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 world

This section is revisited in return > the world.

Living in the world

The phenomenal world

Received views and their limits

Origins, motives, and reasons

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,

1. 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.

2. 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

Comment 1. 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

Comment 2. Use a reduced version of features in outline of the way.docm. Include:

Intended as a contribution

Builds on history of thought and action

Reviews the history relative to that function

History of thought and action

Secular

Secularism is many things but it is essential here that its basis is in empirical naturalism.

That it is empirical does not rule out (i) inductive reasoning based on experience, e.g., science (ii) that the universe is more than projection from experience. However, from its empirical base it ought not to project beyond either positively (there is more than in inductive results) or negatively (there is no more than in induction).

However, in practice, while secularism avoids positive speculation, it does not avoid negative speculation.

Transsecular

Given that secularism leaves the ‘beyond’ open, there is a place for thought beyond the secular.

A primary concern is that of whether reason can securely go beyond the empirical.

Religion attempts to go beyond but most religion is speculative (in the sense of being hypothetical) and much religion is dogma.

This of course does not rule out that religion may have symbolic, inspirational, social, and spiritual value.

Metaphysics

There is a line of metaphysical thought that attempts to justify the religions. Among secular thinkers, there is a consensus that this line does not transcend hypothesis or dogma.

Another line of metaphysical thought is to enquire rationally beyond the secular. Again, there is a consensus—(i) while this line may clarify secular thought (ii) it does not transcend it.

Real metaphysics

The idea

The idea behind ‘real metaphysics’ is not that the empirical can be transcended but that with care, the empirical may yield much more than is generally recognized.

This narrative develops that line into a ‘real metaphysics’.

The approach

The approach has the following elements.

Abstraction

Ask the question, Does anything exist?

The problem is that if I think I see something, it may be entirely an illusion. But if ‘all is illusion’ then at least there are illusions—i.e., something exists, even if I do not know it.

From here, much more can be shown.

Being

‘Being’ will be conceived as ‘existence’, the property of existing things. ‘Beings’ will be ‘existents – things that exist’.

From abstraction there is being and a catalog of beings (from universe to the void) will be shown to exist.

However, since these are known – so far – by abstraction, we know they exist this knowledge does not give us access to them.

How shall we go beyond the abstract.

The metaphysics

To go complete the development would be to recreate the narrative. Therefore we point out some elements of the development and leave demonstration to the main narrative, beginning with being. The elements (not entirely as in the main narrative) are—

1. Show that the universe is ultimate in the sense that it is realization of all that is without contradiction (in the sense of logic).

2. Therefore all beings realize the ultimate (otherwise the universe would not be ultimate).

3. Pragmatic knowledge may be joined to the abstract and (i) gives us a handle on the universe concretely (ii) though the join is not perfect in the sense of perfect representation, given that it is the best we have, it is perfect relative to living in the world while being on the way – a path – to the ultimate in and from the world.

4. The join is seamless – the abstract and the concrete complement one another – and is named ‘the real metaphysics’ or just ‘the metaphysics’.

The ultimate and the limitless

In going beyond the abstract, we have not just arrived at the concrete but have shown

1. That the abstract and concrete are one,

2. That the universe is limitless in the sense above.

3. That we are limitlessness.

We will see that we are limited on limited scales of time but limitless on unlimited scales and that on unlimited scales the universe phases between void and peak states, that we merge with peak being in peak states, and that in birth we emerge from potential to which we return in death, while our concrete forms are in evolution—i.e., our present form is a limited form.

The conclusion above must be corrected—it is typical but not inevitable that we are limited on limited scales.

A criticism—the argument for the metaphysics is ontological

The criticism and response

In the philosophical literature an ontological argument is an argument (i) for the existence of God that is (ii) based only in the properties of being.

While ontological arguments are interesting and may be suggestive of there being good reasons behind them, the received ontological arguments for God are generally found wanting by secular thinkers today.

The argument is ontological in having some basis in ‘being’. However, it is not an argument for God. Further, while there is ‘sleight of hand’ in most standard ontological arguments, the argument here is transparent.

Consequently, (i) the reasoning is clear and if there is objection it is here that it should be raised (see doubt, below) (ii) there is no ‘sleight of hand’ or hint that the argument would be seen as right if we would just get it.

Appendix – Anselm’s sleight of hand ontological argument

The argument

Anselm’s ontological argument, one of the first and the most famous, is as follows—

1. God is the greatest conceivable being.

2. God exists only in the mind or both in the mind and the world.

3. If God exists only in the mind, God is not the greatest conceivable being.

4. Therefore, God exists in the mind and the world.

Criticism

Anselm is confused. God does not exist in the mind, at all. What exists in the mind is a concept of God (see the discussion of meaning, below). Therefore, the claim in the second ‘step’ is not just wrong but without meaning.

A further criticism, one applicable to most proofs of God, is that proof that there is a perfect being does not prove that the God of any particular religion exists.

Observations

That the proofs of God’s existence are mistaken does not prove that God or the Gods do not exist.

Relation to received metaphysics

Much received metaphysics, from antiquity to today, is based in essence (the world is of some type) and substance(s) (which is what the world or things are ‘made of’).

It is limiting to develop metaphysics from essence or substance for we do not know whether the world is made of anything or has any essence. Further, to begin with a substance, one or more, or an essence may be prejudicial and limiting.

The beginning with being avoids these problems. It does so with ‘being’ as, simply and essentially, with no more than that the world is the world.

Though trivial, the approach from being avoids the errors of substance and essence.

Though trivial, the approach from being turns out to be ultimately powerful.

In retrospect, this is not unexpected.

But what of the power of ideas such as idealism, materialism, process philosophy, language – words – tropes as foundation?

The approach from being allows these approaches as approximations in limited domains.

Systematic development

The work develops the metaphysics as a system of concepts.

There are criticisms of systematic metaphysics because of the at least apparent speculative nature of most ‘grand’ systems.

However, the present system was not posited as such. Rather, it emerged incrementally and iteratively, with correction, from its empirical base via reason.

Emergence of the ideas

The work is not presented as an axiomatic system

The narrative could be developed axiomatically and a connection of the system to the world then established.

It is more effective to develop the ideas as above, beginning with being.

At each stage, if existence of an object for the idea is not clear, it is shown.

The meaning of some terms will be enhanced with narration

Some ideas evolve with the narrative. This is typically an expansion of their scope or depth (or both). Examples are the ideas of experience and of metaphysics.

Pre and post metaphysical treatments

While some terms are introduced before the metaphysics, the metaphysics enables enhancement of the meaning and object range of the terms.

Again, experience and metaphysics are examples.

Some terms will remain indefinite

As also seen below, some terms, e.g., ‘the ultimate’ will remain indefinite as long as we are limited beings.

This does not imply that we develop no handle on such terms. It does suggest that even though we are limited, and even though we develop some approaches and handle, greater development is possible.

Method and content

This raises the question of the foundation of the reasoning. Is it possible to have an ultimate foundation—i.e., without regress?

1. It is indeed found possible and the key is the elementary origin of the elementary ideas via abstraction.

2. In this finding, method and content are established as one, i.e., as not distinct (which means that the concepts and foundation are merged, but not that there is no structure to or distinction within what is merged).

3. That is also seen as follows—since knowledge is in the world and metaphysics is about the world, knowledge must be among the objects of metaphysics.

4. That is, metaphysics and epistemology are a unity. Further, as suggested above, ethics (value, generally, i.e., axiology, which includes aesthetics) is also joined to that unity as is logic.

Feeling

We seem to have ignored feeling and emotion so far.

However, they are implicit as (i) motive (ii) interwoven with value.

But there is a greater unity among feeling and cognition—at root all experience is primitive feeling, which bifurcates as cognition, emotion, will, intention, action, and more.

The unity is later developed systematically in considering experience.

Doubt

Where the reasoning proceeds as if there is no doubt (i) there was doubt in the development of the metaphysics (ii) there remains doubt.

Active doubt remains a critical element of the way of being and the vistas opened by the metaphysics.

The narrative elaborates on and gives responses to doubt.

Has basis in a critical conception of meaning—

This is taken up next.

Reading and understanding the way of being

On worldviews

That the metaphysics transcends secular and transsecular thought has been discussed above.

Readers should (i) not expect to see justification of any standard received worldview (ii) to work to understand the real metaphysics and its consequences at both formal and intuitive levels.

A key to this understanding is to see that (i) the received views are not entirely displaced but their limits are made clear and they are given context (ii) we can think at two levels, the pure abstract and the pragmatic concrete, sometimes seeing the concrete nested within the abstract and sometimes resorting to one or other of the levels.

On meaning

To concept of meaning in language is critical to careful and precise understanding of the world. Therefore, let us establish the ‘meaning of meaning’ somewhat informally but, nonetheless rigorously.

Source or study topic 1. The Meaning of Meaning by C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards.

A word understood as an arrangement of letters cannot refer to anything. To refer, it must be associated with a mental picture or iconic concept (the association may be indirect via other words associated with iconic concepts). This is the tripartite theory of word meaning as word – iconic concept – object.

Collections of words—texts, sentences, phrases, hyphenated terms—have meaning by (a) being iconic as a collection (b) derived from the individual word meanings. There are some ruled of how collection meaning is derived, but collection meaning is not always derived from individual meanings according to rules.

Some relevant observations—

1. Meanings are established in – emerge from – usage and may be codified. However, meanings are generally not final, even in technical use, and cannot be regarded as final except in terms of established and complete system meaning.

2. There is no conflict between the tripartite theory and use as a way of understanding meaning.

3. The tripartite theory is more than a theory, for it is (i) necessary (ii) sufficient over a broad range of common and technical use.

Meanings in the narrative

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 received views 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.

1. 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.

2. 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’.

3. 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.

Further

4. Some meanings emerge with the narrative (in contrast to emerging in parallel with discovery) and important ones include ‘experience’…

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

Comment 3. 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.

The system of concepts below stand together in being empowering as a system.

Being and beings

Being is existence; a being is an existent.

Existence

To exist is to be the object of some form of the verb to be, temporal or trans-temporal in the sense of a level of description that does not refer to time.

That there is existence follows from analysis of the assertion ‘everything is illusion’, which is either true (in which case there is illusion and the assertion contradicts itself) or false in which case there is something other than illusion; in both cases there is existence.

To talk of a particular being requires a concept of the being in the sense of ‘experience of’, and for the concept to have an object.

That is, existence cannot be known without experience.

Further,

1. The hypothetical object that cannot be known is effectively non-existent,

2. It will be later seen that with an expansion of the extension (range to which it applies), all material relation is experiential (and we are experiential beings in an experiential universe),

3. Therefore, existence is experiential – the universe is field of experience or awareness.

For convenience, development of the concept of experience is deferred.

Why being

What is real?

In asking what is real, what is in the universe, and what is not, there is a tendency to think in terms of individual and cultural experience, which may (i) be distorted, (ii) limited, and therefore (iii) proliferate existents, kinds, and categories. Being is neutral to the distinctions explicit or implied in these items, and therefore avoids the errors they entail. This is part of its power (another part is that it can also be a container for our being). However, that lack of kinds and distinctions could be a weakness—it could even render being as essentially a void concept. It will turn out that the reverse is the case—that being is ultimately empowering, metaphysically (we will find an ultimate metaphysics and that we are on a low to intermediate rung of a hierarchy of being), and, as will be seen, epistemologically, axiologically, and logically.

An approach from being promotes the view that there is but one realm and what is called spirituality consists in seeing its entirety. This view turns out to be (i) true in itself but not in denying different as-if realms which are allowed and have purchase (ii) effective in seeing the nature and entirety of the universe (iii) effective in eliminating unnecessary kinds and even categories and a plethora of resulting artificial conceptual conflicts.

Comment 4. That we are on a low or intermediate hierarchic rung is not a judgment of value but a ~~(judgment of)~~ fact. It is a judgment that our sometimes over-optimistic estimation of our place on the hierarchy is negative in its consequences—e.g., how we treat other humans and species and how we limit ourselves when we think ‘we are it’ or that ‘our knowledge is it’. The limit to ourselves is, especially, that in thinking we are at some apex of being, we limit our achievement in this world and beyond.

Nonproliferation of kinds

That is, of

1. Kinds (categories, substances) – in particular, the level of being there are no distinctions, which is due to the inclusivity and triviality of being; (later it is seen that there can be no substances, but that there may be as-if substances),

2. Knowledge (and disciplines; and fact, inference, and reason), value, world, and action are one.

3. The aim and result of ‘the way’ are one – to develop the metaphysics (whole) requires the metaphysics (framework).

Yet potent

As will be seen.

Vehicle for and focus of discovery and realization (be-ing and becoming)

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

The concept

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

Empirical cosmos

While the interactions are negligible, inhabitants of a cosmos can ‘see’ only their cosmos.

Other cosmoses

It is consistent with observation and its scientific (or common sense, metaphysical, or philosophical) extension, that there are limitlessly many cosmoses of limitless variety beyond any empirical cosmos (later, we see that this limitlessness and more obtain).

Laws

Patterns

Natural law

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

The void

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

The following helps (i) to understand and visualize the void which is otherwise difficult (ii) make manifest the later demonstrated power of the complementary concepts of the void and the universe.

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.

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

(i) 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

(ii) 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 possible and the actual

In a limited region, if a conceived state of affairs does not obtain, we say it is possible, if its occurrence is consistent with (what we think of as) the nature of the cosmos.

For the universe the non-actual is not possible—if a conceived state is never realized, it cannot be possible. On the other hand, the actual is obviously among the possible.

For the universe, the possible and the actual states are identical.

The ultimate

Comment 5. 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.

Prospect

The ideal metaphysical framework shows that all beings realize the ultimate but not how to best realize the ultimate or what the ultimate is.

The real metaphysics developed in the next section addresses this concern.

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

1. 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).

2. 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.

3. 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).

4. 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.

Comment 6. Sub-levels may be identified later

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

a. Form—eternal symmetry, its algebra, and asymmetry.

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

b. Formation—saltation.

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

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

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

b. 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

Argument or Logic

Comment 7. The content of this section is paste special from stems, snippets, canonical material\general logic or general argument.docm and should be edited at the source.

Source or study topic 2. Error! Not a valid link.

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…

Imagination

Possible worlds

Source or study topic 3. Possible Worlds, Possible Objects, Impossible Worlds, Modal Fictionalism, Haecceitism, Leibniz’s Modal Metaphysics, all from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Binaries and continua

Informal

Reflexive

Metaphysical

Epistemological

Axiological

Aesthetic, ethical

Logical

Metaphysics and Logic

Here, ‘Logic’ is used in the sense of ‘general logic’ or argument as in the section, argument or logic.

The realms of metaphysics and Logic are identical

We saw that under the metaphysics, the entire system of logically consistent conception is realized.

This is not absurd

That we do not experience all possibilities in our world may make it seem absurd but it is neither absurd nor contradictory, for the world is but one possibility. In and beyond our cosmos, the realization of all possibilities constitutes the universe.

On seemingly absurd possibilities

Some possibilities seem absurd.

1. That the world may have been created a moment ago, complete with histories and memories, and will be destroyed in a moment seem absurd.

2. Similarly, that the world is nothing but the content of my consciousness, also seems absurd.

On the other hand, that the world is as in the big bang cosmology seems robust.

To rule out the absurd, and to rule in the robust will we appeal to the paradigms (below).

One paradigm is that of incremental adaptation, which makes robust worlds more likely, and the fact it takes beings capable of high-level perceptivity to experience such worlds makes their apparent and (experiential) preponderance great.

Note that there arguments that make absurd worlds and states impossible, but such arguments typically have premises that seem reasonable in our world but that are not necessary regarding our world and not even reasonable relative to the universe.

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.

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

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

3. 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

Comment 8. An approximation – in other documents elements are dimensions and means are paradigms.

The concepts

Introduction

Dimensions are related but not identical 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.

The functions of the dimensions

The functions go beyond just classification. They are implicit in the reasons for the use of ‘being’ and its development—to understand, live in, and negotiate the world. That is—they will be instruments of understanding, explanation, prediction, and negotiating ways in the world.

Design of the system

1. Design should begin from fundamentals.

2. It has already begun with ‘being’, for which, as seen, there is no need for fundamentals beyond our experiencing a world.

3. That argument is the inclusive instrument for the functions above has been seen.

4. Levels of argumentation may be identified, but here it is sufficient to note the following levels—sound, which applies especially at the level of being itself and just below (two levels), and good, which especially pertains to the level of the world, split into fact and pattern (law). If we count being and just below as one level, the number of levels is two—pure and high and pragmatic and low.

5. Recall that argument as conceived here includes establishment of facts regarding which there are certain and uncertain facts. For an argument to be sound the premise facts must be certain. Some facts are certain as a result of (i) limited precision (the sun is between 90 and 95 million miles from earth) or (ii) discreteness (there are ten pieces of licorice in the jar). A deduction from such certain facts is sound. But when the premise is necessary, e.g., there is being or the void exists, the argument is a special case of sound that may labeled ‘necessary’.

6. 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.

7. In greater detail, dimensions at the highest will 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,

8. The dimensions should bridge the divide between the phenomena (experience-as-real) and the real (in-itself). Though the latter may be questioned, we have already established it via (i) abstraction (ii) epistemic-ethical interpretation of the real. The analysis of experience, below, is a basis for bridging the divide.

9. While the development of argument is high to low level, a study of the world – science – establishes laws, and the general features of the laws, which will be called ‘paradigms’ enables high level understanding via (a) probability (b) which also has necessity of exemplification.

Dimension

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

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

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

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

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

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

a. Perfectly known – being itself and just below being,

b. Pragmatically known the level of worlds,

c. 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

This is spelled out in detail later, in the dimensions and paradigms, below

Relation—experience itself

See essence of the way.docm

Experience of experience and memory

Subject

Object

Linguistic and concept meaning

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

Comment 9. 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, the structure of which includes personality and grows with maturation and reinforcement).

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—

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

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

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

4. 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).

5. 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

1. Vehicle for exploration and discovery (earth and space).

2. 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

Cosmology is the theory of the variety and extent of being ~~over sameness, difference, and property~~.

General cosmology

The theory is argument (also here named general logic or just Logic).

There is no distinction between real metaphysics and general cosmology except for emphasis—the metaphysics focuses on depth, the cosmology on breadth.

Cosmology of experiential being

General cosmology as experiential cosmology

Hierarchy of being

Cosmology of form and formation

In form we find symmetries and causation. The cosmology of form is the theory of behavior under form and formation. It is part of general logic.

Whereas cosmology of form is and has theories, these are locally but not ultimately foundational. The ultimate foundation is metaphysics > general cosmology in which there are explanations of form and formation starting from nothingness or, equivalently, from any being.

Physical cosmology

The theory of the general features of our cosmos based in cosmology of form and general cosmology (and modern physics).

A hierarchy of experiential being

Appendix—problems of the endeavor of being

Comment 10. 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

Comment 11. 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

Comment 12. Preliminary headings.

Net path

Issues

Topics in enlightenment below.

Healthy living and pathways

Programs

Resources and templates

Bring dimensions and programs into alignment

Enlightenment—fully aware being

To be enlightened is to be fully aware of the real, its levels and their synthesis. When asked what characterized his vision, the Buddha is reputed to have said “I am awake”.

Though received ways talk of enlightened paths, here we shall talk of (fully) aware (and awake) being.

Background in the real metaphysics

The 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 aware, 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

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

2. 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

Other

Continue to seek.

The concept of aware 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 aware 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 aware 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.

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

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

3. 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.

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

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

6. 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

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

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

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

2. 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.

Source or study topic 4. 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

3. 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—

a. 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—

b. 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 full awareness, e.g., as nirvana)

Roles for received ways

c. 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, aware pathways emphasize right attitude, speech, and action for and toward all being.

Integration of the pure and the pragmatic

About integration and balance

4. 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

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

b. The mental is addressed above.

c. 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.

d. 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.

Comment 13. 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.

Comment 14. 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.

Source or study topic 5. 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—

1. Development of the way of being.

2. Executing the elements just above in rough parallel—

a. Mind

b. Nature and society

c. Universe / universal in enlightenment above and universal elements above

Program

Being – the world

Though separated, the following have continuity and intersection.

Ideas

Practice and retreat

See return > renewal, retreat, and journey.

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

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

§ Addressing blocks—

o 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)

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

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

o 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)

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

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

o 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

Comment 15. Does anything go here? If not, eliminate.

Resources

For paths and programs, see the directory of templates.

Also see general resources.

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

Living in 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).

The world as real

Past, present, and future as one

§ Simultaneous living in time and at a level above time

Instituting the way

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

o Selection of personnel

o Funding

o Promotion

o Universal narrative (with link to content)

§ Action

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

o Political work – principles and influence

o Culture – knowledge – development, dissemination, and education

o Power, force, military

o Dedicated action

Renewal, retreat, and journey

§ Beyul

§ Cultural immersion

§ Retreats

§ Journey as inspiration

The way of being

Living the way – ongoing foundation and realization

§ I continue to develop understanding while I focus on realization

Sharing the way

§ Sharing and invitation to share

Universal narrative

§ See parallel developments > knowledge > universal narrative.

Parallel developments

Preliminary

See outline of the way.

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

Comment 16. 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

On universal narrative

Writing and updating 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

1. Continue to identify and include useful sources,

2. 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

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 templates

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, topics, 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

1. The system – the main concepts,

2. Horizontal relations – the main system,

3. 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

1. As illustrations of meaning,

2. As illustrations of power,

3. 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

1. Essential concepts

2. Lexical concepts

3. Alphabetic and conceptual arrangement

4. 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

1. Primarily from scratch,

2. Secondarily from source documents.