The way of being
Anil Mitra, Copyright 1986 – 2025

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Contents

Plan of development

Into the way of being

The aim

This version

Relation to received worldviews

Building a picture of the ultimate

Features

Reading and understanding the way of being

Outline and preview

Sources

Being

Being and beings

The universe

A conceptual limit to the universe

Cosmos

Natural laws

The void

Existence of the void

Some beings

There are no laws of the void.

Metaphysics

Possibility

The ultimate

The system of metaphysics

Method

Doubt and certainty

Value

Dimensions, paradigms, and means of being

Cosmology

A hierarchy of experiential being

Appendix—problems of the endeavor of being

Pathways

Design of pathways

Enlightenment

Paths

Return

The world

Instituting the way

Renewal, retreat, and journey

The way of being

Parallel developments

Preliminary

Knowledge

Method and content

Metaphysics and philosophy

Cosmology

Some topics

Resources

Source documents – twb site

Reference and bibliography

Document

Content template

The way of being

Plan of development

See design and planning.docm.

Into the way of being

This chapter is an informal introduction to the way of being. ‘Into’ signifies that the narrative emphasizes constructive reflection on the aim, just below, and means of achieving it. It does not signify withdrawal from the world; rather, the emphasis is parallel reflection, living in the world, and their interaction—which is how one lives day-to-day taken to a more inclusive level.

The aim

The aim of the way of being is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate for, in, and from the world.

The approach to the aim is,

As far as it is found possible, to build a worldview (i) based in reading, experience, reflection, and action (ii) that is empirically and rationally based (iii) that is ultimate in foundation and extent.

To be on a path of realization in interaction with the worldview.

Readers who are immersed in common received worldviews will find that the worldview of the narrative goes beyond their worldview and challenges their intuitive and rational understanding.

This version

When essence of the way.html is complete, eliminate the phrase ‘currently under development’, below.

This is a short version of the way; it sacrifices explanation and full development, for which, see essence of the way.html, currently under development.

Relation to received worldviews

Secular and transsecular worldviews

Secularism and secular worldviews

Religion – actual and ideal

Metaphysics

The worldview of the narrative

The worldview of the narrative attempts to have

Empirical and rational basis

Ultimacy in foundation and extent

Limits of science and religion

Science has a domain of validity, which it almost certainly does not project beyond. The better projections in metaphysics, religion, myth, and story, are richly suggestive but typically incomplete and tentative.

Building a picture of the ultimate

Can we build a picture of the ultimate at all?

Beginning at a low level of detail

One common generic approach builds a picture beginning with low level detail.

But any total picture of the universe built from detail alone is likely to be deficient.

To begin at a high level of detail

If, instead, we try to begin at a high level, perhaps the highest, where may we begin?

Why appeal to the possible

Since the truly impossible cannot obtain, the attempt may begin with the possible in its most inclusive sense.

Motivation of the approach from being

This motivates the beginning with being – for its neutrality, among other reasons – and with beings, universe, cosmos, laws, the void, and abstraction as to be introduced. Though it is not guaranteed, this approach seems promising and is in fact a powerful approach to the ultimate and the place of the world in it.

Complementary approach from detail and experience

Of course, the low level cannot be ignored because it is necessary as part of the stuff of our existence and for as complete a picture of the universe that we can build. A low-level approach might begin with experience. This would motivate interest in the narrative. However, it is more effective to introduce experience later (i) for understanding of experience itself and (ii) a streamlined and efficient narrative development.

Features

Use a reduced version of features in outline of the way.docm. Include:

The scope of meaning of some terms will be enhanced with narration

Terms will include experience, metaphysics

Reading and understanding the way of being

On worldviews

On meaning

Many terms used in this work have a range of meanings in common and philosophical use and some terms lack full consensus meaning even in relation to the received view of the world; and in attempting to go beyond the received it is not given that the terms have a transcendent meaning – rather, for limited beings, meaning is in process. So, when meanings are specified, it is not implied that the specification is the meaning or should displace received meanings. Though some specified meanings are at variance with the received, they remain in the received family of meanings.

How, then, may we evaluate the meanings specified here? The following emerges in the development.

The specified meanings are one possible set of associations with the terms; they are generally specified conceptually and empirically based; where existence of the object may be in doubt, as for the void, it is demonstrated. Full meaning does not lie in the individual terms but in the emergent system (it is called emergent because it emerged iteratively from non-systematic beginnings); the origins of meaning are not in use alone, but also in reflection on and codification of use, which are co- rather than contra-determinants of meaning, but use is important (i) in showing knowledge of meaning to lack complete and intrinsic foundation (except where shown) (ii) in showing that it is not given that there is an absolute meaning to all terms (even if transcendent to our intellect and use). Thus meanings remain in-process until it is shown otherwise.

The joint criteria for the system are (i) empirical base (ii) consistency with experience and valid received knowledge, which it includes (a necessary but not sufficient condition) (iii) proof (iv) address of doubt. The criteria, too, are emergent. They emerge as joint truth (e.g., correspondence)-ethical criteria, rather than just correspondence or merely value based. Though received criteria – correspondence, coherence, pragmatic, mixed – are not seen as irrelevant to philosophical thought and the human endeavor, the emergent and joint criteria have an ultimate character relative to realization of the ultimate. In this narrative, some meanings have approached finality, which involved iteration of term and system meaning—some such terms are being, beings, universe, void, law, possibility, logic, and experience. Though the meanings of the terms are not foreign to received meanings, it is their precise meaning here that gives the system its power; therefore, for understanding, careful attention should be given to definitions of the terms. On the other hand some terms remain in-process, being partially defined and such terms include ‘the greatest being’ and ‘dimensions of being’.

Rather than seeing the disciplines of knowledge as just separate academic entities, knowledge is seen as a seamless and united endeavor. Particularly, it has just been seen that there is a synthesis of metaphysics, epistemology, value, and logic as general reason.

On definition

When talking about the world, as in metaphysics and science, a definition (or system of definitions) does not imply existence. If consistency is given, it still remains to establish existence if it is not inherent in the definition itself.

In defining terms in the narrative, it will be implicit that definitions are for the purpose of the system of the narrative.

Outline and preview

Explain why it would be instructive to begin with experience but that it is efficient to defer it to a low level later introduction.

Sources

Sources for the way of being are (i) in the specific considerations above (ii) in the history of ideas and exploration (iii) in experience, action, and imaginative and critical reflection.

Being

Experience as consciousness and awareness is essential to being and is implicitly present from the beginning (in the idea of existence, below) but it is effective to defer its explicit development.

Being and beings

Being is existence; a being is an existent.

The universe

The universe is all being.

A conceptual limit to the universe

It is consistent with observation and reason for the universe to be the realization of the greatest possibility.

Cosmos

A cosmos is a causal domain with currently negligible interactions with the rest of the universe.

Natural laws

A natural law or just law is a (reading of a) pattern of behavior for a significant range of phenomena.

The void

The void is conceived as the absence of being—the being that contains no beings.

A being is (identical to) the being-and-the-void.

Existence of the void

Existence and nonexistence of the void are equivalent; therefore, the void exists.

Some beings

The universe, cosmoses, the void, and laws are beings.

There are no laws of the void.

There are no laws of the void.

Metaphysics

Though the term is defined here, metaphysics began with the chapter on being. We introduce possibility and discuss the ultimate before taking up the concept of metaphysics.

Possibility

If the concept of a being is such that

Logical possibility

It is inherent in the concept that it can exist, it is logically possible (this entails a conception of logic),

Real and relatively real possibilities

It is consistent with the nature of the universe (sub-domain) it has real (relatively real or just relative) possibility (real possibility presumes and cannot exceed logical possibility).

Logical possibility is the greatest possibility

Therefore, logical possibility is the greatest possibility (from here, unqualified possibility is logical – the greatest possibility).

The ultimate

Was ‘limitlessness’, ‘ideal metaphysics’

Showing that the ultimate is the possible

If a possible being never emerges from the void, that fact would be a law.

But since the void has no laws, all possibilities emerge from it (and from every being).

A fundamental principle

That is, the following fundamental principle of metaphysics is true—

The universe is the realization of the ultimate, i.e., of the greatest possibility (this is, of course, a framework for full knowledge of the ultimate). Alternatively, the universe is (conceptually) limitless (not just infinite).

Identity of real and logical possibility

Real and logical possibilities have the same extension (but the extension of relative possibility is less than that of logical possibility).

All beings realize the ultimate

All beings realize the ultimate (this is not a contradiction, for they merge in doing so).

Limitlessness of being

On the limitlessness

The limitless universe phases in and out of manifestation. Birth and death are real but not absolute. In birth, beings emerge from and in death they return to potential, while our real being moves toward the ultimate. Though we conceive this, we do not see it (discounting claims that some humans are aware of other lives). Higher forms of being see across multiple lives or manifestations. The highest forms are peak beings, in which lower beings merge—we are not apart from peak being.

Approach to peak being

It is possible but not usually expected that one will realize the ultimate in our present form but that we return to potential in death and will be born again in higher form—and that in some forms we will approach peak being that is on the way to being and knowing all.

The trajectory of beings

From human perspectives it may seem that the trajectory of all beings is finite rise and fall. In the ultimate the trajectory is eternal and limitless peaking through return to and emergence from potential, i.e., death and birth.

The system of metaphysics

This section develops a system of metaphysics. The first main task is to address what metaphysics is. Preliminary to that we should ask a ‘meta-question’ – “How can we answer the question ‘What is X?’ generally and particularly when X is a recognized (or not yet recognized) knowledge discipline.

On the question ‘What is metaphysics?’

Issues include

The narrative conception should lie in the family of philosophical meanings of ‘metaphysics’ with regard to the concept and what topics it includes (i.e., with regard to intension and extension).

The conception and its constituent concepts should form a coherent and consistent system, that is true and in some sense complete picture of the world.

But the world includes knowledge and therefore (a) metaphysics will study itself (b) in some sense it will be the knowledge discipline covering all disciplines (c) the meaning of ‘metaphysics’ and topics it covers may be modified by the study (and so arriving at a narrative-final meaning of metaphysics may be iterative) (d) that is, metaphysics itself is an emergent aspect of metaphysical study—a stable conception of metaphysics will require metaphysics for its narrative-final meaning and so development of metaphysics is pre-requisite to understanding what metaphysics is (and this is not circular—rather it has been and is iterative).

Thus, metaphysics is ‘the knowledge discipline’, which may deserve a (new) name.

What is metaphysics?

Metaphysics is knowledge of the real.

Initial justification of this conception of metaphysics

The necessity of what we have concluded so far, follows from abstraction—filtering out from the concepts whatever is necessarily distorted. We have therefore discovered a framework for ultimate metaphysics. That is, despite doubts about the possibility of perfect knowledge generally (e.g., in the sense of correspondence), we have found a perfect and ultimate framework for knowledge of the universe.

Further, while the nature and possibility of metaphysics remains a living issue, what is called metaphysics in philosophy may be seen to have significant overlap with the present conception and range.

Relation to received conceptions of metaphysics

How ought metaphysics to be further developed from here?

What has emerged explicitly and implicitly so far fits into the following scheme.

Since metaphysics is about the real, even if it is consistent the universe as its object is not guaranteed. Therefore, an emerging – unfolding – development may be preferable to an attempt at axiomatization from the beginning for, in this way, an object may be shown at each stage. This is in fact similar to an axiomatic development in which initial axioms are a framework and there is further development within the framework as special cases or further axioms.

Where shall we go from here?

The abstract ideal framework, in the ultimate, above shows what will be achieved but not (i) concretely, (ii) how to best achieve, or (iii) what the ultimate beyond the rather circular ‘limitless’ or ‘most inclusive possibility’.

Introducing pragmatic knowledge

If to that framework we join a system of our knowledge that is at least pragmatically valid, the result is not perfect in usual, e.g., correspondence, senses. However, regarding ultimate realization as a value, the result is perfect relative to that value, since (i) though realization of the ultimate is given, it is desirable for it to be effective and (ii) the result – the join of the ideal framework and the pragmatic – is the best we have (of course, the way to realization will not be charted out for all time but be iterative and informed by any emerging pragmatic knowledge).

The real metaphysics

The join will be named the real metaphysics or just the metaphysics, in which the ideal illuminates and guides the pragmatic, while the pragmatic is a ‘low-level’ tool in negotiating pathways in, of, and from the world to the ultimate.

In terms of a hybrid correspondence and ethical criterion, the present conception of metaphysics is perfect and (i) has overlap with received metaphysics (ii) but also goes far beyond the range of received metaphysics.

Levels of metaphysical knowledge

Two levels may be identified – the ultimate and the world; a third level – form and formation, intermediate between the two main levels, may be identified.

Sub-levels may be identified later

The ultimate universe (in abstraction, known perfectly on traditional criteria).
Object—being (fact, pattern).
Law—sound argument.

Form—eternal symmetry, its algebra, and asymmetry.

Identity – sameness-difference – being-change-displacement-property (quality, quantity); this line also appears naturally, after form, below.

Formation—saltation.

Synthesis with the world level is implicit if argument is allowed to include the strong case.

Worlds or (known imperfectly on traditional criteria but perfectly on axiological criteria.
Object—beings.
Law—strong argument.

Formation—incremental trajectories through near stable, near symmetric states..

Form—laws of nature (as-if matter – life – mind) and social structure.

Identity – sameness-difference – being-change-displacement-property (quality, quantity); this line also appears naturally, after form, above.

Synthesis with the universal level occurs on (i) synthesis of sound and strong argument (ii) on the ethical ground that pragmatic knowledge is perfect on ethical value of realization.

Metaphysics as science – as the knowledge discipline

Abstract

Concrete

General argument or general logic

The reason for ‘general logic’ in the title is that it was the original term I used for general argument.

Introduction

This this section bring different kinds of argument and logic under a single umbrella.

What is argument?

Argument is establishment of a fact. It is typically (i) establishment of a fact or premise (ii) inference from the fact.

If the inference is necessary, the argument is valid; deduction is a kind of necessary inference. Further, if the premise is true, the argument is sound. Example—the premise is that a space under consideration is Euclidean, the deductive argument to Pythagoras’ Theorem is sound.

When the inference is reasonable, we may call the argument strong, and, further, if the premise is reasonably likely, the argument may be called good.

Reasonable argumentation includes induction (generalization from regularities over a limited domain) and abduction (argument to a good explanation).

General argument

Showing how all argument fits under a single umbrella with no sharp distinctions.

See stems, snippets, canonical material\general logic or general argument.html.

Method

Method is (i) implicit throughout (ii) not another topic – part of content.

Discovery and validity (justification).

The reflexive picture theory is void except for the ideal; and, in terms of axiology, for the pragmatics.

What is explanatory – origins, necessity of entire history…

Doubt and certainty

There are many good reasons to doubt the development.

General doubt

There are general doubts about the nature and possibility of knowledge. These remain relevant to philosophy. Here, however, they are addressed for purpose of metaphysical development by establishing a perfect and ultimate framework for metaphysics, by filling it in with pragmatic knowledge, and by finding the join perfect relative to ultimate criteria of realization.

There is general doubt, related to the doubt above, whether there is anything but illusion. It cannot be all illusion for there is at least the illusion itself, which, if all else is illusion, is real. But how might we argue that there is more than just that illusion? An argument is that indeed, if all possibilities realized, there may be worlds of floating nothing but experience of things without the objective things. This kind of doubt is addressed by observing (i) if that kind of world is temporarily indistinguishable from what we think to be real then there is nothing we can presently do about it (ii) if it is permanently indistinguishable, there is nothing we ought to do about it. However, absolute indistinguishability does not obtain. There are philosophical arguments against it, but they are perhaps not entirely convincing. Here, if we appeal to a paradigm of incremental emergence in parallel to evolutionary emergence, we expect that robust worlds with intelligent observation outnumber bizarre world, e.g., of just floating experience. We are almost certainly real.

Specific doubt

Specific doubts are (i) doubts regarding the kind of proof(s) given (ii) doubts stemming from the unusual and ultimate nature of the conclusions.

A response is in two parts. Regarding item ii, the emergent picture—the real metaphysics—is empirically consistent – consistent with observation. This is not proof but is intended to ward off claims that the emerged picture is supra-empirical, supra-rational, or counter intuitive. Regarding item i, alternate proofs can be given, e.g., the void must be eternal, its existence is therefore necessary, but by symmetry, no one state can be necessary unless all possible states are necessary.

Residual doubt

Of course, doubt may remain. Perhaps we should say that doubt should remain, for to live in doubt is or may be to live in truth.

Living with (residual) doubt

The possibilities are as follows.

Existential—using the limitlessness of being as an existential axiom in forging a life or a future.

Metaphysical, scientific—using the limitlessness of being as a hypothesis to understand the real and the details of our place in it.

Skeptical—to reject the limitlessness of being and the real metaphysics (i) absolutely or (ii) as rendering it less than adequately potent.

Value

Axiology and the concept of value

Ethics

Aesthetics

Dimensions, paradigms, and means of being

An approximation – in other documents elements are dimensions and means are paradigms.

The concepts

Introduction

Dimensions are related to the concept of metaphysical categories.

The received conception of a system of metaphysical categories is that of a complete list of the highest kinds (genera) at the level of being itself and just below (sometimes omitting the highest), of (a) beginning with Aristotle, the real or, (b) since Kant, due to doubts that the real-itself is knowable, conceptions of the real, which, with Kant, was about phenomena and, so, about the best knowledge of the real.

Here, the aims for the dimensions are as far as we can, to

Bridge the divide between the phenomena (experience-as-real) and the real,

Have dimensions at levels from (a) being itself (which is effectively experiential being) (b) to high level kinds, just below being (c) to kinds suitable to our world, perhaps split into levels of fact and pattern,

At the highest level to not distinguish entity, interaction, and process (a level of description at which the distinctions are not recognized); at levels just below the highest, to recognize the emergence of the distinctions and their dynamics including sameness, difference, identity, change, displacement, and cause; at levels for our world to describe a hierarchy of kinds, oriented to both the real (actual or as-if as it should emerge) and the conceptual or linguistic,

For the dimensions to incorporate (a) knowledge, understanding, explanation, and prediction at paradigmatic and detailed levels (b) means of being-in-the-world (c) means of goal-oriented action, particularly of living in the immediate and ultimate as one.

Dimension

Related to categories, the dimensions, here so-called because

They may be multi-dimensional over and above mere classification,

A second main reason for the difference in terminology is that dimensions are explicitly intended

For understanding, explanation, and prediction (and other epistemic aims),

For judgment regarding open and goal directed action and behavior, especially toward the ultimate.

A further distinction regarding dimensions is that they are explicitly multi-level,

Perfectly known – being itself and just below being,

Pragmatically known the level of worlds,

The dimensions emphasize finer ‘sublevels’.

Paradigm

Paradigms of behavior are explanatory and or predictive schemes or systems associated with a dimension or dimensions.

Means

When the aim is reasoned action, the ‘means’ will be used in place of or in supplement to ‘paradigm’.

Levels of dimension and paradigm

The levels correspond to the levels of metaphysical knowledge and are thus classed as pure vs pragmatic.

Experience

We have mentioned that experience is essential to being but its treatment was deferred so as to make the narrative development efficient.

Experience is introduced here because it is crucial to a complete classification of dimensions and paradigms.

Experience and being

Experience is awareness in all kinds and levels. Without it there is effectively no being. From limitlessness, experience extends to the root of being and the term effectively is superfluous.

Why experience

We are experiential beings

The universe is a field of experience

The main structure of experience

The structure of experience is the subjective (experience of’) related (in experience) to the objective (the experienced’, which is neutral to objectivity in the sense of being devoid of subjectivity). Though being is neutral to substance, this structure is as-if mind bound to as-if mind as-being-itself.

Elementary distinctions

State

Process

The structure of experience in detail

Relation—experience itself

See essence of the way.docm

Experience of experience and memory

Subject

Object

High-level structure of the universe (world)

Introduction

Beyond experience?

Extension, duration, and relation

Introduction

The most basic experience

Derivation of extension, duration, and cause

Consequences for dimensions and paradigms

The following dimensions and paradigms (means) of being (with process or becoming) have a basis in the structure of experience.

The dimensions and paradigms

Introduction

The bases of the dimensions are (i) at the level of being itself, experiential being is a co-dimension (ii) the levels of metaphysical knowledge (iii) the structure of experience (i.e., experiential being).

As noted above two main levels of metaphysical knowledge, pure and pragmatic are recognized; some attention will be given to sub-levels. The distinction between the pure and the pragmatic is graded rather than sharp (see general argument or general logic) and so, the sub-levels are not emphasized.

The term ‘means’ is related to ‘paradigm’ when used toward action, particularly realization.

Pure

Dimension

Being itself, with experiential being (subject-experience-object) considered as a co-dimension of being

Sound argument as paradigm

See argument. Necessity as origins and cause. Theory of form and symmetry.

If argument is extended from sound to strong (or the criteria from knowledge directed to appropriate joint knowledge-value directed), the pure may be extended to include the pragmatic. However, explicit consideration of this extension is in synthesis, below.

Means

Knowledge

Understanding, becoming, and being the real (yoga). The real metaphysics (strictly, under ‘pure’ we would consider only the side of metaphysics that is establishment of necessary fact and necessary inference) and abstract sciences

Being

As the essence of the experiential universe is that it is perceived (in the most general sense of ‘perception’), the universe is, effectively, experiential-on-the-way-to-peak being (and from peak being).

Artifact and technology

See artifact and technology, below.

Pragmatic

Detail to be filled in for complete versions, minimized for essential versions. See, for example, the little manual.

Subject aspects of experience (as-if mind)

Dimensions—elements of experience—feeling, emotion, perception, thought, intention, will, and action (which are all bound together in process and memory).

Paradigms—philosophy or theory of experience.

Means—metaphysics and meditation.

Object aspects of experience (as-if matter)

The term, ‘as-if object’ is better than ‘as-if matter’ because the mind (as-if) may be experienced.

Nature

Dimensions—as-if matter (with extension, duration, cause, complexity, life) and mind.

Paradigms—paradigms derived from the natural sciences in two classes (i) formation—incremental through near symmetric near stable states (derived from explanation in evolutionary biology but applicable to some cases of cosmological origins and evolution, which contrasts to the less likely saltational origins) (ii) form—mechanism (with partial or total determinism) and proximate causation. The paradigms enable understanding of formed and robust cosmoses and beings from the void which exhibit high symmetry and stability and thus effective population of the universe by robust cosmoses with experiential beings.

Means—exploration of possibilities of sentient beings and of cosmoses via migration of sentient beings; supplemented by robotics, artificial intelligence, space technology, and metaphysics of experience.

Individual and society

Dimensions—individuals and groups – community and society.

Paradigms, emphasizing individuals—individual potency of understanding is multiplied by cultural inheritance.

Individual means, i.e., means emphasizing individuals—individual potency of action is multiplied by sharing (share realization of the ultimate in and from the immediate); in the world (i) ground – safety, security (finance, home – place and environs, community and relationships, social commitments, e.g., work roles; networking) (ii) living and deploying all (other) elements (dimensions and paradigms) of being.

Paradigms, emphasizing groups—individual potency of understanding is multiplied in cultural interaction and process—sciences and institutions of groups, economics – politics – ethics (local to global); secular knowledge, exploration, and art; the transsecular (ultimately its distinction from the secular should be false), religion with spirituality is understood as the entire being of individuals and groups employed in the realization of all and peak being; and paradigms derived from these sciences. In detail—

Culture encompasses language, custom, science, reason, metaphysics, and human knowledge and exploration, generally, as well as representation and transmission of knowledge, which includes education.

Social science—structures, e.g. Groups and institutions, origins, change, and dynamics of culture and society

Economics is about organization and distribution of resources—means and principles

Politics concerns group decision and its organization, practical and ideal, whose address is immersive and instrumental (elements of power include: individuals, wealth, economy, institutions, charisma and anti-charisma, force, e.g., military, information, e.g., media).

Ethics is seen as being about good ideals and ends, right actions, and virtuous behavior and thought, but, though all these ought to be given weight, the significance of different ethical systems, folk and philosophical, is unclear, and, further, it is not at all clear to what extent and in what manner they universalize: ethics ought to remain experimental and reflective.

Group means, i.e., means emphasizing groups—individual potency of action is multiplied in in sharing.

Some themes are sustainability vs growth; political-economics and ethics in wealth distribution; theoretical or conceptual ethics and morals in relation to choice, decisions and action, for individuals, societies, nations, the world, and the universe (and balance among the same); charisma and institution in power; populism vs liberal democracy in stable and effective governance; power and history; secularism and transsecularism in history and ultimate being; shared action in exploration of space – inner and outer.

Synthesis

Toward universal being

Dimensions—all above, especially of pure being (in universality, the object rises to the level of being as subject-object).

Paradigms arising in the universal realm include necessary design (for example, we as beings are on the way to peak capability), necessary cause—premised and spontaneous, and general logic (the logic of the real metaphysics, which includes induction of systems of logic and theories of science and deduction within those systems, and necessary fact as well as pragmatic fact); this brings logic and science closer than might have otherwise been thought. Inasmuch as there is doubt about facts and theories in science, the rational and the empirical are brought closer than we might otherwise think. Given that experience is experiencing, change and its measure are necessary; further form requires extension and its measure; therefore, spacetimebeing is paradigmatic (it does not follow that our measures of spacetime are necessary).

Means—all above, especially of pure being and exploration of being, via yoga (understood as in process, experimental, subject to reason, informed by the metaphysics), science, art, and technology, in and beyond our cosmos.

Artifact and technology

Artifact and technology as

Vehicle for exploration and discovery (earth and space).

Being (a) in itself – robotics and artificial intelligence, (b) simulation of organic beings (c) extension of organic beings – add-on and interactively, (d) synthesized organic-and-artifactual beings (as in the older terms ‘cyborg’ and ‘techno-organism’).

Argument as paradigm

See argument for a continuum of argument from strong to sound.

Cosmology

A hierarchy of experiential being

Appendix—problems of the endeavor of being

This appendix may be placed at the end of the document, perhaps under resources.

The appendix is very brief (by intent). Detailed treatment is in the longer document, essence of the way.html.

The main problem is the problem of knowledge and action.

Here we begin to see that that knowledge – its methodology and disciplines – are seamless; particularly the main philosophical disciplines – meaning or significance of life, metaphysics, epistemology, value, and reason (logic, broadly understood) are a single entity.

Pathways

The detail in this section is in essence of the way.docm.

This chapter has useful redundancy.

Design of pathways

This section is about how the pathways were developed.

Main design goals

Aim of the way.

Means, dimensions, paradigms aligned with enlightenment and path.

The aims of dimensions here are (a) understanding, explanation, and prediction (b) means of action.

Study categories and other background material.

What is to be designed

The concept of enlightenment

Pathways and programs

Everyday and immediate emphasis

Universal and long term emphasis

Pathway templates for use

How it is to be designed

From the concept of enlightenment

From the real metaphysics

Essential background

Dimensions, paradigms, and means of being and experience

The levels of metaphysics

It should be experimental in nature

To whom should it appeal? How should it appeal?

The issue is not closed.

Laying out the development

Preliminary headings.

Net path

Issues

Topics in enlightenment below.

Healthy living and pathways

Programs

Resources and templates

Bring dimensions and programs into alignment

Enlightenment

Background in the real metaphysics

The universe and all beings are ultimate in that in the greatest sense of possibility, all possibility is realized.

The aim of the way is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in, for, and from worlds.

Realization of the ultimate is given and desirable. However, there are enlightened, shared, and intelligently negotiated pathways, which are recreated, but which may learn and be critically inspired by recognized leaders and received ways.

Sources in received ways – culture, tradition, and religion

The received ways are not found final or authoritative. Their leaders may inspire but their leadership is relative.

The received ways are pertinent

As sources of inspiration and symbolic of truth (even where dogmatic).

To sharing the way of being with followers of the received.

Religion

What is religion?

Meta-questions

What religion is

On the use of religion

The place of ways from tradition

Secular humanism

The concept of enlightened ways

Preliminary

In many received ways there are concepts of our imperfect lives on earth, an ideal of perfection, and a way to the perfect.

Here, for limited beings the ultimate is defined in principle but not in detail and an enlightened way (a) is shared and intelligent discovery and realization of the ultimate in and from the world (b) has a conception of healthy living in view of that goal (c) particularly addresses the problem of pleasure and pain.

The ultimate

We have seen that ultimates recur. But there is also one ultimate standing above all.

Issues

Ordinary pleasure is not to be avoided but there is emphasis on pleasure in being on a shared path.

Pain is not to be avoided but addressed by healthy living, the fortunate helping the less fortunate, by therapy, and, within reason, in not letting pain detract from the path—in remaining on a path despite pain.

Such paths are enlightened and pragmatic.

Goals for path and program design

Paths should be intelligent and effective. Issues may be addressed comprehensively via the elements of being (called ‘dimensions and paradigms of being’ in some accounts on the way of being site) and include—

The following are incorporated to pathways, below.

Pathway elements will reflect the background above, particularly the real metaphysics, the levels of metaphysical knowledge, the dimensions of being, and the concept of enlightenment.

Pathways and programs will be experimental in nature with weight to truth as seen so far, including the received, and to discovery.

The aspects and dimensions will include the (a) personal, everyday, and immediate (b) the universal, social, and long term and the continuum in between (nature, mind, and society) and (c) the continuum in-between, for #a and #b are interwoven, not absolute distinctions.

Program design – the path should reflect upon itself (there is no ultimate external authority) – the elements include an emphasis on design and planning.

The path should appeal by inclusivity and emphasizing its positives rather than fear and downplaying received ways.

There will be flexible path templates that are adaptable to a range of situations (a) individual to social (b) development, practice, and action (c) choice of interest or emphasis from the dimensions of being.

The pure and the pragmatic

The pure – experiential being itself, and its yoking (yoga) to universal being.

Physical action toward unity, yoga, immersion in nature and community,

Mental action toward unity – meditation, metaphysics (knowledge, generally).

The immediate (this world) and the ultimate (placed first to emphasize that being on a path is not to minimize the immediate).

Integration of the elements of experience

About integration and balance

Balance shall mean synthesis into a harmonious whole via reflection and practice where ‘harmony’ is not bliss or even quieting of the negative but a synthesis of ideal harmony with working through reason, pleasure, and pain in and for the world on the way to the ultimate.

For an ideal conception of ‘balance’ see Baruch Spinoza (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy); his conception is primitive to mine and is dependent on world as this world, determinism, and substance theory.

Healthy living

The elements of individual experience—reason, emotion, value, intention, will, and action—or, in greater detail reason (perception, thought—imaginative and critical), emotion (with feeling, and enjoyment, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection), intention (and from perception and thought via intention to fact and inference), will, and from will action (the integration of the subject aspect is in structure and process of organisms in interaction with their environment), in balance in healthy living—

The balance especially emphasizes emotion, thought, and action; the balance is a synthesis from limited freedom of the will for beings while in limited form—if there were no freedom of will, the aim would be ‘classical’ – to control our assessment of external objects of desire and so their hold on our positive and negative passions (Spinoza); but this is a limited view, for we do have some freedom and so we accept some appropriate pain in aiming at the ultimate here and beyond and a place where, in some manifestation, ‘we’ will have absolute freedom. From this, we consider—

Address of pleasure and pain—emphasizing pleasure in shared negotiation of the way; and address of pain by sharing – the able helping the less able, therapy, and particularly in not seeking to avoid all pain but in being on a path through rather than in avoidance of pain (which is counter to some views of enlightenment, e.g., as nirvana)

Roles for received ways

Received ways (and ‘leaders’) may contribute to the path but are neither authoritative nor final—paths and path paradigms are always under shared negotiation and discovery (of necessity and since every being and community finds an essence in discovery even if it is rediscovery). Particularly, enlightened pathways emphasize right attitude, speech, and action for and toward all being.

Integration of the pure and the pragmatic

About integration and balance

Balance between the pure (universal) and pragmatic – lower level – dimensions of being, and among the pragmatic dimensions: natural, mental, communal, and spiritual aspects of being, and their integration in process (regarding ‘spirit’, an approach from being promotes the view that there is but one realm and what is called spirituality consists in seeing its entirety – spirituality is universality); note: though ‘lower’ these provide some paradigms for and ways to the universal,

Pragmatic

The natural (i) attunement to nature at home (ii) seeking special natural places for immersion in the real and insight (‘Beyul’).

The mental is addressed above.

The communal includes (i) giving and receiving from community – relationships, work, and avocation (ii) social sciences developed and applied – sociology, politics, economics, knowledge development and transmission, history, engineering and technology for community and exploration (earth and space), philosophy of religion (as a source of the true nature of religion as going beyond the limits of culture).

Synthesis

Also see enlightenment > the pure and the pragmatic.

The spiritual – universal – is addressed above (pervades all levels).

Paths

The personal and the universal, below, merge; the distinctions are ones of emphasis.

The universal (being)

Elements

Pure

Being as experiential being.

Experiencing nothingness and emptiness.

Means

Yoga as uniting with the real; its physical and experiential elements.

Synthesizing

Key elements are from enlightenment and the personal (beings), above.

Rationalize the following – should immersion not be placed with ‘mind’.

Mind

Toward universal states of mind via meditation, immersion in nature and culture, intense activity.

Nature

Nature – extended travel in natural (‘wild’) environments as portal to the real (‘Beyul’), identity with plant and animal life.

The elements below are paste special from above.

Society and artifact

Social sciences developed and applied – sociology, politics, economics, knowledge development and transmission, history, engineering and technology for community and exploration (earth and space), philosophy of religion (as a source of the true nature of religion as going beyond the limits of culture).

Immersion in interaction with cultures.

An emphasis on technology for exploration of space (earth, universe) and mind (e.g., via artificial intelligence and its interaction with beings.

The following should be joined, improved, and some information inserted here: world problems and opportunities.html part of journey in being.html#the_world (../../2021/resources/journey in being.html#the_world)

Synthesis – the universe and the universal

Synthesis via the elements of mind, nature, society; understanding via real metaphysics; use of the received – see ‘Society’, just above; seeking transformation.

Planning

Planning is interactive between (i) the personal and (ii) the universal roughly in parallel. A sequence for the universal is—

Development of the way of being.

Executing the elements just above in rough parallel—

Mind

Nature and society

Universe / universal in enlightenment above and universal elements above

Program

Being – the world

Though separated, the following have continuity and intersection.

Ideas

Practice

Action

Becoming—intrinsic, instrumental

Nature

Society

Artifact

Being – the universal

Synthesis as above.

The personal (beings)

Elements

Key elements from enlightenment, above.

Attitude and planning

Attitude – affirmation of the ultimate in the present; dedication to the way of being; discipline

Synthesis of emotion, thought, and action; balance of pleasure and pain on paths for, in, and from the immediate to the ultimate

Addressing blocks—

In the moment radar—Recognize (see), Accept and attend, Defuse (others’ intent is not relevant, Shamatha, exercise), Affirm (self and life), Return (to activity, especially the way)

Reflection—why we do not reach full potency and how to reach it (‘the roar of the tiger’)

Development (long term) march—Meditate on the issue, periodic Affirmation, Reduce Contact (persons, news), Health (diet, sleep, exercise, no alcohol)

Research (therapy and techniques, e.g., ‘anxiety’, ‘ptsd’; though there are many suggested ways to deal with blocks, it will take experience and time to find what works for any given person)

Planning and review (phases of the day, week, month, year – trips – journeys, life – death – and beyond)… and of the way—

Developing and living the way

Developing and understanding the way – reflection, study (reading), experience, writing, plans of action; sharing the way – in the moment and planned.

Living the way – realization – being – yoga, meditation (Shamatha or centering, Vipasana – seeing the real, e.g., as emptiness, analytic)

Community – giving and receiving – relationships, home, work, avocation, duty; networking.

Ground – regular and emerging – safety, security (health, finance), place (environment, community)

World and universal – see the same topic at the universal (being) > elements, below.

Routine

The above

Tasks – periodic and as needed

Meals

Exercise

Entertainment and pleasure

Sleep

Planning

Planning is implemented as in the program, below.

Program

Defining the program

Planning (including review of planning above) is part of the program.

Execute the following according to a time or as needed schedule or both.

Here is a sample from the author’s daily routine.

Morning

Set attitude, affirmation of being, dedication to the way.

Plan and review planning.

Rise early, first things – meds, treatments, coffee in nature, open files and set alarms (home, with optional breakfast), chart the day (away).

The path

Foundation – developing the way.

Realization – living the way.

Nature

Community – local to global

World and universal.

Ground

Afternoon

Periodic and as needed tasks (day > life and death), early lunch.

Exercise – regular (two hours plus – walk or bike), excursion and exploration, photo essays.

Evening

Review plan for pm to life, chores, shower.

Activities – share, network, fluids and dinner.

Entertainment – at home or pm out.

Sleep early.

Summary

Does anything go here? If not, eliminate.

Resources

For paths and programs, see the directory of templates.

Also see general resources.

Link to template(s).

Return

Return signifies emphasis on living the way – being-in-the-world – while continuing to reflect on it so as to improve upon it, how to better live it in sharing, to live in view of the end of this life; and, perhaps to return to nothingness or emptiness.

The following overlap.

The world

For the way of being, understanding, the world, and action are always in view. The way opened with into the way, with focus on understanding with learning from the world. Here, focus is on the world with the way as support.

Return signifies

A dual focus – the world with new vision.

Viewing the world afresh.

Being in the world

Shared action and immersion in the dimensions of being

Unity of the immediate and the ultimate as truth (over received science, religion, and their join).

Instituting the way

University – study, research, publishing, and action in significant knowledge and disciplines.

Selection of personnel

Funding

Promotion

Universal narrative (with link to content)

Action

Social organization, stability, and transformation; precipitating and responding to change

Political work – principles and influence

Culture – knowledge – development, dissemination, and education

Power, force, military

Dedicated action

Renewal, retreat, and journey

Beyul

Cultural immersion

Retreats

Journey as inspiration

The way of being

I continue to develop understanding while I focus on realization

Sharing and invitation to share

Parallel developments

Preliminary

See outline of the way.

Treatment of developments may begin in the essential development of the way.

Continue to add to and revise the system for the following, perhaps by following the outline above.

Knowledge

What knowledge is

Criteria of validity and axiology.

Intentional picture theory – its domain of application despite its twofold limit.

Method: discovery and justification

A system based in the metaphysics

The disciplines – meta-disciplines – world vs knowledge – being as a unity. The essential oneness of metaphysics, epistemology (with logic), and axiology.

Implications for epistemology

Universal narrative

Method and content

As noted above, method and content are one from—(i) knowledge is an essential part of the world (ii) reflexivity

How to develop metaphysical knowledge and system.

Metaphysics and philosophy

Being and substance. Against proliferation of categories.

Objects and beings.

Cosmology

An experiential universe

Beyond consciousness – nothing beyond the essence but for grades of experience – the root to peak. Description of the peak.

Sameness, difference, being, extension, and duration.

Some topics

A container for topics that may be standalone; to be revised and added to.

Dialetheia (and emptiness)

Concrete and abstract objects.

Resources

See outline of the way.

Source documents – twb site

what are the source documents –where to place them? here are some – which are to be reduced, essentialized, and imported from!

Plan

Continue to identify and include useful sources,

Modify the arrangement below for utility.

Main

Received ways

the way.html – i.e., ‘traditional ways’

../../2021/topic essays/the way.html

templates and dedication.html ‘pathways’

templates and dedication.html

System of human knowledge

a system of knowledge.html

../../2021/resources/a system of knowledge.html

a system of knowledge-supplement.html

../../2021/resources/a system of knowledge-supplement.html

Design documents

the world.pdf – ‘my program’

../../2022/theway/my life/the world.pdf

program for the way of being.html

../../2023/supporting/program for the way of being.html

design.html ‘site design’

../../2024/resources/design.html

Brief essentials

… and some possible canonicals – the way of being.html

../essays/the way of being.html

the way of being-plain.html especially the preview

../../2024/resources/the way of being-plain.html

Long and resource versions –

journey in being.html ‘resource version 2021’

../../2021/resources/journey in being.html

little manual.html has material on dialetheia and the source of logic; has a vocabulary for metaphysics and the way

../../2022/theway/little manual.html

Secondary

these documents are of lesser relevance to the way of being but not of lesser general importance

General interest

metaphysics and vocabulary for the way.html

../../2023/supporting/metaphysics and vocabulary for the way.html

what is philosophy.html

../../2021/ek project/what is philosophy.html

toward a database for philosophy.html

../../2021/ek project/toward a database for philosophy.html

necessity of being.html being founded in itself – in absolute necessity

../../2023/supporting/necessity of being.html

dimensions of being, experience, and the world.html dimensions and paradigms of being and experience

../../2022/theway/canonical/dimensions of being, experience, and the world.html

language for metaphysics.html part of the little manual (see above)

../../2022/theway/canonical/language for metaphysics.html

journey in being.html#lexicon earlier lexicon

../../2021/resources/journey in being.html#lexicon

Special interest

abstract objects.html

../../2023/supporting/abstract objects.html

dialetheia.html

../../2023/supporting/dialetheia.html

the year.html ‘journal 2024’ has further material on dialetheia and planning an essay on dialetheia

../../1. world and being/journey/journals/j 2024/the year.html

god.html a conception of god as (i) arising from the real metaphysics (ii) immanent (iii) a becoming of which all beings are a part

../../2023/supporting/god.html

the way of being – database.html preliminary to a database of concepts and more

../../2021/ek project/the way of being – database.html

world problems and opportunities.html part of journey in being.html#the_world (../../2021/resources/journey in being.html#the_world)

../../2021/resources/world problems and opportunities.html

Historical

journey in being.html – original version of 2002 – 2003

../../1. world and being/realization/being-elements/journey in being.html

Directories

2024 – 2025

2024 | 2024-a | 2024-a\resources

2023

2023 | supporting

2022

2022 | theway | theway\canonical | theway\my life | theway\my life\trips

2021

2021 | ek project | narratives | topic essays

2020

2020 | narratives | topic essays

Earlier

1. world and being\journey | 2010

Other

From other documents

Collect sources marked by Topic and similar styles.

Sources of sources

Supporting essays in index.html (../../2023/supporting/index.html)

Resources in resources.html (../../2024/resources/resources.html)

External

Go through the main documents and the little manual.html (../../2022/theway/little manual.html)

Reference and bibliography

Links in this document

Links to the way of being site

Path templates

See the directory of templates.

External references and links

Document

Tables of contents

Index

Lexicon (vocabulary)

The author

Histories – the metaphysics, the way of being

Lessons from the way of being

The parallel developments

Content template

Tables of contents

Center – out, top or main – down, essential, academic, realization, study topics, sources, comments. The tables of contents will be formed by assigning different styles to the different categories.

The study topics include topics, persons, sources, and ‘to do’ items.

The material

The content will be the categories above, elaboration, explanation, relevant historical material, resources and reference, and parts on parallel developments—significant consequences of the real metaphysics which are peripheral to the development of the essential concepts for discovery and realization as it emerges in the metaphysics.

Concepts, system, sequence of introduction

What

Content

Meanings and definitions; existence of objects established, their nature explained; alternate and related terms

Concept development

Relations among concepts and relations among concepts; main vs subordinate

The system – the main concepts,

Horizontal relations – the main system,

Vertical relations – main vs subordinate.

Meta-issues are issues—method, system, concept-holism, epistemic and existential motives for the concepts, focus – k-system rather than disciplines

Examples

As illustrations of meaning,

As illustrations of power,

As illustrations of range or hierarchy.

Relation to received and ongoing meaning

Place among received meanings.

Reasons for differences (i) indefiniteness of ultimate meaning (ii) system and elements co-determine meaning; individual meanings are adjustable within the system

Sources

A collection of alternate and related terms

Issues

Suitability of terms—academic, general

Use of terms from non-western cultures, especially Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, e.g., yoga, Brahman, dukkha

Some terms

Enlightenment, enjoyment, yoga, suffering

Database

System – the main concepts

Hierarchy – first or highest level, second, and so on

Lateral relations

Meanings

Alternate terms

Why

Reasons for choice, significance, place in whole – relation to other concepts

Lexical material

Essential concepts

Lexical concepts

Alphabetic and conceptual arrangement

Alternate terms

Sources and references

Study topics and sources for study

References for background, support, and history

Living contacts – people and institutes

Comments

Living the way

Writing

Primarily from scratch,

Secondarily from source documents.

Executing