|
Journey in Being—A Way of Discovery and Realization Anil Mitra Foundation Being is that which is I.e., in this article, Being is that which exists or has existence. The power of the idea of Being is its neutrality. It avoids preliminary commitment e.g., to concrete and abstract kinds; to entity, process, property; mind, matter, and spirit; it avoids commitment to non-commitment—it is a neutral container for what emerges from in-process justification. That is—Being is the most trivial of concepts and its power lies in its triviality The world is known in concept Abstraction from concepts may result in perfect concepts, i.e. in perfect—perfectly known—objects Being and experience in itself are perfect The Universe is All Being—across all distinctions including variety and measure such as extension and duration (time and space). The Universe has no outside or other. It cannot be greater A Law is a pattern. All Laws have Being—if not they would be outside the Universe The Universe contains all Laws. It follows that the Void which is the absence of Being has no Laws. Consequently the Void has no limits. Therefore— The Universe has no limits—i.e. it has no limits with regard to distinction. This conclusion—the fundamental principle of metaphysics—is the basis of a perfect, unique and ultimate Universal Metaphysics. Perfection entails that it is true metaphysics or knowledge of Being as such. From uniqueness it may be referred to as the metaphysics The Universe has no substance; no substance is required for understanding. Mind, matter, spirit—in so far as they are real—are not distinct even though the distinctions have practical value; there is no spirit world apart from the one world. Define Logic as the concept of the Universe. Then Logic is identical to the metaphysics Logic is not a limit but harbors all constraint on the concept of the Universe; Logic includes all valid explicit and tacit human knowledge, especially valid science and logic Logos, conceived as the object of Logic, is the Universe in all its detail The Universe has Identity. The Universe and its Identity manifest in acute, diffuse, and empty phases. Core identity is that which has continuity across the non-manifest phases Though normally limited, individuals inherit the power and Identity of the Universe In limited form, realization is an endless and ever fresh journey in variety (distinction) The journey is unlimited in summits, their variety and quality, elevation and dissolutions. For itself, pain is neither sought nor avoid. Limited forms mesh constraint and freedom; for its value and difficulty, discovery-expression of freedom is the greatest challenge The human endeavor—civilization—and individuals are vehicles and agents realization The human endeavor—culture—has disciplines and special activities which provide methods—from rough and uncertain to algorithmic—for classes of problem and activity The development of the disciplines is more open ended and experimental with regard to ideas and action. Yet method can—at least sometimes—discerned, e.g. scientific method. This method has been contrasted to deduction in logic. However, a more apt comparison would be to the development of logical systems The Universal Metaphysics reveals that the ideals of perfection in the traditional disciplines, e.g. completion in science and Platonism in logic and mathematics, cannot be realized. There are domains of perfection; outside the perfect moving forward requires ‘completion’ by action, i.e. in participation and immersion The disciplines and activities and civilization in their standard—e.g. secular—views and manifestations reveal an infinitesimal fraction of the Universe The Universal Metaphysics includes what is valid in experience, the disciplines and endeavors; if it did not it would not be perfect. It may be deployed to fame ‘imperfect but practical objects’ that are effective in negotiating the known world; provides for their integration with perfect objects; and it illuminates ‘good enough’ and ‘value’ interpretations for perfection of these objects It would seem that the entire endeavor has no method. Indeed the metaphysics reveals ever openness in variety (distinction). However it has closure in foundation That is, the metaphysics is implicitly ultimate in breadth but explicitly ultimate in depth Growth of individuals and civilization, and in civilizations in connection and communication across the Universe in ultimate realization is given Intelligent action applied recursively, therefore holistically and analytically, entails enjoyment and effectiveness of realization Intelligence is not limited to conscious cognition but includes all modes of conscious and unconscious psyche, integral, and in reflexive interaction. The unconscious, the imaginative, the intuitive, and catalysts of psyche suggest, reveal, and create paths; conscious thought and action realize the paths, e.g. give them substance and permanence; and the conscious and unconscious join in continuing realization The Way of realization, a part of Logic, is experimental in ideas and action It is an amalgam of traditional ways (valid parts of ancient through modern disciplines and disciplined activities, e.g. technology, exploration, and yoga) and experiments in ideas and transformation illuminated and directed under the Universal Metaphysics Program A program of realization will have practice in action and a minimal system of experiment in transformation (ideas and Being); this helps define essential phases of a program— The first essential phase is one of ideas and thought. The approach is reflexive over explicit and intuitive creation and criticism. Content centers on the metaphysics—foundation review, development, cross-application with and among disciplines (and endeavors) The second essential phase is that of transformation of being. The approach begins with standard systems and their metaphysics, ways, catalytic activities, analysis and eclectic experimental use toward incremental and step realization illuminated by the universal metaphysics. Program elements are analysis of the ways into practices-action, elements of ways and catalysts; and experiment at home, in culture, and nature; and learning, change of approach, and synthesis We choose two complementary but secondary phases The first is development of organic, mechanical and symbolic being as a means of understanding, implementing, and complementing transformation of Being. The approach will involve, research, design, and development A second complementary phase is understanding and deployment of civilization as a vehicle of realization. This phase is one of community and charismatic action and sharing. The approach requires openness to concepts and processes of civilization and destiny. This openness is essential from local indeterminism and the need to balance conservatism and liberalism; and from guiles of utopia. In realization Civilization is the matrix of civilizations across the Universe—a pictorial analog to islands superficially separate, connected in the deep. Modes of approach include those of civilization itself—of culture, immersion, and participation; an approach that cultivates organic adaptive community; and an instrumental approach to Being from science and technology
|