Anil Mitra, Copyright 1986 – 2025 Contents Dimensions and paradigms of being The idea of an enlightened pathway
The way of being DesignSee design and planning. The way of beingThe way of being is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in and for our world and beyond. Though the universe as all being is commonly seen as limited, it will be shown that it is the realization of possibility in its greatest sense. BeingThe conceptA being is an existent; being is existence. Comment 1. The term ‘existent’ suggests but is not limited to entities and may include processes, relations, concepts, words, and tropes. Further, as far as matter, mind, and spirit are real, material, mental, and spiritual objects are also existents. Comment 2. The following material may be placed in a separate strikethrough section to be placed after the section, universe. Comment 3. The existence of particular beings may be questioned. Introduce abstraction—to filter from observation, detail that is distorted. This notion of abstraction is essentially concretion and shows that there are beings. Anticipating the next section, it further follows that there is exactly one universe, to which all beings and kinds of being belong. Thus, if there are such kinds as matter, mind, and spirit, they belong to the universe. AnalysisIn validly talking of a
particular being, we must know that the being is there. That is, we must have
a concept of the being. The hypothetical being that cannot be known is That is, awareness is essential to (knowledge or talk of) being. One line of development of the narrative would be to introduce awareness immediately. However, though it is not more instructive, it is more effective to introduce awareness later for (i) to introduce it now would require later re-development with the benefit of emerged insight (ii) an enhanced conception of awareness will turn out to be a fundamental co-dimension of being, which will require an extension of the idea that is not yet possible without tentative argument. Therefore the development of the idea of awareness is deferred to experience, which shall be the name for the enhanced conception. 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 Nonproliferation of kindsThat is, of 1. Kinds (categories, substances) – in particular, there are no substances; and at the level of being, no distinctions, 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 potentAs will be seen. Vehicle for and focus of realization (be-ing and becoming)UniverseThe universe is all being. CosmosComment 5. What lies beyond the empirical? Can we talk about it? Realistically? A cosmos is a causal domain whose interactions with the rest of the universe are presently negligible. Currently, our observation does not extend beyond our cosmos. Our cosmos is the only cosmos observed or inferred by humans with pragmatic necessity. It is consistent with observation and reason for there to be limitlessly many actual worlds or cosmoses of limitless variety – i.e., for all possible worlds to be actual. Comment 6. Note that ‘beyond’ does not mean only in space and time but also (i) within our world but at too low a level of interaction to be significant (ii) beyond spatiotemporal description or even above such description. LawsComment 7. Here and subsequently, strikethrough is used to indicate brief vs more complete treatment. It eliminates the need for two versions of assertions. A As they are immanent in the world, laws have being—that is, laws are beings. The voidThe void is the absence of being – nothingness . Existence and nonexistence of the void are equivalent.
Therefore, The void is the being that contains no beings other than itself. Since laws are beings, there are no laws of the void Doubt should arise here and at various points below and is addressed in doubt and certainty. PossibilityIf a concept is intended to describe a being and (i) it is inherent in the concept that it can exist, it will be said to be conceptually or logically possible (this entails a conception of logic), (ii) it is consistent with the nature of the universe (or sub-domain to which the object belongs) it has real (relative real or just relative) possibility. Comment 8. The structures that deductive logics allow are examples of logical possibility except where such a logic has known or unknown errors. In that our logics are not all logics, the deductive logics are just examples of logic in the sense in item #i, above. Comment 9. The laws of physics, as far as valid, define examples of real possibility. Real possibility presumes logical possibility. When an intended description does not satisfy logical possibility, a corresponding real object cannot exist. Therefore, logical possibility is the greatest or most inclusive possibility. The ultimateComment 10. Title was ‘Ideal metaphysics’ Comment 11. Metaphysics is knowledge of the real. The analysis so far develops and thus shows that such knowledge is possible, even if only elementary. The validity of the development is addressed in the discussion of abstraction in the section on being. The development will now continue beyond the elementary. Non-emergence of a That is, the universe is limitless in the sense that all possibility obtains. Particularly, the universe phases eternally between peak being and dissolution to the void. Further, since a being is the
void and the being, every being is unconditionally limitless – realizes peak
being This concludes a resolution of why there is something rather than nothing, i.e., to the problem of why there is being at all. Particularly, there must be phases of nothingness but they do not and cannot span the universe. The limitlessness of the universe shall be named the fundamental principle of metaphysics (abbr. fundamental principle, fp). The argument to the fundamental
principle and its consequences constitute a framework that may be called It is effective to place further conclusions later, especially in the real metaphysics. MetaphysicsIntroductionThe ideal metaphysical framework shows that all beings realize the ultimate but not how to best realize the ultimate or what the ultimate is. Real metaphysicsThe metaphysicsThe perfect metaphysical
framework may be supplemented by what is at least pragmatically valid in the
system of While the real metaphysics has application in our world via, e.g., theories of science, how does it apply across the universe? It began in the ideal metaphysics, with the universe as the realization of possibility. It continues with dimensions and paradigms of being, below. General logic or general argumentComment 12. The content of this section is paste special from stems, snippets, canonical material\general logic or general argument.docm. The aim of this piece – or section if it is part of another article – is to see how far a parallel between science and deductive logic can be pushed, whether the two can be subsumed under a single kind of reasoning, and how inclusive that kind (if any) can be. Deduction is inference in which the conclusion is necessarily true if the premise is true. That is, if the premise is true, and if the deductive inference is valid, the conclusion cannot be false (in standard logics, facts – premises and conclusions – must be one of true false (they are not both and cannot be neither). It will be effective to talk of argument rather than of logic. In one meaning, an argument is establishment of facts (premises) and inference (conclusion or conclusions) of further facts by inference. The premises may be established by observation (e.g., measurement) or by another argument (observation is a special case of argument). In science basic facts – data – are established by observation; theories are inferred from the basic data; and theories are used to predict further data, either for use, or to test the theories, or both. An argument is called deductively valid if conclusion is inferred by deduction from the premise and a valid argument is called sound if the premise is (established as) true. In what follows, ‘valid’ will mean ‘deductively valid’ and ‘sound’ will refer to a valid inference with premise that is (established as) true. There is a common analogy between sound argument and establishment of theories in science. The distinction is (i) in sound argument, the premise must be true but in science some degree of error may be tolerable (ii) in sound argument, the inference is necessarily true, i.e., deductive; in science the inference to theories is not necessary but likely in some sense of the term ‘likely’, e.g., induction, abduction, and analogy. Under this analogy, the difference between sound argument and inference to scientific theories is stark—the former is necessary, but the latter is not. However, this common analogy is not a good one, for it compares inference under a system of deductive logic (e.g., syllogism, propositional calculus, and predicate calculus) with inference to a scientific theory. An appropriate analogy would be to compare (i) establishment of true premises with good scientific data (ii) inference to a system of logic with inference to a scientific theory (iii) inference under a system of logic with inference under a scientific theory. A non-deductive may be called good, if the inference is sufficiently likely and strong, if it is good and the premise true with sufficient reliability. Let us compare these further— (i) Scientific data is often imperfect because we want precision; however scientific data can be perfect to limited precision; there are necessarily true premises, e.g., existence of experience (truth is relative to the givenness of experience) and existence of the void (truth with absolute necessity), (ii) While inference to a scientific theory is likely and the standard logics seem true for a universe of expressions, the extent of the universe may be questioned for standard logics and truth is not certain for certain other logics, (iii) While inference under valid argument is necessary, inference under science can be necessary as well; and while we tolerate inference being less than necessary under a scientific theory, deduction is questionable under certain non-standard logics that follow a deduction template of stepwise inference. The following are remarkable. 1. If we now conceive argument or ‘general logic’ as establishment of fact, establishment of theory (scientific of logical), and inference to conclusions, with an acceptable range of certainty, a range of certainty in arguments from less than to perfectly certain systems of argument fall under argument or general logic. This is not particularly remarkable; however, the better analogy between science and logic is. Sound deductive argument and science are seen to be even closer when we recognize that the distinction between fact and pattern is not absolute. 2. The crossover from sound deductive argument to science, induction, and abduction is smooth rather than discrete, per item i through iii above. 3. The extensions of real metaphysics and general logic are identical. Argument – a summary A. Argument follows a template – data > pattern > data > pattern … (data vs pattern, like perception vs higher conception, is a distinction that is relative to perspective). B. There is a range of argument from necessary and certain to reasonable and likely … C. The distinctions, sometimes thought sharp, constitute a continuum. Category Theory (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), Bayes Theorem (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) – for study of Bayesian inference, Argument (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Doubt and CertaintyGeneral doubtDoubt is important where we want reliability with confidence ranging from good to certain. It is important that there are purposes for which we ought to have doubt about doubt. One such purpose is that living with risk may have better outcomes than any principle of certainty is the best option. Doubt about the proof of limitlessness of the universeDoubt ought to have arisen regarding— A. The arguments—the basic issue being the existence and properties of the void, B. The conclusions—for they seem to go against science and ordinary experience. The following responses arise A. The meaning of existence is that there is an object corresponding to a concept. We normally think that the object must be manifest. However, even if the universe is nonmanifest, the void is there. That is, for the void, the nonmanifest and manifest have the same meaning. Thus either (i) the meaning of ‘to exist’ must change in moving from ordinary objects to the void or (ii) the (deep) meaning of ‘to exist’ must be already different from the naïve meaning in ordinary and common philosophical use. That is, since the void is by its nature nonmanifest, it is manifest in the sense of being there. I.e., for the void, nonexistence is equivalent to existence. B. The conclusions do not go against ordinary experience or science for they lie beyond the empirical boundary and there are contradictions only with projection of experience and science beyond the empirical. Comment 13. Further, alternate proofs may be given. Yet doubt may remain. Given that essential doubt should arise regarding existence of the void, the following options arise— 1. To regard the existence of the void as one or both of (i) a postulate for metaphysics – an ultimate system of understanding of the universe and beings as ultimate (ii) an existential principle to guide living and action. 2. To reject and abandon the system developed here. On proofThe kind of proofOther proofsExperienceExperience, defined below, is implicitly but necessarily present in talk of anything at all and especially in talk of being and beings. The significance of experience to beings and to metaphysics is brought out below. Though experience it could have been introduced earlier as motivation, it is effective to introduce it after the metaphysics to make the development more efficient. In order to make the metaphysics more effective, a pivotal concept is a system of ‘dimensions and paradigms of being’, which are similar to the concept of categories in metaphysics. Using experience as part of an approach to the dimensions and paradigms (i) is effective in making the dimensions and categories explanatory and predictive over and above mere classification (ii) bridging the gap between the older (Aristotelian) notion of dimensions (categories) as real and the Kantian notion of dimensions as of our conceptual systems and (iii) bridging the gap between and synthesizing dimensions at a high level (categories) and low level, e.g. scientific, understanding. Experience and beingExperience is awareness in all its kinds and levels. We are experiential beings—it is in experience that all significance registers and without experience we are effectively nonexistent. The hypothetical being that does not register in experience is effectively nonexistent. It will now be seen that the word ‘effectively’, just above, may be omitted. Why experienceWe are experiential beingsFrom the metaphysics as justified by the metaphysics— We are experiential beings—it is in experience that all significance registers and without experience we are nonexistent. The hypothetical being that does not register in experience is nonexistent. Being is essentially experiential. The universe is a field of experienceFrom the metaphysics, it may be seen that— The universe is The main structure of experienceThe structure of experience is (a) experience of – the subject or as-if mind (b) the experience – the experiential relation (c) the experienced – the object or as-if material. CommentsIn what is called pure experience there are no real objects but may be potential ones. Matter and mind are neither affirmed nor denied but may be regarded as ‘as-if’ ways of speaking about experience. Elementary distinctionsThe structure will be based on the following aspects and distinctions Source or study topic 1. The little manual has finer distinctions. StateBound – free (if there is free attachment to objects, there are intention and free will; that there must be free will follows from the metaphysics), Quality – form, Imperative (high intensity) – contemplative (low intensity), Self – world (inner – outer), Elementary – compound, reflexive. ProcessThe elementary state distinctions are integrated via structure and process. Fast (seems like state but integrated) – slow (observed) – quasistatic (so slow as to not normally be observed per se but noticeable on introspection or retrospection, e.g., as in personality formation, growth, and change). The structure and process of experience in detailComment 14. Collect and finalize detail. Experience itselfSee experienceExperience of experience and memorySubject aspectThe subject side has reason (perception and thought via intention to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, and enjoyment, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection), and will to action (the integration of the subject aspect is in structure and process of organisms in interaction with their environment). ObjectThe object side includes person (self, body, mind), community, and world. RelationThe subject side connects to the object via intention, will, and action. High-level structure of the world (universe)Here, ‘world’ is used in the sense of ‘universe’. IntroductionAs experience as experience is co-dimension with being, the structure of experience reveals the structure of the world (i.e., universe). But how? At a high enough level, where sufficient abstraction reigns, the structure of the world and of experience are identical. At lower levels, the pragmatic and approximate structure of the world is inferred from experience. Beyond experience?If we think of (as-if) matter as entity-like and experience as relation-like, then a higher order as-if kind would be relation between experience, which is experience. Therefore the as-if kinds are matter and experience—there is no kind beyond experience. Rather, there are levels of experience. Extension, duration, and relationIntroductionThe property of having being does not distinguish or refer to (i) kinds (if any) (ii) change (duration, time) or other-ness (extension, space) (iii) entity, relation (cause), process or property thereof. The most basic experienceThe most basic experience is of sameness and difference Derivation of extension, duration, and causeFrom sameness and difference, the following can be derived – duration, identity, extension, relation, and property Dimensions and paradigms of beingSource or study topic 2. Aristotle’s Categories, Categories, (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). See essence of the way - short for details of headings and content. The concepts of dimension and paradigmIntroducing dimensions and paradigmsDimensionsDimensions are similar to categories (the highest genera or kinds, just under being understood as the most inclusive real). However, there are differences of concept and emphasis. The main conceptual differences are (i) dimensions are layered at levels of inclusivity (ii) low level dimensions may be only pragmatically of the real (which is justified by the real metaphysics). The difference in emphasis is to explicitly develop dimensions to be, over and above just metaphysical categories, to be instruments of explanation and prediction, which leads to the concept of paradigm. ParadigmsThe paradigms are general patterns immanent in being and beings. We have seen that there is no general world paradigm to which being is subject. However, understanding (prediction, explanation) regarding being is subject to logic. Later, the concept of logic will be extended as an ultimately inclusive paradigm. Principles of developmentHow ought the dimensions and paradigms to be decided—i.e., arrived at and justified? First, there is the question of kinds. Aristotle’s approach was to ask what can be predicated of subjects. Second, the problem of subjectivity: in writing down distinctions that we think to be real, are they in fact real or artifacts of our understanding or both? Aristotle thought of the categories as real but since Kant, the idea of categories as pertaining to our conceptual system has been emphasized (Kant thought of his categories as both real and artifact, i.e., as real artifact, and this is what will be done here for the high level dimensions and paradigms). Third, one would like dimensions to constitute a system—complete and perhaps unique. Finally, the dimensions should not be just a classification; they should be a basis for explanation and prediction and though this is implicit in ‘being’ as not limited to any kind, it was made explicit above by introduction of paradigms. We will address these issues via the real metaphysics and the concept of experience. Experience, introduced and developed above, will pivotal in deciding the dimensions and paradigms, which are real at high enough levels (while also being artifacts), which at lower levels are artifacts of our understanding but also pragmatically of the local structure of the universe, and which are complete at the highest level, fairly comprehensive at our local level, but completeness at levels between the local and the highest is not known. This incompleteness is the result of the limitations of our being in its present form. Further, while there is uniqueness at the level just below being itself, at lower levels it is more appropriate to think of different systems as suited to different objectives. Dimensions and paradigms – the concepts elaboratedDimensionsAs noted, the dimensions will be layered. (i) The dimensions will include – begin with – being itself, i.e., existence or existents without further qualification. This is not traditional however being can be regarded as the kind that transcends kinds (thus disagreeing with Aristotle’s argument that there cannot be a highest kind but also agreeing with his point). Thus, being will be regarded as a level 0 category or dimension. Further, since being is experiential being, an equivalent level 0 dimension is experiential being (it could be called a co-dimension or co-category). (ii) Also, as has been seen, the structure of experience has subject – experience – object aspects, while the metaphysics has pure and pragmatic (high and low level) aspects. This gives a principled way to highest level distinctions—the high-level dimensions as developed and justified below. (iii) The dimensions will also included low level and pragmatic aspects of being, e.g., as known in a world or cosmos; the low level may go down at least to specific theories from science. ParadigmsThe paradigms are paradigms of understanding—explanatory and predictive. Paradigms corresponding (number wise) to the dimensions above are (i) Since understanding regarding being is subject to logic, logic may serve as a (the) paradigm corresponding to being as a dimension or category – logic will be (regarded as) the level ) paradigm. This may be generalized to theories of abstract sciences, particularly logic, mathematics, and formal metaphysics; absolute indeterminism of emergence from the void (which is also absolute determinism). As noted above, later, the concept of logic will be extended so that the broader conception yields an ultimately inclusive paradigm. (ii) The integration of experience in structure and process with pure and pragmatic sides. Understanding from philosophy, art, history, and that spirituality which sees the world-universe as one, not divided as kinds of being or planes of existence. (iii) Paradigms from the sciences (incremental evolution via variation and selection, mechanism and causation, individual and group behavior); down to specific theories of physics (relativistic, quantum-wave, and their classical approximations), biology, psychology, and the social sciences. The choice of western science explains suitedness to certain objectives but non-uniqueness at this level. The dimensions and paradigmsIn the following, entity, relation, and process are implicit. PureParadigm and dimensionDimension—experiential being—subsumes subject – experiential relation – object. General paradigm—as realization of possibility under logic (as explained in possibility). ProcessProcess—integration of dimensions, ultimate with immediate, risk with security – doubt with confidence – stirring with contentment Path paradigmsAn inclusive path paradigm is yoga – uniting of being – understood in a broad sense, in process, inclusive of philosophical (and scientific) and technological categories. Meditation as dual subject-object exploration of experiential space. Yoga may be supplemented for western readers by secular humanism and for readers from Abrahamic traditions by mysticism in action. PragmaticPragmatic dimensions are categorized (i) according to the above aspects of experience (ii) and then, according to divisions of human knowledge and experience (pure or abstracted aspects included). SubjectComment 15. The following paragraph is paste special from the structure of experience in detail. Simple structure of mindThe subject side has reason (perception and thought via intention to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, and enjoyment, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection), and will to action (the integration of the subject aspect is in structure and process of organisms in interaction with their environment). Meditation and metaphysicsExploration of and with mind – metaphysics (knowledge, its development, and paradigms) and meditation (yoga is implicit, for though yoga transcends the subject-in-a-limited-sense, in reality the subject is not separated from the object). ParadigmsParadigms are similar to those of the object side. ObjectA western emphasis emphasizes disciplines and paradigms from philosophy and the science (with justification from the metaphysics). Metaphysics and abstract sciencesMetaphysics Metaphysics as science (with epistemology, ethics, and logic), i.e., philosophy as general knowledge. Abstract sciences Abstract sciences – symbolic systems, linguistics, ideal metaphysics as an abstract science, formal logic, mathematics, computer science. Paradigms for metaphysics General logic Concrete sciencesThe sciences The sciences – physical, life, social, and psychological; and their application including exploration of space, time, and the universe. The social sciences and technology Some detail on the social sciences and technology is relevant, especially to exploration of the universe from the as-if material side – sociology (individual and group, one and all, few and many), politics, economics, law, technology, exploration, resource location and extraction, and culture. Culture is conceived as knowledge development and transmission and includes tradition, art, religion, and entertainment. Paradigms from the concrete sciences Paradigms include indeterminist (random) process; formation by incremental variation and selection to form (e.g., void to transients to structures to cosmoses and particles to molecules to replicators to species to species); causation and mechanism – with and without probabilistic process; groups – formation and process. What is the role of these paradigms? Logic in its pure form allows worlds and beings that we would normally think of as absurd; the paradigms enable estimation of probabilities or likelihood. SummaryFocus – self, community, world, ultimate. Paradigms – metaphysics, science, technology. Subject-object relationsImmersive approaches to the object aspects—e.g., economics as study of value; spirituality as creation of value which is limitless but for the cost in risk and pain. General logic as paradigmGeneral logic or general argument is the paradigm of being. SynthesisDimension—experiential being. Theory—real metaphysics. Paradigm—general logic. MethodMetaphysics and general logicThe metaphysics implies that all
Comment 16. That we do not experience all possibilities in our world is not contradictory, for the world is but one possibility. In and beyond our cosmos, the realization of all possibilities constitutes the universe. Comment 17. Some possibilities seem absurd. Examples are that the world was created a moment ago, complete with histories and memories, and will be destroyed in a moment seem absurd. Similarly, that the world is nothing but the content of my consciousness, also seems absurd. That the world is as in the big bang cosmology seems robust. To rule out the absurd, and to rule in the robust we appeal to the paradigms. Incremental adaptation makes robust worlds more likely, and the fact it takes beings capable of high level perceptivity to experience such worlds makes their apparent preponderance great. ImaginationPossible worldsSource or study topic 3. Possible Worlds, Possible Objects, Impossible Worlds, Modal Fictionalism, Haecceitism, Leibniz’s Modal Metaphysics, all from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Binaries – opposites – and continuaInformalReflexiveMetaphysicalEpistemologicalAxiologicalAesthetic, ethical LogicalLimitlessness of beingIt has already been seen that “the universe is limitless – it phases eternally between peak and dissolution to the void”. Comment 18. Further conclusions now follow—with some repetition. It follows that every being is
unconditionally limitless, i.e., realizes peak being
While peaking is given, there are (must be) enlightened, effective, and share paths to the ultimate. The limitless universe has identity; the universe and its
identity phase eternally between peak and dissolution – are limitless in
extension, duration, variety, peak of being and variety of peak, and
dissolution; all beings inherit this limitlessness; birth and death are Comment 19. The following to be reviewed for adequacy of the elements “reflection, valuation, and action—thought and emotion – pleasure and pain”. There are efficient shared paths to the ultimate, which are a balance of reflection, valuation, and action—thought and emotion – pleasure and pain. CosmologyCosmology is the theory of the
variety and extent of being General cosmologyThe theory is general 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 beingGeneral cosmology as experiential cosmologyHierarchy of beingCosmology of form and formationIn 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 cosmologyThe theory of the general features of our cosmos based in cosmology of form and general cosmology (and modern physics). ValueComment 20. Add… Enlightened pathwaysFor a beginning, see essence of the way - micro. Source or study topic 4. Words yoga, enlightened. Source or study topic 5. Received ways. BackgroundThe essentials so far for realization are (i) the universe and its identity are limitless in extension, duration, variety, peak, and dissolution (ii) all beings merge in the peaks—birth and death are real but not absolute and their seeming absolute reality is an artifact of limits of our present form but not of our ultimate form (and even in this form, we can conceive and argue for non-absoluteness0 (iii) there are intelligent and effective pathways from our world and cosmos to the ultimate which are a best balance the elements of experience—especially cognition, emotion with pleasure and pain, will, and action—in the process (iv) shared negotiation of pathways beginning in our world are a moral imperative which do not ignore but require attention to the quality of life in the world. The idea of an enlightened pathwayPreliminary – ultimates, recurrence, and issuesEternal recurrence of ultimates
is given. Issues are (i) The ideaAn enlightened pathway is shared and intelligent discovery and realization of the ultimate in, for, and from this world. Enlightened pathways emphasize healthy living (i) a balance of aspects of experience and of dimensions of being (ii) pleasure in being in the world and on a path, and (iii) and does not seek to avoid all pain – it cannot – but addresses pain via aspects of healthy living, which include right attitude, speech, and action for and toward all being. Though ideal perfections of traditions are acknowledged, the real perfection of the way emphasizes process and a balance of the dimensions of experience, especially cognition, emotion, will, and action. Design – elements and meansFrom ‘the dimensions and paradigms’Comment 21.
For convenience, this entire section is pasted from dimensions and paradigms of being
> the dimensions and paradigms.
Parts that are not so important here are marked ‘ In the following, entity, relation, and process are implicit. PureParadigm and dimensionDimension—experiential being—subsumes subject – experiential relation – object. General paradigm—as realization of possibility under logic (as explained in possibility). ProcessProcess—integration of dimensions, ultimate with immediate, risk with security – doubt with confidence – stirring with contentment Path paradigmsAn inclusive path paradigm is yoga – uniting of being – understood in a broad sense, in process, inclusive of philosophical (and scientific) and technological categories. Meditation as dual subject-object exploration of experiential space. Yoga may be supplemented for western readers by secular humanism and for readers from Abrahamic traditions by mysticism in action. PragmaticPragmatic dimensions are categorized (i) according to the above aspects of experience (ii) and then, according to divisions of human knowledge and experience (pure or abstracted aspects included). SubjectComment 22. The following paragraph is paste special from the structure of experience in detail. Simple structure of mindThe subject side has reason (perception and thought via intention to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, and enjoyment, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection), and will to action (the integration of the subject aspect is in structure and process of organisms in interaction with their environment). Meditation and metaphysics
ParadigmsParadigms are similar to those of the object side. Object
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