Fundamental Concepts

The concept of exploration, the idea that being is not given - only partially given and known is fundamental. Even if Being were a fixed and given entity or kind of entity, knowledge of it is not given. It is not even determined that Being may be bifurcated into an object part that is or is-in-process and a subject part that knows. However, being is not given; the existence of realms in which Being may be ultimate is not given. Therefore, transformation and construction are also fundamental. The existence of the question of Being is, in balance with the given and the known, for man, fundamental

Exploration - of being… learning and discovery, construction and transformation in being, Ultimate Being and their relations; what are the fundamental attributes or characteristics of being; and of being-in-the-world. Fundamental questions and final issues

Nature, knowledge - elements, dimensions and processes, and accessibility of being / Ultimate Being. What is this ultimate that is sought; what may be its conception? To what degree and how may it be approached in Being and Knowledge? What frameworks and what modes of answer provide illumination, encourage construction and transformation? What are the values to the search? I believe it is in the nature of man to search; I believe that for a question to be great, answers must be possible even if remote, even remote from our mode of being - and this need not dismay us into nihilism… it is in the nature of man to search. This does not contradict Russell’s thought that great questions are important because they remind us of the greatness of the universe in which we live and because [philosophical] contemplation of that greatness makes us [mind] great

Ends… [note that process-end cuts across exploration-narrative]

Goals - in process… [The end / process distinction is not complete. This requires definition and elaboration.]

Dimensions and phases of exploration, transformation and construction cover elements, dimensions and processes of being. One constructive approach is through the following fundamental questions and realized through living out the fundamental hypotheses that the questions motivate

The Fundamental Questions

1. What is the greatest end / process that a [human] individual can achieve / enter? This is not to ignore the human, the day-to-day… which constitute or make foundation for the great ends… or issues of meaning and validity of the question

As a member of the group focus comes from a human perspective. However, the question is not limited in its scope to human individuals or groups

The issue may be one of perception - we are in the process of universe we need only to see this. This question motivates and may be founded upon the following question

2. To what extent and how can an individual, group, part of the whole engage and transform, know and become, construct, and pervade the whole universe? Here also, issues of validation and meaning arise

A related question is - What is the nature of an individual being, group, part of the whole that can engage and transform, know and become, construct, and pervade the whole universe?

The second question lies behind much human knowledge and the first, valuational, question is the source of much human endeavor - even though its meaning may be questioned. If there is a value free approach to 1, it may be through 2

In a loose sense, there is a variety of possible answers to [1, 2]: the entire [physical] universe; life, hominization, society including culture, science and technology… and civilization; mind can be seen as answers. These loose answers are interpretations; it is not implied that the processes are teleologic. However, the loose answers may be “tightened” - are on the way to tight answers; and what could be a critical [tight] answer but a placement of human meaning in the universal?

The Fundamental Hypotheses

1. The hypothesis of Being. Being is accessible to being; i.e., being can be and know all that is accessible to Being

2. The hypothesis of ontological psychology. Existential meaning is found in the process from being to Being – in arching from being to being; this is the greatest end

History of the hypotheses

Sources in my life, ideas, development

General sources: Frankl, Teilhard de Chardin, Hegel, Indian Philosophy, Aristotle, Heidegger

Discussion of the Hypothesis of Being

The question of the truth of this hypothesis is a question of degree - questions 1 and 2 above. In the process of addressing the hypothesis we face our own ultimate; we ask of our relation to evolution, the process of the entire universe, the possible extension of [our] consciousness across time, and of the expansion of all thought beyond thought and its integration with action in being

Argument: It is self-contradictory, paradoxical… Response: Eliminate trivial meanings such as “I can be that thing that cannot be anything” Absolute elimination of inconsistency and paradox is futile and unnecessary

Argument: It is delusional, has other psychological sources such as defense against futility, alienation, insignificance, ego-deficit… Responses: The nature of belief and delusion… Psychological explanations and psychodynamic origins are, in themselves, neither vindication nor refutation; psychological origins, history, meaning and truth are different facets of a proposition; and as such they may be complementary rather than oppositional. Psychosocial issues. The nature of grounding - being is of the universe as is Being…and of alienation - power, exaltation of symbolic knowledge… As far as any question of grandiosity: I hold that the hypothesis applies equally - within reason - to all individuals

Start with the idea that the ultimate is not unknown. Then ask “What is the actual potential of being?” What can being become and in what senses, what mind-space, what evolution? If I do not know the answer to these questions can being [I] discover the answer by thought alone? Or through living and exploration - what living, what choices, what hypothetical stances in search of ends, what risks, what thought, study, imagination and analysis… and in the service of what transformation, what metamorphosis and what residence in what Being? Or by ignoring the questions and being busy with acceptable pursuits? What if an individual can know and become Being, the universe? What do I lose by not considering the hypothesis of being? What are the implications for ethics, for good and evil… do these ideas have meaning, significance at the human-ethical level? What is necessary for realization of the hypothesis - lukewarm intellectual detachment or commitment of mind and body and with what rationality, what abandon, what heroism? Why is caution often seen as safe, the only mode of knowing, exploration, transformation…might it not be the greatest risk? That in a sense this issue is not about hypotheses but action, heroism, construction of Being from being; about living out ideas, about adventure and exploration as against mere analytic detachment, always sunny Sunday afternoon picnics

Argument: it is futile… Responses: Why? Especially in that many brilliant individuals find nihilism in science, technology, and modern tacit though pervasive and persuasive materialism? What are the potential results and rewards? What can be learned?

Process - present oriented

Functions and sub-functions; including Design

Design and planning

…for this concept - of Being and The Elements of Being defined in this document!

This implies completeness

Elements of design are defined in the document Functions. [These are] Design includes: 1. Design - the ends or idea; and realization which can be concrete, a concept, or a process. Definition and search for ends. Meta-design… design is part of the process: includes sharing resources between design and ends; seeking effective and efficient realizations; and minimizing active exploration to achieve the ends. Also included in meta-design is design of design and planning. Despite rationality, design, planning and meta-design -even ends- are inherently iterative and evolutionary. 2. Planning - part of design - main and detailed phases with some timelines. Focal review and ongoing planning for flow of action and focus

Ends: functional goals, values, ideas, desires, outcomes, unresolved issues, e.g., knowledge of and access to meaning, sharing

Realization: material goals, solutions, constructions, e.g., realization of and transformation to meaning, communication

Planning: formulating and phasing the process of realization, e.g., process of development

Designing for this concept seems to imply infinite regress; however this document outlines the concept. Problems of self-reference are addressed by distributing the functions including design and planning among the divisions -topics- and sub-divisions

Meta-design is automatically included. Some meta-design functions are described above.

Account or narrative - of the exploration

Includes origins of the exploration and the account in my life and search; and roots in the history of ideas and in life and human exploration

Includes all elements of exploration… the divisions or topics cover functions and phases of the exploration, and the elements, dimensions and processes of being

Interactions and intra-actions

The narrative is interactive with the exploration… through functions that include learning, consolidation, communication and co-action

Intra-actions include sharing and subsumption among divisions and components. The divisions are part of the total design and function in interaction

The narrative is, in its interaction with the exploration, in evolution

Concept ® design and planning ® exploration ® narrative ..

This evolution and its dynamic nature are enhanced by automation - by programming that automates editing and update of the narrative and its structure