SPIRIT
Moreover, consciousness can not be directly observed because in-itself it is invisible. It is invisible because consciousness in-itself is equal to nothingness. An object in-itself is also equal to nothingness precisely because it is invisible.
However, one can detect the true form of duality if one keeps in mind the truth of Sartre’s statement: "All consciousness is consciousness of something." Therefore, one can indirectly observe consciousness when, at the same time, one observes the objects of consciousness. Consciousness in-itself remains empty and impotent.
Consciousness can be indirectly experienced by its effects, similar to the way certain subatomic particles, such as quarks, can be detected by the tracks they leave on photographic plates. Consciousness can be indirectly detected as being half of duality.
Experience presupposes an experiencer. One unit of duality; that is, one particular consciousness of something such as "red," constitutes one discrete unit of reality within the entire atomic structure of a particular person’s reality. One unit of duality is a necessary reality because such a unit can not be further reduced without reducing it to absolute nothingness. Furthermore, such a unit can not be a combination because one can not speak of consciousness without assuming a consciousness of something. Also, one can not speak of an object of which one is not conscious. To speak of consciousness or of an object is to speak also of duality. Thus, one unit of duality is a simple true idea and, therefore, a reality.
For example, when a person views a rose, then the atomic structure of the various dualities scattered throughout his brain takes charge. First may come the unit duality of "consciousness of its thereness." Then follows "consciousness of the curvature" of its leaves. Then follows "consciousness of redness, " if the rose is red. Then follows "consciousness of motion," if it is rocking in a breeze. Next may follow unit dualities that have not been derived from sense experience, such as "consciousness of beauty." These dualities serve as only some examples. The mind adds many others to the total reality of the entire rose.
Outer duality can be deceived into making false combinations by optical illusions, mental impairment, fast action, or simply its weakness in making false judgments. Sometimes, when events in the field of vision are moving very rapidly or when duality becomes forced to make rapid decisions, then duality becomes prone to making false combinations; that is, errors. Even after careful deliberation, inner duality can invent false systems of ideas. Nevertheless, all true and false combinations comprise simple true ideas. This reality can not be eliminated, reduced, or impaired by falsity.
Also, merely a small part of duality is ever involved in the present representation of the world through the senses. Most of what happens in duality remains constantly concealed within the idea of nothingness. This is necessary as an aid to concentration. In addition, fully one third of our lives are spent in sleep.
These facts about duality do not impair the atomic structure of reality within each individual mind. A great many true combinations have been created by the mind of man. Many false combinations have been reduced to their constituent simple true ideas and recombined into true combinations.
New ideas are never invented. Only true and false systems of ideas can be invented. New simple true ideas can be discovered but not invented.
"Experience" is a general simple true idea that denotes any impression on consciousness in outer or inner duality. Therefore, "consciousness of experience" is duality.
Yet, "consciousness of experience" is a kind of general term not applicable to any particular consciousness. For example, a dog experiences, and in that sense he knows the difference between "inside" and "outside," but he does not know that he is this particular dog having this experience.
Even in human duality, "consciousness of experience" does not seem to apply to any particular duality. It applies to one person as well as it applies to all people. It is a general duality that equally applies to all humans. It can not isolate or identify any particular human. It could be called a kind of general or primary duality.
However, unlike animals, humans are not only conscious within primary duality, but humans are conscious of primary duality. The primary duality also becomes an inner experience. Humans possess the power to form a second duality whose object is the primary duality so that one has: Consciousness of (consciousness of experience). The primary duality becomes a simple true idea for the second duality. In this way, human consciousness isolates the primary duality as belonging to this particular duality; that is, as my duality. This is how self-consciousness is formed.
Thus, primary duality becomes an a priori truth for secondary consciousness. Even if all experience is an illusion, experience itself must be real and, therefore, duality must be real.
If secondary consciousness does not form self-consciousness, the humans could be no smarter than animals. In the absence of self-consciousness, secondary consciousness is non-conscious, as in animals. Non-consciousness knows nothing, and not even nothing. No one can speak of that of which he is not conscious. If human consciousness is not a "consciousness of (consciousness of experience)’ then self-consciousness is not possible. Therefore, secondary duality is self-consciousness.
Now, keeping all this in mind, one is then struck by another curious aspect of self-consciousness. In order for one to be conscious of self-consciousness as "consciousness of (consciousness of experience)" then consciousness must move to a third position and form a third duality so that we have: "Consciousness of ((consciousness of (consciousness of experience.)" The object of the third duality is the simple true idea of self-consciousness itself; that is, "consciousness of (consciousness of experience.)"
At this point, one becomes aware of a very strange effect of self-consciousness. In order to be conscious of a third duality, consciousness must move to the position of a fourth duality and a fourth duality must move to a fifth duality and so forth, approaching infinity.
However, the finite mind proves far too weak to even begin to carry this process to infinity. The process seems to die out in the idea of nothingness. At this point, one is faced with Sartre’s mystery of consciousness. Sartre contended that they mystery of consciousness arises from a nothingness in the heart of being. Sartre was partly right and partly wrong, He thought that nothingness was wholly negative. Actually, absolute nothingness is wholly negative, but the idea of nothingness is positive, being useful to consciousness.
Consciousness can not arise from nothingness because absolute nothingness is the opposite of duality. Neither consciousness-in-itself nor objectivity-in-itself possesses any internal power that can overcome absolute nothingness. Non-consciousness is useless, and so is an object of which no one is consciousness.
Now a description of the "I" or the "self" can be made. It is: "that which possesses experience which is isolated by a consciousness that tends to advance toward the infinite but is prevented by the weakness of finiteness that fades into nothingness." Duality is like a river continuously flowing toward the infinite, but like a river, it disappears in the distance. However, unlike a river, the process is a series of dualities, each one of which is a simple true idea. The process itself is a simple true idea that has a name called "spirit."
Materialists argue that the idea of "spirit" is a product of a false combination and, therefore, an illusion. They consider consciousness to be the same as brain activity from which consciousness can not be separated. Their duality is: "Brain activity is consciousness of something."
However, they do not seem to see that "brain activity is consciousness" must result from "consciousness of (brain activity as consciousness)." This duality requires a third duality and a fourth and so forth until it fades into nothingness. However, this process proves that duality is always a one-way street that proceeds from consciousness toward its object. When this process becomes a series of dualities that either advances toward infinity or dies out in nothingness, then consciousness becomes, at least, partly or indirectly conscious of consciousness itself being conscious of something. Consciousness piles up like concentric circles with brain activity at the center. Thus, the materialists’ argument is that an object of consciousness; that is, brain activity, somehow excretes a consciousness of itself that also produces a series of dualities by which consciousness becomes indirectly conscious of itself.
This seems to be a tall order for an object, especially considering the fact that the object had to have been non-conscious before it excreted a consciousness of itself. Non-conscious objects are also useless, being equal to nothingness. In addition, since duality can be only a one-way street, then the object had to have non-consciously excreted a consciousness by means of which it became conscious of itself. Furthermore, the object must account for how it produced a consciousness which becomes indirectly conscious of its own participation in a series of dualities that advances toward infinity but fades out in nothingness.
If consciousness is inseparable from brain activity, then why does consciousness continuously separate itself from that of which it is conscious? The world is separate from consciousness and so is one’s body. If the materialists are right, brain activity would be the sole exception to this rule. In accordance with the rule, brain activity would have to be conscious of itself without being separate from itself. This seems to be a contradiction, following the rule and yet breaking it at the same time.
If brain activity is conscious of brain activity, then this forms a closed loop. However, since one can be conscious of the loop, then consciousness has been thrown out of the loop. If one closes the loop by asserting that the thrown-out consciousness is another part of brain activity, he merely proves that he is conscious of this reestablished loop, and again, consciousness has been thrown out of the loop.
One can always assert that brain activity expands to contain consciousness, but somehow, consciousness always seems to flow just ahead of brain activity and always separate from it. This thrown-out consciousness that continuously reestablishes a duality that flows toward infinity constitutes that true simple idea called "spirit."
Nevertheless, the materialists insist that "spirit" is an illusion. To them, "spirit" is just another word for nothing.
However, one can be conscious of "nothing," only if at the same time, one is conscious of something. Thus, the idea of nothing can not be an illusion, but is a useful simple true idea. If the idea of nothing must be a simple true idea, then by the same rule, so must the idea of "spirit," In this case, "spirit" is more than nothingness. Illusions are created when the idea of nothingness hides an absolute nothingness inherent in false combination
If "spirit" equals absolute nothingness, then one must demonstrate that it is the product of a false combination such as a "mermaid" or "ghost." However, "spirit" has been shown to be a necessary part of self-conscious duality, and is, therefore, a simple true idea.
Reality comprises only simple true ideas and their true combinations. If "spirit" is a simple false idea, then it is non-existent, and that renders any consciousness of it to be absolutely impossible.
Now, if brain activity is the same as consciousness, then when a person dies, all duality is broken and the dead person relates to the world as a corpse. Because a corpse knows absolutely nothing, it has no relation to the world or to itself. To a corpse there is no passage of time, no here or there, no heat or cold, no up or down, no inside or outside, and no light or dark. To itself, leaving aside the observations of others, a corpse has become an object-in-itself.
For the same reasons, any consciousless universe would have the same relation to itself that a corpse has to this universe. To itself, a consciousless universe is an object-in-itself. In a consciousless universe, there is no passage of time, no here or there, no heat or cold, no up or down, no inside or outside, and no light or dark. A consciousless universe is equal to absolute nothingness. It is about the same as a black hole.
At this point, the materialists would counter with the arguments of Darwinian evolution. They believe that consciousness can arise in a consciousless universe despite the fact that duality is absolutely necessary to the reality of any universe. Certain scientific facts tend to show that duality is already necessary to a real universe. Louis Pasteur proved that spontaneous generation is impossible. Practically infinite mathematical odds against the accidental forming of one-cell creatures prove such an event to be impossible.
In addition, entropy is actually dualities’ observation of the tendency of reality to breakdown toward absolute nothingness. Note that absolute nothingness is not observed, but increased disorder is observed.
Those who argue that the information of the past is constantly imprinted on the present, do not understand that a consciousless universe can have no present. In any consciousless universe, the past has already disappeared into absolute nothingness.
This is proved by the fact that some theorists like to compare our universe with other possible universes. In the first place, such universes can not be known to have existed, and therefore, their existence remains equal to their non-existence. In the second place, even if they did exist, their entire histories, including their entropies, are equal to merely the time it takes to think about them. Trillions of years of possible existence can be equal to one second of real existence. Like anything else, entropy must be observed in order to be real.
When an evolutionist talks about the billions of years that passed before life formed, he is merely projecting his mind into an observed past in order to realize such distinctions. In a consciousless universe, there can be no distinction between 15 billion years and one second. There could be no primeval soup from which life formed because there could be no distinction between heat and cold, or light and dark, or even from one second to another. All of the possible effects of chemical action within such a primeval soup could but merely be recorded on absolute nothingness.
This philosophy contends that there are two absolutely necessary halves to reality; that is, the conscious half and the objective half. Reality is created only when these two halves are conjoined, and either one, by itself, is impotent to raise itself above its equality to absolute nothingness. Duality is that necessary power that causes inner and outer experience. Without duality, reality is impossible. Those who contend that an unexperienced object is real outside of duality forget that it must first be experienced in outer or inner duality before it can be judged to be real in the absence of experience. Let those who think otherwise try to describe an unexperienced object. One can not even say where or when it might exist. The most that can be said is that it either exists or it does not exist, which clearly demonstrates its equality to absolute nothingness. Let them think hard on this question: Of what possible usefulness is an object, thought, feeling, or idea that has no effect whatsoever on duality?
Duality is that necessary power that experiences everything except unknown objects, consciousness-in-itself, and absolute nothingness. Unknown objects fall into two categories. Those that will never be experienced remain forever equal to absolute nothingness. Unknown objects that might, at some time in the future, become experienced, can be said to possess potential real existence. However, until such time as they become experienced, they remain equal to absolute nothingness. Consciousness-in-itself can be indirectly experienced, but only as "consciousness of something." Absolute nothingness can be indirectly experienced, but only as the idea of nothingness that always hides it. In outer duality, the idea of nothingness is space. In inner duality, the idea of nothingness separates sensations, feelings, and ideas in time. Also, it conceals all of which the mind does not want to concentrate at any moment. It becomes useful as the subconscious mind, sleep, and coma. It also manifests itself in inner and outer duality as the abstract mathematical idea of zero.
The intricate interconnections of outer and inner dualities creates the total "consciousness of experience" which continuously flows toward infinity. This is called "spirit." Can this be an illusion? If it is, there can still be no doubt that we are conscious of it. Thus illusion becomes our only experience and our only reality. This is precisely what Rene Descartes mean when he asserted that even if everything is an illusion, one can still have no doubt that one is conscious of it. As soon as one is conscious of experience, then duality begins to flow toward infinity and "spirit" is realized. Thus "spirit" holds within itself the power to establish its reality even in the face of all illusion.
At birth, a baby possesses a potential real consciousness. Its brain is filled with unfulfilled dualities, but it does possess "spirit." As the child learns and grows, more and more of these potential dualities become completed by experience, and the child achieves normal intelligence. A special set of dualities enables a child to learn its parents’ language. In this way, a child acquires an atomic structure of simple true ideas, and also learns to label most of them with vocal names.
A child born with mental defect or who is mistreated or undernourished will certainly suffer impairment of mental development. It will develop a limited set of simple true ideas. Nevertheless, the "spirit" within such persons will often manifest itself in ways that require little conscious brain activity.
So-called idiot savants can demonstrate extraordinary abilities within narrow limits, such as in mathematics or music. In such cases, "spirit" works backwards from infinity through the brain, bypassing conscious brain activity, in order to give these talents directly to the person affected. The idiot savant who quickly calculates incredible sums receives the correct answer directly from the infinite operating through his "spirit."
All unconscious actions demonstrate the actions of "spirit." "Spirit" can be influenced by the infinite or by whatever lies hidden in that manifestation of the idea of nothingness called the subconscious mind. Compulsive and neurotic behavior, talking and walking in sleep, are some of the demonstrations of the workings of "spirit." Sometimes, the infinite, working through "spirit," will impart important messages to persons in their dreams.
"Spirit" will manifest itself in sensory deprivation experiments. "Spirit," like nature, abhors a vacuum. When a person becomes totally cut off from the world, his mind reduces toward consciousness-in-itself. "Spirit" then exerts a force to cause the mind to invent experiences for itself. That such an experience may be a herd of pink elephants is immaterial to "spirit," Restoring duality, even with a fantasy reality, is that which is important to "spirit," Perhaps, "spirit" knows that consciousness-in-itself, being equal to absolute nothingness, is dangerous to the mental health of the person involved.
When a person is in a coma, "spirit" exerts itself in somatic consciousness of heartbeat and breathing in order to keep the person alive or protect him in some other way. In such a condition, "spirit" does not cause consciousness-in-itself, but rather, "spirit" hides all duality in the idea of nothingness in order to concentrate solely on the protection of the person involved. In this way, "spirit" diverts energy that normally operates duality towards rest and the healing process.
"Spirit" can also be influenced by the destructive effects of absolute nothingness. At times, persons in unconscious states can commit crimes or other sinful acts. In such cases, "spirit" becomes diverted from the influence of the infinite by absolute nothingness that always lurks behind the idea of nothing.
One’s "spirit" can be influenced by the infinite or by absolute nothingness, depending on that which one allows. That which a person becomes in life, every decision and action in his life, is thus influenced.
This flow of "spirit" towards infinity demonstrates that "spirit" separates itself from brain activity. Brain activity can not be the source of consciousness but rather it is simply the vehicle by which "spirit" makes sensory and active contact with the world through a body, "Spirit" causes a person to become an existential being in the world, a being subject to determinism and freedom.
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