Comments on "Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no keyTypePad2016-06-11T02:39:35ZBrian Hineshttps://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/2016/06/existence-exists-the-cosmic-lock-to-which-humans-have-no-key/comments/atom.xml/Rodric commented on '"Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no key'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e201b8d203d72e970c2016-07-11T06:21:25Z2016-07-11T18:21:39ZRodricIt occurs to me that for a long time Christian philosophers have thought about God the way you are thinking...<p>It occurs to me that for a long time Christian philosophers have thought about God the way you are thinking about existence, though of course you would probably not use the word ‘God’. Nevertheless I thought you might find the following interesting.</p>
<p>Here is Thomas Aquinas: ‘I say that this proposition, “God exists,” of itself is self-evident, for the predicate is the same as the subject, because God is His own existence as will be hereafter shown.’</p>
<p>He goes on to say: ‘That which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus even now nothing would be in existence — which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary. But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. Now it is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as has been already proved in regard to efficient causes. Therefore we cannot but postulate the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This all men speak of as God.’</p>
<p>Summa Theologiæ, question 2<br />
<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1002.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1002.htm</a></p>Blogger Brian commented on '"Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no key'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e201b7c86d29e3970b2016-06-13T18:20:51Z2016-06-13T18:20:54ZBlogger Brianhttp://profile.typepad.com/brihinesDavid, I didn't way there was a meaning to existence. I said "Assuming there is such a meaning." Personally, I...<p>David, I didn't way there was a meaning to existence. I said "Assuming there is such a meaning." Personally, I simply see the universe as a matter of IS. The universe is. End of story.</p>
<p>Which is a difficult story to accept, as you said. Us finite creatures have a tough time with infinity -- existence having existed forever. </p>
<p>I understand what you're saying about this possibly leading to a belief in God. But what I was trying to get at in this post is that the easy way out is just that -- believing in a God who brought the universe into being. (Of course, we then have to ask, "who brought God into being?")</p>
<p>However, the opposite seems to be true for me. If I face head-on the mind-blowing nature of existence having existed eternally, then I'm less likely to believe in God. Instead of considering that there had to be a cause for the IS of the cosmos, I can try to grasp that it is existence which has existed forever, not God.</p>777 commented on '"Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no key'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e201bb0910786e970d2016-06-13T12:53:51Z2016-06-14T02:43:08Z777"" ""Maybe advanced beings from an alien civilization in a galaxy f . . . " " They come and...<p>"" ""Maybe advanced beings from an alien civilization in a galaxy f . . . " "</p>
<p>They come and came again utterly amazed<br />
how in heaven sake these 7 chakras creatures were developed<br />
in the midst of so much chaos</p>
<p>If humans hadn't that 7th crown chakra , they would have destroyed us ( again ) long ago<br />
as a total dangerous failure</p>
<p>Now they study and study how to carbon copy<br />
this chakra Door directly to the Highest Realm Most subtle environment , The 7th Heaven<br />
where IQ is zero.</p>
<p>Don't let lower than the eye brow chakras overwhelm your feelings Brian<br />
Perhaps the Kings Falcon has landed on your shoulder after all</p>
<p>_______<br />
about :<br />
" " but NOT the ability to grasp the meaning of existence pure and simple. " "</p>
<p>You have very much that ability<br />
Let me again on this blog ask you for the 5th time now :</p>
<p>Imaging 2 minutes you are the omnipotent, all knowing Presence, you call existence<br />
having already everything imaginable</p>
<p>What would make you happy to receive ??</p>
<p>777<br />
</p>David commented on '"Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no key'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e201b7c86cfe31970b2016-06-13T12:46:20Z2016-06-14T02:43:08ZDavidBrian, Even forgiving the tautology of 'existence existing', I'm having trouble making sense of 'the human brain lacks the ability...<p>Brian, </p>
<p>Even forgiving the tautology of 'existence existing', I'm having trouble making sense of 'the human brain lacks the ability to cognize the primal reality of existence existing.' We've only ever known existence, so surely it's non-existence that would be problematic to cognise, but this isn't an issue because minds exclude non-existence. </p>
<p>I'd agree that limitless phenomena like time without beginning or end are troublesome because we are finite creatures. But now we're stepping into unknown territory and by definition this can't be known. We get ourselves into all sorts of muddles when we over-reach like this. We end up with pseudo-explanations like God that simply further enmesh us in our own nonsense.</p>
<p>Then you speak of 'the ability to grasp the meaning of existence' and I've lost you altogether. What does this even mean? Why should existence have meaning beyond such meanings that creatures attribute to it? To imagine that it might gets us most of the way to a creator God, I suspect. </p>Turan commented on '"Existence exists" -- the cosmic lock to which humans have no key'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e201b8d1f6bf24970c2016-06-13T09:32:43Z2016-06-14T02:43:08ZTuranBrian, Your description of an 'Elevator going into freefall' reminds of a time, when siting quietly, a huge feeling of...<p>Brian,<br />
Your description of an 'Elevator going into freefall' reminds of a time, when siting quietly, a huge feeling of compassion came over me followed by a falling into what felt like a whirlpool or black hole. Interestingly, into this 'black hole' also fell my self structure. It was quite joyous. Looking around and looking out of the window it was as though seeing everything for the first time. Although I knew what everything was it was somehow devoid of all the baggage that usually accompanies seeing. </p>
<p>Perhaps this can be attributed to brain processes (or lack of them) but I get the impression that what I call my 'self', my 'me' somehow overlays and obscures just seeing. </p>