Journey in being

an adventure

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2007

  • September 21, 2007

  • I haven't made an entry here in almost a year. Still, much of significance has been accomplished, especially in the latest version Journey in Being (2007)

  • The logic of the metaphysics is improved with a distinction being made between necessary objects whose existence can be given absolute demonstration and contingent objects whose existence is probable. The rejection of substance theories and the nature of the foundation in the void is clarified—determinism is the implicit dual of substance and is also rejected and the role of proof versus analysis of meaning versus recognition of what is given without assumption in demonstration is clarified. The articulation of the metaphysics according to demonstrations based in the concept of the universe, versus the concept of the void, versus the concept of domain is articulated. That the existence is probable means that the existence of an object that corresponds with some (reasonable) degree of 'likeness' to the concept is probable and, perhaps, highly probable; and, perhaps, that the existence can be certainly demonstrated on appropriate conditions regarding the nature of the world

  • The following topics have had their foundation raised to a uniformly high level: the concept of being, the understanding of experience, a foundation of existence in experience which is not to say that existence depends on being experienced, the idea of demonstration and proof in metaphysics, the theory of objects, logic and meaning, mind, cosmology; the nature of the human world and human being with especial focus on freedom, the structure of psyche and society, the nature of emotion and its essential integration in psyche, the categories of intuition, the relation of freedom to language and morals, and the nature of faith

  • In the theory of objects the distinction between abstract and concrete object and the nature of both have been clarified. It is found that the distinction is not one of kind but is one of whether symbolic or empirical study is most illuminating at the given point in history

  • In the chapter cosmology, the nature of space and time are further clarified and there are numerous minor developments of this kind
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2006

  • November 3, 2006

  • 11:00 AM. End of my annual vacation… I trudge back to work this afternoon

  • Journey in Being-New World is the latest edition. Will continue to edit and make brief additions and modifications; however this is the final edition until I find an alternative work situation – or until there is a compelling reason to write a new version

  • I may write two alternate versions of Journey in Being-New World: (1) a simpler version and (2) a version that proceeds through system of terms, definition, axiom or given, proof, clarification, example and application – much in the way of Spinoza’s ethics

  • Minor modifications to Experiments in the Transformation of Being-New World are being entered to the escript (electronic version of manuscript) and will be uploaded to the Internet before the end of November

  • September 21, 2006

  • Preliminary version of Experiments in the Transformation of Being-New World. This is to be expanded, as the experiments are done, as the Vol. II of ‘Journey in Being.’ Vol. I will retain the Foundation and focus on ‘experiments in understanding’ while the material on transformation of body and identity of individual and world will be placed in Vol. II which will focus on actual transformations

  • July 9, 2006

  • The short version is Journey in Being-New World

  • This brings the phase of ideas to an end; the next phase is that of experiments in being and identity. See Experiments in the Transformation of Being

  • January 19, 2006

  • I am writing a short version of Journey in Being organized around the key concepts. There are two main earlier versions: the 2003 and 2004 versions. The 2003 version incorporated the fundamental discoveries of 2002 regarding being. The 2004 version was a step toward understanding of the nature and depth of the discoveries and breadth of application to metaphysics and mind, logic, cosmology, human being and society, to understanding and founding faith and religion, to a variety of academic disciplines and to the possible transformations of being including human being. There is an in-process 2005 version that continues the process. However, the 2005 version has become difficult to manage because of the huge amount of detail that has been generated. I have therefore deferred writing a highly detailed version until I am able to apply myself to that task on a full time basis. Meanwhile it has become imperative to ‘move on’ with my life in a number of ways; my present work situation has become unsatisfactory to my objectives; and I want to take up the transformation phase of the journey. However, it is essential to get the recent advances in my understanding down on paper for what started as a few ideas together with a superstructure of metaphysics and cosmology has become a tightly woven system of great depth and breadth. This is the function of the current short version (2006)

  • Although this version is to be short it will contain the essentials with regard to depth, understanding, and breadth of application
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2005

  • September 30, 2005

  • Home page redesigned, and supplementary description added. Repetition has been eliminated, the layout has been made easier to take in visually, functionally similar elements have been placed together, the placement follows standard Internet layout, there is an introduction to the journey on the home page (with supplementary links to one page descriptions) that enable the reader to form an of the content of the site without going to the detailed essays, the essays have been put together in one place and site links in another, the site-map has been retained for detailed navigation, and the search has been incorporated into the home page. Here is the previous home page and an older one

  • Progress in the latest version of Journey in Being includes numerous refinements that focus around the Theory of Being and its implications. The origin of this theory is relatively recent (October 2002) and I continue to realize its implications, e.g., for a uniform treatment of the objects of metaphysics, for metaphysics itself, for logic (the concept of logic) and cosmology, for human being, society, and faith and for the academic disciplines and for the dynamics of transformation

  • My plan for this year’s ‘journey’ to the mountains: experiments in transformation

  • June 20, 2005

  • Search this site with Google

  • June 18, 2005

  • Substantial progress with the latest version of Journey in Being, Journey in Being - 2005; also see In process links

  • Here is a review of the progress of Journey in Being since its first formal edition in 2003

  • Journey in Being - 2005: the latest version. Currently in-process. Anticipated completion: September 2005

  • Journey in Being: Whereof one cannot speak: September 2004 version

  • The Logic and Concepts of the Journey in Being: July 2004

  • Journey In Being and Prologue to the Journey in Being: June 2003. The original and first version to include a number of fundamental new ideas: The Theory of Being and its basis in pure logic; the original consolidation of my thoughts on mind - its nature, the mind-body problem and its resolution, the categories; consolidation of my thoughts on social and political theory and action…

  • Related documents

  • Slide-Show

  • Words, language, metaphysics is a listing of a vocabulary for Journey in Being and for a variety of pertinent metaphysical systems. In addition to substance ontology, alternative systems of metaphysics, and a system of basic words, the document contains systems of words for language, being, mind, knowledge and transformation and a detailed array of sub-topics. Metaphysics Lexicon, just begun as of February 2004, is intended to be a dictionary of basic words for metaphysics in English, French, German, Greek, Latin and Sanskrit (June 2005: when I have completed the 2005 version of Journey in Being, I will import its lexicon; another source is Words, language, metaphysics)

  • Design for a Journey in Being is the blue print for the future

  • New Ideas and supplements contain ideas for improvement of and corrections to Journey in Being including fundamental enhancements and elaborations to the main paradigms

  • Printed documents

  • There is additional information in the Site-Map and the Alternate Site-Map

  • April 27, 2005

  • New version of ‘Journey in Being’ In-process; also see In process links
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 2004

  • December 8, 2004

  • MY RESPONSE updated – see entry for November 20, 2004

  • November 20, 2004

  • Notes from ‘Journey 2004’ i.e. thoughts and travels

  • A friend wrote of his faith in a literal interpretation of the Bible; of the role of argument and experience [miracles] in his conversion. Here is my response

  • November 9, 2004

  • Supplements to the ‘September’ edition of the print version of the Foundation web page. The first Supplement to the September edition has already incorporated to the web version; the second September Supplement II, in progress, the result of my thought on my recent travels, has not yet been incorporated. Plan: complete Supplement II, eliminate it after adding its contents to the main Supplement and to the Foundation resulting in the final edition before embarking upon further travels, search for further opportunities, ‘Experiments in the Transformation of Being,’ and, later, the remaining phases of the Journey [simulation of being, group action, Horizons Enterprises, and ‘After the Journey’ – as described in the Foundation and in Journey in Being]

  • October 1, 2004

  • Ten Questions on Being – fundamental questions on the nature of being and existence. A brief consolidation of learning on being

  • ‘The questions are designed to show the importance and source of the fundamental questions of the theory of being and illustrate how and what is learnt in answering the questions. It is shown that answering the questions draws upon all experience and accumulated knowledge and, in turn, sheds light on that experience and the possibilities of becoming in the light of the ultimate’

  • Foundation – revised again. Print version, the ‘September edition’ of 2004 also revised and has been described as ‘polished’ by some readers. Available at cost which is about $15.00 and includes printing, mailing and handling i.e. going to the post-office. For details write me a note by going to the contact page or send $15.00 to Anil Mitra, 4510 Valley West Boulevard, Arcata, CA 95521

  • August 11, 2004

  • Foundation for Journey in Being – brief version, revised again for clarity. Also published as a print edition, the ‘August edition’… Supplements to the August 2004 edition

  • Here, the foundation in the void, established October, 2002, has matured. Visit the page for further information

  • July 15, 2004

  • Foundation for Journey in Being, brief version, updated

  • June 19, 2004

  • Printable documents, Knots

  • June 2, 2004

  • What is ‘Journey in Being’?– brief statement

  • May 31, 2004

  • History of Thought and Action complete. Purpose: data for [1] possibility of trends, prediction and understanding… and e.g. what kind of trends i.e. while some kinds of trends may be unpredictable this may not be universal; [2] identify focal events and individuals for further study; and [3] History as interaction of thought and action

  • History of Thought and Action is a compilation from John A. Garraty and Peter Gay, eds., The Columbia History of the World, 1972 and is not presented as an original document; however it is useful for Journey in Being. It replaces the earlier documents ‘History’ and ‘Thinkers and Actors’

  • April 22, 2004

  • Journey in Being and Metaphysics revised to incoporate some aspects of the Foundation and Outline

  • April 21, 2004

  • Journey in Being: Foundation and Outline – first version complete

  • Journey in Being Site: Version II begun as a version of the foundation and outline

  • April 10, 2004

  • Introduced a new Outline for Journey in Being; incorporates elaboration of the new [2002 – 2003] foundation based in the void i.e. the elimination of substance ontology and substance as foundational and the elimination of infinite regress

  • The new Outline will incorporate Brief version of Design for a Journey in Being and outline for Journey in Being

  • April 7, 2004

  • Revised, streamlined Design for a Journey in Being

  • March 30, 2004

  • Updated Survey

  • March 22, 2004

  • Brief version of Design for a Journey in Being and outline for Journey in Being

  • March 17, 2004:

  • Revision of Journey in Being, Prologue to a Journey in Being, Metaphysics, Experiments in the Transformation of Being, Experiments and Concepts in the Variety of Being – previously The Variety of Being which was previously Computers, Beings and Minds, Action, Influence, Charisma and Change: Societies and the Course of History – previously Influence and Change

  • Journey 2004 Planning; Knots

  • Journey 2003 Log; for ideas from Journey 2003 see New Ideas for Journey in Being, especially items dated 9.01.03 and later; and, the above revisions

  • Something new… psychiatric issues: Treatment Planning, Research Topics of Interest in an Inpatient Setting – and related topics

  • Immediate plans: streamline Design for a Journey in Being and add sources for political philosophy; complete History and link / combine with Thinkers and Actors and History of Western Philosophy; streamline New Ideas for Journey in Being and finalize outline and plans for Journey in Being; upgrade Kinds of Knowledge; upgrade Prologue to a Journey in Being; advertise; placement – work, activities, location

  • March 9, 2004:

  • First version of New Ideas for Journey in Being complete. The plan for the ‘New Ideas’ is to cycle through a number of revisions of increasing coherence and maximal simplicity consistent with the needs

  • Highlights: review of the underlying logic of the void; nature of the void; philosophy of space and time; alternative statements of the principle of being; the study of influence is history; ‘eliminating’ concepts of mind; tightening ‘slack,’ the usefulness of slack and the concept of ‘slack;’ construction, criticism and the ultimate; noumenon and phenomenon: rethinking the issues; revision of ‘mental axes’

  • Highlights for Journey in Being and its outline: changes in overall organization: concepts from Divisions 2 – 4 may be placed in Division 1, retain only essentials; changes in overall logic of the metaphysics – theory of being and cosmology promoted and knowledge demoted from the point of view of being as such; concept of logic; being and its general characteristics – improved definition and logic, universalization of the idea of experience [mind] and the fundamental distinction of bound and free elements in mind; ontology; entities in being and becoming; the being of all being and the elements of being; general cosmology – foundation and elaboration improved, developments in physical and actual cosmology; categories – immanent or imposed the importance of the distinctions: the one universe, the present phase-epoch, and grids of coordination; mind – understanding, universalizing the concept, eliminating unnecessary and retaining essential slack; mind – foundation of the categories, introduction of ‘humor’ whose meaning is ‘algebraic,’ and redefinition and foundation of the mental axes; knowledge and symbol: improved treatment; improved treatment of the history of problems in metaphysics and those problems; a variety of changes to Divisions 2 – 4

  • Highlights for History of Western Philosophy: synthesis with other philosophy, with ideas, with general history; the concepts of philosophy, of history and of history of philosophy and their interaction

  • However, the completion of the revision, the incorporation in Journey in Being, and the execution of the remaining phases of the journey will be done selectively with weight attached first to Experiments in Transformation – and conceptual considerations as adjunct to the experiments; then to the remaining phases [Variety, Action;] to the document Journey in Being and its logic as in New Ideas for Journey in Being; to certain personal needs; to the phase ‘After the Journey’

  • February 7, 2004:

  • Metaphysics lexicon: a multi-language lexicon for the understanding of the world in its general and essential aspects. This project is just begun

  • Languages: English, French, German, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit

  • Purpose: a brief encapsulation of the essential understanding as I see it and from a variety of world traditions

  • I have been intending to introduce the multi-language lexicon for some time. I am not assuming that such a project is capable – or incapable – of essential completeness; and such completeness as may be possible or even practical is not the goal. While the purpose of Words, language, metaphysics is similar, the latter document also seeks to elaborate detail and to see what may learning may result from the details and their various organizations

  • New Ideas for Journey in Being are beginning to mature; check the document frequently for updates – until all recent ideas are recorded, that is where ongoing work will be focused

  • January 26, 2004:

  • History: a new document; framework for Journey in Being, History of Western Philosophy, Thinkers and Actors [A History of Influence.] The document is currently a framework but will be one way to [realize and view] structure to Journey in Being that will show and lead to new interconnections and insight

  • Note: the document is currently a compilation from John A. Garraty and Peter Gay, eds., The Columbia History of the World, 1972
    …and makes no claims to originality of thought or effort

  • January 24, 2004:

  • In the update of December 6, 2003 I said that the new ideas for Journey in Being were not yet available on the Internet. That continues to be true but I want to mention some of the main new ideas informally here as a preliminary organization of the structure of changes to come:

  • Introduction, Some Preliminary Notes on Conceptual and Other Changes to Journey in Being:

  • Here, I had placed a list of proposed improvements to . These changes are now in New Ideas for Journey in Being

  • Recent developments:

  • Meanwhile the site, http://www.horizons-2000.org has been relatively static i.e. no significant changes since about August 2003. A number of reasons for this have been noted – see, especially, the December 6, 2003 entry…

  • ‘Recent developments,’ a study of history:

  • … an additional reason is that I have been studying the “History of the World.” I have been using the 1973, Columbia History of the World, John A. Garraty and Peter Gay eds. as a starting point. Some motives for this study are to enhance: my sense of the important ideas, events, individuals and movements of history; my sense of history for which, even though any account is colored by perspective, I think a good account or a number of good accounts, is at least as important as any theory of history – including a theory of the impossibility of theory or at least certain kinds of theory; as an additional framework for Journey in Being; as an addition to my outline of topics for future study; and because I am able to get a sense of the intricacies, the interrelationships of peoples and cultures of ideas and actions, the sublime and the trivial, the necessary and the random and, for all these reasons and more, for sheer interest
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 2003—July 24 to December 31

  • December 6, 2003:

  • This is an update to the entry posted December 6, 2003

  • I returned from my Journey for the current year on October 31, 2003 but, in a way, the journey continues. Whereas the first task upon return, in previous years, has been to reorient myself to another year of transforming the rough ideas from my travels into a more finished form and integrating that into my existing work, this year my mood continues on in the journey mode. I feel two needs that contribute to the change. First, I do not want to enter into the extremely demanding technical exposition and elaboration immediately; I would rather remain in the mode of creation and wait till thought is more mature before translating into writing. Second, I feel a need to make changes in my life… some thoughts from a letter to a friend elaborates upon this:

  • “My notes are still in rough form but I will let you know when I incorporate them to my site. Regarding ideas, it would be difficult to outdo the inspiration of the previous year but I have been able to translate the fundamental insight [the equivalence of the universe and the void] into analytic terms [e.g. that the only unrealizable concepts are those that contain real logical contradictions] and have been able to see a way in which the noumenon/phenomenon distinction breaks down. My favorite moment in nature was watching a black bear climb and forage without [I think] knowing that it was being watched. I spent a week as a tourist in the state of Washington; first a few days in Seattle that I enjoyed, a day at the San Juan Islands, a ferry ride with my truck over to the Olympic Peninsula where I “took in” Olympic National Park [especially enjoyed the rain forest] and “the most Northwest point in the lower 48” i.e. Cape Flattery situated in the Makah Indian Reservation

  • “I will probably incorporate the ideas into the page “Ideas” [its one of the links at the bottom of my home page] but am not in a hurry to do that [and I don’t know when I will incorporate the ideas into Journey in Being since that would be a huge task and needs time and care] as my priority this year is other opportunities: the compromises of my present situation, a solution to my ambition, are no longer working well and I need fresh air, I want to be in more focused and more immediate contact with that ambition… with my life, with life. Adding to the incentive to move on is the fact that I feel unappreciated at work

  • The new ideas are now available, starting at 9.14.03, in the page New Ideas for Journey in Being for the Journey in Being narrative

  • The new ideas are not currently available but I will be entering them, starting at 9.14.03, to the page New Ideas for Journey in Being for the Journey in Being narrative

  • These trends mark the beginning of a new phase [see the entry for July 23, below.] From the Prologue:

  • “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 clear light I have seen and toward intuition and diffuse light to sense and seek what further truth there may be”

  • September 26, 2003:

  • Comments on how to think about the concept or nature of knowledge and concepts; role of knowledge in the Journey in Being New Ideas for Journey in Being

  • September 19, 2003:

  • Improved considerations for the philosophy of space, time and matter entered to New Ideas for Journey in Being

  • September 17, 2003:

  • I am preparing to leave, once again on my annual trip – my “journey” into the mountains – in the Trinity Alps. I return to the Trinity Alps because they are beautiful, less traveled than the Sierras and other better known ranges… and to develop and maintain a sense of place. As has become my custom, I will be traveling solo. See Objectives and Itinerary for my 2003 Journey

  • This year my emphasis will be: Experiments in the Transformation of Being – including meditation, presence and intense physical activity i.e. hiking and climbing; review of the logic of Journey in Being especially that of the Prologue; reflections on the nature of human group action – especially politics – and the possibility of theory… see Ideas and Action, Influence, Charisma and Change

  • Minor changes to the website continue… plans for change and modification are in Ideas and Design for a Journey in Being

  • August 29, 2003: I have been taking a holiday from the intense work that ended July 23, below. It is more than a break but also incubation – an inner search, not quite fully conscious, a search in the world of diffuse light, hazy boundaries, pastels and greys… It is anchoring to occasionally return to note an idea or record the need for a correction:

  • New Ideas for Journey in Being is a compilation of ideas since the end of a phase

  • Useful Links now includes links for political philosophy, religious philosophies [but not philosophy of religion for which I have not found anything satisfactory,] philosophy of education, links for the Human Knowledge Project, a link for course materials in philosophy, and links to Hippias: Limited Area Search of Philosophy on the Internet, Noesis: Philosophical Research On-line, and The International Association for Computing and Philosophy who have plans for an Online Library in Philosophy

  • July 28, 2003: some world library resources added to the Useful Links
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2003—January 1 to July 23: first version of Journey in Being