Journey in Being

The précis edition of Journey in Being presents essentials. Its purpose is to make for rapid comprehension, ease of criticism and appreciation, and ease of revision in light of reflection and experience. It may be read as an independent document or as preliminary to the Complete Edition. If it is read as an independent document the reader may refer to the complete edition for details of arguments, elaboration and application of the main ideas, details and reports of a journey in process.

	On Publication of this Work
	The journey of ‘Journey in Being’ remains in process. However, I have decided to publish this work because I am satisfied with the integrity, maturity, and significance of the main themes.
	A Journey in Being
1	JOURNEY IN BEING aims at realization of ultimates. Since the ultimate is incompletely known, ideas—perception, thought—are essential.
	Ideas are innately incomplete. The modes of transformation must be ideas and action.
	It is essential to empower ideas and action in interaction.
	To this end the narrative blends precision and brevity.
	World Views and Points of View
2	It is a convenient simplification to assert that there are two standard world views today (1) A secular view whose material foundation lies in science and cumulative human experience (2) Religious and related views that assert—but do not show—a realm beyond the secular world.
	These two views often stand in opposition. It is also standard that they exhaust the kinds of world view that are possible. It is crucial to recognize that the worldview of the narrative is new, that it is demonstrated, and that it goes (immensely) beyond the common worldviews. It is not included in or entailed by the standard views.
	The main narrative develops this world view to which an introduction now follows.
	New Meanings in the Narrative
3	When understanding grows new meaning is acquired.
	The worldview of the narrative (based in the fundamental principle of metaphysics developed in detail later) introduces and requires new and variant meaning for concepts.
	The entire system of meaning is new and stands as a whole.
	Clarity requires the foregoing alert regarding meaning. Readers will also be alerted to each meaning as it is introduced.
	Experience
4	EXPERIENCE is conscious awareness no matter how primitive the consciousness (this meaning will suffice here; the Complete Edition of the narrative extends and secures the concept of experience).
	As medium of both knowledge and error, the fact of experience is given.
	Experience is the place of the most direct knowledge of self and world.
	Though not the entire world, experience is the theater of the individual’s world.
	Meaning
5	A CONCEPT is any experiential content. The constituents of referential MEANING are a concept and its REFERENCE (object).
	In order to refer, a concept must have and refer in virtue of some iconic semblance to a referent.
	Meaning is stabilized in context. It derives flexibility from adaptation to change and changeability of context.
	The decomposition into concept-icon and reference is essential to meaning and understanding meaning and its use as a methodical instrument—especially the method of analysis and synthesis of meaning and Being whose development begins here and is continued later in the narrative—and to resolution of many confusions of meaning and resulting paradoxes.
	Existence
6	EXISTENCE is most effectively defined via the analysis of meaning: the phrase ‘X EXISTS’ shall mean that there is a ‘thing’ that corresponds to the concept X.
	The analysis of experience and meaning enable clarification the nature of and resolution of problems of existence.
	‘X exists’ indicates present tense. Here we also use a tense-less sense in which ‘X exists’ means ‘X has existence over some range of locations and times’.
	BEING is that which exists.
	Being
7	BEING names that which is.
	Being and world are known in experience (awareness) which is theater and core of our being.
	As such, experience is so immediate its Being needs and has no proof—i.e., in terms of the Being of something else.
	The power of the concept of Being is neutrality; of experience—immediacy.
	Universe
8	The UNIVERSE is All Being.
	Creation is a form of Being.
	The Universe contains all Creation
	But is not created.
	The Void
9	The VOID is the absence of Being.
	There is a Void.
	The Void contains no Law and so has no limits.
	All objects, patterns, and Laws emerge from the Void.
	Fundamental Principle of Metaphysics
10	The Void is ever present with every part of the Universe;
	Therefore the Universe has no limits.
	This is the fundamental principle of metaphysics,
	Also called the fundamental principle.
	The Meaning of the Principle
11	The meaning of the fundamental principle includes that
	But for the freedom of concepts (i.e., assertions or propositions) to have conflict—e.g. disagree—with facts or one another, every concept is realized.
	When the fundamental principle is thus expressed in terms of concepts its form is one of factual and conceptual realism.
	‘Something from nothing’ is a trivial corollary.
	Using the Principle
12	The fundamental principle has many implications that are momentous but relatively trivial to see or prove.
	Examples are that the variety of the Universe is far greater than that of our cosmos and that the Universe has Identity and ultimate power that are conferred on the individual.
	Any difficulty regarding such conclusions is in their interpretation—their significance, squaring them with common sense and science and logic, and questions of how they may be realized in action. There may of course be doubt regarding the fundamental principle itself. However, that principle is internally consistent and consistent with science and fact; it is therefore not absurd; and therefore action under the principle may fall under ‘existential attitude’ and ‘fundamental principle as hypothesis for action’, discussed in the Complete Edition of the essay.
	The fundamental principle harbors many further conclusions that are significant for which difficulties in intuition, demonstration, interpretation, and realization are anticipated. The range of application, revealed below, is that of the human endeavor. This reveals an opportunity for a significant program of program of development.
	An Interpretation of Scientific law
13	Every valid law or theory of science has interpretation as a compound fact
	Regarding some limited domain
	But implies nothing about the existence or non-existence, magnitude, or nature
	Of what is external to the domain.
	General Cosmology—Universe, Identity, and Power General Cosmology is commonly identified with but includes and is far greater than modern physical cosmology.
14	The Universe has Identity in acute, diffuse, and non-manifest phases.
	This Identity has continuity across the non-manifest.
	The Universe is ultimate POWER defined as degree of limitlessness.
	It is in the nature of the limitlessness of the Universe that its Power is conferred on the individual.
	Journey, Individual, and Eternity
15	All individuals inherit (realize) the ultimate—the Universe and its Power.
	Ideas in process include understanding and knowing but, while form is limited, ideas must be essentially incomplete. While limited in form, realization is endless interwoven process in ideas and action.
	For limited form realization an endless journey that is unlimited in variety, magnitude (summits followed by dissolution), extent, and duration of Being.
	For unlimited form realization is a single acute act of Being and perception.
	General and Physical Cosmology—Variety of Being This section is about general and physical cosmology and their mutual study.
16	The variety and extent of the Universe is unlimited.
	DURATION is difference as change in the same object; EXTENSION is difference coordinated to distinct objects.
	Cosmologies, Laws, and cosmological systems have no limit to their variety, number, and extent. They are relatively stable against a void and transient background.
	Mechanism is, roughly, structure and regularity of behavior that permits understanding and predictability.
	Civilization as a Vehicle of Realization
17	Civilization and individual are VEHICLES and ideas and action are modes of realization. The individual fosters civilization; civilization nurtures the individual.
	In its internal and external endeavors civilization provides disciplines or means.
	‘SCIENCE’ and ‘YOGA’ will stand for the instrumental and intrinsic disciplines of Being-becoming, respectively.
	The matrix of civilizations across the Universe is Civilization.
	Growth and Processes of Civilization
18	Are there method, goal, and significance for the entire endeavor—process—of civilization?
	The metaphysics shows an ultimate goal (realization) and frames the endeavor and its significance (in this account metaphysics refers to a system of understanding of Being developed from explicitly from the fundamental principle in the Complete Edition of the narrative)…
	… From disciplines to civilization and from civilizations to Civilization and the ultimate.
	In the universal, however, there is only imagination, action, experiment, criticism, and attitude—i.e. existential attitude in the face of doubt and absence of resolve.
	Civilization, Human Being, and the Universe
19	For the journey, the tension between human freedom and received human nature—and situation—is essential.
	Understanding and transformation of civilization must be integrated with participation-immersion and illuminated by the metaphysics.
	An ultimate and powerful conception of RELIGION is use of all dimensions of being in understanding and realizing All Being.
	The process of Religion as conceived here is identical to the process of Civilization conceived ideally. The ways of transformation (below), especially catalysts, occasion finite—more than just incremental—and embodied step change; reason and memory occasion continuity.
	The Way of Transformation: Analysis and Synthesis of Being
20	The way—method—of understanding Being above was an implicit analysis and synthesis of ideas and meaning.
	Similarly the way of transformation is analysis and synthesis of Being. Just as in knowledge, so in action and transformation: the way and the process arise together in interaction. We receive from the tradition but there is no ‘way’ that is an absolute given in the sense that it is received rather than discovered or uncovered.
	We may arrive at analysis of Being by study of tradition—analysis and experiment with its ways—and by imagination, criticism and experiment which include discovery of the metaphysics of the narrative and illumination by it.
	Ideas and action—learning: imagination, action and experiment, criticism, review, correction, and charting or planning—are essential modes of becoming (synthesis). The vehicles and foci of transformation (synthesis) are individual (being) and Civilization. An outline of synthesis focusing on individual and civilization follows below.
	Transformation of the Individual Being
21	Synthesis I—Transformation of individual human being.
	All times and places—Yoga practice and action; death and crisis.
	Here and now—home, town, and country: ideas and experiments, health, routine.
	Cultural milieu and community—care and sharing; charisma and initiative; moral behavior, honesty; and abandon.
	Nature, psyche, and Universe—gateway to ultimate, immersion, inspiration, and catalysts such as fasting, isolation, meditation, and exertion.
	Civilization of the Universe
22	Synthesis II—Civilization of the Universe: Transformation of communities (of individuals).
	Organic—Civilization as matrix—individual transformation, sharing; communication and charisma.
	Artifact—or artifactual Being. Ideas regarding artifact—artificial intelligence and life; ontology, cosmology, cognitive science.
	A Vision For Our World The vision of this section has two components—two purposes. The first is as an outline of the process of realization for our civilization as it is today; this emphasizes concrete and practical as well as ideal concerns. The second part concerns the relation between our civilization and Being—between civilization and Civilization.
23	A vision for our world—the aim of the vision is participation, especially but not exclusively in light of the metaphysics as framework. So as to remain light, dynamic, and responsive to process these comments are kept brief. The following are significant:
	Political-economic principles and action—participation and immersion.
	Culture—science, art, technology, and symbol—participation and immersion.
	Religion—Being in all its dimensions in realization of All Being.
	Charting the Journey—Dimensions and Planning The principle of charting is simple—focus will be on the elements of Being laid out earlier and which emphasize modes and vehicles of transformation. The modes are ideas and action; the vehicles are the individual and Civilization. Reflection on the elements of the journey is more important than having a checklist of elements. The narrative below first reviews the main dimensions of a journey and assesses developments so far. The next section Charting the Journey—An Overview of Plans has an outline of plans. The narrative then continues (in the Complete Edition) with a detailed program in sections named The Individual in Community and the World and Civilization of the Universe: Being, Artifact, and Technology.
24	A Journey of Realization—though personal in its beginning, the journey—this journey—aims at realization, and sharing of and contribution to a ‘universal journey in being’; this section is a brief account of this journey in process.
	Being Ideas—ideas are never complete; a text can always be improved. Further, planning is part of ideation. However, in this narrative relative maturity of ideas has been achieved. Transformation of Being focuses on Individual Being as such and in relation to community and civilization—ideas are an incomplete part of transformation. Essential transformation is at a beginning.
	Civilization Civilization and Being—focuses on human civilization and Civilization of the Universe… Involvement, which begins with this work and its motives, is defined by ideas, personal action, sharing, and as a program above. Artifact and technology—a secondary focus will be on use and development of technologies appropriate to (a) transformation of Being and (b) civilization of the Universe.
	Assessment of Progress Ideas—as noted, relative maturity of ideas has been achieved. Two aspects maturity are (1) As developed the ideas are innately reflexive—i.e. they include self-assessment (2) This self-assessment shows completeness of foundation and breadth. Transformation—since transformation is in-process it will be useful to assess work so far. Assessment of progress may identify successful directions of transformation and therefore suggest areas of activity; and it may help clarify what works and thereby help hone principles of action. Here is a brief assessment of ‘work’ so far (a) Discovery and development of a dynamic of transformation (the framework of the metaphysics) (b) Yoga in action, self transformation, self healing, and focus (c) Nature as inspiration for understanding and transformation of self (therefore of community)—‘Beyul’ (Tibetan for secret or hidden land) as map of Being. Civilization—work so far is primarily preparation. A significant amount of background work has been done in developing the concept of Civilization, investigation of the social sciences, the nature of science and implications for social science and their use. The progress regarding transformation have origin and have been implemented in small scale group settings. Reading in social science, history, cosmology, and cognitive science has been broad. However, large scale sharing and implementation for civilization, artifact, and technology is still under planning and preparation.
	Charting the Journey—An Overview of Plans Planning is arranged according to vehicles of transformation—individual Being and Civilization and then according to the modes of transformation—ideas and action.
25	Plans for transformation of individual Being are as follows.
	Ideas—topics for study and research—(1) Foundation of the metaphysics (2) Study of ways—tradition, analysis and synthesis of Being (which include experiment: ideas cannot be developed in isolation from action) with focus on catalysts of Being and emotion-cognition (3) Study of artificial Being—stand alone, evolutionary, and symbiotic—general study of technology and specific study of cognitive science, AI, A-Life: symbolic, computer implementation, and designs; and dynamic text (4) Theoretical and experimental study of transformations (experiments) with organisms—psycho-biology (5) Application—i.e. interaction with disciplines and human endeavor, especially metaphysical thought of the past—e.g. the thought of Leibniz and the speculative systems, Logic, mathematics, the sciences with focus on fundamental physics, physical cosmology, and evolutionary biology, and science and philosophy for society (6) Meta-study, i.e. review of all aspects of the process, especially analysis and synthesis of ideas and Being—including formulation in these terms. The ‘study’ includes review of plans and the planning process (in light of the metaphysics and the nature and structures of the journey) This study is implicit in the previous items but deserves separate mention.
	Transformation and action—(1) Ways, i.e. analysis and synthesis of Being… and implementation (2) Yoga, meditation in practice and in action and living (3) Travel—culture, especially spiritual places-institutions-persons (4) Nature as a gateway to insight and Universe (Beyul) and as place for exercise and experiment with catalysts (5) Analysis and synthesis in light of experiment and learning.
	Plans for transformation of Civilization are as follows.
	Civilization and Being—(1) Our civilization: dimensions including A Vision for our world; participation and immersion; and integration with transformation (2) Shared endeavor, research group—establish or join a research and transformation community (see Institute.xls for a preliminary plan); publishing developments; integration with artifact and technology (3) Civilization of the Universe: sharing a common endeavor (above); metaphysics; retreat and return.
	Artifact and Technology—(1) Use of technology in Civilization (2) Artificial Being—stand alone, design and evolution, symbiotic—build (hardware-software), experiment, learn; dynamic text—i.e. automation of text and ideas; text that is interactive with ideas and life via computer implementation (software, intelligent editing, remote interaction) (3) Experiments with organisms—psycho-biology (4) Shared endeavor, research group—establish or join a research and transformation community (see Institute.xls for a preliminary plan).
	The Future of the Narrative The future—this place is held for reports and narratives of the journey (ideas, plans and planning, transformations, and goals) as it unfolds.
	Influences and Sources
26	I would like to place on record some influences and sources for this work. The world (cumulative experience, reflection) and the tradition are sources. Breadth and depth are important—in interaction neither breadth nor depth is possible without the other.
	General influences are defined by the world and cultures in which I have lived. Though diffuse and often in the background these influences are immensely significant. Significant events, spiritual (religious) leaders, and statesmen have been among my inspirations. Music, literature (particularly poetry), and drama have been especially inspiring. Nature has been immensely inspiring—I have received so much from nature (1) as gateway to the universal and (2) inspiration for my ideas and thought. The core foundational ideas for this work and earlier thought have been conceived in nature. I have learned of the idea nature as map of inner and outer worlds from Tibetan Buddhism and cumulative personal experience in nature.
	Philosophical thought has been an influence. The main influences include ideas on the nature of the Universe from Indian Philosophy. From the thought of the West I have learned much about language and meaning; the nature of Being; and logic, mathematics, science, religion, and epistemology (the study of knowledge). Philosophical ethics—with its frequent striving to be rational—seems often unhelpful in actual situations which seem to not fit neatly into any one rational framework. In my simple reflections on action under uncertainty I have certainly learned something from philosophy but I have also learned about the importance and nature of multivalent thinking from an education in engineering, in living with feeling and reflection, and, finally, from economic thought.
	Science has served as inspiration and paradigm in many ways, especially in interacting with the metaphysics.