From: H C (lphege@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Nov 17 2005 - 19:14:08 MST
/* Updated Metaphysics (as described by
* philosphers for the past few millenia).
*
* Also, made room for physics and evolution,
* and made sure to leave plenty of room for failure of the theory.
*/
What is "Metaphysics"?
Metaphysics and physics are two closely related terms. Physics is our
description of a causal process from which our intelligence was evolved, and
is currently maintained in, which are processes independent of a purposeful
interpretation. Metaphysics is our description of causal processes that are
with purpose or design. A metaphysical description might say something like
"That tree tried to kill me!" after a large branch falls unexpectedly out of
a tree beneath which we are standing. A physical description would be "That
branch fell and missed my head by inches!"
Metaphysics is not special to intelligent entities such as humans. All goal
behaving physical processes are metaphysical. What IS special to intelligent
entities is the ability to percieve reality WITHOUT any necessary relation
to a goal, such that we may call ourselves objective, rather than
subjective; such that we can say: "THIS is true, independent of metaphysical
perceptions".
The ability that separates a nonintelligent process from an intelligent one
is that the process has the ability to percieve *causal relationships* about
reality independent of any goal. Furthermore, this is how humans, unlike
animals, which can only percieve the metaphysical, can understand what the
world is REALLY like, regardless of our desires. That is, we can take the
"meta" out of metaphysics.
Evolution is real. Evolution is how we describe the physical process which
is *reality* and their corresponding metaphysical processes. Evolution shows
that humans did not descend from a greater metaphysical process, but rather,
from the physical processes themselves, upon which metaphysical procesess
emerge. This is contrary to the religious view that human design, and in
fact, any structure of reality that exists at all, was designed by an
intelligent process. By definition, evolution is an unintelligent process.
It is a metaphysical process that has indirect goal based behavior. That is,
simply that we recognize that time exists. Therefore, any process which
exists for a long amount of time, obviously is implicitly CAPABLE of
existing for that amount of time, and this holds for physical and
metaphysical processes. This fact in and of itself provides a psuedo
goal-based metaphysical process to emerge. This process is called evolution.
Structures in reality mutate, and those that are better at lasting longer,
by definition, last longer. Structures in reality that are life-based (or
virus) tend to multiply. Those that multiply more have a better chance of
mutation, and thus a better chance of improving the time length of the
metaphysical "species".
All metaphysical processes exist because they are composed of a very complex
evolved combination of basic physical processes (for example, the massive
multicellular extremely intricate and complicated physical process called a
cockroach). No metaphysical process *causes* anything, rather, a
metaphysical process is only a description of a physical process, and any
physical process that accepts this description in it's functional parameters
can be called "life" (such that metaphysical concepts can be applied to
physical concepts, such as bodily action). As intelligent processes, we
humans have the ability to percieve metaphysical processes, like all
animals, (for example: EATING) However, we also can percieve a metaphysical
process (the apple falling from the tree) without any necessary metaphysical
attachment (WHY? NO, REALLY, EXACTLY WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?). This takes the
form of meta-meta-physics. Some philosophers in the past have amused
themselves at the idea that perhaps there is a completely general realm of
true metaphysics. The answer is: we don't know. However, if we pay
attention, we will see where physical and metaphysical processes intersect,
and we can then postulate with specific degree of probability whether or not
the metaphysical process is possible (to make true), or probable (to happen
independent of desire).
The Law of Evolution
The Law of Evolution states that any physical or metaphysical process that
exists only exists until it stops existing, at which point it is no longer
in existence.
This allows for those things that exist longer to exist longer, such as an
individual physical human, or a metaphysical species called dodo bird, or an
abstract [metaphysical] concept like "the Singularity", *if and only if* a
metaphysical process creates such a physical process as to ensure its
metaphysical continuation.
A person is an active intelligent metaphysical process, while at the same
time being an active intelligent physical process. Humans are percieving
metaphysical proceses and physical processes all the time, and translating
extensively between the two.
--Th3Hegem0n
http://smarterhippie.blogspot.com
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