|
The Way of being A minimal edition, that lays bare the structure for use and criticism. It gives prominence to the main truths. Definition, proof, elaboration, and sources are minimal. Visit the home page for other editions. Anil Mitra, Copyright © First Edition – 2002 Contents A brief section that sets up notation. On the necessary openness of any metaphysics, conceptual or lived A section dedicated to the openness of any project of metaphysics. Table 1b The dedication: an explanation Appendix—program for development of The Way of Being The Way of Being IntroductionHow we live and what we hope for in life and the world is informed by our views of the world, its beings, and the universe in which the world is set. We will see that our views from religion—even where consistent—and science are incomplete and—as views of all reality—are distorted.The view in this work is that the universe is limitless in all possible ways. It has precursors and support in world thought, but its demonstration, insights, elaboration, and application, appear to be new. We will develop this view and then draw consequences for the nature and extent of the universe and how to live in our world and any further world that we find.The limits and distortions mentioned above are not merely a matter of human limits, but arise because living, seeing, and thinking is a process. To what extent and how may these factors be overcome? Though it may be difficult to see beyond the present toward improvement, science itself is one approach—it is the self-criticism of science and incremental correction as in, for example, the transition from earlier scientific theories to more recent ones. A second approach is speculation, for example the speculations of literature and religion, which may mix intuition, reason, and mythical story telling. A third and less common approach is to begin by asking what the greatest possible view may be and to then ask how actual views may fit into it. To this end, the concept of ‘being’ as introduced here will be found effective. It may be surprising that we will find that the greatest possible is found to hold. What the appropriate sense of the term ‘greatest possible’ is, will emerge from reason in the section on possibility. ‘Philosophical reflection’ is significant as a corrective to the limits of our standard worldviews. The approaches are complementary. Here, since it reveals ultimates and is uncommon, we emphasize the third approach and supplement it with the others. NotationAll capitals in a smaller font indicate an important term. TWB is an abbreviation for The Way of Being and fp is the fundamental principle of metaphysics, which is the proven assertion that the universe realizes all that is possible in the greatest – most inclusive – sense of possibility. TM is the metaphysical system of TWB, developed in subsequent sections. IM is the pure part of TM. BeingBeing is existence, a being is an existent—plural: beings (while this begins to set up a framework for TM, the full framework is developed here). The universe is all being(s). A cosmos is a causal domain (while cosmoses may be limitless in number, there is just one universe). A law is a pattern in or of a cosmos. Laws are beings. The void is a being that contains no beings (since existence and nonexistence of the void are equivalent, the void may be taken to exist; later it will be seen that there is effectively but one void). There are no laws of the void. PossibilityIf a concept cannot be realized because of its form alone, e.g., an object that is both black and not black, it is impossible in the sense of conceptual or logical impossibility. If its form alone does not disallow realization, it is possible in the sense of conceptual possibility (hereafter: c-possibility), i.e., logical possibility (L-possibility). In this work, ‘conceptual possibility’ and ‘logical possibility’ are interchangeable. Readers may be concerned that the term ‘logic’ implies austerity of world view. However, as it will be seen, the use of ‘logical possibility’ in this work implies ultimate richness of the universe. To put that in a different way— “While such possibility is austere in what it requires, it is ultimately rich in what it allows… and it is what it allows that is found to hold for the universe.” Viewed this way, logic is not just about inference: it is whatever constraint a system of concepts must have to be realizable at all. If a logically possible being (one whose conception is logically possible) cannot be realized in a world because its form is incompatible with the form of that world, it is impossible in the world; if its form is compatible with the form of the world, it has possibility in that world, or w-possibility; if that world is the universe, the possibility is u-possibility, or just possibility. To be possible in a world, it is necessary that the being shall be logically possible. Therefore, L-possibility bounds w-possibility for all worlds as well as u-possibility; that is the concept of L-possibility is the greatest or most inclusive possibility. If from the void, a (logically) possible being did not emerge, that would be a law of the void. Therefore, all L-possibility emerges from the void. That is, u- and L-possibilities are identical in range. That is, the universe is limitless—the realization of the greatest possibility (this is named ‘the fundamental principle of metaphysics’: fp). Further, while conventionally—on ordinary understanding—w- is generally ‘less’ than u- and L-, on a higher level of understanding, or, equivalently, over limitless space and time (extension-duration), w-, u-, and L- are the same. Given fp, it is clear that the standard pictures from religion (where not distorted), science, and many metaphysical systems will be incomplete. Since all possibility emerges from any void, there is effectively one void. Since the derivation of these conclusions is seemingly ‘rational’ (logical rather than empirical) and since its consequences (below) are immense in magnitude, doubt is natural. However, given that there is no inconsistency in the result (existence of the void and its implication of limitlessness), the following attitudes may be taken—(i) to regard it as a metaphysical postulate (ii) to live with it as an existential attitude that may improve the quality of our lives in the present and in eternity. It is important to add that the derivation has an empirical character at least in that there is being (there are beings) and among those beings are universe, void, and laws (and that while those beings can be doubted in some worlds, their existence is beyond doubt for the universe). In this brief version of TWB, considerations of epistemic possibility and epistemic accessibility are implicit and sufficient to the broad aims of TWB, and therefore are not treated explicitly. Limitless being1. How are the conclusions that follow derived? fp implies that the only limit to (the conception of) what obtains in the universe is that it not violate logic (consistency). a. The universe is the realization of what is logical. b. However, formal logic implies nothing. c. For derivation, we employ imagination and assess it by whatever logic is relevant to the concept imagined. Sources for imagination may be personal, in science, in art and literature, in religion. d. Limitlessness implies that the universe is infinite in all consistent ways, but the infinite is not necessarily limitless. e. Particularly, our cosmos as it is commonly understood, is one of limitlessly many. Any boundaries of a cosmos at both small and large scales of what is measurable. f. The physics, physical causation, and biology of our cosmos do not project to the universe and thinking that it does, especially subconsciously, will impede understanding of fp and its consequences. While the properties of our cosmos do project to limitlessly many others, there are limitlessly many to which they do not project—and they do not project to the universe as a whole. Thus, while we are used to thinking of an outcome or effect requiring a substantial cause, given fp, we can see the void as the cause of manifest being and that cause as being necessity. And given fp, all possibility including awareness and consciousness must arise. This line of thinking shows that to understand the metaphysics entailed by fp, we must reeducate our intuition. g. Seemingly contradictory conceptions are realized, e.g., in different cosmoses. h. When cosmoses interact, the joint systems will then be subject to critique, logical and other. i. A parenthetical suggestion from the foregoing is to investigate logic(s) as syntax of compound concepts (e.g., descriptions, sentences, and propositions). j. The conclusions that follow range from the simple, to not so simple but present no contradiction. 2. Logics are not the only consideration in seeing what can and ought to be realized and the means of realization. The next section, dynamics’, has some material on considerations other than logic. However, as this is a minimal edition of TWB, for detail, readers are referred to the site for The Way of Being. 3. The cause of the universe over time, space, and more is—can be seen to be—necessity. 4. The void is associated with every being. The void—and thus every being—is universal creator and annihilator. 5. The universe has identity; the universe and its identity are limitless in that all consistent (logical) conceptions are realized. 6. The universe and its identity are limitless in variety, extension, duration, peakings and dissolutions, which cycle limitlessly, without circularity. 7. Cosmoses are limitless in number and variety. Every cosmos is an atom, every atom a cosmos. 8. The space of logics is limitless. The universe is larger than limited beings can imagine (but we can also imagine that even if we cannot effectively specify it). The universe imagines itself—a simple statement that hides the complexity of the universe. 9. It may be effective to give the peakings and their process the name of ‘God’ or ‘Brahman’; all beings are part of that Brahman-as-process, with agency, may be drivers of the process. Readers who object to the words ‘God’ or ‘Brahman’ may substitute a meaning of their own choosing. Note—though world as God is not a new idea, its expression here has newness. 10. Over normal limits (e.g., limited extension, duration, and levels of being) a w-possibility is typically limited; however, when normal limits are not included in its conception, the range of a w-possibility is that of L-possibility, i.e., of possibility. 11. All beings realize the possibilities above, for otherwise the universe would not be the realization of the same. That one being realizes this does not exclude another being from the same realization because all beings merge in the peakings. 12. The capitalized term ‘Universe’ may be used to refer to the universe and all beings and their collective identity. 13. If we do not see or realize the greatest possibility in a lifetime, it is because a cosmos and, particularly, a life within a cosmos is normally a limited set of events. 14. Birth and death are real but not absolute. The duration between death and birth is as-if an instant. 15. Though it might seem that we are isolated points in a vast cosmos, that is effectively not the case because all time and space collapse in the void which connects us all as one. 16. Awareness (and conscious) is a necessary characteristic of the universe in that (i) though it may die out locally, it arises again eternally (ii) the elements of being possess at least potential if minimal awareness relations (iii) in peak states the universe itself is fully aware of itself. 17. Realization of the ultimate is given. 18. However, there are effective pathways to the ultimate. It is a value to engage in such pathways. 19. There is no guarantee of eternal bliss in an ordinary sense, no guarantee of absence of pain. There is a guarantee of both great pain and pleasure. That is given. What is also given is that there is a way that gives meaning to and provides good alleviation of pain. 20. The pathways are negotiated; attention is given to pleasure in the path and to pain via a combination of acceptance, sharing, and therapy. 21. Pathways begin in our world, and effective ways pay attention to the nature and needs of the world—a value in itself and a necessary condition for a robust path. An essential element of pathways is to use our scientific and other experiential knowledge including insights into the nature of ‘self’ from a range of world traditions. Effective pathways attend to the world as well as being on the way to the ultimate. DynamicsA dynamic is pattern of form and formation for a system, which supplement conclusions from logic alone, which makes for effective understanding or prediction or both.Here, a range of dynamics for distinct levels of being are spelled out. Though it contradicts mechanism, agency is seen to emerge as a dynamic.The dynamic of being as being is logic—whatever logic permits is realized: an ideal or pure metaphysics, ‘IM’. The dynamic of being as being frames the following dynamics. Though fp implies that cosmoses can form in large increments—even a single step—such saltation is expected to be rare. The main dynamic of the emergence and formation of cosmoses is (i) emergence of transients from the void (ii) selection of those transients that are near symmetry and therefore of extended duration (iii) from transients, repetition of the transient – selection process. Laws (e.g., as in physics) emerge with or are expressions of symmetry. We observed, above, that the dynamic of being as being frames the ‘lower level’ dynamics. There are also implications from the lower level (form and formation, above; our world, below), to the higher. However, the low to high implication is probabilistic rather than necessary. Thus, incremental formation from (relatively) stable to new (relatively) stable systems may be more likely than saltation. The dynamics of our world are those of (i) the physical world (ii) form and formation within the world giving rise to complexity, life, and beings, e.g., animal including human, with an elevated level of experientiality – of feeling, intelligence, and knowing. As all kinds and modes of awareness including the conscious (cognitive, emotive etc; active and receptive), experience is the ‘place’ though not entire source of our be-ing (being with depth) and whatever is meaningful. Beings that have experientiality – are experiential – must emerge. Experientiality must extend to the root in primitive form and beyond our form. There is thus an experiential hierarchy from primitive to peak form. Around our level agency emerges as a dynamic, that is, agency begins to shape the form of worlds—even of the universe (not always, but necessarily on some occasions, with peak outcome). That only worlds with experiential beings can be a place where meaning occurs implies that the effective count of formed and meaningful worlds is far less than the transient worlds possessed of at most primitive experientiality. While the lower-level dynamics cannot always obtain, they must occur in some situations and are especially pertinent to formation of significant systems via robust paths. Let us elaborate on the meaning of robustness. While every possibility obtains and it is possible that our world arose in a ‘random’ step, the population of the universe as counted by sentient beings is estimated as more likely via robust processes that result in robust worlds—worlds that are rather as we think to have originated via stepwise variation and selection. The conceptual interaction among the levels of being provides a pragmatic balance to the abstract and perfect highest level (being as being). In detailed versions of The Way of Being, this is developed into a real or pragmatic metaphysics (‘TM’: see detailed in-process versions linked from The Way of Being site). Whereas the abstract level is perfect as a picture of the universe, the real metaphysics is perfect in being the best knowledge instrument for realization of the ultimate in, for, and from our world. The way of beingThe aim of Way of Being is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in, for, and from the immediate—our ordinary and everyday lives. It is a synthesis of ideas and intentional action toward that aim. In the author’s life, the way has been and remains in evolution. The pathways below remain in transition. PathwaysPrinciples for developing pathways are presented, followed by a section with generic pathways for use and development.This presentation is brief; for details, see the longer in-process versions linked from The Way of Being site. The aim of the pathways is to synthesize a range of threads into a program that emphasizes: (i) ideas and action (ii) the individual and the group may elements of but do not follow predefined programs (iii) the synthesis may incorporate elements from ancient through modern traditions (iv) leaders are conduits, not authorities (v) pathways are co‑negotiated by individuals, groups, and leaders (vi) pleasure in the way (vii) pain and suffering approached by mutual aid, therapy, and efficient acceptance in service of and inspired by realization. Intelligent pathways to the ultimate involve: 1. Experimentation with personal ‘evolution’. 2. Sharing and negotiating. There may be leaders, but they are conduits, not authorities. To realize is for the individual. The program section below mentions an ‘institute’ which is planned to be a shared endeavor toward the way (there are detailed plans in older documents that need to be brought up to date). 3. Beginning in the world and are equal dedication to the world as to the ultimate (a necessity because the world and the ultimate are identical in a ‘space’ that transcends the space-time-being of the world). 4. Attention to pleasure, especially in the path; attention to pain by sharing, the fortunate helping the less fortunate, by appropriate therapy, and by accepting difficulty for the sake of realization. 5. It is recognized that realization in this lifetime via effective pathways is possible but rare; it is possible but even rarer by saltation. It is effective to follow a shared path that attends to the needs of the world, while focusing also on the ultimate, via proper thought, feeling, and action on the entire universe. Recognize that space, time, and individual consciousness collapse across the void and merge into universal being. 6. Attention to ‘dimensions’ of being, elaborated: a. The universal level of being as experiential being, whose only constraint is possibility. This is a goal – the goal that inspires. b. Knowledge that all being is connected across the void—e.g., from death to birth. c. The dimensions of our world, (i) the physical level, knowledge of is useful in transformation; (ii) the biological level, knowledge of which can be transformative; (iii) the social dimension and community, which provide a source of meaning and support; it includes economics, politics, education and research, technology, especially technologies of space and intelligence (e.g., logic, mathematics, and computational intelligence), and spiritual search; (iv) spiritual search is exemplified in aspects of but not limited to the religions; (iv) experientiality as the place where real change occurs. 7. Approach to embedding self-world: Unition, a western style word for yoga as an evolution of the original conception of yoga as it emerged in South Asia, as a practice of experientiality regarding all aspects of our being – as noted above. The Way already has elements from western philosophy and Advaita Vedanta from the east. It may incorporate aspects of Yoga and of Buddhism, e.g., the eightfold path as a discipline of clarity, in perception, intention, conduct, and attention so that the mind steadies, and awareness stabilizes, offering support of the movement toward the ultimate. Similarly, in Christian mysticism salvation is inner transformation, experience of, and union with peak being. I have explored the tradition of Beyul, from Tibetan Buddhism, of discovery of being – individual and universal – via immersion in remote nature and intend to incorporate what I have found. 8. Routines and plans that address these elements of a path and to safety, security, community, especially ‘work’, ‘relationships’ and, early in life, preparation – education – for the same. Routines are, e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, multi-yearly. Plans are for the entire future. However, we select (i) the most effective planning periods that are at least roughly optimal to realization (ii) planning and routine ought not to be rigid but (a) modifiable (b) not excessive but a balance between performance and routine (c) be ever open to creative and critical impulse. On the necessary openness of any metaphysics, conceptual or livedThe metaphysics of the way, TWB, has gone through many phases of development and continues to do so. I have thought it to be a complete account in terms of content and text only to find that fundamental, major, and minor modifications continue to be necessary in the fundamental case and practical in the minor case. However, this must be characteristic of any metaphysics that hopes to capture anything like everything, e.g., the essence of the universe and our being in it. Metaphysics, written or lived or both, must be open (any part of the limitless that is sufficiently complex can capture the whole, but not quite—the capture is invariably a process as mirrored, e.g., by the theory of large cardinals… unless of course there is something behind it all of which we are not aware: in being open to openness we also out to have a little window that suggest: perhaps there is the possibility of a being that is omniscient despite paradox). Practically, the two sections that follow, the programs and the appendix on the author’s program reflect this: the section on the programs is generic but also includes an invitation to join the development (actually, virtually, or in spirit), while the program of development reflects the openness of the author and of the metaphysics of the way (TWB). Perhaps this is how any metaphysics or philosophy of ‘the universe’ ought to be written Programs
Table 1a Dedication
Table 1b The dedication: an explanation
Table 2 Calendar
Table 3 Daily routine
Appendix—program for development of The Way of Being
Table 1 Dedication
Table 2 Calendar
Table 3 Daily routine
|