OUTLINE FOR JOURNEY IN BEING
HOME
CODE: OUTLINE | COMMENTS, PLANS AND DETAILS FOR THE TEXT | TENTATIVE ITEMS | ITEMS THAT ARE TO BE
DELETED HAVE BEEN ABSORBED OR ARE NOT NECESSARY | HYPERLINKS
COMMENTS FOR
INCLUSION IN ANOTHER FORM
OUTLINE
Introduction
Foundation the Theory of Being
Journey in Being
The Fundamental Problems
Lexicon
Sources and Influences
Index
The Author
Introduce what is revolutionary,
foundational and deep (deeper than the tradition including science and
philosophy) though not without prior intimation
The discussion in this section
provides an introduction to some of the ideas used in this essay. The
discussion here is intended to be non-technical. A more complete discussion
with more careful definitions and arguments, elaborations and examples is
given in the sections that follow. So as to keep the later sections
relatively complete, some material from this section is repeated
The section Introduction, from the Preface
to Journey in Being - foundation
supplement Sept 04 II.html, has material that should go to diverse places. Place
appropriately
What is the Journey in Being?
Introduction
What
is the Journey in Being?
Significance
of Journey
Why Journey? Is this not contained in the previous heading? In some ways.
However, it is also being asked why journey is used and not becoming? It is
not merely that The Becoming of Being is awkward. Journey signifies: that,
at outset, the paths and destinations are unknown their creation or discovery
is part of the journey; that the story follows many threads of which some are
dead ends; that the journey is wonderful enjoyed also for its own sake even
in its aspects of boredom and dread
Some Ambitions and Goals Make this a
separate Heading 2 section?
Limits and Possibilities
Conservative and Liberal Attitudes toward Knowledge
Goals or Objectives of the Journey in Being Should this topic be placed
elsewhere or repeated in a more structured way as a Heading 2 section later?
Living in the present
Introduction to the essay Note that this was the PREFACE
and that the section labeled Introduction has been placed
elsewhere. Should this be a separate section? Where should the following be
placed if not here?
Outline
and Structure This had been labeled,
simply, Outline. What is needed, in addition to an outline, is an explanation
of the sequence and structure how the narrative mirrors the journey.
Especially important is the presence of personal or individual
elements, of narrative and formal elements, the roles and relations of these
elements, their placement, and how to distinguish them. It is important to let
different readers, with different interests and levels of preparation, know
where to go for what
Purpose
Or function the essay
Reading the Essay Comment on reading the document twice: the objective is to
see and absorb the core elements of the essay as a whole
Origins and Paths (Trajectories) of the Journey in Being
Significance of the Individual
Story Explains the significance of the individual
story or journey. Not biographical in nature i.e. does not emphasize what is
distinctive about the authors life but what may be universal to individual
effort: contains information that displays the process as a journey, that may
inspire and concern others with similar ambitions, that shows the relations
between the individual and the
universal and that may be useful, in later sections, in illuminating the
process of discovery and creation. When greatness is assigned to individual
effort it is often done in a way that depicts the individual as destined for
greatness. There is a view, according to the Theory of Being developed in this
essay, in which there is intrinsic significance to the efforts of the
individual. This significance does not lie in mere effort but in dedicated
effort, effort that is both synthetic therefore sustained and holistic and
reflective or critical and analytic. Thus while some works achieve recognition
and greatness these measures of accomplishment are not measures of the
significance of individual effort. The significance of these thoughts is not that
they constitute justification for effort but that they give effort meaning that
is independent of the outcome. At the same time, the same Theory of Being,
shows effort and hypothesis to be a form of contact with the real. The personal
elements of the story are segregated to this section
Origins
Two
Paths (Trajectories)
Journey:
Ideas and Transformation
Life
Experience: work; relationships; therapeutic
relationships; living in nature; travel; learning and thought; seeking
transformation
On Being
The following questions are identical
What
is Being?
What
is the meaning of Being?
On Meaning: Although every meaning may change, the meaning of Being
that which exists, the quality of existence is too fundamental to change.
What is Being? is answered, in principle but not in detail, by analyzing the
meaning of Being. What remains to be given or discovered is the elaboration
of being its analysis, significance and kinds or possibilities. Note that
meaning has more than one meaning of which two significant families are those
centered around the uses the meaning or sense and reference of a word or term
and the meaning or significance of life. Which of these two families is being
used should be clear from the context
Comments on the word, Being A case of one word, two symbols which is distinct from the
issue of On Meaning, above. The use here is the existential use, Water is H20
or, simply, Water is and not the use as a copula or linking word, Water is
wet. Water is H20 may, with qualification, be
written, Water = H2O but Water is wet
may not be correctly written Water = wet, or, even, Water = wetness
Why focus on Being? Being is unknown in its possibilities and, therefore,
powerful as will be seen. E.g. analysis of being and non-being the void shows
why there is being, what are its possibilities, what are the possibilities and
limits of individuals, resolves many
age-old issues in the nature of being metaphysics and has significance for
many of the most fundamental issues of being human issues. An example is that
of substance ontology: introduction of substance is an attempt to see what is
most fundamental a substance is thought to be unchanging, that out of which
all changing things and appearances come; the positions of relationship and
process are similar they are alternatives to substances that avoid some of
its problems; however, the theory of being to be developed shows that neither
substance nor process nor relationship are fundamental. Instead, nothingness is
fundamental and, as will be seen, in nothingness is the foundation of being
and, in their domains, of substance etc. and of causationIt will seem that a
number of fundamental conclusions are arrived at by logic alone; however, the
implicit assumption is that there is being. Detailed conclusions will result
when the concept of being is applied to particular situations. Examples are the
conclusions regarding logic, science, myth and religion including questions of
soul-spirit-God, morals or ethics, the nature and significance of individual
presence
Core Concepts, Arguments
and Conclusions Reckon that this section has overlap with other sections; where is
the section to be placed; where are subsections to be placed
Introduce
important preliminary key words here words to explain essential concepts to
the relatively casual reader while a more detailed list is in later sections
&or the lexicon? Words: being, mind, normal Categories: Of Being, Of Mind
Why Whole
Systems and not the modern tendency to Cool Systems, to lazy complacency and
mere icon smashing which can be done by any raging bull with one or two
neurons. In the end, it is the whole that is cool that provides the greater
insight into a greater variety of possibilities, that enables discovery,
creation and transformation, that provides the reader with the tools to engage
in the journey as participant rather than spectator. One source of Whole
Systems is recorded thought of the traditions past and present. These are
not complete as may be recognized and as is demonstrated by the Theory of Being
developed here. However, the traditions are a source towards completion as
far as it is possible and this is a reason, in addition to others including
the practical ones, to analyze all significant issues of Being including Human
Being especially including, as a test, Complete Systems of Problems of
Metaphysics
Introduction / What is the Journey in Being
Being / becoming: Why / What
they are / Which is significant?
The Core Arguments
The Core
Conclusions Ghost universes passing through
ours like ships in the night not felt or seen as such but, perhaps, as a
shiver in the darkness, pondered briefly and then forgotten
Purpose and Goals of the
Journey
The Concept of Importance
Symbol and Error Note
that the contents of this section are related to (1) the hypothesis as the essence of knowledge,
(2) the possibility of positive knowledge and of metaphysics These topics are
discussed elsewhere. Place appropriately. Keep a simple form of the discussion
here
The Possibility of Positive Judgment Need simple words. Note that this is related to the
possibility of metaphysics discussed below
On
Criticism Where should this be placed
Realization: the Journey
Continues
FOUNDATION THE THEORY OF
BEING INTRODUCTORY COMMENT: THIS SECTION OR
DIVISION, FOUNDATION FOR THE JOURNEY IN BEING, IS IN ITS DEVELOPMENT ALSO PART
OF THE JOURNEY
Key terms These are key terms for
the entire document and may be classified according to division of
metaphysics and this document
Introduction: objective foundation of all knowing and
transformation; approach why metaphysics as foundation and execution of all
knowing and extension of metaphysics to include action and why being at the
core of the metaphysics (beyond the fact that the essential analysis of
metaphysics is through being.) May repeat some
material from Introduction to the Journey in Being
Preliminary:
Principles of Thought Should this be Heading 2?
On Being Collect all ideas and
sections on being. May repeat some material from Introduction to the Journey
in Being
Outline of the Theory of Being I.e.
outline of the metaphysics; an overview of the development without headings
or details may have sections. Why and how the development of the theory is
an interactive unity whose elements may be identified as the traditional
topics of Metaphysics, Logic, Cosmology and the Theory of Knowledge (Note
that metaphysics has a restrictive sense as in the element of the unity and
an inclusive sense as that unity.)
The Theory of Being Development
of the Theory of Being with the Metaphysics, Logic, Cosmology and Theory of
Knowledge: use the multiple outlines below
Theory
of Knowledge and belief
Metaphysics the core, where these four topics intersect has been given
in Outline . It may still be desirable to introduce some elements of
theory of knowledge, logic and cosmology here
Logic
Cosmology May include general, normal and physical cosmologies;
space-time-matter;
Consequences of the Theory of Being Can be considered to be is a continuation of the
development of the Theory of Being if distinct, what are the distinguishing
characteristics? Perhaps specialization of the topics or purpose of the
topics. Examples: Cosmology, Myth, Faith and Religion as special topics.
While the concept and theory of mind would be in the section, Theory of
Being, a more detailed development of Human Psychology might be here
Remaining
sections, wrap-up, point to the next section, Journey in Being
|
Introduction | Outline
Introduction
to Being
The Concept of Being Becoming is discussed above; determine the parts of the
discussion to be placed there, parts here, and parts to be repeated How
important to being is becoming? In the end, I think that being is found
to be fundamental not because becoming is not fundamental to being in a
normal sense but because (1) fundamentally, in the Theory of Being, becoming,
relationship are implicit in being as are many other apparently fundamental
concepts such as form and substance, and (2) Even in the normal or
practical sense, the form of being can be understood either through becoming
evolution or through adaptation i.e. symmetry of the elements. Note regarding
importing material from the compound section that includes necessity of
becoming from foundation: the necessity is that in the void which is present even
when there is being there must be becoming i.e. it follows from the meaning
of void or non-being that being will occur; it is not being said that the concept
of becoming is necessary for or prior to that of being
Preliminary:
Principles of Thought
First
Principles
Sources
Outline
of the Metaphysics and its Logic. Optional Section
The
Metaphysics
Outline
of the Metaphysics
Theory
of Being
Theory
of Knowledge
Metaphysics
Being
Mind
Universe
World
Metaphysics
Form
Universals
Truth
Logics
and Their Contexts
Cosmology
General
Cosmology
Further
Cosmological Consequences
Phase-Epoch
Annihilation
Recurrence
Being that is the Span of All Being
of Other, Sub-Being
Cosmology, Myth, Faith and
Religion Some common criticisms of religion are (1)
many religious accounts of reality are obviously untrue in their common literal
interpretation, (2) religion is merely a solace and is thus numbing and,
further, prepares believers for manipulation, (3) there are abuses in the name
of religion. It is obvious that these claims contain truth. A response to these
claims is possible as follows. (A) The claims do not apply to all aspects of
religion; therefore, it is necessary to be clear what is meant by religion.
Additionally, consider that religion and the role or function of religion are
distinct. Functions are assigned and there can be no unique function. However,
ultimate truth is one function and religion and myth adopt a number of
non-literal techniques to orient individuals to the ultimate truth whose
apprehension has been thought to be difficult or impossible in literal e.g.
scientific or metaphysical terms. In the present essay a literal approach where
logic and intuition meet has been discovered and developed. Although I
have found this approach to be useful in apprehending the ultimate, it is not
clear that it would be found useful by persons of all inclinations. (B) There
are good non-literal interpretations of religious belief, and though these may
be useful they are not necessary (as just noted.) (C) It appears likely that
the elimination of religion is unlikely even in its sub-optimal though not
abusive forms, and, therefore, there is value to improving the understanding of
the nature and function of religious belief so that its conflict with reason
can be resolved. This, too, has been done in the present essay, first by
attaching significance to the literal interpretation even if not literally
true they point to the incompleteness of common and scientific understanding of
fundamental mysteries and point understanding in right directions. Thus,
clearly, the common understanding of death cannot be said to be valid; the
resurrection points to a better understanding without specifying what it may be
and, at least, shows the nature of death to be an important mystery rather than
the non-issue that the practical minded often find it to be. Secondly, the
Theory of Being developed in this essay finds many literal interpretations to
be improbable rather than absurd
Literal or Material Interpretations
God
Soul
Articles of Faith
Karma
Two
Divides
Summary
of the Core of the Foundation
Criticism
or Critical Review
Normal
Cosmology
Some
Normal Categories and Considerations
Action
and Choice
Physical
Cosmology
Human
Being: Mind, Symbol and Value
Mind
Psychology
The
Elements of Mind
Some Dimensions
Dimensions of Feeling
Bound-Free and Internal-External
Perception, Concepts and Meaning
Wittgensteins Contribution Including Use of the
Analysis of Solipsism
Feeling-Motivation-Cognition: an Integrated System
State-Disposition
Memory
Center-Periphery
Integration-Independence
Modularity-Integration (Holism;)
Layering
Aspects of Mind
The Categories of Intuition In
the present sense, intuition is prior to knowing the world. Intuition is a
container or framework for cognition as in cognition of
Space
Time
Causation
Humor
Axes for Mental Phenomena
Non-Literal Interpretations of Myth, Faith and
Religion and the Articles of Faith
Classifications or Typologies of Myth, Faith and
Religion
Growth
Development, Learning, Accomplishment
Exceptional Achievement and Disorder
Personality and
Personality Factors
The Whole
Individual: a Rationalized Study of Personality
Factors for the
Psychology of the Person as a Whole
Personality and Meaning
Normal Psychology: Some Topics
The Normal
Ontological Psychology
Language, Logic, and Culture
Cognition and Communication
Uses of Language
Attitudes
Metaphor and Other Non-Literal Uses
Concepts
Comment on Errors Encouraged By Language
Bewitchment of Intelligence
Bewitchment of Critical Thought
It is as if Language Creates a Universe of its Own
Theory of Value and Group Action
Ethics
Law and Legal Theory
The
Nature of Being Reviewed This section was Being II: The
Nature of being
Being
Comments
on the Word Being
Metaphysics
What is Expected of a Theory of Being?
System for Knowing and Realizing All Actual and Possible
Being This is implicit in the logic developed in this
essay, especially this section. One test for this is to see whether all
significant issues of Being including Human Being especially including Complete
Systems of Problems of Metaphysics may be included in the Theory of Being. This
topic is currently placed in the section, The Fundamental Problems but is
manifest in the contents of the Theory of Being / Metaphysics developed below.
If it is not, should the topic be explicitly mentioned in the present section,
Foundation?
Elements of a Theory of Being
Primitives
Methods or Approaches
Results
System of Understanding
System of Explanatory Principles
System of Actual and Possible Being
Absolute
Completeness
Relative Completeness
Metaphysics,
Logic, Cosmology
and Theory of Knowledge Includes discussion of the
inseparability of the topics in the best development; note that inclusion of
Theory of Knowledge is new to this introduction and is practically necessary
but not absolutely necessary as indicated at the end of this paragraph. May
raise this to level II heading. Preliminary comments on the Theory of
Knowledge: given the Theory of Being developed here,
certainty in knowledge cannot be the ultimate function of knowledge even the
possibility of certainty may be questioned although it may be a useful normal
function. It may even be questioned whether the function of knowledge is to
know this assignment of function is based the natural and practical
inclination of the ego or self and emphasized by the acuity and immediacy of
sense perception; rather the underlying function of knowing may be seen as
connection, immersion or adaptation. (In questioning whether the function of
cognition is knowing, the significance of presence subjective presence, the
locus of and a precondition for meaning and, at root, meaning itself in the
universe is not questioned.) What is the source of knowledge? Although all
individual knowledge begins with experience it does not follow that it arises
out of experience (alone.) This points out a limit on empiricism which is
further limited because of its focus on knowledge by acquaintance i.e.
apprehension of the object. Empiricism does not explain the difficulty that a
robot with eyes and ears would have in replicating the human form of knowing
unless it also had the equivalent of the human cognitive system that includes
the brain. I.e. the categories of intuition which are necessary for the forms
of knowledge of known objects do not arise out of experience which is clear
but may also be seen from the observation that a rock or a robot with sensory
organs but not a human or animal like brain do not and cannot have the normal
categories of intuition which make possible knowledge by description i.e. the
symbolic representation of the object. Thus, pure rationalism is limited
because it omits the role of experience. However, even a combination of
rationalism and empiricism is logically empty unless a concept of knowledge is
adopted and this amounts to specifying a function. While such a combination may
provide foundation for the normal function of knowledge as knowing it is
inadequate for the universal and normal function of connection, immersion or
adaptation. As relationship, it is logically absurd to expect representation of
the object even though there are normal circumstances in which there is the
privilege of a remarkable and functional facsimile of representation. Just as
being is essentially tentative on the account of the Theory of Being, the
essence of knowing is hypothesis. Given this, there is no necessary limit to
knowing especially in its symbolic manifestation; the limits, though
significant, are normal and practical but not universal or absolute. The
Theory of Knowledge or Cognition is important in the normal world but is not
a necessary prerequisite or co-requisite to a general theory of being
In the following, identify or enter the alternate logics leading
to the equivalence of the void and of all being and related conclusions, and
identify, from among these, the fundamental conclusion(s). Note, in at least
one of the developments, that the fundamental conclusions are equivalent to
essential indeterminism at the core of being
Outline
of the Metaphysics
Being
The Fundamental Problem of Metaphysics
Cosmology
The Void
The Void Exists
Identity of Possibility, Actuality and Necessity
Further Properties of the Void
Further Cosmological Consequences
Phase-Epoch
Annihilation
Recurrence
God
Soul
Articles of Faith
The Concept of the Normal Normal Cosmology
The Normal
Normality and Necessity
Normal Cosmology
Evolution as a Mechanism
Mind and Causation
Action
Logic This may be the place to discuss the following topics from
the foundation:
paradox, necessity of reference and others. This may also be the place to
insert a discussion of Dynamics of Being which need not have a separate section
since it is included in logic review this
Logic
and The Possibility of Metaphysics This topic is clearly related or perhaps logically identical
to the topic, The Possibility of Positive Judgment of the section, Introduction
to the Journey in Being. Although the topic of the possibility of metaphysics
and the relation of the possibility to logic is not new, they are combined in
this section that is new to this outline what is its proper placement?
Logics. Modal Logic
Religion
Myth
Karma
What has been learned on The Nature of Being This section was
Being II: The Nature of Being
JOURNEY IN BEING
Introduction Or Introductory comments
Purpose of the Section
Intrinsic
Purposes
Illustration of Being as Becoming or Journey
Three Journeys; Narrative
and Development of the Journey
The Understanding of All Being
An Essential Account of the Cumulative Understanding From
Human Culture and Animal Being with an Evaluation Based in the Theory of Being
inclusive of metaphysics, logic, cosmology and theory of knowledge and its
support in the disciplines and history of action
A Narrative of Transformation
Applied
Purposes
Mutual Review of the Foundation and the Traditions
Background: History of
Knowledge and Exploration
Background Given the previous section on background, is this section
necessary?
Unity
in Understanding:
Metaphysics and the Journey in Being
Philosophy
Metaphysics, Philosophy and the Journey in Being
Catalog
of Fundamental Problems Should this be here? Yes, at
least to refer to the Level I section, The Fundamental Problems, below
Journey to the Ultimate:
Transformation of Being
Background Given
the earlier section on background, is this section necessary?
Realization
Dynamics of Transformation Based in dynamics of being which has been subsumed by logic
The Journey Continues
THE
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS CONTAINS ISSUES OR PROBLEMS
RESOLVED OF BEING AND OF KNOWLEDGE INCLUDING METAPHYSICS OR THEORY OF BEING
AND A PROGRAM OF STUDY
Problems of Being and
Knowledge Resolved or Illuminated
Problems
of Being The intent is to address all
significant issues of Being including Human Being. Includes individual
and social especially political concerns
Problems
of Knowledge The intent is to define and
address all fundamental aspects of learning (fundamental is defined relative to
the interests of the Journey.) Includes disciplines from sciences and
humanities. Focus on philosophy metaphysics, cosmology, logic, theory of
knowledge, and ethics with a special concern for the classical problems of
metaphysics
Program of Study, Conceptual
and Experimental Investigation
Status
and Future of the Essay
SOURCES AND INFLUENCES SOURCES ARE THE DETAILED NARRATIVES OF WHICH THIS ESSAY IS A
SUMMARY WITH CONCEPTUAL REVISION AND SYNTHESIS. THE INFLUENCES INCLUDE THINKERS
AND THE CULTURAL MILIEU, A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE INFLUENCE (RECONSTRUCTION IS
NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE DIFFUSE NATURE OF THE INFLUENCES,) AND (THIS IS NEW TO
THE PRESENT REVISION) SOME KEY TEXTS
INDEX