The necessity of being
Anil Mitra, © December 2023

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Introduction | Demonstration of existence of the void | The fundamental principle of metaphysics | On doubt | The cause of the (being of) the universe

The necessity of being

Introduction

In this piece, it is assumed that readers have read the essential way of being, at least through the section on metaphysics.

The essential way of being gave a demonstration of the existence of the void which may be doubted. Here, we give an alternate demonstration and related considerations.

Demonstration of existence of the void

Assume the void does not exist. This implies that the universe is eternal. This, in turn, implies that the universe is necessary. But from symmetry a necessary universe must admit all possible states of being, including the void. That is, the assumption that the void does not exist results in a contradiction. Therefore, the void exists.

The fundamental principle of metaphysics

In the essential way of being, existence of the void led to the fundamental principle of metaphysics—the universe is the realization of the greatest possibility. The new demonstration reaffirms and gives further confidence in the fundamental principle (relative to doubt).

On doubt

Reasons for doubt were given in the essential way of being. Though the alternative proof should give us more confidence in the demonstration of the fundamental principle, doubt ought to remain (i) on principle (ii) because the demonstration is conceptual (‘ontological’) rather than empirical.

How may we further address doubt? The postscript to the essential way suggests alternative attitudes, which are in some ways an improvement over certainty.

The cause of the (being of) the universe

The alternative demonstration above reaffirms that the cause of the universe is not material but necessity—which is, of course, not causation as usually understood but, rather, it may be considered to be necessary or logical cause (since physical cause is interaction between two beings, given that there is no being other than the universe, physical cause of the universe is ruled out on logical grounds). It is of course a premise free demonstration—one that requires no prior or other being or assumption or axiom (recall that it was argued in the essential way of being that the only reasonable cause would be necessary cause).