical attitude is one half of the story of science and, in consequence, rather though not universally pervasive; further, the cultivation of the attitude is fostered by the fact that criticism is always easier than construction [creation,] that criticism simulates profundity. In fact, it is not known that the critical / security based “paradigm” is the way to ultimates in knowledge or being. The arguments from nothingness, in fact, show the need for action without foundation. A second, positive way in which Hume’s attitude is turned around is that what was viewed as essential and endless ignorance is, in fact, essential opportunity for endless creation and construction
Metaphysics was hailed as meaningless and impossible in Logical Positivism; however, the program of scientific positivism failed by its own standards
Much of physics is metaphysics. This is true of classical physics and not just of the quantum and relativity theories. In the short term, physics may be independent of metaphysics. In the long term there is no absolute separation
Formalism, and perhaps the education / evolution of the intuition make metaphysics possible; except according to a false ideal of knowledge
The metaphysics of these essays, of Journey in Being, are testament to the possibility – the actuality – of metaphysics
As understood here, metaphysics encompasses all knowledge of being and possibility
Specifically, so far as knowledge can found all transformation of being, metaphysics is foundational for Experiments in the Transformation of Being
Every organism has an intrinsic metaphysics – a representation or a being in its own world, its own environment; every context and society, every science assumes some metaphysics which may be unspoken and loosely definite; thus, ask not “whether or why” – as though there is a choice – but “how?” and “what?” It may be that the metaphysics of an individual human being should be left unspoken – perhaps this is true for some individuals and there may be others who choose to leave their metaphysics unspoken but it is also true that there are others whose lives are bettered and changed by making explicit and explicitly re-working their metaphysics… and there are phases in the development of a science – especially the main sciences, the natural sciences, the study of society and of man – when it is important to review and, perhaps, to rework the metaphysical ground of that discipline
The 20th century was a time when philosophy turned inward and it was thought that general metaphysics – i.e. pure metaphysics, not the metaphysics that results from consideration of the general features and assumptions of a science – had nothing original to contribute to science. At the beginning of the 21st century, we still live in that shadow. There is however a renewed interest in metaphysics. I believe, and demonstrate that general metaphysics is alive and may contribute to science and the other specialized disciplines
Using the tradition is essential because of [a] its suggestive power, [b] to use and build upon established ideas and ways – constructive and critical
The purpose of this section is to show that “existence” cannot be fully elucidated without a complete metaphysics or world view. A complete metaphysics is one that covers “all the fundamental aspects of reality and nothing but reality.” Consider, for example, a material object in relation to a materialist metaphysics and ask, “Does this material object exist?” The response is, “Yes,” for the existence of matter is constitutive of materialism. In the same framework, ideas exist if ideas are reducible to matter; and numbers exist if they are reducible to matter either directly or indirectly as ideas. As a result, it is possible for a materialist to doubt the existence of ideas and numbers. We may disagree or find it myopic but, except for self-doubt, the strict materialist experiences clarity of vision. For a dualist, matter, ideas and numbers can have existence; however, for a strict dualist, there is no comparing the different modes of existence. In the absence of any metaphysics whatsoever, the existence status of all categories is unclear; however the “anti-metaphysician” can say that matter exists-as-matter, ideas exist-as-ideas, numbers exist-as-number…
“Existence” is important: [1] as clarifying the nature of the presence of beings in the world, [2] in clarifying what exists, i.e. given a concept such as mind, matter, God, is there some actual being to which that concept refers? And [3] as a necessary part of metaphysics
We understand “God exists” differently than “Mt. Everest exists.” We would normally ask “Does Mt. Everest exist?” only when being philosophical but “Does God exist?” could be either philosophical or, simply, factual. “God” is a concept, Mt. Everest is an object or, more accurately, “Mt. Everest” is a concept for which the existence of a corresponding object is not controversial in a factual sense. The question “Does God exist?” means, “Is there an actual being to which the concept of God refers?”
In light of what has just been said, the meaning of a question “Does X exist?” is that there is a concept X, and the question asks whether there is an object that corresponds to the concept. When X is relatively concrete we ask “Does X exist?” only when being philosophical i.e. the question is “Does X really exist?” That question breaks down into two parts – the first a factual part [immediately upon the discovery of Mt. Everest by Europeans, it may have made sense for a European to ask whether the discovery was some kind of mistake or illusion.] The second part is “Does Mt. Everest really exist?” which, given the fact, is really asking whether anything – or anything material – really exists. As we will see below, this question is relatively empty. If X is strongly conceptual e.g. if X is time or nothingness, then the meaning of question of the existence of X depends on whether it is speculative or established. In the case of a speculative concept such as nothingness the question is whether there is anything that corresponds to the concept [in the present essay, nothingness is raised from the realm of the speculative to that of the established.] In the case of an established concept such as time the question is whether there is something that corresponds precisely to the concept of time [of which the intuition or perception of time is a special case.] Thus, if we insist that time is universal we may conclude that time does not exist. On the other hand if we allow time a less grandiose role or if we allow some vagueness in the concept or degree of approximation in the correspondence between concept and object, then we will conclude that time does exist. As is seen in Definiteness of Concepts | Indefiniteness of Concepts and related discussions, most concepts – especially high level concepts – have or should be allowed a degree of slack in precision and this is a virtue rather than a deficiency
I want to first clear up some confusions that I have come across in writings analyzing existence. An apparent paradox arises from the idea that “everything exists.” The paradox is that fictional objects do not exist yet “existence is true of everything” implies that fictional objects do exist. Subtlety can then be applied in an attempt to resolve the apparent paradox. One approach is to treat “exists” as a predicate of concepts rather than of objects; another approach is to allow “non-existent” objects. Such sophistications are interesting and have useful applications; but, let us not introduce sophistication where it is not necessary
Instead, focus on the word “everything.” I noted in The importance of language, the potential for difficulties with the use of quantifiers “exists,” “all,” “nothing,” “everything…” Note, especially, that “everything” and “every thing” are not at all the same. Every thing has the meaning every actual or existing thing. Without qualification, everything, includes things that exist and things that do not exist and therefore it is not true that, using the term unreflectively, everything exists
However, “every thing exists” does not tell us anything for it says, essentially, that “every thing that exists does exist;” or, “every thing exists” is, as a consequence of the nature of thing-hood, tautological; a purpose to considering existence, as pointed out above, is to evaluate what it is to count as a thing… The purpose to considering “everything exists” was to reflect on existence as a predicate as true of everything. We just showed that that is paradoxical; further, this idea would reduce existence to insignificance for the significance of the concept of existence is that since we can have ideas that do not refer to any actual thing we want to mark those ideas that do refer to some actual thing or class of things
In the paradoxical but simple and common language, some things exist and some things do not
Often, etymology is not helpful. The Latin existere is: to emerge. In Greece and Rome the uses of words may have been closer to their origins. In English the meanings of words, so many of them imported, have often become unmoored from their origins. Here, I bypass the classical and phenomenological uses of the concept of existence and note that in English, “exist” has a use that is similar to “is” in “Mt. Everest is there” but not in “Mt. Everest is a mountain.” However, the use of “exist” is not identical to the use of “is” in “Mt. Everest is there.” The distinction is that “is” focuses on the fact while “exist” focuses on the very “is-ness,” i.e. to exist is to be: existence is related to being. In other words, “Mt. Everest exists” is closer to “Mt. Everest is” than it is to “Mt. Everest is there.” Although somewhat circular, this is also illuminating; some of the unnecessary mystery is taken out of existence and the scene is set for further reflection and analysis
Here is another confusion. There are materialists who hold that mind does not exist because the concept of mind does not refer to anything that can be reduced to or has the form of matter, i.e. mind is not real. Here is what appears to be the content of a typical materialist argument including unstated aspects. Vast domains of science point to the reality of matter; it is then assumed but not proven that matter is the only real. It is often thought that a proof has been given but the assumption is based in the success of the science of matter and the professional rule against talking of things that are held to be non-scientific. Mind and mental phenomena have not yielded to description in the usual materialist terms; and, therefore, talk of mind is a mistake
What response can be given? Is mind reducible to matter or is it a form of matter? It is first necessary to specify what is meant by matter. If “matter” is what is tangible, then surely some future and transformed understanding of matter may show that mind is matter. However, that future specification may not be recognizable as matter from given perspectives. Is mind reducible to matter as currently described by modern physics? The answer is not known but may well be “no.” There is, however, no absolute reason to doubt that some physics could be complete. Explanations in terms of matter could be given, at least in principle; these would not be reductions or eliminations; rather, the physical and mental modes of description would be seen as complementary[13]
Absolute metaphysical dualism, the co-existence of non-interacting substances is incoherent. All dualisms are dualisms of understanding; therefore, relative to finite beings, there may appear to be or effectively be dualisms. A variety of arguments in this essay show that apparent and effective dualisms of understanding are, relative to human understanding, unnecessary
A tacit attitude underlying materialism, even when an explicit specification is given, is that matter is matter-as-I-experience-it. As a result, materialism is, in its treatment, often an indeterminate idea even in the presence of apparent precision. If the tacit attitude is combined with a dislike of the unseen, there often results the incoherent and also tacit attitude that the universe is reducible to what the individual has experienced
Some materialists are driven, by an unnecessary and unjustified reduction of the entire universe to science to doubt what they do not doubt in their everyday activities – that they have minds, that they are conscious
Does the one universe – see Cosmology – exist? We see, below that the universe does not exist in time so we would not say “the universe is” even though we might say that, with caution due to the nature of time revealed in the theories of relativity, our [local or present] phase-epoch of the universe exists in time
I have an idea of a unicorn. Does the idea exist? Yes, the idea of the unicorn exists even though “unicorns do not exist.” Not all ideas are intended to refer to something; and, of those that are intended to refer to something, only some do so actually refer. However, all actual ideas exist regardless of the intention to refer or, in the case of an intention to refer, whether there is a referent. Simply, ideas exist. But, do ideas exist as material objects – as matter? That depends, as we have seen, on what is specified by the word “matter.” However, it can be said that:
An idea exists-as an idea; matter exists-as, roughly speaking, something tangible; the universe exists – not in the time but in the sense of being without tense
From the point of view of use, everything that has qualified existence may be said, roughly, to exist. However, from the point of view of metaphysics, the qualification of existence cannot be avoided unless the metaphysics is complete. There is a sense in which analysis of thought, ideas, language through use provides a metaphysics. In the extended view of use-analysis described in Symbol and Language, this would not be restricted to a merely local metaphysics but when such analysis proceeds piecewise and iteratively, concept by concept, the analysis of existence would be in-process or case by case and qualified
Does a tree exist? Above, I answered this kind of question in the affirmative because I considered things such as mountains and trees to be objects. I want to now analyze this a little more
I have an idea of a tree, perhaps a theory or theories regarding trees – how they thrive and grow, how trees evolved. I have no doubt that my idea or concept refers quite well, at least for many purposes, to “something out there.” But how do I know that the idea refers exactly? I cannot know that except on account of some other idea or theory. I conclude [1] except by coincidence, my idea of the tree never corresponds precisely to what is out there. On the usual idea of the world being an infinite manifold, the probability of precise correspondence is zero. [2] Since every attempt to evaluate the idea, at any level, is another idea, it follows that the idea of the tree-in-itself has no meaning. This is not because there is “nothing out there” but because “tree-hood” is not something that is in itself. To negotiate the world, however, it is not necessary to have a precise concept of a tree. Theoretically, the idea of tree-in-itself does not specify anything that is truly in-itself and is therefore, not a concept that refers to anything
This, of course, is not against realism and does not say or imply that there is nothing “out there,” i.e., it does not imply that the world depends on our minds for its existence; it does imply that the forms of the world as seen are dependent on the interplay between what is seen [world] and what sees [individuals through the function of mind.] Does this, however, mean that there is no thing-in-itself? No, for there is a difference between “thing-in-itself” and “tree-in-itself.” Here, I am thinking that a “thing” is a true object while “tree” is a concept. I allow myself to think of “thing” as an object because I am not being specific as I am in the way that I am when I think or say “tree.” Thus, it seems, that there may be that there are things that are absolutely in-themselves
Can the thing-in-itself be known as such? For anything that is known as a form of intuition what is known is the concept instantiated in the mind and therefore there is no thing-in-itself. Note that this assumes a representational [see Nature of Being for presentationism] theory of knowledge. In formal terms, however, the object-in-itself is treated as an abstract object and we would not say that the object is known; however, there appears to be no a priori reason that the predictions of theories based in formal concepts should have any inherent limits to precision and accuracy. Further, there is no a priori limitation to having a formal theory of a world which has cognitive beings that have both intuitive and formal knowledge of the world
When the being of every entity in the universe depends, for its form and being on the universe as a whole, then the entities would not be in-themselves. In that case, except for objects taking a temporary holiday from the world, the only absolute object, the only thing-in-itself would be the one universe
This is a good place to develop the concept of:
In the first place note the potential contradictions in the idea of “nothingness.” If nothingness is the absence of everything then is it also the absence of absence?
We saw in Existence that contradiction may arise in the use of “everything.” [Also see the related discussion in The Concepts, “Everything” and “Nothing” or “Nothingness.”] Therefore, definition of nothingness as absence of everything will lead to contradiction. That would not be true if we were to use “everything” carefully. However, instead, I take an alternate approach to “nothingness”
Before beginning the positive account, consider the idea that “nothingness is not merely absences in the world but is an absence of the world.” In Cosmology, it is concluded that there is exactly one universe and that this includes the phase of nothingness. Thus, “absence of the world” is also somewhat contradictory. Nothingness is not other than the world, see There is Exactly One Universe
In the phase of nothingness, there “are” [the tensed verb is somewhat problematic, as noted elsewhere in this essay, because reference is being made to a situation that is not in time] no things. However, what constitutes “thing.” A pattern, a law of nature, causation, deterministic behavior all require the being of ‘things.’ Therefore, in the absence of things there is also absence of patterns, laws, causation, and determinism. In some sense, patterns, laws, causation, determinism are things but this thought is not used here. However, indeterminism would not be a thing. Or, in another way of looking at indeterminism it is a kind of absence and therefore absence of indeterminism is absence of absence and, therefore, incompatible with nothingness. A positive way of looking at this point is that indeterminism does not require things: nothing to something is indeterministic. Therefore, nothingness does not mean absence of indeterminism. Alternatively, absence of indeterminism would imply presence of determinism and in that case nothingness, the absence of things, would be eternal; but that would be causal, would have the character of a law of nature and would, therefore, not be true nothingness
Simply, law, cause, determinism are instances of “something,” and therefore absent from nothingness. Indeterminism is not something
It is, therefore, inherent in the concept of nothingness that “it will” become something
If there is any possible thing that nothingness cannot become that circumstance, too, would be something, would be a law. Therefore, nothing will become every possible thing
Note, again that the one universe and that includes the “phase” of nothingness are not in time [at least in any simple sense.] Therefore, saying that “nothing will become something” and so on is improper use of the tensed language. Therefore, I say simply, “Nothingness is equivalent to all – possible – being.” This is The Principle of Being – again
We will see, in Cosmology, how use of the continuation of these considerations will lead to a pre-quantum and pre-relativistic framework. Naturally, as far as the quantum and relativistic theories apply to the local phase-epoch of the universe and not to the entire universe, the frameworks will be prefixed by “pre.” Consideration will also be given to ways or circumstances in which the “pre” frameworks, of which the quantum and relativity theories are instances, may be more specific. There will also be discussion of how the considerations may unify relativity and quantum theory; understanding of the nature of phenomena such as the existence and constancy of the speed of interactions [light speed] may occur in a phase-epoch of the universe
The present development does not rely on the concept of the given. However, as an ultimate ground for being, nothingness may assume the role of the given in a philosophy of the real and the given
Because the concept is useful to the discussion, brief reference to possibility and related modal concepts will be useful; a more complete treatment is deferred to future developments of Metaphysics. Consider, “It is possible that the sun will shine here at 10 AM tomorrow.” The speaker might be thinking that, for example, “It has been cloudy for a few days but there is no reason to rule out sunshine tomorrow at 10 AM.” However, perhaps unknown to the speaker, astronomers have predicted a total eclipse of the sun here tomorrow at 10 AM… but, perhaps the laws of physics upon which the prediction of the eclipse is based will take a vacation… Possibility is contingent upon what is known or assumed and this can be made definite by proscribing what is and is not allowed, that is, by specifying a world or a “universe of discourse”
Consider X = “The sun will shine…” and Y = “2 + 2 = 4.” X is possibly or contingently true while Y is necessarily true; alternately, X is true in some world and Y is true in all possible worlds. Possibly true, contingently true and necessarily true can be abbreviated to possible, contingent, and necessary. An impossible proposition is one whose negation is necessary; it is false in all possible worlds
In the w-universe defined as the sum or collection of all possible worlds, not only Y but X, too, is necessary – in the way, “All things shall come to pass.” I.e., in the w-universe, so understood, possibility becomes necessity and so there is only necessity and impossibility
In the one universe, what is possible is necessary. Relative to nothingness, as we have seen, nothing is impossible except contradictory states; see Cosmology
What is truly impossible? Is a logical contradiction such as “2 + 2 = 5” true in an empty w-universe, the w-universe that is the union of no worlds? It is true in the sense that it applies to all situations that come under its scope in that w-universe because there are no situations in it
Consider the apparently impossible proposition “The sun will and will not shine here tomorrow at 10AM.” However, consider a mist that is dense enough that there is no sunshine. The mist moves in at 9:50 AM; it then begins to clear somewhat starting at 9:58 AM; at 10 AM a hint of a glimmer is seen and immediately the mist thickens. At 10 AM, some people judge that the sun is shining, some that it is not and some are not sure. One person wrote on a piece of paper “The sun shone,” crossed it out and then wrote, “The sun did not shine at 10 AM.” Another person was ambivalent and found herself in a state of mixed belief as described in Knowledge, Belief and Truth. It is realized that “the sun is shining” is not an objective fact but is the statement of a perception. However, every judgment about the world is tinged with the ideal, including reviewed or considered judgments which involve judgment about judgment. There is no a priori getting out of the ambivalence. Therefore, the idea of an objective world is also tinged with the ideal even if it is real. What then, is the value of a definite realistic universe of discourse that does not correspond to anything that can be experienced? The response is perhaps, even though it is not directly experienced, the world is always in a definite state and this affects and constrains experience. Is this known? Yes, but at each level of “knowing” it is relative to some canvas and we are left with doubt as to whether anything is absolutely necessary or absolutely impossible
What is the nature of things – entities – that exist? In our phase-epoch of the universe, things exist in time. From atoms to individuals there is “birth, life, and death.” This is not true in all phase-epochs of the universe where / when the question of time is more complex. The universe itself does not exist in time. What is the nature of the approximate boundaries of beings and of their relations in the universe?
The nature of a being is the totality of its possibilities; see The Principle of Being
Approaches to the question of the nature of being:
Embedding
An approach from intuition – see intuition and formal knowledge; presence to the world – the nature of an entity as defined by its system of relations – before talk of mind, matter, time
Construction of ontology from the present, from being-in-the world; what is the same / different for all things
Meaning as integral with being; action springs from meaning
Temporality of being; life as historical and as goal oriented
Presentational theory of understanding and knowledge [mind is in perception, at least, directly aware of its object; in some forms the kinds of knowing may include memory or other types of cognition]
Embedding of human being in civilization, animal being, all being
Nothingness as the ground to being; universal metaphysics or Cosmology
Individuals as elements of this universe
Approximate nature of boundaries – conceptual, spatial and temporal diffusion; death; groups as being [in a phase of becoming]
Bridging
Interpretation: the universal metaphysics provides an understanding of the approach from intuition or embedding
Experiments in the Transformation of Being, The Variety of Being, and Action and Influence
It is possible to give a brief explicit characterization of being. The characterization given here depends on various developments in the present document
That the being of an entity is “what it truly is” is an implicit characterization. The value of an implicit characterization is its generality and openness; however, an explicit characterization is also valuable even if we do not know that it will apply to all being
In the main essay, I take up the idea of concepts and discuss the notion of a slack concept. A slack concept is one that is not completely definite – its properties are not specified with complete precision – and for which, given an object, it is not always possible to tell whether the object falls under the concept. However, that a concept is slack does not necessarily imply ignorance in the case that the object of application itself is not [and need not be] definite. Thus the recognition of slackness is, in some cases, the recognition of a virtue. An example: if an autonomic nervous process is intermediate between two clearly mental states or processes, is the autonomic process itself mental? An adequate response is that it is not necessary to label the autonomic process as mental or not mental for nothing is gained either way… The relevance here is that the following brief characterization may turn out to be parochial rather than universal
Journey: The coming into realization is a [cumulative] journey. Of course, not every event or phase adds to the cumulation; and some that are thought to add are later dropped
Mind: Being is characterized by mind which is the instrument of being and becoming. Mind has been said to be too high level a concept to be characteristic of being. The basic facts of mind as far as “higher” being is concerned are experience and presence. Bound and free aspects of mind, discussed in the main essay, are essential in the process of becoming. For entities that are sufficiently “low,” the free aspects are not internalized. There is a “high level” mind that animal being recognizes as such but, as discussed in Journey in Being, mind also occurs at lowest of levels. It is necessary to refer the reader to the relevant parts of Journey in Being to understand precisely what is being said and its foundation and explanation
Action: Action is conceived as an aspect of mind
The Principle of Being: As developed in this prologue and elaborated in the main essay, all being is open to every being or all states of being are equivalent to every state of being [it is necessary to allow states outside any given phase-epoch of the universe for this to be a logical principle]
Dynamics of Being: The use of mind, experiment and action in recognizing and overcoming limits – explained more thoroughly below and in the main division of the essay on Experiments in the Transformation of Being. The rational base of the dynamics is the principle of being; a practical basis in the laws of a phase-epoch of the universe is discussed below
The Principle of Meaning: There are two great sources of meaning: first, experience and enjoyment of and action in the immediate world – the life and relationships of the individual and, second, in the process of arching from individual being to universal Being. It seems to me that this is trivially obvious
Cosmology: Cosmology is not limited to physical cosmology. Cosmology is the study of entire existence, the one universe as a whole. The italicized phrase would be a better title for this point but I use cosmology because it is the title of a section in Journey in Being. Cosmology includes the following: the equivalence of the one universe and nothingness and the principle of identity; the necessity and sufficiency of indeterminism to explain the origin of the actual universe and its structure from nothing; and physics and physical cosmology. Matter has been held to be a high level concept but the concept of matter is understood, here, in a more basic way than the physical stuff of the present phase-epoch of the universe and not as something distinct from mind – rather mind and matter are different modes of description
Ethics: Being is ethical in nature. This does not mean that every individual “does the right thing” at all times. Ethics is possible only when there is choice and the existence of choice implies that the right thing will not always be done and hence a need for ethics. Ethics, like mind and matter, occurs at various levels. And there is an ethics of the human context and an ethics of being-in-the-one-universe which do not necessarily mesh smoothly; there is no need or sense to a perfectly smooth mesh
See Co-origins of Being, Causation, Dynamics and Time
Also see
The Principle of Being follows from considerations of the foregoing type. The question arises of the equivalence of being –and therefore the being of the universe– and of nothingness. How can it be shown that being is equivalent to nothingness? The original argument from science, from quantum theory, requires subtle considerations and is limited by known and unknown limits to the quantum theory – assessing the limits of the fundamental science of an era is always insecure since there is no successor or containing science. Therefore, turn the question around: to what is nothingness equivalent? First, in that most primitive state, the adjectival form, nothingness, is equivalent to the noun: nothing. However, nothing is not simply no-thing, the absence of things. Nothing or nothingness also require the absence of condition: the absence of determinism [indeterminism is not a condition for it allows deterministic process], of causation, of law. Nothingness is beyond the pale of causation and determinism. In reference to quantum physics, nothingness comes before the vacuum. It is not in anyway being said that there is no science, no concepts of time, space – or space-time, of causality… but that these are always contextual
Therefore, at once, and without the need for intervening logic, nothing is equivalent to all possible things and states of affairs. That is The Principle of Being: All Being is open to every being!
It is in the nature of nothingness to have no restriction in its range of possibility; therefore, nothingness is equivalent to the universe. The epistemic and the metaphysical coalesce as one in an absolute ontology – an ontology founded in nothingness. This absolute ontology contains, through the concept of nothingness, the foundations of all true local ontologies and the variety of being – of all things
The Principle of Being shows that consideration of ultimate being is not merely an intellectual exercise
What being is possible relative to nothingness?
What being is possible relative to an actual being? …to human being?
Also see LOGOS, the concept of the possible
…of human individuals
Is there a distinction between these two “possible degrees of being?” As far as possibility is concerned, from the Principle of Being, i.e. from the equivalence of nothingness to all things and possibilities, there is no distinction. However, there is or seems to be a difference in probabilities of occurrence!
Any statement of probability is an estimate based on knowledge of context. In the question of transformations of being one may estimate probabilities based on common sense and on science. In a basic commonsense view, people do not observe or experience or include in their world view, spontaneous transformations of being of the type considered in the section What is a Transformation of Being? Perhaps, however, common sense would say that most but not all people do not observe such transformations and that most but not all exceptions are crackpots or wishful thinkers. The source of the thought not all is common sense itself for common sense recognizes that it pertains to common observation and not to universal fact. Where does common sense turn in order to get an improved estimate? First, to itself; since the types of transformations in question are rarely reported, the probability would seem to be small. Here, however, the estimate of common sense is likely to be an underestimate of the degree of smallness for, turning to science – quantum theory, spontaneous transformations, e.g. tunneling, of macroscopic bodies – the probability would be staggeringly small. Now consider how the following, and their combinations, modify probability estimates
Innate ability of cognition to magnify probabilities as in Characterization of Mind. This is the source of a vague analogy with catalytic process in chemistry. What other “catalytic” processes of transformation are there?
The relative nature of boundaries in being in time and space; boundaries between minds; and so, continuity between “separate” beings – beings at different times and places by, e.g., participation in “higher” being or awareness that transcends the physical modes of perception. Further, what is the nature of the separation that is required for immediate existence but that dissolves in the equivalence of nothingness to all being?
And what would be good? How can human beings project from this world to the ultimate without that projection being mere reflection?
What is the status of ultimate being regarding omniscience? It would not seem even desirable…
Ultimate being would know its own condition of ultimacy. Is it possible that there is a being that cannot be known by any being, even itself?
Ultimate being would experience significance or meaning
Cosmology is not restricted to physical cosmology. This section emphasizes both physical and general cosmology
Physical cosmology works out features of the origin and large scale characteristics of the universe from observation and the fundamental theories of physics; philosophical cosmology is not essentially different except that the universe is not assumed a priori to be physical in nature and the basis of the cosmology is in logical necessity rather than in contingent physical truth
One of the objectives here is to work out an outline of physical cosmology from logical necessity rather than physics. Of course, the ideas from modern physics and physical cosmology are in the background as a guide and a source of ideas
Sources of foundation and understanding for philosophical cosmology: the concepts of nothingness and presence; logic including the use of modality; analogy with physical cosmology and origin of the physical universe in no-thing; and analogy with evolution and indeterminism for the variety in the world
There is one universe… we speak of many universes – of multiverses, of universes of discourse, of “bubble” universes but these, together, constitute the one universe
Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay
Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting, borne away [14]
Consider the following: What does it mean that an object is a universe? It is the whole body of things and phenomena – seen and unseen, known and unknown… therefore, there is one and only one
However, consider the possibility: there are two or more bodies of things. Within each body there are interactions but the bodies are separate in that there is and can be no interaction between one of the bodies of things and another; there has been and will be no interaction. Each such body will be called an s-universe; this use, in which “s” refers to “sub,” is restricted to this section on Reflections on the Number of Universes. In the present use, a s-universe is not a “bubble universe,” one of many more or less self-contained causal domains that are causally interconnected in some way but only weakly so in some phase-epochs of the universe. For a cognitive being in any of the s-universes, the other s-universes are unknown and unknowable; and, further, would seem to have no significance. From the point of view of any cognitive being, what difference does it make which of the following is held?
There is one universe and it is this interacting body of things in which I live; if there are other “universes” they have no significance to me and therefore I hold that they do not exist
There is one universe and it is this s-universe in which I live together with all s-universes with which there is no interaction; since there is no interaction among s-universes, I cannot know them through observation or inference from observation. However, the Principle of Equivalence of nothingness to all possibilities implies that other s-universes must exist. Use of “exist” in the previous sentence is somewhat equivocal since there are no common times or spaces which the idea of existence might imply. I recognize that, although in some practical sense, the existence of other s-universes has no significance to me, the concept of other s-universes does, in fact, have significance because I can imagine and theorize about such possibilities and thereby learn about my s-universe, about possibility and necessity. Additionally, I question the possibility s-universes that not only do not interact, but have not, will not interact; I would even say they can not interact except that “can not” seems to have no meaning beyond do not, have not and will not because there is no other manifold in which they could have interacted. The sub-universes are, in a sense, all bound in nothingness which is [and is equivalent to] the one universe… thus I have justification in referring to the “collection” of s-universes as the universe
It is, however, possible to go beyond this. Consider any collection, U, of s-universes. Then the equivalence of nothingness to all possibilities implies the following. There is another U’, that is similar to U but in which the “s-universes” interact. In this sense, the other s-universes are knowable by a cognitive being in some of that being’s “manifestations.” This gives meaning and significance to the possibility of s-universes and shows how, practically and not just theoretically, they are bound into one: in some manifestations, they are absolutely distinct, but in others they are causally connected and inter-cognitive
Consider beings whose cognition or being-hood is bounded by birth and death. These include individuals and s-universes. Such beings will have eternal return that initially appears to be without significance. There is, however, a collection U’ that gives significance to the eternal return or to return in a variety of forms
The collection U’ also provides an approach some issues regarding the identity of individuals e.g. two identical but distinct individuals, the return of an individual in the same or altered form, or even altogether distinct individuals. These identities are connected by the existence in some U’, of a being whose awareness transcends the apparently restricted awareness of the individuals
The interval from death to birth is without significance to the individual as an individual. It is within thought that this insignificance may be and often is mistakenly seen as an absolute boundary
Conclude from the foregoing that:
“There is exactly one universe” does not mean “there is now one universe.” It means something like there was, is, and will be exactly one universe. That, too, is limited because I am using a tensed language to refer to something that “contains” time but is not “in” time – although, of course, phase-epochs of the universe may be in time
The one universe includes the phase of nothingness
Since nothingness is equivalent to all being; since what is possible will, according to that equivalence, manifest; the one universe includes all possibilities. That inclusion is not in temporal sequence but is outside of time, i.e. it is outside of the kind of linear universal-like time of our phase-epoch. Again, since the universe includes all possibilities, it includes nothingness. One of the reasons for stressing this is that the idea that the universe includes all possibilities which equals all actual phase-epochs [again not in time] is not an idea of a mere collection but one with logical coherence and with positive implications some of which are derived or explained and used in the conceptual system of Journey in Being
A generic argument concerns what would otherwise be a case of inductive generalization. If, from the presence of mind in this universe, we were to extrapolate the presence of mind either in all universes or some other universes, that would be only a possibility; if we could then argue that mind is unlikely it would then follow that mind would be likely in some other universes; or if there were an infinity of universes we might argue that it is certain that there will be mind in some other universes – in an infinite number of trials a small probability amounts to certainty. However, this approach is unnecessary and in that it misunderstands the nature of the universe it is less than illuminating. Since there is mind in the one universe, mind is necessary – this argument was originally made in Regarding the Existence of Consciousness and Presence
“Why is there something rather than nothing?” has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics. The conclusions of Metaphysics show that this should not be the fundamental problem – that it is trivial. Rather, the fundamental problem should be “Why is there presence?” meaning why is there sentience, i.e. “Why is the universe present to itself?” Or, “Why, through the existence of sentient beings, is the universe aware of itself?” or, simply, “Why is there awareness or consciousness?”
Consider, then, that there is “something” and that there is exactly one universe. Suppose we want to build a theory regarding the necessity of “something.” The theory regards the one universe and the data point regards one universe. So the theory says every universe has something – except in the phase of nothingness. However, we have seen that since nothingness is not just the absence of things but also of space-time-cause-law, what is possible is also necessary. Therefore, if there “is” nothingness: there “will be” something. Conclude: there always “is” or “will be” something. In a sense, the question “why is there something rather than nothing” had meaning when it was first asked but our reflections and arguments have rendered it meaningless
The argument to the necessity of consciousness or presence is exactly the same as that of the previous section with “something” replaced by “consciousness” or by “presence.” And, similarly, the questions “Why is there consciousness?” or “Why is there presence?” have been rendered meaningless
The foregoing arguments are of the following form:
The local is present in the universal; this connects the universal and the local
Although genesis occurs over time, the understanding that comes from the history and principles of genesis includes timeless elements
The following principles provide understanding
Nothingness is Equivalent to All Being - see The Principle of Being
Variation and selection; “usually” but not restrictively incremental
Recursion
Symmetry and the breaking of symmetry, especially near symmetry
Quantum theory
And, for life as we know it
Evolution: the history of evolution and the theory of evolution including the roles of variation and selection
Reproduction; combination and recombination including sex
For thought – used in a generalized sense to include all functioning of mind
Thought
Action
Indeterminism – absence of universal determinism, universal causation, universal mechanism or universal design. The following exist in phases
Deterministic process
Causality
Mechanistic
Teleologic
Time and process are inherent in “origins” but not necessarily the coordinated time of our phase-epoch of the universe
One way for being and dynamics to have co-origin is – noting the co-origin of structure and change i.e. of being-form and being-process – is if:
The Process of Dynamics º the Processes of Creation
This might occur in the following way:
1. Some spontaneous eruptions from nothingness are stable or near stable; stability requires a structure and thus those eruptions that are candidates for stability are those where there are elementary eruptions in relationship or the eruption is non-elementary
Those eruptions that are far from stable go back to nothingness
Those that are absolutely stable are “frozen.” Absolute stability is extremely less likely [probability = 0] than the near stable; further the absolutely stable eruptions would not be regenerating
2. Therefore, original creation from nothingness effectively occurs when near-stable arrangements of primitive “elements” are randomly generated
The near-stable structures are, from considerations of equilibrium, near-symmetric
Absolutely stable structures are perfectly symmetric while the unstable structures are far from symmetric
Group-theory is one algebraic structure that lends itself to the study and descriptive elaboration of stability. What other algebras yield similar study? What perturbations of these algebras are suited to the description of near-symmetry? Would these algebras be discrete, continuous or both? In what dynamics may the algebraic structures be embedded?
3. Each non-elementary eruption has a time associated with it; here, time is used in reference to being-in or being-with time and not an assigned value such as 12 AM, January 1, 2000 or a linear continuum of such values, i.e. here, time is the concept. The times of different eruptions “are” different except by chance; without common origin or common dynamics there is no meaning to common time. The “time” is essentially due to the process within the eruption that is a continuation of the occurrence of the eruption. Process, therefore time, is not possible without structure; and the origin and sustenance of structure is not possible without process or time. Therefore, for process and form, there are – can be – no elementary particles: each particle must be constituted of sub-particles. One seeming way out of this infinity is if the eruptions occur “in” or as a continuum. Every parcel of the continuum has variation within it and this variation is the structure. In this case a particle is a concentration or a singularity – a discontinuity or infinity; and it is possible that the description based on singularities is approximate but computationally simpler than that based on the full continuum description
The eruptions of item 1 above may be the eruptions of a non-uniform continuum
As we normally perceive things, objects exist in space; however the idea that objects exist in space is a metaphor based on intuition. In fact space is a mode of description of the separation and distinctness among particles. At the stage of spontaneous eruption and dissolution, “space” is fragmented as is “time.” Such fragmentation may exist beyond the creation and be always present; if present at a microscopic level they may, for some purposes, be invisible at macroscopic levels
The existence of a continuum or manifold will explain that interactions have some “speed of propagation.” The coordination of clock times is not automatically given; any coordination of process requires dynamic interaction among separate parts of matter; therefore, common time, space and speed of propagation is not possible among different transient eruptions
4. Initially, at least, there would be inherent “mechanisms” for seeding – generating large numbers of basic structures or elementary particles – and variety sufficient to the universe or a phase-epoch thereof
By the processes described above, and by seeding there would be large numbers of each of a number of elementary particles; the “efficiency” of seeding, once begun, explains the presence of large numbers of identical particles from among a few basic types… and homogeneity of a phase-epoch of the universe
The “process rate” of these structures would be identical or sufficiently close to be practically identical; this would result in universal time and the possibility of clocks
The presence of large numbers of singularities and the presence of “shear” [motion] in the continuum would result in different processing rates. However, since the shift in rate would be a function of the density of singularities and shear, the actual process rate would be the universal rate “multiplied by a shift factor.” This is a kind of universal time which applies only after seeding and not in infinitely larger case of nothingness in spontaneous eruption / dissolution
Relative to the situation before the seeding, we can see how the phrases “origin of time” and “origin of space” make sense. Before the seed, there are many times and spaces all transient; after the seed there is or may be, at least in a phase-epoch of the universe, “one time and space” and this is in a state of coordination
The interaction of process and structure may explain the dynamic relation among matter, space and time. After the seed, there may be a single, universal [local to an phase-epoch] space-time-matter
This universal time and space [limited of course to the phase-epoch] does not continue down to the microscopic level since, by the arguments, it depends on that level; thus at the micro-level space and time remain fragmented. “Universal” time does not imply numerical identity of the intrinsic process of the elements of matter or simple 1:1 correlation among clocks
5. After the seeding, it is still possible for other phase-epochs to evolve in the vicinity of a given phase-epoch. This is improbable though not impossible…
In the previous paragraph, nothing is implied about the genesis and trajectories of other phase-epochs. Our phase-epoch, what we sometimes call The Universe, is a speck compared to the universe – what is sometimes called the multiverse. In the universe – in the encompassing sense of my use – there are always phase-epochs – we might call them miniverses – originating, dying and there must be an infinity of them
The present phase-epoch – any given phase-epoch – may evolve; or there may be multiple seeds
In this way, even in the semi-causal phase-epochs of the universe, there may be multiple times, multiple spaces, multiple speeds of propagation of interaction
But, in a given phase-epoch, there may be one macroscopic time, one macroscopic space and one macroscopic speed of propagation of interactions – the “speed of light”
In that nothingness is equivalent to all being and all possibilities are realized it follows that from any state, nothingness will be realized and all states will be realized[15]. What, then, is the point to talking of specific processes and states? Once the trajectory of history has begun, except for staggeringly improbable fluctuations of various kinds and the not so improbable possibility of intersection with other phase-epochs, it continues within certain confines that beings within that trajectory experience as their history, as causality [quasi], determinism [macro-level, partially], as the necessities of their world, their [phase-epoch of the] universe
From the previous paragraphs we may say, metaphorically, that time closes upon itself, returns to zero. What is the significance? Can history be changed? No, history is not changed. It is not clear that history has significance from the perspective of the one infinite universe. However, at least metaphorically, we may say history begins again or, from indeterminism, history begins afresh… In virtue of the infinite historical possibility “starting from nothingness,” the metaphor of thinking that [the same] history begins again is limited. Consider the extremes: a world in which finite beings live and die without a memory before birth or that continues beyond death; and extinction of all being, knowledge and memory in the phase of nothingness. Between the two memory-less extremes, there is the following possibility: the emergence of being that encompasses more than one individual – e.g. as experienced by individuals limited by birth, death and their immediate existence – and so contains awareness from one being to another or from one life to another; since this is possible, it is also necessary
These considerations show the identity of two identical individuals in different places and times to be connected since the identities of all individuals are connected
6. Certain dynamics would be selected out. Zero order “dynamics” would be static and therefore absolutely stable – there would be no becoming or evolution at all! Second order dynamics seems adequate to the variety of everyday – e.g. deterministic and causal phase-epochs; force and mass – processes of this world; first order dynamics is inadequate. Why, when or how would second order dynamics be generated and selected. Reflection on the origin of force and mass and other aspects phase-epochs of the universe similar to ours is needed; reflection on other / higher order dynamics is needed
7. In this way it can be seen how the following originate:
Quasi-causal and quasi-deterministic dynamics; these are continuations of the original myriad ever present eruptions from nothingness to beyond the seeding of a phase-epoch of the universe
Quantum type dynamics. The word “type” is used because, clearly, the foregoing will not necessarily set quantum mechanics; and, certainly, it will not set our universe as it is. However, since there is only one universe and by equivalence to nothingness it is equivalent – must contain – all possible universes, the foregoing may set the universal mechanics which will reduce in special circumstances to quantum mechanics. Note that quantum theory is neither deterministic nor fully causal but is capable of yielding phase-epochs of structure, determinism and causation
Additionally, the discussion provides for the original interaction between the basic processes [indeterministic, a-causal] and relationships [process, structure or space-time] and, thus, in an phase-epoch of the universe of integration of quantum, space-time-matter phenomena
8. Mind: considerations on the origin of “subjective experience.” Given the argument on the equivalence of nothingness to [all] being, there is no necessity for subjective experience or even the elements of subjective experience to be present at the same time as the origin of “matter.” In principle, of course, from the equivalence, the primitive elements of experience are present; but this is not dynamic or explanatory; the primitive elements of experience need not be present[16]. However, practically, given that the original elements rapidly form and stabilize in explanation of the origin of our phase-epoch, it follows that the primitive elements of experience are likely present near origins. Rationally and practically, however, it is not impossible that further elements necessary for experience originate and are selected later. Similar comments apply to life and this puts me in the uncomfortable position of seeming that I am a vitalist. However, I am not an essential vitalist or an essential “mentalist” or, as I reflect, an essential materialist. However, I am not an anti-essentialist with regard to vitalism, mentalism or materialism. While I agree that the modern science relegates vitalism to the scrap books of history, I am not against the possibility that some new evidence or conceptual analysis should resuscitate vital elements. If that happens, I expect that it will occur in the following way: the understanding of mind or of life will not require some new substance but, rather, will shed light on the nature of matter
Time / mind: above, I discussed fundamental time. A variety of conceptual times [physical and psychological] may be introduced with application that is local in terms of place, kind of phenomenon, and kind of understanding. However, all such times are founded in fundamental time. As noted, fundamental time is not effectively a single time; but in some phase-epochs of the universe [that may, in everyday use, be referred to as a universe or the universe] there may be, effectively for some purposes, a single time. In the latter case, all specialized times are based in, measured or driven by fundamental time; and thus, in the given case of a specific phase-epoch and the restricted purposes, there is effectively one time
Note: I have long maintained and written elsewhere that materialism or physicalism, for example, is not a definite philosophical position. To be a definite position, the elements of being would have to be reducible to the physics of the current era. This but this would mean that the materialism of today is quite a different position than the materialism of the era of classical physics or of antiquity. Further, it is quite possible that at some future point there will be no distinction between materialism and mentalism
The purpose, here, is to provide a set of descriptive principles adequate to explain the origin, evolution and variety of the universe; repeated application will show deficiencies, redundancies and hone the set of principles
The paradigm, variation and selection, may be applied to the origin of the present phase-epoch of the universe from nothingness, to evolution of physical sub-universes, to the phase-epoch of the universe as we know it, to planetary systems, to life… Further, we have seen that in the one universe, all possibilities “are” actualized; all forms within LOGOS are realized; further, variation and selection is the efficient but not necessary “mechanism” of selection – mechanism is not necessary. This could be called The Principle of Becoming
So, the essential elements of the approach are The Principles of Identity and of Becoming. The actual execution was guided by the quantum and the relativity theories and an understanding of mind
Thought and action follow the universal paradigm – variation and selection – for change and with elaboration include hypothesis and test, the scientific method or approach, the Socratic Method or approach
The following additional principles provide understanding
Symmetry and Equilibrium
The anthropic principles are made trivial by the transcendental method applied to the void or nothingness… to something
Quoting from Barrow and Tipler[17]
“The Weak Anthropic Principle: The observed values of all physical and cosmological qualities are not equally probable but they take on values restricted by the requirement that there exist sites where carbon-based life can evolve and that the Universe be old enough for it to have already done so”
I.e. there are many phase-epochs in which the relative probability of supporting life of our kind would be very small
“The Strong Anthropic Principle: The Universe must have those properties which allow life to develop within it at some stage in its history”
In these quotations, Universe is used in the sense of phase-epoch
The Universe does have those properties and, since there is only one universe, to say that it must allow life to develop has no meaning. However, it is false that every phase-epoch has those properties. And, by the logic developed earlier, there must be other phase-epochs where our kind of life develops. The foregoing statement is imprecise in that the universe is not in time; if we view the universe as a space-time manifold – it will not be connected and though phase-epochs may have a single dominant time, the universe itself will not – we could say of that manifold that there are infinitely many phase-epochs that have, not only our kind of life, but also circumstances infinitesimally close to if not exactly the same as ours. What is the fraction of phase epochs that have life at some point in their history? The answer is not known – rather, I should say that I do not know and not because someone else does but because I do not know of anyone who is thinking along the present lines of thought. I would speculate that the fraction is small but all that I can currently say with any degree of confidence is that it is not 0 or 1
The nature and possibility of systematic metaphysics
Different concepts of systematic metaphysics; the classical concept that culminated with Hegel; analytic / iterative approach; ground to all being: foundation in nothingness – see Argument in metaphysics
The metaphysics of presence and the generation of all possibilities from nothingness
Minimal metaphysics; construction and equivalence of systems; specifications that imply and specifications that may be required by non-equivalence of alternate systems; families of metaphysics
Metaphysics is not itself the realization of being. A complete metaphysics would not be the realization of ultimate being. Metaphysics shows what is possible and illuminates the way. The way itself is taken up in detail and actuality in Experiments in the Transformation of Being
The meaning of any word depends on the context. The total context is specified by the metaphysical world view that may be fully implicit but will usually contain both explicit and implicit elements in interaction. Metaphysics, on a standard view of progress, is never complete. In general, therefore, on that view, the meaning of words is never finally given regardless of rigor and precision
These themes are elaborated, especially, in Language, Words and Metaphysics which also includes a system of words
The connection between metaphysics and action intended here is as follows
It is not that there is an epistemic need to act in order to test the claims of metaphysics or an ethical imperative to act upon one’s beliefs or knowledge so as to act properly i.e. in the right way. There is value to the idea of a discipline “pure metaphysics.” Further, while action may be a part of evaluation – useful or essential – and while action may be right, even imperative, this is not what is at issue in this discussion of metaphysics and action
In origins thought / knowledge and action are fundamentally connected. There is a ground level of becoming [evolution] at which thought and action are action – in analogy to there being a level at which gene and organism are identical or, at least, of the same stuff. The precursor of thought is a simple change in the structure of the organism. Much later, primitive thought is dream or hallucination-like[18]; originally, it is likely that there was no distinction between ‘dreaming’ and ‘thinking.’ Later, still the organism gained control over “recalled” images; though proper began. However, like pure action all thought is hypothetical. It is efficient for thought and action to separate for a period of time; this is the point to planning and to the institution of knowledge. Thus is built the universe of knowledge and the, in some ways illusory, notion of a realm of pure thought and knowledge… but the open loop is always poised for closure; and under the bright light is the diffuse continuum where awareness and being merge. At ground level, knowledge and action are inseparable in their nature; it is the organism or society that dies for the idea
The “loop” is never cut. Metaphysics can be done but not completed without action. Completing metaphysics, as far as that is possible – and by the Principle of Being it is possible, requires action. [In a hypothetical realm in which being is pure thought, all is thought but, equally, all is action]
A formal [post-intuitive] approach may allow a universal metaphysics
How universal? If there is a ground to all being, there is then the possibility to an end to all explanation. In Cosmology, I argue for a ground for all being and thus a metaphysics that is unconditionally universal
This union of knowledge and action thus far considered is in concept but not in fact; the metaphysics remains formal; it is not embodied, as is metaphysics such as Kant’s that is based in intuition. The metaphysics, though true, lacks full significance for the organism; the being is not fully satisfied, emotional satisfaction, for example, is derivative. The being is little changed by the metaphysics
Is there an ultimate way of being and acting that is open to the individual? This is the content of a metaphysics through being and action. It is not just a metaphysics of the ultimate – the phrase is redundant but allowable – but ultimate metaphysics. It begins through knowledge, but it takes over the whole being. What are its ways? This is the content of the current division on Metaphysics or Knowledge and Action, and Experiments in Transformation of the Being. It includes experiment with the being of the individual – the absence of ultimate criteria for knowledge implies that actions and assertions and may and sometimes must be simply imperative; this is based in the lack of ontological alternatives, is not an epistemological limit. What are the limits of being? Is realization of the ultimate possible – it must be for it is not any theoretical ultimate of which we talk but of the ultimate real; and therefore the nature of this ultimate if a question is an open one; and is it open to the individual or will it require some evolution of some species?
Being does not live by the products of culture alone
The distinction between the concept of knowledge / metaphysics as pure discipline and as action-discipline or action-cognition is fundamental to the future of [human] evolution. However, irrevocable choice among alternatives is not necessary since metaphysics as pure discipline is a part of metaphysics / action
What is mind and what is its essence or essential characteristic – and is there such a characteristic[19]? Mind appears to be intangible; mind is often spoken of as though it is something definite even if / though we do not know precisely what it is. However, is mind given a priori as concept or object; and is there any gain in a restriction to or aiming toward a specific concept [characteristic or set of characteristics] and object?
There is, for example, a point of view in which mind is distributed throughout the body and the common experience of mind that is located, at least primarily, in the brain is the dominant aspect of mind, the most immediate in virtue of the brightness of its consciousness; and there is an extension of this point of view in which mind is everywhere [this is not the same as saying that it is everything.] Such points of view will not be adopted here a priori – see Unconscious Mental Processes for a hypothetical point of view. However, there will be no a priori specification of what mind is, of an essential characteristic or a set of characteristics. Given the history of the study of mind, it appears that mind is a slack concept; i.e. there may be no gain in reality or in function from a precise specification – and this is precisely because there may be no reality to a precise specification. I.e., there is no reality in a precise boundary between mind and not-mind; and there is no real clarity to having a single precise characteristic or set of characteristics that define mind. This ties in with the considerations in Mind / body
The claim that mind is a slack concept will be further elaborated and justified in what follows. The concepts of the functions – the classical functions are cognition, emotion and drive – also have slack; this, too, will be justified even though, in principle, whereas mind is not limited to the known forms i.e. life[20] on earth, the classical functions, especially emotion and drive, may be much more specific in the range of their occurrence. However, it appears probable that any sufficiently complex life form that is adapted to a limited environment will have some kind of cognition and something like emotion; a justification of this claim may be based in the concept of bound and free functions or elements defined in what follows
As discussed in Existence, matter is also a slack concept despite the seeming definiteness and concreteness
However, discussion of mind must start at some place; and the discussion itself, if it is to be as fruitful as possible, should be as precise as the circumstances permit
“Experience” has more than one meaning but it is being used, here, to refer to subjectivity, to being aware, to consciousness, to phenomenality, to having feeling. A rose would reflect light of a certain wavelength and an organism might receive and react to the light but it is in experience that the rose is red. Without experience there might be reference but not sense – if reference and sense could be separate e.g. if the relation between sense and reference is unlike the relation between the effect of an electron on a proton and perturbation of the electron whose manifestation is the emanation of the effect. An individual would only behave as though his or her life mattered. It is in experience that one has the feeling of being alive, that life has meaning or is absurd. Through experience we are present to the universe and, through life, at least, the universe is present to itself. It is through feeling that I can be in love, enjoy a sunset, thrill to a storm and not merely behave as though I am in love or having enjoyment or thrill. Without experience, it would not have mattered whether I had lived; and it is the experience of anticipation of and hope for later experience that is constitutive of wanting to live
Without experience, there is no presence to, no significance – the universe “might as well as have not been.” As discussed in Mind / body, this is not reductionist, not centered on the being of humankind or of life but is a manifestation at a high level of the relatedness at the root of being, of those entities that we think of as most material. Being conscious is: being embedded in – separate from yet one with, part of the fabric of – a universe of presence
[Here, I am pointing to the fundamental role of experience; further elaboration and foundation will be given later e.g. in Mind / body]
It would be myopic to say that experience is definitive of mind or that it is the essential characteristic but, from the section What is Mind? that is not necessary or helpful. However, experience is essentially mental and fundamental to life having quality
Self-consciousness or awareness of awareness is sometimes has been thought to be necessary for true consciousness[21]. The absolute character of such claims or their refutations is not clear. However, consciousness of consciousness – when consciousness became self-conscious was a significant turning point in the growth of intelligence, of design, of acuity of awareness, of presence. Self-consciousness marked the origin of meaning or – at least – new levels and sharpness to meaning, the ability to deploy mind and intelligence in new ways; ways that include improved function and ways, in the human case, that are especially human[22]
Awareness of awareness [consciousness of consciousness] is, on some accounts, necessary for language for higher / abstract concepts and makes it possible, therefore, to have conceptual knowledge that is expressed in language. Additionally, awareness of awareness is at least a large part of what makes it possible to have a concept of and talk about mind. And, through use of language and communication in heightening understanding and awareness of consciousness, it may contribute indirectly to the fact that consciousness may seem [to some writers] as though it is a function of language or of society. Tautologically, awareness of awareness is necessary to be aware of awareness; and this may be what makes it seem as though consciousness is an on-off phenomenon. In elaboration, note that for consciousness to be on-off it is not sufficient that it be either “zero” or “not zero” but “zero” or “one.” However, it is possible for consciousness to be “zero” or “not-zero” and for consciousness of consciousness to be “zero” or “one.” The presence or possibility of awareness of awareness may be one way to distinguish simulation of awareness from awareness. Resolution of these issues may require a unified or analytic theory of experience
The dimensions of the mental have been characterized as experience, attitude and action. However, real attitude and real action are characterized by the ability to be conscious about those activities. There is another concept of consciousness, a-consciousness that is contrasted with phenomenal consciousness. A-consciousness is awareness – whether phenomenal or not – that is available for action. It is not clear that the two “concepts of consciousness” are equivalent but there are arguments to that effect. My view regarding a-consciousness should be clear from what I have written: a-consciousness is or may be a useful idea but it is not – and should not be referred to as – consciousness at all
Thus, while it is not taken as defining mind, experience is at the core of what is considered to be mental; furthermore, it is a good starting place for an exploration of mind. For example, it has been said that something that is mental is unconscious only if it could become conscious. There is merit to this idea and its appeal is enhanced when it is allowed that, in addition to content, forms of perception – for example the intuition of space and time – are also in consciousness
In the materialist paradigm – materialism and its various manifestations such as physicalism and behaviorism – the difficulty of reducing mind to matter i.e. to showing how mind is a manifestation of material processes makes it difficult to see how a commonsense belief that mind has effects in the material world could be true. It has therefore been said that consciousness is epiphenomenal i.e. it is present along with the phenomena but it has no effect on in the [material] world. This view called epiphenomenalism. The arguments in Mind / body void the kind of radical materialism that is the basis of epiphenomenalism. There it is shown that mind and body are not distinct objects but different and complementary ways of talking about the same object
As a consequence, it is somewhat inaccurate to talk of the role of consciousness or experience. In the material mode of description, it may indeed be felt that mind or awareness are – as in the popular analogy, like the foam at the crest of the wave – carried along with but without any effect on matter and its processes. In the other mode of description, the mental, consciousness is both cause and effect in relation to the world
It has been claimed that all mental processes are either conscious or potentially conscious. If true, this would make consciousness truly central. Here are some reflections that lend credence to the thought that all unconscious mental processes are accessible in consciousness even if not actually accessed
The structure of consciousness includes this: multiple objects of experience with some at the center and others at the edge or periphery. Alternate metaphors to center / edge are fore / background and bright / dim
Something from the edge may come to central focus in at least two characteristic ways: change in mindset that is a part of scanning and heightened stimulus from the periphery. When something from the periphery enters central focus, I often notice that I had been aware of it. Events at the periphery stay only in volatile memory and unless they enter into central focus they are, mostly, never accessed again by consciousness – with the result there is much actually conscious processing that is effectively unconscious. This raises a point about the nature of short term memory – whether it is the weakness of recording of events or whether, instead, it is the weakness of the associations that make conscious access improbable; in the latter case, though not accessed they are not inaccessible and some appropriate stimulus to the associative complex – an event, a heightened state of awareness e.g. associative flow, a micro-probe – may bring the weakly associated but not necessarily weakly recorded event into conscious recollection. And example might be having a dream, recollecting the details upon awakening, later experiencing the details as ‘forgotten’ because one remembers the contour of the dream and the fact that there were details but not the details themselves and then, even later – perhaps much later, recalling the dream and some of its ‘forgotten’ details in a dream-like reverie… in a state of relaxed attention in which stream of awareness is allowed to flow… on the border between dream-sleep and wakening
A second reflection arises in the case of blindsight which is [may be] a result of brain damage and in which individuals are able to respond to phenomena in the visual field even though they report being unaware of the phenomena. Visual stimuli are apparently transmitted by a second pathway which remains available when the primary pathway is damaged. A question that arises is whether the result of the stimulus is truly unconscious or whether the subjective phenomena that result from the second pathway are not in recognizable form – and therefore not easily reportable form even if conscious. This argument also has relevance for the way in which an event at the edge of consciousness enters the center. To what extent is this due to the event becoming more recognizable rather than, as it may appear in commonsense, due to entering the center?
Finally, on account of the slack character of the concept of mind, as discussed above, there is arbitrariness regarding the boundaries between mind and not-mind. Thus, although certain autonomic processes are commonly thought of as mental even when not conscious, it is not necessary – even though it is permissible – to consider these processes to be mental. Which body processes are mental? Literally, none are; the mental and material are different modes of description: body process X is mental is a metaphor for “there is a mental process that is the necessary descriptive correlate of body process X”
In considering unconscious processes, the idea that experience is fundamental to the concept of mind has been tightened. Experience is mental and anything that can be accessed in experience is mental. A material description that is the material side of an experience or potential experience is mental [the use is metaphorical but that is not a problem.] Consider a non-conscious process that it is tempting to call mental. An example would be: reflecting on a problem, setting aside the problem and, later, after a period of “incubation,” having the sketch of a solution appear in consciousness. Are all of the processes involved in the incubation mental? It is certainly tempting to say that they are. However, that cannot be positively asserted because there is no criterion to do so. It is because, even though the idea of what is mental has been tightened, the boundaries have become clearer, they are not yet perfectly clear. Theoretically, this may be uncomfortable but, as pointed out, there is no reason for discomfort because the idea of mind as an object with a precise boundary that is waiting to be discovered is an illusion. Practically, also, there is no issue because the practical side of the theoretical statement is that the tools to deal with mind are also limited in precision to a degree that corresponds to the lack of precision to object boundaries. In an attempt to achieve clarity, other notions are introduced or have been in the picture from the beginning of even informal thought about mind – an example is intensionality. Such ideas are practically useful – at least potentially – as further clarifying boundaries and providing further understanding but a lack of final precision regarding boundaries and in the mesh of the different notions remains and, as noted, this is, from the proper perspective, a good thing
It could be said that the brain and the mental processes are causally connected but the use of cause here would be somewhat different than in the sense “the force caused the motion.” In the latter sense the cause causes the effect. But, in the relation between brain and mind neither is cause[24] and neither is effect; therefore, this variant use of cause might be confusing. The relation sought is close to identity and identity is thought to be distinct from cause; but it would just be a variant meaning of cause. This paragraph might be thought to be an unnecessary diversion; the reason for its inclusion is that cause has been used in just the sense of brain and mind as mutually causal [actually, the sense used is of brain causing mind but I think that mutual causation is more rational] but I am not going to use cause in this sense [I might do so later] because of the possibility of confusion
Consider the question, “Are there mental processes in the body?” According to the metaphorical use, the answer is yes for perception and thought are necessarily connected to certain brain processes. But, now consider an extremity and ask, “Are there mental processes in a limb?” Well, there are nerves in limbs so would the transmission of nerve impulses count as mental? The answer has already been given, “Affirmation or denial is not significant, but if there are necessary and identifiable mental correlates of nerve transmission it may be said that there are mental processes in the limb.” But what of the bodily processes going on in the limb that are not primarily nerve transmission? In order to reflect on this consider a lower organism. In anticipation of the discussion in Mind / body, note that there are processes in all organisms that are about the environment. If not acutely mental in the way bright human consciousness has it, the aboutness of the lower organism is a primitive of experience; just in the way that particle interactions are primitives of experience. The assumption behind this is stated in Mind / body; it is that the particle description or suitable generalization is complete from the material side of description. The light of the “consciousness” in the limbs pales in comparison to bright human consciousness. This “light” is separate from nerve transmission and is not in contradiction of the fact that the brain maps the entire body; it is a separate and local occurrence. Thus the body can be seen as a distribution of mind in various levels of partial integration. This entire paragraph may be regarded as metaphorical or as fantasy but it has a purpose. First, the assertions cannot be logically ruled out; further, the language is sufficiently general to not be un-real. Second, the idea of separate centers of mind distributed in the body is not different from the idea of mind in a lower organism. And, finally, these thoughts are preliminary to the possible development of a theory, or variants of a theory, to be taken up as an experiment in Experiments in the Transformation of Being, which shows how to see and / or obtain the state of being in which, as an individual is an integration of centers of experience, all centers of experience in the universe are constituent of single being
From the previous section it is concluded that:
The interaction or relation between the [conscious] mind and the body is unconscious to a significant degree. Further, for many body process that do not correspond to conscious activity the [metaphorical] label mental is optional. There is a sense, developed below, in which all body processes may be labeled mental without loss or gain
How are we to talk about mind? In Symbol and Language, especially the section Analytic or Linguistic Philosophy, it was noted that the choice of language is important. There, it was shown how use of the word “mind” encourages thinking about mind as an object that is distinct from matter; perhaps we should not talk of mind but only of experience, the functions, and the processes of mind
Talk of mind as an object also encourages the idea of separateness and private experience. See the sections cited for further discussion. The arguments there do not imply that one can read another’s mind; rather, it is not necessary to read the minds of others’ – there is a phase of common experience that requires no further analysis. Thus there are inroads into the idea of absolute boundaries between minds – just as, below, it is seen that the concept of “object” is an approximation
If the fundamental science of matter – physics – were sufficiently complete that a description of objects / bodies as physical objects would determine all mental aspects of the object in question, an explanation of the manifestation of mind in matter might go as in the following
It would not be necessary to explain the phenomenon of behavior which is the description of the organism as a material entity. This is not to say that the details of behavior would not be part of a scientific enterprise; the explanation would likely not be directly from the atomic level but indirectly through intermediate levels of detail
What is necessary is an explanation of conscious experience. The explanation is, in principle, simple. From the assumption of the sufficient completeness of physics, experience must follow from the particle level. Experience has the characteristic of being about something– the about-ness is also called intensionality; in the case of attitude it is about the world and for action it is about the action of the organism; and in the case of pure experience which does not seem to necessarily be about anything we can say, metaphorically, that the mind is idling while being potentially about something, ready to be about something, processing in a way that gives it the potential to be about something. Particles have interactions. The interaction emanates [literally in the quantum theory] from the particle. In the complex organization of the organism the combination of the many interactions, including feedback, results in the about-ness just discussed. Arguing in the reverse direction from mind to particle, the interaction is the low level phenomenon that at the high level is experience. It is quite possible that although I am taking the particle-field literally, the application to the discussion of mind should be metaphorical
Thus the elements of mind are present at the particle level. This is not pan-psychism which says that mind itself pervades all being. It is not being said that the particles do or do not have experience; rather it may be said that they have the precursors to experience
The position may be put in another way. The distinctions mind / body or mind / matter as a distinction between distinct objects or substances are false distinctions. The distinction does not exist. Rather mind / matter are different modes of description of the same object; in the material mode one describes a trajectory, in the subjective mental mode one is describing interaction at a high level of organization. Mind / matter are complementary modes of description of the same object which is the being-in-the-world
If / when physics is sufficiently complete it will be a science of mind as much as of matter; not because mind is reduced to matter but because the elements of mind and of matter are not ultimately distinct
Is current physics sufficiently complete in the sense used above? Here are some ways in which physics may be incomplete. Referring forward to Cosmology, the universe may be irreducible to elementary particles and fields; it may be that as a result of the seeding process described there, that the present phase-epoch of the universe is atomistic whereas the entire universe is not. In that case, mind may be fundamentally something that is, though contained in ultimate physics, not reducible to atomistic terms. However, it appears reasonable though not certain that mind as it is known to us [human mind, animal mind] is an expression of atomistic physics – even if current physics is not quite up to the task perhaps some modification of it that retains the particle / field description will complete the task. In that case we could talk of mind at two levels, the higher level as manifested and as experienced by animals and the elementary level as the elementary material interactions. This is not problematic so long as the two levels are not confused. Especially, the low level interactions should not be thought to have high level properties – it should not be thought that electrons are conscious in the way that animals experience consciousness and so on. It is convenient to talk of mind; however, such talk is metaphorical for it is not known that there is anything better than the mental mode and the material modes of description. The metaphor may be used as long as it does not lead to error. Consider some material phenomenon that appears to be a borderline case of animal mind; by this I mean high level mind and this is the sense in use for the remainder of this paragraph. An example is the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. Another example is the process of perception; light from an object strikes the retina and nerve impulses travel the optic nerve and are then processed and the animal “sees” the object. The seeing is clearly mental; but at what stage of the processing, starting with the photochemical processes in the retina does the material processing become [also] mental? Well, literally, the material processing is never mental because the mental is a way of description as is the material. Where – at what stage, in the metaphorical language, does the material processing become mental? Or, literally at what stage is a mental description possible? We have seen that there is an indefiniteness to the answer and that, theoretically, the indefiniteness is good while, practically it reflects that even if the instruments of understanding are capable of precision, actual practice does not exceed the actual precision. This, too, is a good thing: to the extent that the world is not “tight” as in fantasies of precision, the acknowledged lack of precision is most realistic; and to the extent that practice falls short of reality, the path of understanding remains and is acknowledged as open
The discussion of this section is a resolution of the mind-body problem which does not explain away the idea of mind and which, in a c. 2000 version is sometimes referred to the explanatory gap between mind and body and in one specialized version “the hard problem of consciousness.” The other mind-body problem, that of the relationships between the structure and function of mind and the structure and function of the body, remains as a project in psychology and science. Psychology, the study of the structure and function of mind in itself, a project in its own right, is a prerequisite to the scientific aspect of the mind-body problem; see Mind and subsequent sections. There is a common distinction, approximately c. 1800 – c. 2000, between the phenomenal or experiential and the psychological concepts of mind; the latter concept is variously described as the study of behavior and is about mind, if at all, only in so far as there is an internal basis of behavior; and as the study of the representation and processing of information by the organism. Here, while there are clearly two sides to psychology, I do not make, use or need the distinction or think that there is any value to a rigid compartmentalization; and, further, I do not use the term “psychology” much
As concepts, mind and matter are not definite
This is true, and the learning that follows from it, next, and intertransformability and inversion of meaning of ontologies by, e.g., minor change in wording or shift in emphasis or interpretation from, e.g., the objective to subjective side of experience applies, generally speaking, to all of categorial ontology
Essentially “mind,” “matter” refer to distinct modes of description of the same object that become reified; such reification is permissible when it does not result in error, primarily – as in Cartesianism – thinking that reference is always to distinct objects
This leads to resolution of the mind-body problem: mind-as-we-experience-it and matter [the latest version] do not refer to distinct objects; and at root, elementary mind and elementary matter are the same mode of description… with a distinction at that level encouraged by thinking, for example, of matter as essentially comprised of particles and omitting interactions as essential
Lingering doubt may remain about the mind-body problem. How can matter that has no mental properties manifest as mind? It has been shown that matter does not have no mental properties since, at the elementary level, the two modes of description are the same mode. The problem may sometimes be posed, “there is nothing in physics that refers to mind so I do not see how physics could give rise to my consciousness.” There are a number of errors in this formulation. First, matter does not give rise to consciousness in the sense of consciousness being something over and above matter. Second, this statement of the problem includes the problem as stated in the second sentence of this paragraph and has the same resolution as the earlier statement. Finally, physics does not give rise to or manifest as anything mental: it is matter that plays that role while physical theories may result in mental explanation. This point is not part of the resolution of the mind-body problem; rather I bring it up as one way in which the mind-body gap may appear to be inflated: it seems to me that sometimes the transition between description in material terms and description in mental terms is sometimes inflated to a gap between material description and mental actuality as in, “How can physical explanation give rise to my consciousness.” This is analogous to the fact that while water molecules in interaction manifest in the wetness of water while physics provides an explanation of wetness but not the wetness itself
In consequence of these arguments, it appears that the terms “mind” and “matter” are sufficient to the issues at hand and introduction of some additional concept or substance is unnecessary [the possibility of a third substance was entertained in the Philosophy of Mind and Consciousness; the present considerations, consolidated in Journey in Being: Foundation, show a new substance to be unnecessary]
The study of mind as such and of its functions is intrinsically important and is not supplanted by the material level. Generally, all levels and modes of study are independently significant and mutually informing
The following are valid objects of study: mind and its elements and functions; brain anatomy at various levels of detail including biochemistry, cellular and the organs and their integration; various matter levels – molecular and quantum theoretic… the co-existence of structure and indeterminism in quantum theory is one reason for its significance in study of mind
The argument provides one approach to the issue of the divide between the appearance and the thing-in-itself
The phenomena are [manifestations of] relationships
But, the relationships are things-in-themselves
It is true that the perceived object is not the thing-in-itself but it is so close as to suggest that a reconceptualization of the noumenon can render it in perception. An argument along the lines, “Perception is a phase of the mutually sustaining elements of world,” is conceivable
What is the origin of a new idea? How does that come about? It will be useful to give an outline explanation based on the mind / body discussion
The explanation follows the general pattern of the origin of what is essentially new in Becoming
Perhaps most ideas are combinations of old ideas. However, on account of the large number of simple ideas, mechanical recombination would be an impossible approach to novel combinations. Additionally, there must be essentially new ideas. This follows since at the time of the origin of the earth there were no ideas – on earth – at all. The mechanism of essentially new ideas is similar to the mechanism of novel combinations. The fundamental particle processes are not deterministic. It is possible that mind has evolved so that its processes include capture and magnification of primitive indeterministic events and / or indeterministic events at higher, say cellular, levels and / or perhaps even levels up to that of the body [brain] as a whole. Such events enter the general processing of mind and generate elements of new ideas which are then selected for in various ways and at various levels
The discussion requires elaboration but is correct in principle
The discussion shows the one reason for the attractiveness of quantum over classical physics in the understanding of mental processes; and by the same reasoning the attractiveness of quantum physics in understanding the origins of, at least, the present phase-epoch of the universe and of life. Of course, the quantum or similar theory will be one element in the understanding and will not replace cosmology and biology
A standard argument against the generation of new structure by indeterministic processes: randomness can not lead to structure. The response is that randomness does not lead to structure by itself. Indeterministic process is change and those changes that lead to stable structures are selected
In the case of biological evolution, large scale change is brought about incrementally and it is this that makes change possible. It might still be argued that the outcome of evolution is unlikely; however, the outcome is not given in advance and it is only from the original perspective that the outcome is unlikely. However, given incremental process of variation and selection, while any particular structure is unlikely the outcome of some structure is not unlikely
In the case of knowledge the outcome is not unlikely because the process of knowledge is guided by reality
This is a continuation of Mind and is in a separate section to allow elaboration
It is not the initial purpose, in writing down a set of characteristics, to be definitive or final. The description of each characteristic and the related analysis and observation are part of an exploration and the set of characteristics are part of an in-process and, therefore, indefinite and incomplete geography[26] of mind. The process is an interaction between the individual characteristics, the geography and the in-process conceptualizations of mind
As noted earlier, the dimensions of the mental have been characterized as a set of mental axes: experience, attitude – which includes intensionality – and action. This set of axes is fundamental in that [1] it includes subjective and objective aspects – see What is Knowledge; experience is the subjective side and [2] the objective side is rationally divided as the perceptive, knowing aspect or attitude and the aspect of affecting the world i.e. action or agency. These two aspects of the objective side are bound together in the [helical] interaction that constitutes intelligent being and intelligent action. The fundamental nature of experience was seen above where it was noted that experience / attitude-action are not distinct but are different modes of description of the same object which is the being-in-the-world
From the discussion of mental axes, a fundamental description of mind can be given by understanding its place in being or, more accurately, in being-in-the-world. We might imagine a separation into being / in-the-world. The being “side” then corresponds to experience and the “in-the-world” side to presence and participation i.e. attitude and action. As we have seen, presence and participation are bound together – in fact, my use of presence elsewhere implicitly includes participation; and the “being” and “in-the-world” sides are distinct modes of description of the same “object.” Experience colors presence and participation; and experience by itself – pure experience – is an aspect of being at rest, only immediately separated but not potentially separate from the world. Further, as noted earlier, although not all cases of pure experience are immediately or actually functional the ability to have pure experience is materially functional – apart from its role in regeneration and making possible or, at least enriching an inner life. The source of material or in-the-world functionality is the role in creation and imagination that is also enriching
Subjectivity – having experience, conscious awareness, being present
Intensionality – being about the world – this follows from function i.e. adaptation
Adaptability – this may be called an internalization of the processes of evolution
Intelligence, especially formal-symbolic and intuitive intelligence i.e. mind is a priori / through evolution and a posteriori / through learning, attuned to certain forms of the world: causality, continuity, objecthood, time-space, identity of the self
Does the world imprint the mind or does the mind project structure to the world? Both – the intuition has a priori and a posteriori aspects. Importantly, both aspects are incomplete, approximate; this is to be expected since both aspects are based in a limited environment and system of phenomena. Thus intuition embeds the organism in the world; but not perfectly – just adequately. The formal or symbolic is able to overcome the limits of intuition – the degree to which this is possible is open – but, apparently, at a cost: loss of embedding in the world… it is the story of the forbidden fruit. However, the symbol is, also, an intuitive capability though at a simpler level
This topic occurs earlier through various discussions and through the words: attitude / intensionality and action, subject / object, adaptation
Here, I want to point out that evolution may be thought of as internalization of the environment in the organism; replication is a key element in the origin and the expression of this internalization. Mind, intelligence may be seen as the internalization of presence and adaptability itself i.e. mind includes adaptability which is the internalization or adaptation of adaptation. The process is variation and selection; however, the presence of levels of mind above the most primitive also conditions the direction of evolution; and makes it possible for the intelligence of the organism – with anticipation of experience constituting motivation – to affect its own evolution. It would be an overstatement to say, in the case of human beings and human society, that the organism designs its evolution but it is true to say that design becomes an element in the processes of variation and selection
The creation of new knowledge: internalization and elaboration of the creative element of evolution [see Becoming]… and, consequently, creation and construction of being… through the classic process of variation from given structure [including the indeterministic, unpredictable element] and selection and, through repetition, building structure upon structure, and, so, knowledge upon knowledge and being upon being
This section was originally titled A Unified Theory of the Faculties of Mind but was changed because “faculties” has the connotation of hermetic compartments or special organs for each faculty or function such as emotion, perception and so on
The topic is generalized and taken up next
In the forward motion of understanding, many ideas may require revision. When focusing on one idea, it is easy to revert to old habits in relation to others. Therefore, it will be useful to remember the earlier discussions regarding concepts in general and, especially, concepts regarding mind
This discussion on the indefiniteness of concepts does not imply that definiteness and precision does not exist in specific contexts; and the existence of that precision is not an a priori sign of completeness or of definiteness as the context opens up as a result of discovery
It is taken as given, from the discussion of form and process, that there are no absolute elementary objects [particles.] Therefore, there is an essential indefiniteness to all objects and, consequently, to concepts. Examples of such indefiniteness noted earlier include mind and matter. I noted that the boundary mind / not-mind is indefinite and that this was not [merely] a case of ignorance but of essential – even desirable, from the point of view of understanding – indefiniteness
Further indefiniteness arises, especially for compound objects or systems, since object and concept are mutually defining. This includes the case of an object-concept system where shared boundaries of the constituents are indefinite. An example that will be used in the development of the dimensions of mind / being concerns mental functions such as emotion, cognition and drive[27]. All that is said in the rest of this paragraph is approximate but that is inherent in the generic concept of object-concept; at the same time it is treated, here, as a “toy” theory that is used primarily to illustrate indefiniteness in concept and object; the theory is chosen as an example but also because it will be used later as an approach to a full theory in which, so far as it is possible, foundation is of concern. An approach to clarification of the mental functions is to ask whether the functions are interactive combinations of simpler mental processes and states such as “feeling” which I will use as follows. I feel simple sadness or joy. Here, simple refers to the root feeling: even if this is a simplification, the outcome of this discussion is not affected. I also feel something brush against my skin. Thus, I am using “feel” to refer to internal and external sensations. I do not usually say that I feel the color red but, here, I expand the use of feeling to include all simple sensations – so as to have a single word that refers to cover all simple internal feelings and external feelings and sensations; this includes, in their simple form, the emotional feelings – simple sadness and so on, sensations of body processes and states, kinesthesia, the “five” senses [five + the senses of heat, cold, pressure, pain, and equilibrium…] and this implies an extended use for “sensory / perceptual modalities.” The visual perception of an object is an integrated combination of a number of primitive feelings: color, extent [size], shape; and the perception of an object is an integrated combination of the various perceptual modalities of vision, sound and so on. Simple imagination is feeling in the absence of an object. The capacity for imagination is the capacity to have imagination. Imagination occurs through construction and association [memory.] Thought is imagination – perhaps directed imagination. Thought is both iconic and symbolic, and includes language tha