The way of being

Home

Contents

Plan

Summary overview

What the way of being is

Being

Universe

Cosmos

Law

The void

The real

Metaphysics

Experience

Limitlessness of being

Real metaphysics

Dimensions and paradigms of being

Doubt and certainty

Paths

The way of being

Plan

See design and planning.docm.

Summary overview

The way of being is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in and beyond our world.

We are experiential beings—it is in experience that all significance registers and without experience we are effectively nonexistent.

The universe is effectively a field of experience – from limitlessness experientiality (i) cannot be pervasive but (ii) can reach down in primitive form to elementary objects (iii) is effectively pervasive as a subject-relation-object field.

The universe is limitless (fp), from which the following are conclusions. 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 unconditionally inherit this limitlessness (else, there would be a limit on the universe itself; the limitlessness of beings also follows as they may be seen as adjoined to the void), which is not contradictory, for otherwise distinct beings merge as one in the ultimate; birth and death are real but not absolute – in birth we emerge from potential to which in death we return; if we do not see this in human form we can know it (as here) and there are higher forms in which we will see it – in the peaks we see and are all.

There are efficient shared paths to the ultimate, which are a balance of reflection, valuation, and action—thought and emotion – pleasure and pain.

An enlightened pathway is an effective way to the ultimate, beginning in the world, with focus on self, community, world, and the ultimate. It is shared negotiation with learning; received ways are informative but not merely followed.

The crux is focus on the whole – self and community in relation to the universe. Experience – individual and universal – is the essential source of value and action, from which community and institutions derive value.

There is but one realm and what is called spirituality consists in seeing its entirety. Experiential human being is discrete over ‘ordinary time’ (e.g., lives) but ultimate – peak being – over long enough times or at a level of description above time; that is, birth and death are real but not absolute—locally but not absolutely real.

Paths will attend to integration of person (self, body, mind), reason (perception and thought to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection informed by success and failure), will to action in the interest (service) of self, other, community, world, now and in the approach to peak being.

For the group, the way attends to institutions of community, economy, politics, and culture (knowledge development and transmission, technology, value, art, spirit, and law).

path programs—(i) morning routine and tasks (ii) the way – foundation and transformation, with relationships and sharing (iii) pressing and urgent agenda – emptiness now, security, safety, push and execute the way of being at personal and world levels (iii) tasks and lunch (iv) exercise (v) pm routine (vi) sleep early.

What the way of being is

The way of being is shared discovery and realization of the ultimate in and beyond our world.

Where to place the following comment? “It is understood that transformation in our world according to our common paradigms is limited but it must be emphasized that the purchase of our paradigms even in our world is limited.” (-----> add it to the comment that except logic paradigms from our cosmos have no purchase in the universe at large)

Its sources are experience, action, reflection, and the history of human thought and endeavor.

To understand the narrative, (i) recognize that the worldview of the work may be unfamiliar and will require familiarization (ii) doubt, which is addressed in the work, is encouraged for then, acceptance, when it occurs, will be based in valid knowledge rather than authority or dogma (ii) follow the meanings of terms as defined, recognizing that in setting up a metaphysical system, meanings are not and ought not to be and often cannot capture the received (but of course are related) (iii) reflection while reading and a re-reading of the are encouraged and will aid clarification and seeing system of concepts (terms) and assertions stand as a whole – a gestalt.

Add to understanding (a) suspension of cosmological realism (b) reflexive doubt is encouraged and will be given some address.

Being

A being is an existent; being is existence.

Universe

The universe is all being.

Cosmos

A cosmos is a causal domain whose interactions with the rest of the universe are presently negligible.

Our cosmos is the only cosmos observed or inferred by humans.

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.

Law

A law is a summary reading of a pattern of behavior for a domain of phenomena up to the present limit of observation.

As they are immanent in the world, laws have being – i.e., laws are beings.

The void

The void is nothingness – the absence of being.

As existence and nonexistence of the void are equivalent, it may be said that the void exists.

Therefore—

The void is the being that contains no beings.

Particularly, since laws are beings, there are no laws of the void.

The real

Possibility

Given an assertion about the world or cosmos, it may be in error (i) it is unrealizable for all possible worlds (ii) it is a mismatch with its intended object. Logic or logical possibility is the condition to for type #i errors to not obtain. Realism or real possibility, e.g., agreement with relevant laws, physical or other, is the condition that prevents type #ii errors.

Real possibility presumes logical possibility. Logical possibility is the most inclusive possibility – a description that violates logic is unrealizable in any possible world.

Our deductive logics fall short of logic in this sense in that (i) they appeal to limited modes of expression, e.g., only some discrete modes (ii) some of the higher or variant logics may admit error.

The real universe

If there were a logically possible being that did not emerge from the void, that would constitute a law of the void. Therefore, all logically possible beings emerge from the void. That is, the universe is the greatest possible in the sense that it contains all logical possibility.

Various points at which doubt should arise!

Doubt should arise and is addressed in doubt and certainty.

That is, the universe is limitless – it phases eternally between peak and dissolution to the void. This concludes a resolution of why there is something rather than nothing, i.e., to the problem of why there is being at all.

This will challenge intuitions that serve well in ordinary and scientific realms. However, from limitlessness, except that logic obtains, laws and paradigms from a cosmos – cause, variation and selection, mechanism, quantum behavior, and coordinate measure – have no necessary purchase. This may summarily be written – for the universe, cosmological realism is suspended.

The limitlessness of the universe is the fundamental principle of metaphysics (abbr. fundamental principle, fp).

This resolves the question of why there is something rather than nothing. Particularly, there are phases of nothingness, but they are and cannot be eternal.

Further, since a being is the void and the being, every being is unconditionally limitless – realizes peak being (which is not contradictory, for beings merge in the peaks). While peaking is given, there are (must be) enlightened, effective, and share paths to the ultimate.

Further conclusions are taken up in limitlessness of being.

Metaphysics

The validity of These conclusions follows from abstraction such that what is distortable has been eliminated from the elementary objects (beings etc.) and inferences employed.

Metaphysics is knowledge of the real (the narrative so far is metaphysics)

The narrative so far is metaphysics – it is ideal metaphysics in that (i) it is based on abstraction (this does not mean that it is not real) (ii) it is a framework for detail (iii) it shows what will (may) be achieved but not how.

Experience

Experience 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 (cannot) register in experience is effectively nonexistent.

The structure of (an) experience is (a) ‘experience of’ – subject or as-if mind (b) ‘the experience’ or ‘the experiential relation’ (c) ‘the experienced’ – object or as-if material. In pure experience may be potential but are no real objects. Matter and mind are not denied but are regarded here as ways of speaking about (an) experience.

The subject side includes reason (perception and thought to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection), will to action. The object side includes person (self, body, mind), community, and world.

The universe is effectively a field of experience – from limitlessness experientiality (i) cannot be pervasive but (ii) can reach down in primitive form to elementary objects (iii) is effectively pervasive as a subject-relation-object field.

Limitlessness of being

The following has some repetition from the section, the real.

Check for repetition ‘limitless’, ‘birth’ / ‘death’…

The universe is limitless (fp), from which the following are conclusions. 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 unconditionally inherit this limitlessness (else, there would be a limit on the universe itself; the limitlessness of beings also follows as they may be seen as adjoined to the void), which is not contradictory, for otherwise distinct beings merge as one in the ultimate; birth and death are real but not absolute – in birth we emerge from potential to which in death we return; if we do not see this in human form we can know it (as here) and there are higher forms in which we will see it – in the peaks we see and are all.

The following is repeated – paste special – from earlier as a useful reminder.

This will challenge intuitions that serve well in ordinary and scientific realms. However, from limitlessness, except that logic obtains, laws and paradigms from a cosmos – cause, variation and selection, mechanism, quantum behavior, and coordinate measure – have no necessary purchase. This may summarily be written – for the universe, cosmological realism is suspended.

There are efficient shared paths to the ultimate, which are a balance of reflection, valuation, and action—thought and emotion – pleasure and pain.

Real metaphysics

The ideal metaphysics above may be supplemented by paradigms, some pragmatic, of and from our cosmos. The ideal frames, illuminates, and guides the pragmatic; the pragmatic illustrates the ideal and is instrumental in showing pathways in, for, and from a world to the ultimate. The system is not perfectly faithful to the real but is the best instrument in realization and is therefore perfect relative to the value of realization toward the ultimate. The seamless join is named the ‘real metaphysics’.,

If we regard necessary fact, e.g., that there must be beings (by limitlessness) and adjoin it to logic; and if we compare arriving at logics to arriving at scientific theories (rather than the usual comparison of deduction under logic to arriving at the theories), the two may be brought under one umbrella which we may name ‘general logic’.

Dimensions and paradigms of being

Simplify so as to separate essence from detail.

The dimensions, which are similar to the categories of being (the highest kinds or genera), are conceived as kinds of or within being (or understanding, in the case that we doubt our ability to completely list the kinds of being), from high on down as far as is efficient in understanding, explanation, and prediction for domains of phenomena of interest. The paradigms are forms to which our theories conform, selected so as to be useful in hypothetically projecting understanding beyond our cosmos.

Pure

Pure dimensions are chosen as the subject, relation, and object aspects of experience. With similarity and difference, these yield exhaustive markers of identity, extension, duration, and property, demonstration of which is taken up in longer versions of this document.

The general paradigm is that the universe is the realization of logic as explained in possibility.

Which will be linked later (older versions may be temporarily linked).

Pragmatic

Pragmatic 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).

Relational

Subject – relation – object—exploration and transformation of being as in yoga and mysticism.

The traditions of yoga and mysticism as they pertain to the entire being of individuals in a community, living for all being (beings, this world, and the ultimate).

Object

A western emphasis—disciplines and paradigms from philosophy and the science.

Philosophy – metaphysics as science (with epistemology, ethics, and logic).

The sciences – physical, life, social, and psychological; and their application including exploration of space, time, and the universe.

Some detail on the social sciences is relevant – sociology, politics, economics, law, technology, exploration, resource location and extraction, culture (knowledge – development and transmission, tradition, art, religion, entertainment).

Paradigms include indeterminist (random) process; formation by incremental variation and selection to form; causation and mechanism – with and without probabilistic process; groups – formation and process.

What is the role of the 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.

Subject

Exploration of and with mind – metaphysics (knowledge, development) and meditation.

Doubt and certainty

Doubt is vital for then acceptance, when it occurs, will be based in valid reason. Doubt may occur regarding (i) disagreement with experience and common worldviews (ii) questions regarding proof. However, there is no disagreement with experience, but only with experience projected beyond the range of experience, e.g., as in common worldviews. The critical issue of proof concerns the existence of the void which was based in equivalence of its existence and nonexistence. While this appears to be contradictory, it is not, for ‘to exist’ means that there is a real object of thought or perception, which for most objects, rules out nonexistence. However, for the void, it does not. That is, the meaning of ‘existence’ is different for the singular case of the void than it is for most objects, being ‘manifest’ for most objects, but both manifest and nonmanifest for the void. Further, as noted in the proof, for the void, there is no distinction between existence and nonexistence, i.e., between the manifest and the nonmanifest.

Improve the above argument about the void as follows. For non-void objects, to exist is for a concept (thought or perception, above) to have a real or manifest object (nonexistence is the case when there is no object). Already, the meaning of ‘to exist’ is different from the naïve meaning in which the concept is irrelevant but somehow we can talk of an object as though no concept is involved which is not the case for to talk of an object invokes a concept in the talk (even though the ‘talk of’ is not precise in itself it is a concept, for which there is tacit reference to a more precise concept). But for the void, the concept already refers to a nonmanifest object and therefore to exist is to not exist which is not a contradiction. The difference between this argument and the one above is that the meaning of ‘to exist’ does not change in going from nonvoid to void objects; rather the meaning of ‘to exist’ is already different from the naïve but common sense of ‘to exist’ which is not just the sense used in ordinary speech but also the sense used in (most) philosophy.

Another argument – from the meaning of the void, the void is ‘there’, and it is not a matter of empiric or the non-arguments as in Nothingness (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Yet doubt will remain. It should first be noted that any principle of doubt implies that doubt ought to be reflexive – applied to itself, in principle. But this is also reasonable for absolute doubt ought is not a standalone principle but a response to a requirement of absolute certainty, which itself, though reasonable in some circumstances, is not principled but may be destructive and neurotic. It is not being said that certainty is impossible or undesirable. Rather, the claim is that the range and desirability of certainty may be and often is exaggerated.

Given consistency with experience and reason, valid attitudes to doubt are to regard existence of the void (or the fundamental principle) (i) as a postulate for metaphysics (and with the real metaphysics and dimensions of being as a framework for understanding and negotiating the real) (ii) as an existential principle of action (with some attention to the principle maximizing expected outcome, even in the absence of certainty).

In conclusion, given the absence of absolute certainty, even in logic, reflexive doubt, the coexistence of doubt and confidence, is likely productive of best outcomes of process and ends.

Paths

Plan (i) note main points (ii) order them (iii) rewrite, eliminating unnecessary repetition (iii) identify and embed main points (iv) export to outline of the way-new.docm (v) leave summary here (with links in favor of detailed templates.

As it stands, this section is temporary. It will be completed and refined until satisfactory. Then, the previous comment will be followed.

Considerations

Though the ultimate is given there are effective, intelligent, pathways—

Negotiated and shared, which may learn from but do not merely follow masters or received ways

The following are addressed (i) with mesh (ii) programmatically

Individuals and groups

Acceptance and seeking

Dimensions of being, especially the high level or pure—i.e., the subject – relation – object aspects of experiential being

This world and the ultimate

Every day and the universal

Some detail—

The individual – body and mind in integration – reason, emotion (particularly, pleasure and pain), will (agency), and action

Groups – community, sharing, society (see dimensions and paradigms of being for details).

About religion and its use

As far as unjustified belief or disbelief are religious, most people who have a position on the truth of dogmatic religion are religious.

The path of the way is open to the use of religion though not to its dogmatic insistence. We recognize two approaches in religion—one that emphasizes a relationship with a powerful divine element which may symbolically energize a positive life and another that emphasizes correct thought, speech, and action on the way to realization which may be mundane or universal.

The mix of (i) the ideal and the struggle vs perfection and (ii) negotiation vs following are two differences between the path described here and common received ways. As the worldview of the present system is ultimate, the paths here frame received pathways. The present system gives preference to those received pathways that see limited being as on the way to the ultimate rather than the ultimate as a remote reward. Still, all systems are recognized for symbolic and community value.

The essence

An enlightened pathway is an effective way to the ultimate, beginning in the world, with focus on self, community, world, and the ultimate. It is shared negotiation with learning; received ways are informative but not merely followed.

The crux is focus on the whole – self and community in relation to the universe. Experience – individual and universal – is the essential source of value and action, from which community and institutions derive value.

There is but one realm and what is called spirituality consists in seeing its entirety. Experiential human being is discrete over ‘ordinary time’ (e.g., lives) but ultimate – peak being – over long enough times or at a level of description above time; that is, birth and death are real but not absolute—locally but not absolutely real.

Paths will attend to integration of person (self, body, mind), reason (perception and thought to fact and inference), emotion (with feeling, especially pleasure and pain), value (e.g., ethics and aesthetics, which results from reason, emotion, and selection informed by success and failure), will to action in the interest (service) of self, other, community, world, now and in the approach to peak being.

For the group, the way attends to institutions of community, economy, politics, and culture (knowledge development and transmission, technology, value, art, spirit, and law).

Effective pathways address living in the immediate world on the way to the ultimate—they address the everyday and the universal, (and, as elaborated in the document outline of the way-new.docm), dimensions of being (i) at a high level the pure subject and object aspects of experience (ii) in the world, the pragmatic. Particularly included are (a) meditation, calming, analytic, and visionary (including an attempt to visualize and ways to actualize panbeing) (b) yogic or healthy living directed at individual, family, work, and community – local to global and immediate in time to ultimate.

An enlightened path (i) seeks intelligent and shared negotiation (not just following received ways or masters) (ii) results in a replica – typically incomplete – of the ultimate in the being – body and mind – of the individual in ‘this’ life and rarely in the ultimate itself (iii) but is on the way to the ultimate and while realization is given, the enlightened path is efficient in realization of the ultimate as we cross from life to life, from form to form, amid the myriad of cosmoses, while dwelling in nothingness in between.

Pleasure and pain (physical pain, doubt, anxiety) are unavoidable. The issues of pleasure and pain are addressed (i) in that pleasure for its own sake need not be avoided, but paths emphasize pleasure in being on the way—on the path (ii) by shared negotiation of pathways (in which leaders may arise but are not seen as absolute in truth) (iii) with therapy – as far as possible, the best therapy of the time (iv) by the able giving aid to the less able or fortunate (v) by attention without obsession to healthy living – physical, mental, communal, and spiritual (vi) and above all that local enlightenment which avoids illusions of ideal perfection but seeks a pragmatic balance of emotion (particularly pleasure and pain), reason, and action on shared paths—as far as reasonable, seeks process through and not around pain.

Thus, enlightenment pertains to being in this world for the ultimate is not in need of enlightenment; in received religion, enlightenment is often thought to be a kind of ideal perfection; however, the real perfection emerged here sees it as a good to best mix of an idealized notion of perfection and the work – even struggle – of being on a path.

Path programs

mindisdat

The planning focus of an individual-as-individual-as-communal-and-for-discovery-and-realization is a flexible routine selected from options—(i) awaken early – affirmation of being, dedication to realization, meditation on sustaining an attitude of achievement and equilibrium with others through distraction and pain, review priorities and how and when to die; (ii) recognition of ground issues—safety, security, focus on the way, health issues (medications, diet, mental and physical exercise, sleep), and discipline; (iii) morning tasks—medications and treatments, open files to edit, walk – stretch – vitamins – breakfast – fluids, set times and reminders; (iv) developing and foundation for the way—ideas, experience, reflection, study, cowriting and editing, publishing, and presenting; (v) living the way (one’s way)—ideas, attention to self – meditative and physical, immersion in nature and the real, attention to community – social action (see dimensions and paradigms of being for aspects), attention to spiritual being, relations and networking, acting roles; (vi) pressing and urgent action—being present to the real – emptiness now, security, safety, money, place, and pushing the way; (vii) daily and weekly tasks, lunch, review of plans and planning, preparation and planning for travel and immersion; (viii) exercise—aerobic, stretching, light weights; excursions and photography; (ix) evening rest and review, preparation for the next day, relaxation, social activities, networking; sleep early.

Path programs – summary

path programs—(i) morning routine and tasks (ii) the way – foundation and transformation, with relationships and sharing (iii) pressing and urgent agenda – emptiness now, security, safety, push and execute the way of being at personal and world levels (iii) tasks and lunch (iv) exercise (v) pm routine (vi) sleep early.