themes and topics
(for the way of being)

the document content has been entered to the database and is maintained temporarily, in case it should be useful

home

contents

plan for this document

about themes and topics

themes

topics

general significance

origins and sources

structure

special styles

theme (Ctrl + Shift + T)

topic (Ctrl + Shift + Y)

into the way

theme 1	arrangement of the narrative

the way

theme 2	the way and its unfolding

topic 1	received and emergent culture, ideas, and reason

experience

theme 3	experience

topic 2	semantic meaning

metaphysics

theme 4	metaphysics and worldviews

topic 3	possibility, necessity, and the real (actuality)

topic 4	system of human knowledge—the disciplines

topic 5	philosophy and its problems

theme 5	foundation

topic 6	the abstract and the concrete

topic 7	special topics

realization

topic 8	world challenges and opportunities

theme 6	realization

theme 7	illustrations

into the world

theme 8	being in the world

appendix

theme 9	an older system of themes and topics

preliminary

plan for this document

the outline of the document will be part of the way of being.docm > into the way > the narrative > topics and themes

any detailed content will be placed throughout the document above—and the essentials of some main themes summarized at the end of the work under realization > resources > reference > topics and themes

when the system of themes is finalized, the themes will be improved in logic and content

about themes and topics

themes

a theme is an idea or concept that is important to the narrative, weaving through it, and binding it as a unity

topics

a topic is an idea or concept that is important to the narrative or is a significant consequence of it (or both)

general significance

many themes and topics have general importance in the history of thought and today—existentially (in our lives), academically, or both

origins and sources

the themes and topics were not conceived prior to development of the way—rather they emerged with it, being noted for significance to the way or in general and in that they were at least somewhat central to the way and its structure

the themes and topics may derive from received ideas, but will have been iteratively refined to have significantly new meaning and to fit together structurally and rationally

structure

the arrangement afforded is horizontal—covering a range of issues, vertical—covering content and foundation, and reflexive—narrative and meta-narrative

order of emergence of the themes and topics

standard

pre-metaphysical or naïve, as in piece meal philosophy

from concept meaning and being to the void

from the fundamental principle to the real metaphysics

the real metaphysics and its consequences, elaborations, and applications to thought, the disciplines, and realization

other

other orders of development arise in process

special styles

theme (Ctrl + Shift + T)

topic (Ctrl + Shift + Y)

the system of the way, themes, and topics

into the way

see the way > origins, sources below

arrangement of the narrative

the concept

A theme of arrangement is a template that promotes (i) systematic emergence and logic of content (ii) uniformity of treatment and so of understanding.

Rigid adherence to these themes is neither necessary to nor productive of their purpose.

generic division and section content

division and section titles

division and section quotes

illustrations, diagrams, tables

pictures and art as source, inspiration, and para-narrative

narrative

quotes

footnotes for sources and detail

cross reference

standard topic arrangement

to what this applies

concepts

the whole, divisions, and subdivisions

the arrangement

what (the concept)

words (concept names), received meanings

the concept

the essence (if there is any over and above the concept)

given vs derived

why

significance for the narrative

significance in relation to received meanings of the concept

how

how known

how achieved, if relevant

reflexivity and meta-questions

always ask what the first principles are; e.g., can the particulate nature of matter be derived from knowledge of the world, particular existence of form (and life)

relations to the whole and other concepts

origins, growth, and current status—historical and in the way

received meanings and significance

study topics and sources

associated themes and their sources

on a database for the way

concepts, relations

theories

the way

living in the immediate and ultimate as one

the way and its unfolding

origins > limits > reasons > aim > means > realization

origins, sources

history, personal endeavor

limits v limitlessness

limited – unfolding v limitless – eternal view of being

secular—temporal, limited—birth, beginning – discovery, life – death, the end

transsecular—limitless eternal identity is the world of limited identities

reasons

search for the ultimate (meaning)

aim, the way

living in the immediate and the ultimate as one

means

knowledge to action

shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in and from the immediate

intention, knowledge, action

knowledge

worldviews and paradigms—received (secular and transsecular) v ultimate

disciplines—systematic v ad hoc

received and emergent culture, ideas, and reason

realization

action, realization

experience

experience

(a) the unfolding conception (b) as essence of being and meaning

experience is at the core of the way (i) as constitutive of our being and significant meaning (ii) via alternate but equivalent and realist of realist interpretations as defining worldviews

meaning—via experience, the sufficiency and necessity of a symbol-concept-referent conception of concept and linguistic meaning is shown; attention to emergent vs received meaning of terms is emphasized; the importance of mutual and emergent conception of the meanings of a system of terms is emphasized; this conception of meaning grounds an effective conception of knowledge

experience, being, and significant meaning

This is about the meaning of life; the ‘other’ meaning of meaning—concept-object and semantic meaning, is also a theme, noted below

meaning and significance ought to be one beginning of philosophy and though I do hold this position, there is also a good argument for it

experience, interpretation, and the world

given experience and what is necessarily true in and about it, there are multiple interpretations of the nature and content of experience

one interpretation is typically the standard “common sense” or “realist”; others are different and therefore challenge the standard

the alternatives may seem bizarre, but ruling them out seems difficult

what is the point of the alternatives? first, they challenge our sense of reality—perhaps it is not (quite) true; and if it is true, then the challenge is to sharpen our understanding and reasoning

the issue

are the interpretations really indistinguishable? they are logically indistinguishable but can be distinguished by some facet of reality, which however is itself in question

paradox resolution helps clarify the nature of the real

kinds of resolution

the standard resolution needs to be clarified or modified

the standard and alternate are both valid but appropriate to different contexts; sometimes the alternate is more general or universal

sometimes the standard or modified standard is found to be more likely but not necessary

when the interpretations are truly indistinguishable, it is not necessary to distinguish

building metaphysics

there is a circle of problems (standard interpretation of the world and alternatives, issue of free will…) which assist in building valid pictures of the world

sources for the paradoxes include

bare content and doubt and reason—source

add—why are you the specific you that you are

semantic meaning

see theme experience, above

introduction

placed early because it is critical to clear thinking about concepts (without such a theory, any ‘theory of objects’ is racked with vagueness and even paradox)

criticisms of the concept of the object; responses

on semantic meaning

on received and emergent meanings

theory—semantic meaning

paradoxes of meaning

referential concepts

objects and intention

meaning

resolution of paradoxes

knowledge

received and emergent meaning

should this be a theme?

a ring of concepts

the following is empowering—formation of meaning as interaction (i) among terms (understood to be associated with conceptions) as constituting a system itself possessed of meaning and (ii) between terms and referents, system and world

a ‘ring’ of essential concepts centered on experience and being and its aspects and kinds—being, cause, universe, possibility (limitlessness), the void…

experience and being

experience—from variety on the surface, to depth and foundation

being—from generality, abstraction, and foundation to variety and richness

experience

a first meaning from acquaintance—conscious awareness in all its forms

final meaning, derived from experience of the world—relational being as the world

words to mark and differentiate first through final meanings

the world

experience, interpretation, and the real

two senses of meaning—significance v concept-referent, distinction and unity

significant meaning

experience as the place of significance and being—though not the world, I never transcend it

from which it will emerge that in the final analysis, the real is knowledge of the real

meaning

meaning (symbol-concept – referent), intention, knowledge, and action

metaphysics

metaphysics and worldviews

metaphysics and its problems

aim

to derive a set of problems, which should include the classical and modern problems of metaphysics (as far as is consistent with the concept of metaphysics, allowing flexibility for practice),

to show their completeness over the range of being,

methods of address, particularly necessity and completeness with respect to their subject (as far as possible)

sources—the way of being

../../1. World and Being/realization/being-elements/2010/Archive of old versions/History of western philosophy.docm (html)—source

../resources/journey in being.docm – history of the metaphysics—source

../narratives/topics and concepts for the way.docm – topics in metaphysics tacm

../narratives/topics and concepts for the way.docm – problems of eastern metaphysics tace

../narratives/topics and concepts for the way.docm – problems of western metaphysics tacw

emergence in the narrative

the aim of this section is to suggest a sequence of emergence of the problems—a ‘logic of emergence’, parallel to the development of the narrative

one sequence of emergence follows the development in the narrative, arrived naturally and iteratively—meaning, knowledge, and being > kinds of being, first treatment (source: ‘in process’ and ‘bare content’) > causes (and reasons, which are now seen as minimal and zero premise causes) > the universe and the void > the fundamental principle, the cosmology of limitless identity (with realization), and the real metaphysics > issues of (human) destiny and choice > reason > sameness, identity; extension and its conventional association with matter, duration and its conventional association with matter-mind (but as is seen mind-matter is ‘one’ with both extension and duration), and their absence (‘spacetime’) > given being as being-in-itself and mind (experience) as being-in-relation—therefore no further coordinate or Spinozan attribute, but there are modes – properties – qualities > experience and significant meaning > dimensions of being; kinds of being, second treatment; metaphysics, cosmology, and physics; religion and religious cosmology > realization and pathways to the ultimate

the problems of metaphysics

this section develops a version of the problems from the modern—‘canonical’—account above, as enhanced by the real metaphysics and with consideration of eastern metaphysics

the treatment will focus on problems not addressed in the development; problems treated may be linked or have only enhancements

issues about metaphysics

what metaphysics is

metaphysics as knowledge of the real is shown possible and to encode the essence of received and emergent metaphysics; this is based in and interactive with the development of concept of experience and is basis for analysis of received…

the possibility of metaphysics

the questions of justification—foundationalism, coherentism, infinitism and circularism, and pragmatism

on metaphysics and meaning—the centrality of meaning to ‘what metaphysics is’ and issues such as the nature of philosophy and its branches, the knowledge and technology disciplines

the relation of metaphysics to philosophy, epistemology, logic and reason, and value; to what extent does metaphysics contain all; what is prior in understanding

the question of ‘purism’—ought the criteria for knowledge and, correspondingly, the nature of metaphysics be single valued, e.g., perfect or pragmatic, or a mix of criteria (as for the real metaphysics)

metaphysics and imperative

does metaphysics have methods of its own?

see Metaphysics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

some issues of metaphysics are whether it has methods of its own (over and above general understanding and reason), what it can and does conclude, and what its relations to epistemology, logic, and ethics are

problems of special metaphysics

metaphysical systems,

especially religion

problems of western metaphysics

this section derives from metaphysics (stanford encyclopedia of philosophy) with minor modification

the way and its metaphysics have pre and post metaphysical implications for most of the following problems, and in some cases the narrative contains definitive treatment

pre-modern—the nature of being

being as such, first causes, unchanging things

categories of being and universals

the problem of substance

early modern

materialism and empiricism

idealism

Immanuel Kant

modern and current

modality

modal logic is an extension of truth functional logic; in standard truth functional logic, statements are true or false, and from a set of premises, conclusions may be derived by rules of inference, such that, if the premises are true, the conclusions are true; in standard modal logic, statements are necessarily or possibly true (or false), and the job of modal inference is to derive further necessarily or possible true statements; the term ‘modal’ refers to modes of truth—necessary or possible truth; the idea has been generalized to other modalities, e.g., temporal—it will always be true, it is presently true and so on; there is a range of modal further logics, e.g., doxastic logic, e.g., x believes that; for more, see—

a first source is Modal Logic (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

identity (and persistence and constitution), space, and time

space, time, being (matter, mind)—study topic

what ‘beyond spacetime’ might mean—study topic

causation, determinism, and freedom

the mental and the physical

consciousness, mind, and matter

the following is not in the stanford encyclopedia of philosophy article on metaphysics

theory of human and higher being—

suggested by Heidegger’s metaphysical motivation and its development in his Being and Time—but not to be restricted to Heidegger’s focus or methodology

problems of eastern metaphysics

India

this is limited at present to what has been useful in the development of the way and the real metaphysics; this may be formulated as a single question—

how do Yoga, Samkhya, and Vedanta (and Adi Samkara’s thought) imaginatively and critically suggest, inspire, and fit into the way and the real metaphysics

other

to be developed

sources for problems of eastern metaphysics

Metaphysics in Chinese Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Arabic and Islamic Metaphysics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Naturalism in Classical Indian Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Epistemology in Classical Indian Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Concepts of God (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)—Concepts of God (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)—Theistic Vedanta and God’s Relation to the World

Vedanta - Wikipedia

A Sourcebook In Indian Philosophy (Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore)

problems emerging from the real metaphysics

consequences of the metaphysics

the fundamental question of metaphysics

a principle of sufficient reason

the abstract and the concrete

a system of the world

consequences of development of the metaphysics

metaphysics, foundations, and method

a metaphysics of questions

given interpretations (the real), indistinguishable interpretations (and worlds)—standard v solipsist (and variations: Descartes’ demon, brain in a vat) v field of being universe, free will, world as simulation (meaning), Russell’s worlds

a circle of essential problems and learning from them—(a) the circle: metaphysics – meaning – knowledge – epistemology – reason – science… (b) learning: while they seem to be mere puzzles, they enable construction of a realist world view or metaphysics

applications emerging from the real metaphysics

for a comprehensive set of topics, see a journey in being-outline.html and the essential way of being.html—source

method of application

imagination and criticism—of scenarios, systems, and logics (pure phase)

use of received paradigms—enhanced—for estimation of likelihood, feasibility, value, and value of expected outcomes

the fundamental question of metaphysics

a principle of sufficient reason

the abstract and the concrete

a system of the world

a metaphysics of questions

metaphysics, foundations, and method

criticism, doubt, imagination, interpretation

special problems and resolutions

logic and science

philosophy of consciousness

form

determinism and indeterminism

free will

significance of the issue

arguments against and counterarguments

arguments for and counterarguments

summary

what is free will

resolution and doubt

no perfect symmetry in the world

new paradigms—fundamental principle and the real metaphysics

‘future’ problems of metaphysics and cosmology suggested by the real metaphysics

theory of possibility—building up theory of what is in the universe; it will depend significantly on using and building systems of logic, which need not be based in discrete symbol systems; it will depend on imagination and constructive techniques—

“logical and mathematical cosmology”

theory of probability—in determining what kind of systems are most numerous

theory of stability—what systems are long lived

sentient systems—systems capable of meaning (semantic and significant) and their possibilities of emergence, agency, and contribution to (and take over) of evolution of the universe—realization of peak being; their peaks and varieties

other issues emerging from the narrative

themes

these topics are applications or developments of the real metaphysics not covered above. They include (i) topics emergent from the metaphysics (ii) implications of the metaphysics for problems of eastern and western metaphysics.

summary of the problems of metaphysics

of being—what is it to exist, what things and varieties exist (ontological—from the ideal to the material, and ethical) , how are they arranged, what are their dynamics

of metaphysics itself—what is it, is it possible, does it have methods of its own (over and above general understanding and reason), and what is its relation to philosophy and ethics (including overlap), what can and does it conclude

of significance—what are significance and meaning (the concept and the referent), in what kind of being do they occur, how are they realized

of knowledge of being—how do we know being, is this knowledge pure and perfect or pragmatic or mixed, how is this knowledge justified—with or without absolute foundation vs with or without in process founding

of western metaphysics—(i) pre-modern: the nature of being (being itself, cause and change; categories and universals; substance) (ii) early modern: materialism and empiricism, idealism, Kant (iii) modern and current: modality; identity, space, and time; causation, determinism, and freedom; the mental and the physical and, particularly, consciousness, mind, and matter

of eastern metaphysics—consciousness as the nature of the real, the universe as transience within the unconditional, pragmatism vs idealism vs realism, the world as flow

arising from the real metaphysics with overlap of received problems—(i) consequences of the metaphysics: the fundamental question of what exists, a principle of sufficient reason, the abstract and the concrete, system of the world (ii) consequences of the method of the metaphysics: foundation and method, the essential questions and questioning, world and interpretation, analytical thought and synthesis or building a worldview from a circle of analytic problems and paradoxes (iii) the identity of logic, argument, metaphysics, science, and mathematics (iv) theories of possibility, theory of probability-stability-longevity-variety estimation in general cosmology and cosmology of form and formation, especially theory of variety and capability of sentient systems

related problems of philosophy

from Bertrand Russell’s problems of philosophy—

these are important foundational issues, often considered open, that, in this narrative, have sufficient emergent resolution in terms of emergent values

appearance and reality

the real

meaning, truth, and knowledge

sensing, intuition, understanding, and reason

induction, deduction, and the a priori

general principles and the a priori

worldviews

worldviews and development of a transcendent and ultimate worldview; an ultimate metaphysics is developed—it incorporates perfect-by-correspondence-criteria and pragmatic knowledge, which is perfect by emergent criteria; its development is crucial to the way; it is applied to a range of classical, modern, recent, and emergent problems of metaphysics

what

limit frameworks—outer and inner, the way the world is known to be

from necessary to contingent fill in—sub-paradigms and details

received vs emergent culture, ideas, reason, and program of action

the secular and the transsecular, and their standard limits

overcoming the limits—criticizing standard critical thought, opening up imagination; from purism to its criticism, to its re-affirmation in new form

possibility, necessity, and the real (actuality)

system of human knowledge—the disciplines

use—system of human knowledge—source

philosophy and its problems

source—what is philosophy.docm; the entire document is relevant and it is therefore not imported here at this time

source—toward a database for philosophy.docm

the concept

knowledge of the real

foundation

method and content in process; though some knowledge can be argued prior to reason and other knowledge to sense, in an ultimate sense, knowledge is emergent with being—no apriorism, in the sense of all knowledge being emergent with limited being and as part of ultimate being

foundation

method and content emerge and are interwoven with the way (method and content 1 – 6)

abstraction and concretion

foundation

foundationalism

…, sensing, understanding, reason, and method

method and content

i.e., method and content, reason and understanding as one… and their co-emergence

theme

method I - IX

reason and method

as efficiently tying all agency together

as including action

emergence of critical thought

argument

general logic

critical reflexivity

the limits and shortfalls of received reason

the abstract and the concrete

topics

abstraction and concretion (also part of foundations)

abstract and concrete objects

the abstract and the concrete

a continuum defined by abstraction as removing elements of concepts that are essentially distorted

but a categorial unity—knowledge of the world

the abstract and the concrete form the foundation of the real metaphysics

basis for theory of abstract objects

theory of objects

general theory, developed in stages

in the context of theory of meaning and knowledge

in context of theory of abstract objects and the abstract metaphysics

in the context of the real metaphysics

theory of abstract and concrete objects

from the theory of meaning and knowledge, all objects have abstraction; therefore, from the concept point of view, there is a concrete-abstract continuum

from received knowledge, some objects exist as abstractions, others exist as symbolic constructions, and others are possibly existent on various possibility criteria, but are not known to exist

from the real metaphysics, all logically possible objects exist; even the logically impossible objects exist as ‘null objects’, but while this adds symmetry to the conceptions, it does not add to the real

special topics

why there is something rather than nothing

what has being

identity, extension, and duration

being

experience, meaning, abstraction and concretion (the abstract and the concrete), being, and beings

metaphysics

the limitless universe—metaphysics, logic, abstract and concrete science as one, cosmology

dimensions of being

cosmology of limitless identity

identity, extension, duration

the limited and the limitless (self)

realization

the principle

paths and ways

realization—interwoven problems and forward movement (challenges and opportunities; therapy interwoven with achievement)

prospect

life, death, and beyond

world challenges and opportunities

Sources

../resources/journey in being.docm – challenges and opportunities jibc

../resources/world problems and opportunities.docm wpo

../personal/global security.docm gsec

Being in the world vs. the ultimate

In the ultimate the transient and the universal merge.

So being-in-the-world and the ultimate are to be in interactive balance.

We do not reject either the immediate-pragmatic or the meta-narrative.

To reject either is to diminish both.

To live well is simple—except when one does not have well-being.

Challenges and opportunities

We begin with an example and build up principles. Listing of problems is in subsequent sections.

Issue	Principle
An example—global climate change, asserted by scientists to be practically certain and significantly the result of human activity. Should we act on this?	We ought not to wait until problems are certainly true. We ought to identify propagandist panic. We ought to see that long term economics benefits from proper action and to find solutions that promote well-being in all areas.
But there are many competing problems.	There needs to rational assessment of priorities and allocation of resources.
Perfect rationality is not possible.	Good enough rationality is good enough (‘perfection’ does not have definite meaning).
Rationality does not take quality, feeling, or value into account.	That is a misconception of rationality.
There are differing views and politics.	Seek need realism, holism, experiment, learning, and dialog.
Experiment, learning, and dialog are not enough.	It is the nature of the world, which ought not to be a reason to not engage. Realism and holism includes higher values, which, in this world, do not have a perfect effect, but which are a beginning. In understanding realism, we also understand that our usual conceptions of perfection are imperfect. A perfect conception at a higher level, allows imperfection at a lower level of received value.
The range of challenges, opportunities, problems, and ways to address them are not known.	It is needed to work toward enumerating, evaluating, and synthesizing them—and toward action. Synthesis includes seeing the interactions among issues and seeking optimum or good enough allocation of resources among problems and opportunities.

Cataloging the issues

There are various lists. Following combines and modifies the most recent 2004 UN High Level Threat Panel’s and Richard Smalley’s around 2005 ‘Top Ten Problems of Humanity for the Next 50 years’. I have made some additions—enfranchisement (Smalley listed democracy and education separately), environment and resources (were listed separately), culture (emphases opportunities, includes knowledge of the world, an appreciation for what is of worth, and the understanding of conservation and planning—which makes the list reflexively complete), and geopolitics. The list below begins with ‘problems’ but beginning with the environment and resources the items present problem and opportunity.

Poverty and disease.

Violence.

War, terrorism, and transnational organized crime.

Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, and biological).

Atrocities.

Genocide, sex trade, body part kidnapping, and other atrocities.

Environment and resources.

Environment—climate, land, air, and water.

Resources—water, food, energy, land, plant, animal, and materials.

Approaches—science and technology; see culture, population, and geopolitics below.

Enfranchisement.

Democracy, education, quality of life.

Economic class.

Women, men, children.

Minorities.

Culture—knowledge and action.

Knowledge—systematic and general, secularism-religion and (versus) realism (see the document ‘system of human knowledge’ in which the main divisions are universe, artifact, and symbol).

Morals and trust.

Art and human expression.

Population.

Population is a root issue. Intervention is possible. Moral concerns make moral action difficult to conceive and there is a tendency to therefore neglect the issue. This should not prevent reflection and search for solutions. Better education, improved economic status, and perhaps political enfranchisement result in lower birth rate (as low as 1.4 children per couple in some places). Education and opportunity for women and minorities is recognized important. I think, however, it is important to not exclude any segment of populations with the thought that they are the power or wealthy class. Men are as critical as women. It is critical to reach across borders. Exclusion reinforces negative practices. Inclusion is at least an invitation to the positive.

Geopolitics.

The future of nations and national boundaries.

Modern community—‘developing’ and ‘developed’.

Pre-agricultural communities.

Animal rights.

The fundamental problem of political action

Root issues. Political and economic principles of transformation and action. Regarding these issues this includes their ongoing enumeration and evaluation of the individual and system of issues for allocation of resources; particular attention should be given to root issues, material and other, that spawn many others and for which intervention is possible and moral.

Problem of action. When, an individual, look at our world I may become frustrated. Why? It is in part that there is so much opportunity yet so much waste. However, I know of no law of the universe that says that this is avoidable. This does not remove my dissatisfaction with waste but it does suggest what I might do about it. In a material sense all I can do is begin with myself here and now in the present. But I can do more. I can reflect I can communicate and I can act. The point then is the spirit of action. I can act but not control. Therefore the spiritual advice to not be attached to the fruits of action is not only spiritually empowering but practical as well—in (a) that I avoid useless frustration and (b) in empowering my action.

Scenarios

Imagining scenarios—problems, challenges, opportunities—can be useful in anticipation and in setting up policies and institutions.

This list is a beginning.

World threat from military industrial complex via manipulation of politics and or naked power.

Terrorism.

Weapons of mass destruction threat.

Ecological disaster.

Famine.

Political campaign.

Breakdown of nations.

A time when post-agricultural economics is no longer viable.

Political economy of the world and its regions

Implications of the universal metaphysics

The universal metaphysics implies that science, politics, economics of the future should be more than ‘republican’ i.e. entrusted to designated (elected and other) persons but one of participation and immersion.

General comments

To think critically about the political economy is not only to make choices from known options but to also construct new ones.

It’s a tall order and one might want to begin small but this is not a text book. The subject and its facets are a main reason to consider the political economy.

Politics is important to economics as the arena of decisions. But it is important for other reasons as well—social, international, military and more.

Politics and Economics

Forms of government with a view to human ideals, cultural, economic, technological, and military power.

World Economics

Nations and trade blocks

Influence of politics

The present scene: America

Redistribution of wealth (competition for resources)

Global competition for resources

Productivity

Pockets of stagnation and poverty

Theory: macroeconomics and money

GDP, PPP, and national debt

Ideology: liberal, conservative; neoliberal and neoconservative

Economic sectors and levels

Finance and banking

Commerce and industry

Education, creativity, and entrepreneurship

Government: World through local

Consumer: markets and individuals

Politics: America and the world

The constituencies

E.g., the religious right

The parties

Government

Post 2016 election America and World

Religion and reform

Reasons for reform rather than elimination

realization

prospect

life, death, and beyond

illustrations

the photographs in some versions are integral with the narrative and intended to convey two interwoven aspects (i) the narrative and the world (ii) nature as place of being and inspiration for the ideas

into the world

being in the world

appendix

an older system of themes and topics

source ../old/the essential way of being.docm – topics and themes

Topics

A number of TOPICS from the history of thought arise naturally in the development. Where the historical development is incomplete, the universal metaphysics enhances completeness and definitiveness. Some topics are experience and the real world, meaning, being, universe, cause, and creation, first cause, possibility, what it means to be beyond space and time, natural law, the void, efficient and final causes, the fundamental problem of metaphysics, theory of objects, general cosmology and the stable cosmologies, and the way of being. It is important that the terms ‘experience’ and so on are used in specific ways as defined in the formal development from the chapters experience through template.

Most of these topics appear in the contents. Some important topics that have novelty in their presentation are experience and the real world, meaning, adherence to being as meaning no more than be-ing (the ‘more’ is in, but not of being as such), universe, cause and creation, first cause (the universe as all being is not created or caused, there is no first cause), possibility, what it means to be beyond space and time, natural law, the concept and power of the void (in showing the universe to be realization of all possibility and that there is no universal causation in any modern or traditional sense of causation and that both efficient and final causes have local significance, but are different and should not be confused), resolution of what has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics (why there is being at all) and replacement by a new fundamental problem (identifying what has being), theory of abstract and concrete objects that eliminates the distinction as essential, significant expansion and analysis of general cosmology including mechanism of generation of stable cosmologies (e.g., ours) without end, development of a way of being.

Themes

The THEMES are topics whose development emerges naturally over the course of this work. The following themes are selected for significance: metaphysics; theory of knowledge; logic and science; identity, space, and time; mind and matter; the aim of being; on certainty, meaning, and the aims of knowledge; ways of thought; secular and trans-secular world views; the way of the ordinary—a way out of the secular / trans-secular divide; the ordinary is extra-ordinary.

The themes occupy the rest of the introduction.

Metaphysics

Metaphysics is the main theme of the ideas. Emergence of the other themes parallel development of the metaphysics.

METAPHYSICS is the main theme for the ideas. The metaphysics of the essay is the universal metaphysics—the universe is the realization of all possibility. The metaphysics is demonstrated, and the selection of fundamental concepts is crucial to the demonstration. Since it is it is in the concept of the impossible that it is never realized the range of being admitted and required by the metaphysics cannot be exceeded by any other system. This is counterintuitive and therefore it is important to see, and it is shown in the essay that provided ‘possibility’ is properly understood, this metaphysics is and must be internally (logically) and externally (factually including scientifically) consistent. The primary purpose of the metaphysics, in the development, is foundation for knowledge and realization of ultimate being as such and in the immediate (over and above other purposes that may be read in the metaphysics and uses for which it may be deployed).

The introduction discusses a number of preliminaries to metaphysics. Metaphysics begins with experience, but without explicit mention of the term ‘metaphysics’. A preliminary discussion of metaphysics in general is in metaphysics and appraising metaphysics. In these discussions a number of meanings of ‘metaphysics’ are considered, and one is selected for importance to the work (this is not a denial of the significance of other meanings). The meaning selected is knowledge of being as such. This meaning has been subject to a number of criticisms in the history of thought, therefore a justification of is given.

Then the particular metaphysics of the essay, the universal metaphysics, is developed, given interpretation, elaborated and deployed interactively to enhancement of the traditions of knowledge and practice (the fundamental principle of the metaphysics is that the universe is the realization of all possibility, i.e., its power is unbounded and therefore conferred on individuals). This system is used as a basis for realization. The universal metaphysics unfolds from experience through cosmology. Its foundation is experience through possibility, and law and the void. The framework is developed in the fundamental principle and realism. A practical system—the join of tradition, experience, and the universal metaphysics—is developed in extension of the metaphysics. The metaphysics is further developed and applied in objects cosmology.

Categories in metaphysics

The aim of the metaphysics in the essay is to illuminate the world and to support the way of being and realization. The topic of categories is peripheral to the aim. However, it is an important topic in metaphysics from Aristotle, through Kant to the present time and it is inevitable that it should be a significant if tacit theme. The purpose of the categories is to build up a system of understanding.

The idea of the category is this. If being is the most general kind (as being predicative of all things that there are) then the idea of a category is a kind just below being in generality. Thus, we do not expect a category to be as general as being except as we admit being itself as a category (it is expected that what is fundamental in science should be given place among the categories, but since we are seeking the general the elements of science will not define or exhaust the categories). Some thinkers write as though this is the conception of category.

However, when we look at the history of the idea another aspect of the category stands out. It is that a category as such should be known perfectly just as being as being is known perfectly. Thus, we like to think that the categories of being are the categories of perception and conception. Of course, the generality requirement is important: we would like the categories to be significant.

There is one more requirement that we might like categories to have. It is that there should be a system of categories that together stand as efficiently describing a portion of reality (efficiently means that the description is implicit so that details may be worked out in particular situations) and, further, in general metaphysics we would like that portion of reality to be reality itself so far as it is categorially describable. In summary:

A system of METAPHYSICAL CATEGORIES is a system of concepts that efficiently describes all of reality at the greatest level of detail that is susceptible to precise treatment relative to appropriate precision which may range according to purpose from good enough, to very precise, to PURE or perfectly precise (this leaves freedom because the degree of precision is not specified; note that good enough and very precise are vague when, e.g., for any degree of numerical precision, prediction can become imprecise at sufficiently long times from initial conditions—i.e., because they are relative to purposes). In the present treatment we will see different levels—the pure level for which the categories are being, all / some / no being, and so on; and the practical which includes much more. A system of categories for pure part of the present metaphysics would include experience, being, meaning, world, universe, domain, void, and realism.

This system emerges with the narration and summary lists of the categories so far are given at a number of points in the essay.

Theory of knowledge

The development of the metaphysics contains a parallel implicit account of knowledge—a theory of knowledge.

The outline of this theory is (a) as framework the metaphysics is ultimate in what it shows of the universe and perfect as depiction, but it is incomplete in concrete particulars which are referred to (b) the human tradition of knowledge and practice in parallel with reflection and experience; (c) the metaphysics and tradition together form a perfect instrument of knowledge and realization; (d) it is understood that for the tradition perfection is understood as good enough for the ultimate purpose (and also in that final perfection as certain perfect depiction is neither possible nor desirable); however, (e) traditional epistemology, so far as it diverges from the present account, retains its practical and local value, but many of its final or ideal aims which were pertinent to a view of the universe as relatively closed are no longer pertinent in the ultimate and open view of the universe.

Logic, mathematics, and science

These and many other concepts are given reconceptualization in the essay. In many cases the reconceptualization differs from received conceptions. However, for logic, mathematics, and science the NEW CONCEPTUALIZATIONS, while founding and broadening, are dual to and mutually enhancing of (some, especially modern) received conceptions.

The notions of LOGIC and SCIENCE are re-conceptualized, and the traditional systems are elements within the revised frames. In particular, along with Quine and in consequence of the universal metaphysics, logic and science form a continuum from the universal to the local.

The main developments are in the following sections: experience, meaning, possibility, and the fundamental principle (which provides the impetus and foundation for the reconceptualization) through cosmology.

While founded in the fundamental principle, a re-conceptualization of MATHEMATICS is given in objects > unity of experience.

Identity, space, and time

The main initial development is in identity, space, and time. This discussion begins with experience. Since the discussion of fundamental aspects of the world cannot be complete without at least a framework of understanding of the universe (e.g., via metaphysics) the discussion here remains ambivalent regarding some fundamental issues such as universality and relative versus absolute character of space and time. Space and time are revisited, primarily in general cosmology, where the ambivalence is significantly eliminated.

Mind and matter

It is important that the terms ‘mind’ and ‘matter’, while related to received concepts, are here understood in broad terms relating to the terms ‘experience’ and ‘being’. Further, the theme ‘mind and matter’ is developed because it is important in the history of thought; however, this theme is not fundamental to the development

The main initial development is in experience, world, and being. Much of this development is interspersed with the main discussion without explicit mention of mind and matter (the terms are to be understood relative to being rather than as fundamental in their own right as found and understood in our cosmos). As for identity, space, and time, the initial discussion is intentionally and necessarily left ambivalent. The topic is revisited, primarily in general cosmology, where the ambivalence is significantly eliminated.

A fundamental point to this theme is as follows. In an ontology with matter as the one primary substance, either the only mind would be as if mind or mind would be material (and it would be complex mind rather than mind as such that emerged for mind as such would already be there). However, the metaphysics to be developed is not a substance ontology: it allows infinitely many temporary as if substances, but no actual enduring or eternal substance. The as if substances could be matter like (with as if mind) or mind like (and its forms would be at least as if matter). However, there would be no eternal non interaction between the as ifs. In some well-formed cosmologies there would be one as if substance that over its period of duration functioned as substance.

The aim of being

The aim of the way of being is stated in general terms at the beginning of this introduction. The development of the metaphysics enables precise statements later in the way of Being > the way > aim.

On certainty, meaning, and the aims of knowledge

Let radical skepticism name a range of views from there is no such thing as knowledge—the very concept is without meaning (for the claim to make sense a concept of knowledge would have to be specified) to there is no certain knowledge.

There are persons who label themselves ‘radical skeptics’. However, I will argue that the significance of such views is to clarify the nature and aims of knowledge and so the aim here will not be to disprove the skeptics’ claims. The aim is constructive. It will be to address the skeptics’ claims so as to show that it is in the meaning of knowledge that there is reliable knowledge that is a basis for action. Here, there will be shown to be some certain knowledge, but its certainty will not lie so much in fact as in the nature of experience. Later in the essay a system of certain as well as not so certain knowledge will be built up (and we will show that certainty is not always a possible or desirable goal).

I hold that knowledge-in-itself is an ideal, but that knowledge-by-itself—without action—is empty (if coming to know is action then unless it has existed forever, knowledge-by-itself is logically impossible).

So, at outset there is an interest in certainty, but we do not want to be bound by it. The most liberal outset view is that there are degrees of possible and actual certainty and that each is appropriate to some situation. So, a problem with the skeptic’s challenge and responses would be to think that there should be a single universal criterion for (perfection in) knowledge.

Descartes’ response to his program of radical doubt was to find and start with the certain: doubt that I am thinking is thinking; so, there is thinking; so, there is a thinker; and so, the famous ‘I think therefore I am’. One criticism is the assumption of an I. A response is to say that there is awareness for doubting it involves awareness and to later argue for the I. But these arguments call into question what our terms mean. We might question the meaning of ‘I think therefore I am’ or ‘there is awareness therefore there is being or existence’. Are they truly conclusions from premises or are they, instead, disguised definitions or explanations of meanings of ‘I’ and ‘am’ and awareness and existence? Suppose I wonder what I mean by ‘I’. When I do not find a concrete thing, it occurs that I may be a construct, metaphorical. But I could also think I was looking for the wrong thing. But what could a wrong thing be? It must be that I had an idea of something (concept), but found nothing (object); i.e., I had been trying to match concepts (ideas) with objects (in the world)—i.e., I have also been questioning the meaning of ‘meaning’ which we now see as the activity of matching concepts (ideas) and objects (in the world).

This discussion has raised, but not answered some issues about certainty and knowledge. What are their roles? How much do we need or should be value certainty perhaps the insistence on certainty in view of certainty is pre-mature and acceptance of certainty is a virtue rather than a fault? Clearly the discussion suggests there is a give and take between the roles of certainty and meaning: if we do not know our meanings, certainty loses relevance; and to the extent that meanings are rough, there is no point to absolute certainty.

The line of thinking so far in this section suggests that we have or should have a clear and definite answer to all the issues raised before we get into the act of (i.e., a priori to) knowing and using knowledge. That is, we should know about knowing before we know about the world. Put in the way of the first sentence of this paragraph there is no reason to expect the a priori answer; put in the way of the second sentence we should expect to not have or be able to have the a prior answer. There is a third way of putting the point: since knowing and knowledge of the world is part of the world, the most useful or optimal a priori attitude is to expect the two levels of knowing (if indeed we should consider them separate) to emerge together.

That is the approach and one reason for the structure of the work—especially the beginning with experience and the emphasis on meaning. What we will find is (a) an ultimate and secure metaphysical framework (here ‘secure’ means that any uncertainty is no more than is given as part of being with intent and desire to be in becoming) (b) the metaphysics frames the remainder of knowledge including what is valid in tradition (our ancient through modern cultures and ongoing endeavors) which ranges from less than certain to certain (c) individual and civilization realizes the revealed ultimates (in which process individual and civilization are likely to undergo transformation) (d) for limited form realization is endless endeavor of variety and extension without limit, and (e) the absence of perfect security is an existential challenge that adds to the quality of the process—i.e., of living in the immediate.

Certainty and doubt as themes

When we approach knowledge, we begin with the thought that perhaps all knowledge is suspect.

In beginning with experience, we find that there is a real world that is the object of and contains experience. This is seen to be certain. Understanding the importance of experience, leads to the theory of meaning of this document (anticipated by others).

This enables certain and precise knowledge of being as being, universe as universe, natural law as a feature of being, the void as the void, and realism as realism (to mention some elements of the certain). Thus, the certainty of the universal metaphysics as framework (subject to the discussions of existential doubt which, to the extent that it holds up, adds to the existential challenge of realization). And so, the certainty of realization of the ultimate.

Doubt is critical to certainty and is discussed at a number of points with regard to particular doubts and doubt in general. It is important to consider doubt in general in relation to the specific doubts. The combination leads to clarification of specific concepts as well as to concepts, meaning, issues of realism and proof in general. Discussion of doubt is immanent in the essay; explicit discussions are in experience > doubt and the already mentioned section on existential doubt.

However, local knowledge of detail is imprecise and uncertain in that we do not know its full range (but to demand precision within its range is unreasonable and to therefore think it is uncertain within that range if precision is not met is without meaning). But this imprecision is impossible, but unnecessary and not desirable to overcome: it is the mark of what is, in its way, the perfect instrument in realization. The join of the precise and certain with the less than precise is the universal metaphysics in its inclusive sense.

Ways of thought

The aim of the work is part of and derives from the process of civilization, especially its disciplines of knowledge and practice.

This process has evolved a range of ways—habits, paradigms, and practices—of thought, visited and revisited, reinforcing and opposing, that may be seen as thematic and guiding. However, the ways have also been reductionist and unnecessarily constraining. A goal of this theme is to identify, understand, use, and critique the ways.

Some of these ways are (a) isolation of knowledge from action, (b) emphasis on certainty, (c) emphasis on uniformity of criteria—e.g., that all knowledge is or must be certain, that all knowledge is uncertain, that all knowledge is or includes projection of the knower, that no knowledge is entirely of the object, (c) the themes of form and ideals, substance and matter, (d) refractory a priori elements, (e) the opposites and oppositions of empiricism and rationalism, (f) that metaphysics as knowledge of being is to be taken as depictive knowledge of all being in all its detail and that certain and perfect knowledge of this is impossible (it is indeed found impossible to limited forms of intelligence, but what will be called ‘pure metaphysics’ need and should not be knowledge of all being in all detail).

The ways will be visited in the development. However, attention to the ways is not a main purpose. The purposes of the visitation are (a) to illustrate the power of the universal metaphysics (b) to show some important cases where the ways have been unnecessarily restraining and in what ways they may have ongoing validity.

Secular and trans-secular world views

Knowledge of the world is invariably incomplete and so the supernatural arises perhaps in an attempt at explaining the world. In primal civilizations the natural and supernatural are fused. Anthropological analysis finds the fused picture of the world to be empirical and adaptive in a style of life in which humanity sees itself as part of rather than primarily as attempting to control the world.

In modernity there are two main modes of seeing and being in the world which are significantly split. The secular emphasizes the world of common experience and tends to a foundation in science. The trans-secular holds that there is more than is emphasized in the secular and tends to foundation in religious or secular metaphysics.

Thus, the secular and the trans-secular are not exclusive. However, they are often seen as in opposition due to secular reductionist positivism and or trans-secular fundamentalism. Though those who hold such views explicitly are not a majority, they are the widespread modern default.

A metaphor for the exclusive faces of secularism and trans-secularism is that of two small tangentially connected spheres in an infinite space of the real.

But since these tacit views are widespread the existential attitude of modernity suffers from impoverishment and conflict. If the universe is the realization of all possibility, modern humanity rejects the great opportunity of being (the secular position) or rests in the thought that all is already known (the trans-secular default).

Jointly the secular as REDUCTIONIST-ELITIST the trans-secular as FUNDAMENTALIST-EXCLUSIVE are limiting in all realms. However, even when their approaches are open, they are beset by constraints of styles of thought and attitudes toward the possible and the potential. They are particularly limited in relation to what is, for them, unrealized potential from the power of the idea of being (i.e., they seem to have not as yet seen or recognized the metaphysics of this work). Open, initially neutral, and critical thought and action—metaphysics—is an approach to the ultimate as such and the ultimate in the immediate.

The way of the ordinary—a way out of the secular / trans-secular divide

Whereas some metaphysics of the past is fantastic, another approach starts with the ordinary.

Would that mean starting with the immediate? That would ignore what we do not know. To start with the ordinary and without prejudice is to start with all things (entities, relations, processes and so on).

But that would be too detailed and its knowledge too imprecise to be a good place to start.

Instead, the ordinary should be That which is common to all things. What is that? Consider that what is not common is what is different—e.g., one object is green, another is red; one is an entity, another a process, a third is a relation. What is common must transcend properties that differentiate. What does not differentiate is that an object is there, i.e., that it exists, i.e., that it has being.

However, the development begins with experience. The reasons for this are (a) talk of being in the abstract is so devoid of meaning as to lead to paradox, (b) it is in experience that being is registered, and (c) as the place of our being and as relationship to the universe, experience is a prime example of being and the place of connection to what would otherwise be an abstract understanding of being.

This discussion could now talk of the power of these ideas, but that and more is developed in the main content of the work to which readers are now referred.

In the development of the ideas and the power, we never get truly outside the ordinary.

The ordinary is extra-ordinary

In going BEYOND THE ORDINARY—beyond ordinary ordinariness, we will arrive at the extraordinary extra-ordinary. The NEUTRAL experience as experience and being and being MAKE ONLY ONE DISTINCTION—the REAL VERSUS THE UNREAL. The essay therefore begins with experience of and as being.