1. Journey in being Anil Mitra

2. Preliminary

3. A journey in Ideas and Identity Ideas as the place of appreciation of being—of our being, of the world… Ideas as the instrument of negotiation Incompleteness of ideas as expression of possibilities and potentials of being Identity. Transformation of being—of identity—completes realization

4. ...in the finite and the infinite The finite, the here-now is important—in itself and instrumentally In the finite there are Normal but not ultimate limits The boundary between the finite and the infinite is not absolute The Journey is in and bridges the finite and the infinite or ultimate

5. A journey in being We are already in and remain in being… The outer reach of a journey in being Possibility. What is possible for human being, for the individual? The Good. What ends are desirable, aesthetic, ethical? Feasibility. What is feasible? Paths. What ways may we conceive, choose?

6. Presentation version First emphasis—introduction and overview for ‘Journey in being’ Secondary emphasis—ideas that enhance and channel or derive from the journey Designed to be accompanied by narrative andor notes Other versions and details http://www.horizons-2000.org

7. Presentation

8. Outline of topics Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

9. The story begins…  Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

10. Audience and influence Who I would reach The influence that I would have

11. Audience General—understanding and significance; transformation of being and identity; state of the world, values, choice, action Technical—the sciences; technology, art, history, religion; philosophy and its nature, metaphysics, theory of transformation; logic, mathematics; choice and change

12. Influence What kind of influence do I want to have? The influence of resonance—not of copying or repetition Listening, understanding, criticism, and selective use

13. Next in the story… Audience and influence  Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

14. Introduction The essential ideas New ideas and contributions Issues: understanding and reason

15. Introduction—outline Journey Being A new view of the world Universal metaphysics / Metaphysics of immanence An objection from science and common sense The concept of the Normal A note on meaning. Important concepts

16. Journey In the immediate and the ultimate From this world to the ultimate … Discovery in ideas Contingent or Normal and necessary limits Transformation in being—in identity

17. Being That which is or exists—whatever exists has being When properly understood being is the central concept of understanding and transformation… of a ‘new’ and ultimate view of the Universe

18. A new view of the world Metaphysics of immanence… or The Universal metaphysics The one Law of the Universe is Logic The metaphysics is ultimate in breadth and depth

19. A new view—continued A potential problem of understanding There is an apparent clash with common— limited—and scientific views of the Universe However the truth of the view is demonstrated The nature of ‘demonstration’ is clarified, grounded and advanced

20. The concept of the Normal The apparent clash with common views is resolved via the concept of the ‘Normal’ This Normal world is required by the view This resolves the further concern that the present view, though ultimate, is removed from the immediate

21. The narrative argument It is convenient to defer some details of the arguments to a separate section Therefore, the argument and its problems of reason are taken up in The main discussion—Ideas and Journey Objections and counterarguments

22. A note on lexical meaning The world view or metaphysics is larger than any other—this is demonstrated It is significantly new and larger than the common views—day-to-day or technical Therefore, although the terms used are common their meanings are significantly altered andor enhanced relative to previous use—this, too, is demonstrated

23. Some important concepts I Some terms with enhanced meaning— important concepts are bold being, journey, existence, idea, transformation, foundation, intuition, object, experience, concept, percept, reason, reference, abstraction, universe, possibility, actuality, necessity, logic, substance, determinism, metaphysics, philosophy, rationality

24. Some important concepts II … depth and breadth of understanding, method, form, particular object, abstract object, grammar, meaning, mechanism, causation, human being, society, culture, institution, civilization, faith, religion, science, knowledge, ideational form, and dynamics of being

25. Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction  Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

26. Ideas …Are essential to appreciating and negotiating the world...A significant part of the journey

27. Ideas—outline Intuition Metaphysics Objects Cosmology Normal worlds Method Contributions to the history of ideas

28. Intuition Introduction Being Existence Intuition and Object Experience, concept and reference

29. Intuition I How we experience the world, e.g. in terms of space and time and cause and properties, occurs outside experience Why we see in certain terms—space and time, red versus blue and so on—may be explained by adaptation That we see in such terms has been labeled ‘Intuition’

30. Intuition II This sense of Intuition was used by Immanuel Kant (philosopher, 1724-1804) In this sense, Intuition is the ability to perceive and concerns subjective experience of and is ‘bound’ to things Reasoning regarding things involves free images and symbols

31. Intuition III Here the meaning of Intuition is extended to cover perception and reasoning Conception—having mental content—is perception and reasoning. Then: Intuition is the ‘faculty of conception’ or, in modern terms, ‘the ability to have conceptions’

32. Intuition IV Perception—the empirical side of Intuition—is perfect for the simple objects being, all being, and absence of being The reasoning or thought side of Intuition has been held perfect for logic. However, logic itself is experimental A new concept ‘Logic’ will be found to be perfect logic—non-empty and powerful

33. Unity of Intuition I Thus far Intuition is the dual that is roughly perception and reason Perception is bound to the Object; reason is free and occurs via recollection as icons and symbols Alternately expressed, reason is remotely or loosely bound—even pure experience has a remote and a potential Object

34. Unity of Intuition II The origin of—the capacity—reason is in perception Though Normally bound, even perception has freedom—this freedom lies in the nature of being Perception and reason constitute an original unity This unity also lies within Experience

35. Intuition and metaphysics The necessary aspects of Intuition—perfect perception of the simple objects and Logic are the two pillars of an ultimate metaphysics… that lies within intuition This metaphysics is foundation for the depth and variety of being and, with particular disciplines—e.g. the sciences, understanding of specific areas of being

36. Metaphysics Necessary Objects Existence or being, ‘all,’ ‘part,’ ‘absence’ Universe Domain Void The Universal metaphysics or Metaphysics of immanence

37. Metaphysics—conclusions I The universe is all being. Therefore… There is exactly one Universe The Universe contains all Objects, all Law, all Form, all kinds, all Creators… the Universe itself can have no creator The Actual and the Possible are identical …these and the following conclusions are a representative sample

38. Metaphysics—conclusions II Domain One part of the universe can create another A limited God makes actual and explanatory sense This, however, gives little support to any predefined God of this cosmos

39. Metaphysics—conclusions III The Void The concept of the Void is fundamental in showing the nature of the Universe (all being) which is its complement The concepts of Universe, Domain and the Void are instrumental in developing a ‘Universal metaphysics’ or ‘Metaphysics of immanence’ which is now taken up

40. The Fundamental principle The Fundamental principle of the ‘Universal metaphysics’ states that The only restriction on actual states is that of Logic— the capitalization is explained later This principle is the central and foundational theorem of the metaphysics We now demonstrate the Fundamental principle

41. Fundamental principle—proof I The Universe is all being Therefore the Universe exists and contains all Entities and other Objects—Laws, Forms… The Void is the complement of the Universe relative to itself Therefore the Void exists and contains no Entities, Laws, or Forms…

42. …Proof II If from the Void a state whose description involved no contradiction, no violation of logic, could not manifest—that would constitute a law of the void Therefore the only restriction on actual states is that of logic This defines ideal logic—Logic, non-empty since it is approximated by the logics

43. …Proof—Objections I Because of its significance, it is essential to criticize the Fundamental principle… by (1) Criticism of the given proof and, if it is wanting, provision of alternate proof. (2) Questioning the principle itself… whether the principle and its consequences violate what we already know—science, common sense…

44. …Proof—Objections II Science and common sense are addressed via the idea of the Normal A Normal state or world is one, such as our world, in which only a limited number of states is feasibly or normally accessible The Fundamental principle requires the existence of Normal worlds

45. …Proof—Objections III An objection to the given proof of existence of the Void. Whereas complements of ‘proper’ sub-domains exist, it does not follow that the complement of the Universe itself exists An alternate proof is given next Slide Objections and counterarguments has alternate demonstrations

46. An alternate proof There is no distinction between existence and non-existence of the Void Therefore the Void may be taken to exist This in turn implies existence of the Void Details of proof are in notes to the Objections and counterarguments slides

47. An objection from physics Objection. The quantum mechanical ‘vacuum’ is a place of vast energy and activity. Therefore the Void cannot be the absence of being Counterargument. Quantum theory is local. It is not the Law of the Universe. Science allows this possibility which is here demonstrated

48. …Proof—Objections IV Objection. The variety of being in the Universe is defined by Logic. However, as noted, Logic is a defined concept. Therefore, ‘Logic as Law’ shows nothing Counterargument. Logic as Law derives from logic as Law which is not empty. The problem of Logic is not that it is empty but of the degree of infinity of variety permitted

49. …Proof—comments I Identification of Logic and Metaphysics has been considered by Gottlob Frege (logician, 1848-1925) and Ludwig Wittgenstein (philosopher, 1888-1951)… and of Metaphysics and Intuition by Kant Here, powerful forms of these concepts culminate in the identity of the rational Intuition, Logic, and Metaphysics

50. …Proof—comments II It has been noted that the Fundamental principle is the keystone of the powerful ‘Universal metaphysics’ Among various objections to the principle and its demonstration is the fact that ‘so much appears to come from so little’ See slide Objections and counterarguments for responses

51. The Universal metaphysics I Introduction Fundamental principle of the Universal metaphysics On Logic A cosmological variety The Normal The edge of the Normal

52. The Universal metaphysics II Substance, determinism and explanation The Universal metaphysics is ultimate in depth and breadth Completion of the rational (empiric-logic) ‘Method’ Form Limits

53. Objects Concept and Object Necessary and Contingent or Normal Objects Particular and Abstract Objects A system of Objects The fundamental concept of the metaphysics Logic, Grammar and Meaning

54. Cosmology The concept of cosmology Variety Process—mechanism, causation Space, time and being Mind Local / physical cosmology Principles of thought and action

55. Cosmology—variety I The Fundamental principle underlies the cosmological variety Because the only restriction on Actual states of the Universe is that of Logic, the only fictions are the Logical fictions Subject to Logic, all of literature has an Object

56. Cosmology—variety II Given interpretation as conceptual, then subject to Logic, all emotions, all works of art, all music must have Objects What is actual is necessary. This—our— cosmos is necessary. Every individual is necessary; and their identities are necessary

57. Cosmology—variety III The Universe must pass through both Void and manifest states, i.e. there must be occasions of ‘something’ and of ‘nothing’ This resolves what has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics (why there is something rather than nothing)… and is seen to imply that the fundamental problem is ‘What exists?’

58. Cosmology—variety IV Examples. Karma. Annihilation / creation of manifest phases of the Universe. Subject to Logic, every actual Object recurs infinitely, ‘rising from the dead’ is actual in countless cosmological systems, Normal identities merge in Identity; limited gods are necessary. Comment. The examples remove absurdity but no support is given to occurrence in this cosmos

59. Ideational form I Science and religion are examples of ideational form in that they provide a picture of the world or, at least, the base for a partial picture The mesh of economics and the modern ideational forms, e.g. secular humanism, is such that a return to a religious paradigm of the past is difficult to imagine

60. Ideational form II The difficulty—but not impossibility—is compounded in view of the immense improvement of the political and economic status of the common individual The future of the ‘ideational form’ may be difficult to anticipate but Universal metaphysics emphasizes the practical necessity of its future evolution

61. Ideational form III This evolution will be likely though flexibly tied to the evolution of political-economics; truth requires reason but its spread is interwoven with political-economics The world is not divided into two ‘spheres,’ the sacred and the ideal or ideational and the mundane that includes the political and the economic

62. Death I As a result of the scientific world view and the advent of secular humanism one dominant modern Normal view of death is that it is absolute: individual consciousness begins with birth and ends with death The Metaphysics shows, however, the merging of individual identities in Identity. Thus the Normal view of death is a relative one

63. Death II In life, this world is, roughly, finite; in life, the Universe may be experienced as infinite In death, therefore, it is as if the infinity of the Universes collapses to the individual; alternatively, in death the ‘finite’ individual becomes the infinity of the Universe

64. Normal worlds I Introduction and scope Human world: individual and society Human being Social world Civilization The state of civilization Faith

65. Normal worlds II Common and experimental endeavor A system of modes of being and knowing Human modes and their limits The animal. Primal holism—early religion-myth, and science. Religion / ideal Religion | Secular humanism | Science / ideal Science The future of the ideational form—in which economics and politics are likely to be as significant as reason

66. Method Intuition and Object Faithfulness—its meaning and range The One and the Many—The Universal metaphysics The One and the Many—Normal and Local studies Action Perfection

67. Method—comments The foundation of ‘the method’ and content of metaphysics is found in the analysis of Intuition Details are in the notes of the previous slide

68. Contributions to ideas I Contributions to the following topics are distributed among the previous slides: Intuition, Metaphysics, Logic, Theory of Objects, and Cosmology The possibilities of Human and Animal Being Human knowledge

69. Contributions to ideas II Potential contributions to logic, science… Secondary contributions Secondary contributions are those that are side interests or offshoots that may once have been thought to be primary For secondary contributions see the slide Contributions to the history of ideas

70. Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas  Journey Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

71. Journey Transformation in being and identity

72. Journey—introduction Ideas are an essential part of the journey Ideas are essential to appreciation of the world and the journey Ideas are essential to understanding and negotiating the world As journey in being, ideas are incomplete Transformation in being and identity completes the journey

73. Journey—outline A principle of the journey—its necessity Concept and character of the journey Transformation and theory The transformations

74. A principle of the journey Necessity of the journey for completeness of being: Without the journey, without action, without transformation, being is incomplete, a shadow…

75. Journey: concept and character Journey The way from the immediate, from limits to the ultimate—transformation in ideas and identity Transformation is essential and includes ideas and being-identity Origin and evolution Individual. Shared. Emergence of focus, ambition and goals

76. Transformation and theory Dynamics of being Catalytic states and modes of transformation Development of the dynamic

77. Concerns of the dynamics Negotiating the feasible Exploring what is desirable… Incremental andor large scale change Exploring the means of change—physical, psychological, social, technological

78. The transformations A minimal system The journey so far Assessment; the way ahead Study The future

79. Next in the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey  Objections and counterarguments Further contributions to the History of ideas

80. Objections and counterarguments Response to objections is crucial, not only to the argument, but to understanding and method

81. Objections / counterarguments The foundational fallacy Experience and existence Being The Void The fundamental principle Non-rational objections

82. Final thoughts of the story… Audience and influence Introduction Ideas Journey Objections and counterarguments  Further contributions to the History of ideas

83. Some further contributions to the history of ideas Significant ideas that are secondary to the main development

84. Some areas of contribution Philosophy and metaphysics Problems of metaphysics Significant problems—some new—resolved in the development The idea of method A system of human knowledge

85. Author Anil Mitra

86. The End