Upload
shannon-ross
View
244
Download
5
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Journey in beingAnil Mitra
Preliminary
A journey in Ideas and Identity Ideas as the place of appreciation of being
—of our being, of the world… Ideas as the instrument of negotiation Incompleteness of ideas as expression of
possibilities and potentials of being Identity. Transformation of being—of
identity—completes realization
...in the finite and the infinite The finite, the here-now is important—in
itself and instrumentally In the finite there are Normal but not
ultimate limits The boundary between the finite and the
infinite is not absolute The Journey is in and bridges the finite and
the infinite or ultimate
A journey in being We are already in and remain in being… The outer reach of a journey in being
Possibility. What is possible for human being, for the individual?
The Good. What ends are desirable, aesthetic, ethical?
Feasibility. What is feasible? Paths. What ways may we conceive, choose?
Presentation version First emphasis—introduction and overview
for ‘Journey in being’ Secondary emphasis—ideas that enhance
and channel or derive from the journey Designed to be accompanied by narrative
andor notes Other versions and details
http://www.horizons-2000.org
Presentation
Outline of topics Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
The story begins… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
Audience and influence
Who I would reach
The influence that I would have
Audience General—understanding and significance;
transformation of being and identity; state of the world, values, choice, action
Technical—the sciences; technology, art, history, religion; philosophy and its nature, metaphysics, theory of transformation; logic, mathematics; choice and change
Influence
What kind of influence do I want to have? The influence of resonance—not of copying
or repetition Listening, understanding, criticism, and
selective use
Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
IntroductionThe essential ideas
New ideas and contributionsIssues: understanding and reason
Introduction—outline Journey Being A new view of the world
Universal metaphysics / Metaphysics of immanence
An objection from science and common sense
The concept of the Normal A note on meaning. Important concepts
Journey In the immediate and the ultimate From this world to the ultimate
… Discovery in ideas
Contingent or Normal and necessary limits
Transformation in being—in identity
Being That which is or exists—whatever exists
has being When properly understood being is the
central concept of understanding and transformation… of a ‘new’ and ultimate view of the Universe
A new view of the world Metaphysics of immanence… or The
Universal metaphysics The one Law of the Universe is Logic The metaphysics is ultimate in breadth and
depth
A new view—continued
A potential problem of understanding There is an apparent clash with common—
limited—and scientific views of the Universe
However the truth of the view is demonstrated
The nature of ‘demonstration’ is clarified, grounded and advanced
The concept of the Normal The apparent clash with common views is
resolved via the concept of the ‘Normal’ This Normal world is required by the view This resolves the further concern that the
present view, though ultimate, is removed from the immediate
The narrative argument
It is convenient to defer some details of the arguments to a separate section
Therefore, the argument and its problems of reason are taken up in
The main discussion—Ideas and Journey Objections and counterarguments
A note on lexical meaning The world view or metaphysics is larger
than any other—this is demonstrated It is significantly new and larger than the
common views—day-to-day or technical Therefore, although the terms used are
common their meanings are significantly altered andor enhanced relative to previous use—this, too, is demonstrated
Some important concepts ISome terms with enhanced meaning—
important concepts are bold being, journey, existence, idea,
transformation, foundation, intuition, object, experience, concept, percept, reason, reference, abstraction, universe, possibility, actuality, necessity, logic, substance, determinism, metaphysics, philosophy, rationality
Some important concepts II … depth and breadth of understanding,
method, form, particular object, abstract object, grammar, meaning, mechanism, causation, human being, society, culture, institution, civilization, faith, religion, science, knowledge, ideational form, and dynamics of being
Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
Ideas…Are essential to appreciating and
negotiating the world
...A significant part of the journey
Ideas—outline Intuition Metaphysics Objects Cosmology Normal worlds Method Contributions to the history of ideas
Intuition Introduction Being Existence Intuition and Object Experience, concept and reference
Intuition I How we experience the world, e.g. in terms
of space and time and cause and properties, occurs outside experience
Why we see in certain terms—space and time, red versus blue and so on—may be explained by adaptation
That we see in such terms has been labeled ‘Intuition’
Intuition II This sense of Intuition was used by
Immanuel Kant (philosopher, 1724-1804) In this sense, Intuition is the ability to
perceive and concerns subjective experience of and is ‘bound’ to things
Reasoning regarding things involves free images and symbols
Intuition III Here the meaning of Intuition is extended to
cover perception and reasoning Conception—having mental content—is
perception and reasoning. Then: Intuition is the ‘faculty of conception’ or, in
modern terms, ‘the ability to have conceptions’
Intuition IV Perception—the empirical side of Intuition
—is perfect for the simple objects being, all being, and absence of being
The reasoning or thought side of Intuition has been held perfect for logic. However, logic itself is experimental
A new concept ‘Logic’ will be found to be perfect logic—non-empty and powerful
Unity of Intuition I Thus far Intuition is the dual that is roughly
perception and reason Perception is bound to the Object; reason is
free and occurs via recollection as icons and symbols
Alternately expressed, reason is remotely or loosely bound—even pure experience has a remote and a potential Object
Unity of Intuition II The origin of—the capacity—reason is in
perception Though Normally bound, even perception
has freedom—this freedom lies in the nature of being
Perception and reason constitute an original unity
This unity also lies within Experience
Intuition and metaphysics The necessary aspects of Intuition—perfect
perception of the simple objects and Logic are the two pillars of an ultimate metaphysics… that lies within intuition
This metaphysics is foundation for the depth and variety of being and, with particular disciplines—e.g. the sciences, understanding of specific areas of being
Metaphysics Necessary Objects
Existence or being, ‘all,’ ‘part,’ ‘absence’
Universe Domain Void The Universal metaphysics or Metaphysics
of immanence
Metaphysics—conclusions I
The universe is all being. Therefore… There is exactly one Universe The Universe contains all Objects, all Law,
all Form, all kinds, all Creators… the Universe itself can have no creator
The Actual and the Possible are identical
…these and the following conclusions are a representative sample
Metaphysics—conclusions II
Domain One part of the universe can create another A limited God makes actual and
explanatory sense This, however, gives little support to any
predefined God of this cosmos
Metaphysics—conclusions III
The Void The concept of the Void is fundamental in
showing the nature of the Universe (all being) which is its complement
The concepts of Universe, Domain and the Void are instrumental in developing a ‘Universal metaphysics’ or ‘Metaphysics of immanence’ which is now taken up
The Fundamental principle The Fundamental principle of the ‘Universal
metaphysics’ states that The only restriction on actual states is that of Logic—the capitalization is explained later
This principle is the central and foundational theorem of the metaphysics
We now demonstrate the Fundamental principle
Fundamental principle—proof I The Universe is all being Therefore the Universe exists and contains
all Entities and other Objects—Laws, Forms…
The Void is the complement of the Universe relative to itself
Therefore the Void exists and contains no Entities, Laws, or Forms…
…Proof II If from the Void a state whose description
involved no contradiction, no violation of logic, could not manifest—that would constitute a law of the void
Therefore the only restriction on actual states is that of logic
This defines ideal logic—Logic, non-empty since it is approximated by the logics
…Proof—Objections I Because of its significance, it is essential to
criticize the Fundamental principle… by (1) Criticism of the given proof and, if it is
wanting, provision of alternate proof. (2) Questioning the principle itself… whether the principle and its consequences violate what we already know—science, common sense…
…Proof—Objections II Science and common sense are addressed
via the idea of the Normal A Normal state or world is one, such as our
world, in which only a limited number of states is feasibly or normally accessible
The Fundamental principle requires the existence of Normal worlds
…Proof—Objections III An objection to the given proof of existence
of the Void. Whereas complements of ‘proper’ sub-domains exist, it does not follow that the complement of the Universe itself exists
An alternate proof is given next Slide Objections and counterarguments has
alternate demonstrations
An alternate proof There is no distinction between existence
and non-existence of the Void Therefore the Void may be taken to exist This in turn implies existence of the Void Details of proof are in notes to the
Objections and counterarguments slides
An objection from physics Objection. The quantum mechanical
‘vacuum’ is a place of vast energy and activity. Therefore the Void cannot be the absence of being
Counterargument. Quantum theory is local. It is not the Law of the Universe. Science allows this possibility which is here demonstrated
…Proof—Objections IV Objection. The variety of being in the
Universe is defined by Logic. However, as noted, Logic is a defined concept. Therefore, ‘Logic as Law’ shows nothing
Counterargument. Logic as Law derives from logic as Law which is not empty. The problem of Logic is not that it is empty but of the degree of infinity of variety permitted
…Proof—comments I Identification of Logic and Metaphysics has
been considered by Gottlob Frege (logician, 1848-1925) and Ludwig Wittgenstein (philosopher, 1888-1951)… and of Metaphysics and Intuition by Kant
Here, powerful forms of these concepts culminate in the identity of the rational Intuition, Logic, and Metaphysics
…Proof—comments II It has been noted that the Fundamental
principle is the keystone of the powerful ‘Universal metaphysics’
Among various objections to the principle and its demonstration is the fact that ‘so much appears to come from so little’
See slide Objections and counterarguments for responses
The Universal metaphysics I Introduction Fundamental principle of the Universal
metaphysics On Logic A cosmological variety The Normal The edge of the Normal
The Universal metaphysics II Substance, determinism and explanation The Universal metaphysics is ultimate in
depth and breadth Completion of the rational (empiric-logic)
‘Method’ Form Limits
Objects Concept and Object
Necessary and Contingent or Normal Objects Particular and Abstract Objects A system of Objects The fundamental concept of the metaphysics
Logic, Grammar and Meaning
Cosmology The concept of cosmology Variety Process—mechanism, causation Space, time and being Mind Local / physical cosmology Principles of thought and action
Cosmology—variety I The Fundamental principle underlies the
cosmological variety Because the only restriction on Actual
states of the Universe is that of Logic, the only fictions are the Logical fictions
Subject to Logic, all of literature has an Object
Cosmology—variety II Given interpretation as conceptual, then
subject to Logic, all emotions, all works of art, all music must have Objects
What is actual is necessary. This—our—cosmos is necessary. Every individual is necessary; and their identities are necessary
Cosmology—variety III The Universe must pass through both Void
and manifest states, i.e. there must be occasions of ‘something’ and of ‘nothing’ This resolves what has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics (why there is something rather than nothing)… and is seen to imply that the fundamental problem is ‘What exists?’
Cosmology—variety IV Examples. Karma. Annihilation / creation of
manifest phases of the Universe. Subject to Logic, every actual Object recurs infinitely, ‘rising from the dead’ is actual in countless cosmological systems, Normal identities merge in Identity; limited gods are necessary. Comment. The examples remove absurdity but no support is given to occurrence in this cosmos
Ideational form I Science and religion are examples of
ideational form in that they provide a picture of the world or, at least, the base for a partial picture
The mesh of economics and the modern ideational forms, e.g. secular humanism, is such that a return to a religious paradigm of the past is difficult to imagine
Ideational form II The difficulty—but not impossibility—is
compounded in view of the immense improvement of the political and economic status of the common individual
The future of the ‘ideational form’ may be difficult to anticipate but Universal metaphysics emphasizes the practical necessity of its future evolution
Ideational form III This evolution will be likely though flexibly
tied to the evolution of political-economics; truth requires reason but its spread is interwoven with political-economics
The world is not divided into two ‘spheres,’ the sacred and the ideal or ideational and the mundane that includes the political and the economic
Death I As a result of the scientific world view and the
advent of secular humanism one dominant modern Normal view of death is that it is absolute: individual consciousness begins with birth and ends with death
The Metaphysics shows, however, the merging of individual identities in Identity. Thus the Normal view of death is a relative one
Death II In life, this world is, roughly, finite; in life,
the Universe may be experienced as infinite In death, therefore, it is as if the infinity of
the Universes collapses to the individual; alternatively, in death the ‘finite’ individual becomes the infinity of the Universe
Normal worlds I Introduction and scope Human world: individual and society
Human being Social world Civilization The state of civilization Faith
Normal worlds II Common and experimental endeavor A system of modes of being and knowing Human modes and their limits
The animal. Primal holism—early religion-myth, and science. Religion / ideal Religion | Secular humanism | Science / ideal Science
The future of the ideational form—in which economics and politics are likely to be as significant as reason
Method Intuition and Object Faithfulness—its meaning and range The One and the Many—The Universal
metaphysics The One and the Many—Normal and Local
studies Action Perfection
Method—comments The foundation of ‘the method’ and content
of metaphysics is found in the analysis of Intuition
Details are in the notes of the previous slide
Contributions to ideas I
Contributions to the following topics are distributed among the previous slides:
Intuition, Metaphysics, Logic, Theory of Objects, and Cosmology
The possibilities of Human and Animal Being
Human knowledge
Contributions to ideas II Potential contributions to logic, science…
Secondary contributions
Secondary contributions are those that are side interests or offshoots that may once have been thought to be primary
For secondary contributions see the slide Contributions to the history of ideas
Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
JourneyTransformation in being and identity
Journey—introduction Ideas are an essential part of the journey
Ideas are essential to appreciation of the world and the journey
Ideas are essential to understanding and negotiating the world
As journey in being, ideas are incomplete Transformation in being and identity
completes the journey
Journey—outline A principle of the journey—its necessity Concept and character of the journey Transformation and theory The transformations
A principle of the journey
Necessity of the journey for completeness of being:
Without the journey, without action, without transformation, being is incomplete, a shadow…
Journey: concept and character Journey
The way from the immediate, from limits to the ultimate—transformation in ideas and identity
Transformation is essential and includes ideas and being-identity
Origin and evolution Individual. Shared. Emergence of focus, ambition
and goals
Transformation and theory Dynamics of being Catalytic states and modes of
transformation Development of the dynamic
Concerns of the dynamics Negotiating the feasible Exploring what is desirable… Incremental andor large scale change Exploring the means of change—physical,
psychological, social, technological
The transformations A minimal system The journey so far Assessment; the way ahead
Study
The future
Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
Objections and counterargumentsResponse to objections is crucial, not only to the argument, but to
understanding and method
Objections / counterarguments The foundational fallacy Experience and existence Being The Void The fundamental principle Non-rational objections
Final thoughts of the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas
Some further contributions to the
history of ideasSignificant ideas that are secondary
to the main development
Some areas of contribution Philosophy and metaphysics Problems of metaphysics Significant problems—some new—resolved
in the development The idea of method A system of human knowledge
Author
Anil Mitra
The End