This post refers to the Philosophy Project.
The purpose of this post is simply to provide a holding area for ideas.
We shall be looking around at all different kind of stuff to digest it. The ideas shall first be discussed under the COMMENTS section. Anything pertinent will then be added to this post.
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(December 2025) I am writing these comments in color, 13 years after writing this post, just to see how much my viewpoint has changed. This should be fun.
A self (being) seems to be simply a “center of considerations” that it holds and continually outputs.
Self exists to resolve anomalies. The sense of self dissolves when no anomalies remain. There remains only a dimension of awareness independent of the universe.
As the perception point identifies itself with knowledge through considerations, it gets fixed in its place, and loses it fluidity. Thus, “I,” or the self, is generated.
Knowledge, thought, consciousness, etc., are part of the universe. These are subject to awareness, just as the rest of the universe is.
All knowledge, regardless of its source, should be consistent. When there is inconsistency, there must be something unresolved that is underlying that inconsistency. Spiritual progress occurs when one starts to spot inconsistencies as they come up naturally and applies mindfulness to them until they dissolve.
Oneness (continuity, consistency and harmony) is the ideal state of awareness. A violation of oneness appears as an anomaly.
As one starts to look mindfully at an inconsistency, it may lead to a chain of inconsistencies. Just keep looking more closely at the inconsistency that is on the “top of the stack.” It is very important to follow the 12 points of mindfulness.
Inconsistency is referred to as anomaly now. This above link is also updated to The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness.
“I” generates considerations (assessment, speculations, judgments, justifications, assumptions, etc.). These considerations are capable of filtering whatever “I” looks at. Taking responsibility means not letting one’s considerations color one’s perception and seeing things as they are.
“I” (sense of self) exists in the dimension of awareness to resolve anomalies with the goal to bring about oneness. A “filter” is an anomaly of “I” due to identification. Identification is “I” confusing itself with something in the universe.
Considerations seem to bring in the factor of “preservation,” whether it is the preservation of self, or the preservation of property. Justice seems to be concerned with such preservation.
When “I” identifies with anything in the universe, then that is an anomaly. It is moving away from its function of resolving anomalies.
Everything about this universe is in flux. Nothing stays the same. Everything is impermanent. Yet this whole system made up of impermanence seems to be permanently there. How can this inconsistency of “impermanence being permanently there” be explained?
Relative permanence is a view from a higher dimension.
Perception is there as long as manifestation is there. When manifestation is not there, there is no perception either. Thus, there can never be a perception of the state of non-manifestation. We would always perceive manifestation to be there. Ha ha… Q.E.D.
Consciousness starts with sensation.
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(1) An “identity” may simply be a tight “knot” of considerations that needs to be loosened up.
(2) The self is the “center of considerations” analogous to the “center of mass.”
(3) An identity may not affect the self if it is somewhere at the periphery of considerations.
(4) If the identity is closer to the center, it may appear as if the self is stuck with it.
(5) But there are simply a bunch of considerations knotted together, which needs to be loosened up.
(6) Being stuck is simply “some considerations locked into each other.”
An identity comes about when the self (solver of anomalies) starts to identify itself with something in the dimension of the universe.
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There seems to be two different levels of knowledge:
(1) A level of knowledge before SELF comes into being.
This is the dimension of Awareness.
(2) Another level of knowledge, which is generated when SELF starts to react to the previous level of knowledge.
This is consciousness in the dimension of the Universe.
Such a reaction may occur in chain resulting in ballooning of considerations. The only way to stop and reverse such ballooning of considerations would be to look non-judgmentally and see what is actually there.
This is mindfulness.
Then one is no longer reacting to what is there. Instead one is now continually realizing what is there. This starts to deflate the ballooning considerations. In other words, the ego, or self, gradually starts to dissolve.
This is the resolution of anomalies.
One can never predict where this process might lead to. ![]()
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At death, the body disintegrates into its particles, and the identity that was the body is dissolved. Similarly, the observing and thinking part of the person (the living soul) also disintegrates into its particles (considerations), and the identity that was the person is also dissolved. That is my current understanding.
In death, awareness separates from consciousness.
However, the particles remain and they can recombine into another “body plus living soul” combination. There is infinity of such recombination.
In birth, awareness combines with consciousness.
What are the ultimate laws underlying this disintegration and reintegration, I don’t know the details at the moment. But this seems to be going on forever like complex cycles of some eternal wave according to Hinduism.
Nirvana is something different altogether. It happens to a live soul. In my opinion, nirvana is like exteriorization from CONSIDERATIONS. It is the separation of perception-point from all its considerations. This is called giving up of all attachment in Hinduism. One then sees things as they are without any filters as in Buddhism. There is no individuality in terms of considerations. A perception point is the same as any other perception point. It does not add anything to what is observed or experienced.
Nirvana is returning to the dimension of Awareness.
Nothing arrives at Nirvana. it is what remains after all attachments are dissolved. I call it a perception-point. But even the perception-point dissolves at parinirvana by merging into its own manifestation… something like electron merging into positron.
Parinirvana is probably what occurs at death, where the live soul, that was already reduced to a completely detached perception-point, merges back into its own manifestation, extinguishing both. The laws of disintegration and reintegration are thus bypassed. But this is only my speculation.
The basis of this speculation is removal of all inconsistencies that I am aware of at this level.
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Comments
Physical space is enveloped in metaphysical space.
Here Metaphysics is a study of perception.
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Yes – no argument… Just a momentary malaise over the mysticism in our lives; more than your definition of metaphysical, which is very good.
. . . or held in suspension within.
In response to http://isene.me/2012/12/30/happy-new-year/#comment-27045:
To me, awareness implies interaction among considerations. Then there are also considerations about interactions among considerations. Then there are considerations about those considerations that are about interactions among considerations, and so on.
So, I don’t understand why one should stop at “awareness of awareness” and not continue to more degrees as in an infinite series or a fractal!
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“Ice – water – water vapor” represent three different aspects of the same substance. This is a sort of spectrum or gradient scale. All three of these forms may co-exist.
Similarly, “body – mind – soul” seem to represent three different aspects of some fundamental reality. This is also a sort of spectrum or gradient scale. All three of them may co-exist. Parmatman may represent a still higher aspect, and matter may represent a still lower aspect.
Vinaire: Similarly, “body – mind – soul” seem to represent three different aspects of some fundamental reality.
Chris: I love this analogy. I wonder if it will hold up?
It is consistent with Hinduism.
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Vinaire: It is consistent with Hinduism.
Chris: Your comment is particularly interesting to me this week as I am looking at the set of, and the mechanics of religion. I don’t know enough about Hinduism and so take your word for it. I am curious how that concept of body-mind-soul is analogous to the 5 states of matter?
Hinduism simply says that all things are manifestations of the ultimate reality… rather than creation by some God.
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Vinay: ” . . . of the ultimate reality.”
Chris: Why do they need to say ultimate? That is unknowable. (you better not laugh at me!)
Ha ha ha ha!
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