Introduction to Metaphysics: Cosmology & Ontology/Ontological Questions
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Ontological Questions.
A. Phenomenology.
All attempts to prove the existence of an objective reality separate from our consciousness of it as such are doomed to failure. Simply because any attempt at such a proof can only be the product of consciousness. And any comprehension of such a proof can only be the understanding of consciousness. And any such proof can only ever exist as a phenomena of consciousness.
Objective reality as such is a product of combined minds.
B. Cogito.
1.
Some existence contains All thought.
Some thought contains All self identity.
Therefore Some existence contains All self identity.
2.
Existence is a necessary condition of Thinking.
Self nature thinks.
Therefore self nature exists.
3.
Thinking presupposes existence.
Thoughts are individual to self.
Therefore this self exists.
C. Soul.
The individuating definition of soul is perspective.
Soul is in a state of total war for its own perspective position.
The place of soul is defined by its own perspective position that can only be held by the individual soul.
Without perspective position, place, time, soul is entirely absolute.
Given the usual descriptions of soul adhered to by Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Hegel.
D.
What am I?
You are an active agent with the capacity for rational thought operational in a spacetime continuum that presents phenomena to your sense perceptors as object manifesting change.
E.
What is that?
Empirically, five external sense perceptions: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory, Gustatory.
Rationally, five internal vehicles for thought: Imagination, Intuition, Emotion, Inspiration, Discernment.
Ideally, five logical levels: Perception, Behaviour, Thought, Narrative, Identity.
F. Impermanence, Immutability, Emptiness.
Phenomena changes constantly. That is impermanence. The sense perceptions.
Truth is constant to eternity. That is immutability. The mind.
Space without phenomena. Time without thought. That is emptiness. Existence.
G. Continuum.
Event, Time, Space, Mind, Object.
This is the continuum. It exists so far back that when we look for its beginning we cannot find it. So far forwards that when we look for its end it disappears into infinity. It is what body is born into but mind already exists within its self. Purpose is only entirely to serve the context that gives life to content.
The above seven ideas are those that immediately come to mind when any person thinks about ontology, the nature of existant being.
They are not direct quotes. They are ideas extracted, each from a different source. I do not think that it is possible to go directly to the original thinker who suggested the possibility of the above detailed ideas to find these ideas exactly as stated.
A is extracted from Husserl.
B from Descartes.
C from Hegel.
D perhaps from Aristotle.
E perhaps from Plato.
F from Gautama.
G from Lao Tsu.
At the present moment the eighth idea does not immediately force itself on my attention.
So that is the point that is interesting. Since it suggests that seven specific ideas are very central to ontology. There is not one of the above stated ideas that on reflection I think could be deleted without disadvantage to the whole.
All of the ideas can be differently stated. And their contradictory can be in some cases stated.
However as stated there is a sense of their coherence together. They do not contradict each other. And that being the case it implies that they can in deed be taken together as separate components of one single theory.
Links to two user essays as "See also," moved to Discussion page