Journey In Being: Glossary and Index Words

ANIL MITRA © 2010

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Keywords

Absolute, Absolute indeterminism, Abstract Object, Abstraction, Absurd, Actual, The Actual, Analysis of meaning, Applied metaphysics, Articulated systems of concepts, As if absolute, As if universal, Atemporal, Attributes, Being, Being has no limits, Breadth, Breadth of experience, Bridge, Catalytic practices, Civilization, Complement, Concept, Construction, Cosmological system, Cosmos, Creation, Creation of being, Creator, Criticism, Demigods, Demonstrated result, Demonstration, Depth, Destiny, Disciplines, Dissolution, Domain, Doubt, Dual, Duration, Dynamics of Being, Emergence, Empirical, Epistemology, Evident fact, Evolution, Existence, Experience, Extension, External world, Faith, Fiction, First cause, Fluid-transformation, Form, Fundamental principle of metaphysics, General metaphysics, Ghost, Given, God, Ground, Human Being, Ideas, Identity, Identity of Objects, Is, Personal Identity, Indeterminism, Inhabiting abstract Objects, Inspiration, Interpenetration, Intuition, Journey, Lateral, law, Law, Local disciplines, Logic, Logos, Mathematical Object, Matter, Matter as first order being, Meaning, Metaphysic of Experience, Metaphysical system, Metaphysics, Method, Mind, Mind as second order being, Minimal system, Mystic insight, Name, Nature, Neutrality, Non-relative metaphysics, Object, Ontology, Particular Object, Patch, Peak, Perfect Objects, Phases, Philosophy, Possibility, Practical Object, Process, Property, Psychic depth, Pure metaphysics, Realization, Recurrence, Reflexivity, Relative, Relative metaphysics, Religion, Science, Secular humanism, Space, Space-time, Special metaphysics, Speculation, Substance, That which Exists, That which is most fundamental, The Good, The Metaphysics, Time , Traditions, Transformation of being and identity, Trans-temporal, Trivial, Ultimate, Ultimate in the local, Ultimate value, Unending, Unified theory particular and abstract Objects, Unity of consciousness, Unity of identity, Unity of particular Objects, Universal, The Universal metaphysics, Universe, Value, Variety, Vertical, Void, What concepts define Objects, Wild, Yoga

Glossary in normal order. In Journey in Being, the order is alphabetic

Note. Do not use the following to recreate the glossary in the above document (it has editing)

Given    Anything whose existence cannot be rationally doubted. Experience is given because doubt is Experience

Name    The existence of a given is not demonstrated by proof but by pointing to it; then, the given may be named

Evident fact    A fact that cannot be rationally doubted. Example: Experience is a given

Demonstration    A proof in which the premise is an evident fact and the methods of proof are beyond question

Demonstrated result    The result of a demonstration; abbr. result

Is    Verb to be, therefore a root meaning of Being. Used as definition: A is B; or equivalence: A is B (and B is A;) and to indicate Existence: There is A, or there is an A, or A is

Metaphysical system    Any metaphysical system. However, used in the special sense of a metaphysical system whose foundation is in givens, evident facts, and transparent methods of proof. There can be at most one metaphysical system for the Universe but it may have different forms and be developed to different levels of detail

Being as conceived in the Metaphysics     That which Exists. An Inspiration. Thinkers have distinguished Being whose Existence is not dependent on other existents from dependent Existence. Universal metaphysics shows that the distinction is empty. Although trivial, this meaning is immensely empowering. My search for the meaning of ‘Being’ began implicitly with evolutionism, materialism, idealism and other Substance based metaphysical hypotheses. I realized that that approach was untenable and not empowering of metaphysical understanding. I then looked for Being as that which is most fundamental (precisely, the Object of the concept that which is most fundamental.) Finally, it was the development of the Universal metaphysics that showed that the trivial form is the most powerful precisely because it says nothing and therefore allows emergence of truth. I regard and the Universal metaphysics confirms that this is the most basic and most metaphysically empowering concept of Being

Being as that which is most fundamental    This meaning is important too and it lies within the metaphysical meaning. Tantra as well as reflection suggest that the meanings are identical for there is a sense in which no thing is more fundamental. That which is most fundamental is relative to the purpose at hand. In the spirit of nothing is most fundamental, all purposes lie within one Purpose which is Realization of the Ultimate in its actuality and in the present (which, in the end, are not distinct.) What is most fundamental? That is one of the questions of the journey and the search occurs within Being as container for all that is there. We are not altogether without guide for we have intuition, life experience, and tradition. The latter includes Religion and the religions which include Ideas and practices (ways,) exploration and its spirit, Science and Secular Humanism, art and literature, and much from Metaphysics and Philosophy. There is a riches of suggestive material. I think, however, the exiting thought that we still have aloneness in the midst of connection

Existence    That which is there. ‘Existence’ can be used in the temporal sense ‘exists now’ or trans-temporal sense ‘exists somewhere and somewhen’ (somewhen is usually implicit in the temporal sense.) Also a given (e.g. there is experience.) What remains in question is the ontological question What concepts define Objects. This form of the question is instrumental in the answering being a resolution of the dual epistemological and ontological or metaphysical question necessary for the founding of metaphysics. Well known difficulties with the concept of Existence are addressed in the narrative

Inspiration    Refers, specifically, to sources of inspiration for this work and its process. Also inspiration in my journey and life. The Inspirations: Being, Nature, Human Being, and Ideas

Abstraction    because there may be distortion in perception, knowledge of an Object may be imperfect. In fact the meaning of ‘Object’ may be questioned. Abstraction is suppression of detail that is capable of distortion. What is known via abstract has definite Object-hood and is known perfectly. Thus Existence is a perfect Object

Atemporal    Beyond time. The term trans-temporal is better

Trans-temporal    An Object to whose constitution time or duration is immaterial

Meaning    inheres in the reference or potential reference of a concept to an Object. Without an iconic element, a concept cannot refer. In order to refer, an abstract concept (one whose ‘shape’ is immaterial to conception) must be associated at least implicitly with an iconic element. Linguistic elements are abstract or semi-abstract; this is the source of their efficiency in representation and communication. A concept may be pure icon or combination the iconic and the abstract. Thus, in the general case meaning inheres in relations among linguistic structure, icon, and Object or, stated differently, word, concept and Object. Note that in this item ‘abstract’ is not used in the sense of the entry for Abstraction

Trivial    Here used in the sense of something, e.g. an assertion, that is so plain as to be obvious. An assertion or meaning can be trivial in this sense but not trivial in the sense of something unimportant

Experience    Used in the sense of the immediate awareness of the fragrance of a rose or of having a thought (and so on.) Although immediate, Experience is not necessarily experience of immediate Objects, e.g. in memory. The word ‘experience’ is also used informally as in ‘this candidate for the job has a wealth of experience

External world    The Object of Experience. ‘External’ is used somewhat metaphorically. It is possible to doubt that Experience has an Object    perhaps Experience is all that there is. The doubt is resolved in the narrative

Intuition    I perceive the world in terms that I call ‘space’ and ‘time’ even if I have difficulty explaining what these terms mean and how the percepts are processed in my brain and how they appear in my consciousness. As used here, Intuition refers to the remarkable ability to perceive ordinary Objects in ordinary ways

Universe    All that Exists; all Being. Used particularly to mean All that exists, existed, or will exist. Used in this sense, there is one and only one Universe

Actual, The    See Possibility. What obtains. It is effective to think of the actual in the Trans-temporal sense

Possibility    See Actual, The. Relative to a context a state of affairs is possible if in obtaining the constitution of the context would not be violated. Thus the occurrence of the possible may change the facts of the context but not its essence or constitution or definition. Clearly, the Actual is possible. The narrative mentions physical, logical, and practical possibility; and possibility relative to the Universe. Relative to the Universe, the Actual and the possible are identical

law (lower case)    A law is a pattern (or regularity) that we read into the world

Law    The pattern itself. A Law has Being

Domain    Part of the Universe

Complement    the Complement to or of a Domain is the part of the Universe not in the Domain

Extension    is the part of knowledge or intuition of space that can suffer no distortion. Extension is essential to the constitution of Being

Duration    is the part of knowledge or intuition of time that can suffer no distortion. Intuition may suggest that duration is essential to the constitution of Being; Universal metaphysics confirms this intuition

Void    Absence of Being

Fundamental principle of metaphysics    The principle that Being has no limits. This is the central and demonstrated result that empowers the Universal metaphysics. Abbr. fundamental principle

Universal metaphysics (the,)    The metaphysics whose main concepts include Being, Universe, Domain, Void, and Logic and whose main result is the fundamental principle. The one and only metaphysics (any other valid ‘metaphysics’ is an alternate or partial expression.) Abbr. the metaphysics

Metaphysics     See Universal metaphysics

The Metaphysics    See Universal metaphysics

Logic    Defined as the constraints that concepts must satisfy to be capable of reference. Because of the fundamental principle, every Logical concept has reference in some cosmological system or set of systems

Logos    the Object of Logic; the Universe in all its detail; we (probably) do not know Logos directly but we know of it, that it Exists

Substance    hypothetical simple, uniform, unchanging stuff that results in the world as it is. Alternately, the substance of an Object is the Object itself rather than the Object in terms of properties. The Universal metaphysics is not a substance metaphysics: it is shown shows that there is no need for either kind of substance and that there can be no uniform, unchanging stuff of the Universe. There are however infinitely many local as if substances    a local cosmos may have one or more (if mote than one, to constitute a cosmos there would have to be weak interaction which is not possible for pure substance but is possible for as if substances)

Form    The idea of a Form is that of a Universal die from which particular kinds of Object are cast; that is of course metaphorical but it is the Being of the Form that makes possible the Being of the Object. Thus, in this view, there is a Form labeled ‘Horse.’ The metaphysics makes Form irrelevant. Alternatively, every Object is its own form and we could regard the collection of Objects of a given form as constituting a Form. Then, Form has no limits. The common Forms would be the Forms of the more or less stable Objects

Relative metaphysics    One that has no foundation, perhaps because each tentative foundation refers to another (tentative) foundation without end

Non-relative metaphysics    one that has foundation at a finite ‘depth.’ Demonstration of the Universal metaphysics disproves the common belief that a metaphysics with foundation, i.e. a non-relative metaphysics, must be founded in substance

Ultimate    A metaphysics is ultimate with regard to depth if it has foundation at finite depth and no possibility of further depth. It is ultimate with regard to breadth if All Being lies within its scope. The Universal metaphysics is explicitly ultimate in depth and implicitly ultimate in breadth. It also shows that the Extension, Duration and variety of Being in the Universe has no limit

Depth    See Ultimate

Breadth    See Ultimate

Variety    See Ultimate

First cause    An uncaused cause, usually used in relation to the Universe. In scholastic thought, God was the uncaused cause. Universal metaphysics shows that there is and can be no first cause, no God the external creator of the Universe

Absurd    The issue of the absurd arises because the Universal metaphysics appears to violate science and common sense. It is shown that the metaphysics is and must be in harmony with valid science and valid (reflective) common sense. There is a role even for entertaining the absurd because it may be only apparently absurd

Doubt    as used by Descartes doubt is important because it may lead to certainty. Critical doubt has been important in the present development. Doubt remains regarding the proof of the Universal metaphysics which, however, is not and cannot be proven inconsistent.

Faith    The attitudes most conducive of Good outcome. The attitude of the Journey in the presence of doubt that is not absurd

Ontology    Study of kinds of things that Exist or can Exist. See Existence

Epistemology    Study of knowledge and the possibility of knowledge. See Existence

Dual    Used to refer to dual epistemic and metaphysical resolution of problems of knowing and Being; not used in reference to substance metaphysics

Particular Object    A concrete Object is a ‘real world’ Object such as a brick. A particular Object is an (apparent) generalization that admits process and interaction as Objects. From the metaphysics it follows that distinctions among thing, process, and interaction are not essential

Unity of particular Objects    see Identity

Perfect Object    see Abstraction

Practical Object    We do not know the common Objects of the world with perfection. However, via adaptation they are known well enough (for some purposes) and the meaning of Object is adequate (for some purposes) even though it may be implicit

Abstract Object    A number is not a particular Object. Is a number an Object at all? It is commonly held to be an abstract Object. Number is one kind of abstract Object. However, the nature of the abstract Object is not regarded as perfectly understood and there is question about their Being. Universal metaphysics puts these issues to rest and shows a unified theory of particular and abstract Objects: the distinction between them is empty. It is shown that abstract Objects do inhabit time and space but that, e.g., their temporality has been abstracted out

Mathematical Object    See abstract Object

Property    The redness of a particular thing is a particular Object but redness itself is abstract

Value    As a tendency to behavior and choice, a value is an Object

Identity (of Objects and personal identity)    Identity is implicit in Object-hood

Unified theory particular and abstract Objects    See Abstract Object

Inhabiting abstract Objects    The metaphysics implies that any Being can inhabit or become an abstract

Unity of consciousness    We typically experience our consciousness as a unit; this may be ‘explained’ via adaptation; we may experience kinds and degrees of fragmentation; some fragmentation may be adaptive (restructuring ideas) other fragmentation may be breakdown; the boundary between the functional and the dysfunctional is likely porous

Unity of identity    The idea that all identities meet in Identity. The metaphysics shows this to be necessary

Ultimate value    The narrative suggests that the search for actual Identity of identities is an ultimate value. A local counterpart to this ultimate is realization of knowledge of the ultimate Identity. As suggested by Bhagavad-Gita, there is a variety of approaches and modes of realization. The Gita also asserts that the local is the way to if not also the ultimate. Universal metaphysics confirms this

Process    Changing associated with passing time. See Duration

Indeterminism    That the future is not determined by the present

Absolute indeterminism (and structure)    That future states bear no necessary connection to the present. For any outcome, it could be otherwise (even if locally improbable.) From any state, any other state may emerge

Evolution    Refers, first, to incremental evolution and, second, to the mechanism of variation and selection. Reason suggests that evolution is far more likely than creation because the latter requires the improbability of a Creator: if evolution is unlikely, a Creator is more unlikely. Evolution by variation and selection shows, however, that incremental evolution and origin of the species is not unlikely. In the Universe, with its colossal infinity of cosmoses, there is occasional local creation and non-incremental origin. This happens infinitely often but reason suggests that it is of a lower order of infinity than that of incremental evolution

Space    Extension with degrees of structure and measure

Time    Duration with degrees of uniqueness and measure

Patch    A patch of local space and time

Space-time    Universal metaphysics suggests that in having common origin, space and time are interwoven

Absolute    Used in reference to space and time, ‘absolute’ refers to a space-time grid that exists independently of an aspect of Being that inhabits space-time

Relative    If space and time are part of the constitution of Being and have no independent Existence they are relative. Universal metaphysics shows space and time must be relative

As if absolute    See Relative, and Absolute. Locally, space and time may be as if absolute

Universal    Space and time are Universal if they are present (perhaps as a single continuum) in the entire Universe

As if universal    See Universal, see Patch. In a local cosmos, especially one that has no present external interaction, space-time may seem as if Universal

Creation    Conceived as a cause that is outside what is created. The metaphysics shows that Universe has no creator

God    See Creation. There is no all powerful God external or prior to the Universe

Demigods    See God, see God. A demigod has some powers attributed to God (a God.) There are demigods. However, intrinsic causation and origins seems more likely than guidance by a demigod

Variety    See Ultimate

Unending    The metaphysics shows that realization has no end; there are peaks and dissolutions without end and without end to their variety; thus realization is an unending adventure; pain, however, is not avoided

Cosmological system (Cosmos)    The idea of a Cosmos is that of a system that is at present effectively isolated

Ghost    The metaphysics shows that there are Ghost systems now passing through our cosmos

Recurrence    The metaphysics confirms the idea of eternal recurrence but much more; there are identical as well as variant themes; and each atom is a cosmos, every cosmos an atom

Fiction    The metaphysics shows that the only Fictions are those that violate Logic (this is the flimsiest of all restrictions; in fact it is not a restriction at all)

As if substance    See Substance

Matter (first order being)    See As if substance, see Substance. Matter is conceived roughly as ‘Being-in-itself,’ i.e. as first order Being

Mind (second order being)    See Matter. Mind is conceived as second order Being, i.e. the impression in one Being of another. It is not clear that matter is more than approximate distinction. Thinking in terms of theory of Objects there may be a first / second order duality (not dualism.) If extension and mind are the first two terms, there is no continuation of the series as suggested by Spinoza regarding attributes

Attributes    See Mind

Local disciplines    Sciences and other disciplines, modern and traditional, regarding knowledge of our world as the world

Traditions    See Local disciplines

Science    a history of the idea of scientific method goes through the following stages of foundation of science: Induction as necessary, Theory as mere hypothesis if regarded as Universal, Theory as local fact, Theory as having probable extension beyond its known domain, and, from the Metaphysics, No Universal Science except via Participation and Immersion

Religion    See Ultimate, Ultimate value. The metaphysics reveals our conceptions of religion    and science    to be enormously limited and distinctions between science and religion based in such limited conceptions. Religion may be conceived as the exploration of the Universe in all its dimensions by a Being or Group using all dimensions of their Being

Secular humanism    Default worldview of modern educated, non-fundamentalist individuals    especially in western Europe. Cultivates human value as central in importance but typically sees the world as seen in science but not necessarily reducible to scientific terms of explanation

Applied metaphysics    See Universal metaphysics and Local disciplines. Applied metaphysics is the interactive union of the metaphysics and the local. In some cases, Applied metaphysics may yield perfect knowledge and is thus specialized metaphysics. In other cases, knowledge may be no more than good enough. In this case it is not really metaphysics. However, despite the epistemic distinction, a value perspective may result in the distinction between metaphysics and not metaphysics as null

Metaphysic of Experience    See Universal metaphysics, Applied metaphysics, Abstraction, and Perfect Objects. A metaphysic of Experience could have two meanings: first, inference from experience to the nature of the world, second building up a picture of the world of Experience. The Universal metaphysics and parts of Applied metaphysics are simultaneously metaphysics and metaphysic of experience in both senses; the foregoing is pure metaphysics. The remainder is not metaphysics except from a value perspective

Pure metaphysics    see Metaphysic of Experience

General metaphysics    the part of metaphysics that is direct knowledge; what we know

Special metaphysics    the part of metaphysics that is deduced from direct knowledge; what we know of

Journey    See Ultimate, Ultimate value. The metaphysics shows that these realizations will occur but not now. Reason shows the endeavor to be worthwhile and to be much more probable and enjoyable if approached intelligently and with intent. However, it is also seen that the approach cannot be laid out and must be in the nature of a journey. I came to this conception of the process via analogy with my own life

Ideas    One of my three main sources of inspiration. A phase of Journey. However, Ideas (as Ideas,) are a limited form of realization… even though they do constitute enjoyment and are instrumental in realization

Realization    of the Ultimate requires Transformation of Being and Identity

Psychic depth    Deep level of Being in Awareness

Nature    As in the world of Nature. One of my three main sources of inspiration

Human Being    One of my three main sources of inspiration

Mystic insight    Direct apprehension of truth. Universal metaphysics shows that truth can be known rationally. Properly followed, however, reason without force is a kind of direct apprehension. In Mystic insight, however, there may be Union with truth. Mystic insight is (therefore) a kind of Yoga

Yoga    Sanskrit for yoke. Means Union with Ultimate Being. The narrative describes some aspects of Jnâna and Rāja Yoga

Civilization and Destiny    A secondary phase of my journey (and adventure)

The Good    See Ultimate value

Creation of being    A secondary phase of my journey (and adventure)

Ground    Founding in Being rather than symbolic abstraction. The Universal metaphysics is grounded. This world is our ground to the Ultimate

Disciplines    See Local disciplines

Bridge    See Religion, Journey, Yoga. Between this world and the Ultimate

Peak    Of realization. There is no end to ‘peaking’ either vertically (degrees of integration) or laterally (variety)

Dissolution    See Peak. Inevitable outcome of a Peak

Ultimate in the local    See Ultimate, Ultimate value, Journey, Religion, Yoga

Neutrality    An aspect of approach to knowledge that allows truth to emerge rather than be forced. The role is similar to that of doubt but is perhaps reflexive in that it encourages doubt of doubt, criticism of criticism but also of interaction of creation with doubt and criticism

Emergence    See Neutrality. Allowing truth to emerge. The epistemic dual of Being

Empirical    See Abstraction. Abstraction as suppression of distortable detail is intensely empirical. The point is important in showing that the Universal metaphysics is empirical and thus avoids the usual criticism that metaphysics is not of experience

Speculation    See Empirical. ‘Speculation’ is another criticism leveled at some systems presented as metaphysics. The criticism does not mean that imagination should not be used. It means that what has been imagined may have been argued, and there may be other good grounds for it but it has not been demonstrated. The present metaphysics is demonstrated

Intuition    In connection with Method, Intuition in the sense of special insight is essential to the growth of logics and mathematics

Concept    See Meaning for discussion. Here, a concept is mental content; this may be seen to include another meaning of concept as ‘unit of meaning’

Analysis of meaning    See Meaning. An important aspect of Method, especially in metaphysics and philosophy. Properly understood and properly done, analysis of meaning incorporates experience and the Empirical

Articulated systems of concepts    an important tool in the symbolic disciplines of logic and mathematics and in philosophy and metaphysics. Critical to understanding and development of the metaphysics. Similar to the axiomatic system

Reflexivity    The intelligent selection and interaction of a variety of experience and knowledge as an aspect of Method in which criticism is essential but, for various reasons, never entirely separate from construction. An essential reason for this is that criticism itself is never complete and its development requires creation. Also, while recognizing that creation may be stunted by criticism because the way to mature ideas is through tentative ideas, creation is enhanced by criticism at explicit and intuitive levels. While reflexivity excludes nothing from the knowledge process, it also implies some critical attitude toward ‘anything goes’

Breadth of experience    important to creative thought, especially in some conceptions of philosophy

Metaphysics    One conception: The study of the limits of Being

Philosophy    See Metaphysics. One conception: The study whose limits are the limits of Being. At least some analytic philosophers will take issue with this idea

Criticism    The idea of criticism is not that of harsh criticism even though it includes strict criticism. The goal: knowledge with which we attach degrees of certainty and make no greater claims than warranted. Some critical theories overstate their case as a result of enthusiasm and (sometimes) because they are not fully critical (e.g. an assumption that metaphysics must overstep Experience)

Construction    See Reflexivity. Creative thought and construction of concepts (in the sense of higher concept or unit of meaning)

Interpenetration    Here refers to criticism and construction. There is interaction over content. There is interpenetration when the content is Method which includes both construction and criticism

Lateral    See Reflexivity. Refers to interaction between disciplines, e.g. synthesis or analogy. Includes interaction between construction and criticism

Vertical (questioning the approach, deploying and conserving individual resources)    See Reflexivity. The criticism of criticism may be seen as vertical. Includes ‘thinking outside the box.’ Includes stepping back and questioning a whole approach, or stepping away to allow unconscious play. Includes deploying resources reflectively and therefore perhaps more effectively    personal and institutional

Catalytic practices    These open the individual up to awareness and realization. Includes traditional practices

Fluid-transformation    See Dynamics of Being. I like this term better because Dynamics of Being sounds mechanistic, scientific in an enterprise in which that kind of science is not the main mode of activity

Dynamics of being    Developing, enhancing, and deploying understanding of personal process in realization. Calls upon Universal metaphysics, its methods, traditional systems such as Yoga, and Catalytic practices

Minimal system    Refers to a minimal system of experiments that might cover the range necessary for ‘Universal realization’

Phases    Of the Journey

Transformation of being and identity    See Fluid-transformation, see Journey, see Ultimate value. The second primary phase of my journey. The greatest phase. The way to Universal realization in a shared journey