While Bishop Berkeley's dictum "esse is percipi" is true, it is not true in the idealistic sense that Berkeley meant. Berkeley believed that reality is purely mental. He believed that matter does not exist outside of a mind, but that it is only an idea within the mind. Such an idealistic philosophy makes it difficult to understand how a fired bullet can kill someone if it is only an idea. And why does not an imagined fire burn one's fingers the same as a physical fire if both are merely ideas?
Berkeley countered these kinds of arguments by contending that God is the ultimate idealist, in that the outside world consists merely of ideas in His Mind. But if this is true, would not God's ideas be external to the finite mind precisely as matter, energy and space? The finite mind must possess two equal realities: the outside world known through perception and sensations, and the inner world of ideas and feelings.
Consciousness alone makes both of these worlds real. Even consciousness has been made real by a consciousness of itself. Otherwise, we could have no consciousness of it.
Consciousness makes real whatever it perceives merely because it perceives it, whether in the inner world or outer world. This is the precise purpose of consciousness. It matters little whether consciousness of the outside world consists of direct observation or just ideas about it, the outside world is real in either case. Reality simply does not exist without consciousness.
One may object that unperceived objects in the world continue to exist even when not perceived, and therefore, possess a reality independent of being perceived. But such a supposed unperceived real object possesses no usefulness of any kind if it remains completely unperceived. Unperceived objects can be real, but only to the extent that they affect consciousness. For example, one need not directly observe every working part of his watch in order to tell the time. A completely unperceived object cannot distinguish itself from nothing. As such, it can only be equal to nothing. Only a consciousness can distinguish it from nothing and make it useful and real. At the most, completely unperceived objects can be said to possess potential reality if it were possible that, at some time, a consciousness could perceive them.
This means reality must be a duality. Both consciousness and the objects of consciousness must exist in union for reality to exist. Since consciousness can be conscious of itself, then it can make an object of itself, and thus become real to itself as a duality to itself. But consciousness in isolation, being completely nonconscious, must also be equal to nothing and not real. However, the unconscious mind must be distinguished from the nonconscious mind. An unconscious mind is merely a conscious mind operating on automatic pilot so to speak.
Berkeley's contention that the world is real only because God perceives it is not quite right. God created the material world, but it is nevertheless real only because He perceives it. This means that God must exist, for otherwise the world would be equal to nothing if He did not create it and perceive it.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
STORM'S OVER a poem
Lightning, thunder, rain, don't last.
The misty clouds of morning pass.
God's sun appears
and particolored birds
begin to trill.
The rain-wet grass seems greener now.
The dripping trees, in silence, bow.
Red rosebuds burst
and soft-white doves
take wing to the golden air.
The misty clouds of morning pass.
God's sun appears
and particolored birds
begin to trill.
The rain-wet grass seems greener now.
The dripping trees, in silence, bow.
Red rosebuds burst
and soft-white doves
take wing to the golden air.
Friday, June 21, 2013
On The Mind-Body Problem
Appearance is the only reality, and non-appearance is the only unreality. Consciousness is the sole power of the universe that raises something above the level of nothing and makes something and the idea of nothing real. Even though nothingness never appears to consciousness through the senses, nevertheless consciousness possesses the power to cause nothingness to appear as an idea by its power to separate something from nothing, and then recognizing both as real.
This means that all of the basic elements of appearances must be real, whether these appear as concrete in the world or as abstract in the mind. Consciousness causes all appearances to be real by raising them above nothingness, and making all of them useful in creative combinations. Even when consciousness turns inward and separates its internal ideas of its own powers from nothing, it makes these internal ideas useful and thus real. Thus, such internal ideas as "imagination," "memory," "will" and "talents" are useful and real. Just as these internal ideas cannot be real without consciousness, so the outward world cannot be real without consciousness.
All of the basic elements of consciousness must be real, and can be used by consciousness in creative combinations that are also real. Unreality never appears to consciousness except as being equal to the idea of nothing. Unreality always equals nothing. Consciousness also holds the power to put together the basic real elements into false combinations which are always useless and equal to nothing, and therefore, not real. The idea of nothing itself is real, but as it serves the useful purpose of revealing the uselessness of false combinations, it indicates the unreality inherent in false combinations. For example, if one adds 2+3=5 in one's mind, then one has put together a true combination of basic elements which is useful and real because it reaffirms a basic truth. If one adds 2+3=6 in one's mind, then one has put together a false combination of real basic elements; that is, "2," "plus," "3," "equals" and "six," which is useless and thus equal to a real nothingness which also indicates unreality within this false combination.
Consciousness also holds the power to be conscious of itself. This makes consciousness itself a basic reality because it is useful as that very necessary power that causes reality. If consciousness were identical with brain activity, then from the standpoint of the real basic element of consciousness, it makes itself aware of a combination of real basic elements: "consciousness," "identical," "with," "brain," "activity." But this combination can only mean that the consciousness which put it together must be real in-itself because if it were not real then it would be useless and equal to nothing, and therefore, hold no power to put together this combination. In other words, the consciousness which put together this combination must be real in-itself because if it were not real, it could never be aware of this combination.
This awareness can only mean that the consciousness which put together this combination has separated itself from this combination in order to be aware of it. This being the case, then the combination of real elements: "consciousness" "identical" "with" "brain" "activity" must be a false combination which is useless as truth and equal to nothing, and therefore, not real. This combination of real elements must be false for the same reason that 2+3=6 is false. Consciousness of a false combination is real because the false combination always comprises real elements. Only the useless combination itself is false, not the real elements or the existence of the combination itself.
Going further, this consciousness of the false combination must also be in a combination since it has been made real by yet another consciousness. But then this process entails another combination made real by yet another separate consciousness and so forth toward infinity. But the finite mind does not hold the power to carry this process to infinity. Yet, this consciousness which moves toward infinity must be a real entity within itself since it cannot be identical with brain activity. In addition, this series of separated consciousnesses cannot be a material substance since it continuously separates itself from material substance. This separated real consciousness that moves toward infinity could be called the immaterial spirit of the human being.
Does this series of separated consciousnesses united into one connect to the infinite even though the finite mind cannot make the connection? It could if the infinite could be shown to be real, for then the infinite might connect to the finite.
Is the idea of the infinite real? The idea of the infinite, and all equivalent terms, cannot be a basic coded reality because it is not a single, irreducible idea or feeling such as "red" or "beauty." The idea of the infinite is a combination of two basic realities: "not" and "finite." This combination would be a false one if nothingness could actually negate finiteness. But nothingness never negates finiteness because finiteness equates to the reality made real by finite consciousness. This can only mean that the combination "not" "finite" must be a true and real combination. Yet, if it is real, it must also be useful and so how is the idea of the infinite useful?
In order to answer this question, one must examine the actual meaning of the true combination "not" "finite." "Not" "finite" actually means that the finite seems to be negated by something that transcends the finite. We do not have a word for this something but we know that it is real because we have a sense of it, an intuitive feeling for it. We cannot encode this intuitive feeling as a word, for if we did we would automatically attempt to reduce it to the finite, making the word useless and false. In order to be true and real, the infinite must remain as an unencoded intuitive feeling. In other words, there can be no word or other symbol for the infinite as an intuitive feeling because any such word or symbol would treat the infinite as being finite, and the real infinite, as its intuitive feeling suggests, must be absolutely unlimited. This means that our intuitive feeling for the absolutely unlimited is useful to us as unencodeable information of that which feels absolutely beautiful and awesome.
This means that our feeling for the absolutely unlimited must be a basic, irreducible element of reality even though we cannot encode it. This also means that we could never have acquired this feeling through any of our limited experiences. This feeling had to have been given to us from the real infinite itself.
Since this feeling has been given to us as a basic unencoded reality, then the purpose of this gift must be to give us some sense of the absolutely unlimited which makes possible absolutely everything that can exist. But no thing can exist without reality, and reality cannot exist without consciousness. That which lies beyond the scope of finite consciousness does not appear to finite consciousness, and therefore, can only be equal to nothing. That which does not appear to finite consciousness cannot be real to finite consciousness. For these reasons, our sense of the absolutely unlimited must have been given to us from the infinite. Since this feeling has to be real as a basic reality, then the absolutely unlimited must be real and its reality must make absolutely all possibilities real, which in turn, means that an Infinite Consciousness must exist who makes all good possibilities real.
Science has discovered that some things exist which it has never directly observed. Quarks, for instance, have never been directly observed, but scientists know that they exist because of the traces that they have left on photographic plates. Similarly, no one has ever directly seen God, but one of the ways we can know He exists comes from traces of His presence in our consciousnesses such as our awesome feeling for the absolutely unlimited.
In the Bible (KJB), John 1:1-5 compared with Psalm 147:5 tells us much about the Infinite Consciousness which is God. The Bible teaches us that the Infinite Word is one with the Infinite Consciousness of God. The Word refers to the unencoded Infinite Information which constitutes the Infinite Consciousness of God and the Infinite Consciousness makes the Infinite Information real. Infinite Information must be unencoded because if it becomes encoded, it becomes limited. This accounts for why we cannot encode our ineffable feeling for the absolutely unlimited. For these reasons, the Bible in these verses does not refer to the words of God, but to the Word of God. Infinite Information constitutes an infinite unencoded set of Infinite Ideas in God's Mind, but Infinite Information must also entail an infinite connection of these Infinite Ideas with each other. This means the Word of God must be a unified, unbounded Infinite Idea containing every infinite possibility for the creation of absolutely everything that can be good; that is, real and useful. It is impossible for God to create anything that is not good. For these reasons, that which is not good cannot be known by God. This fact does not limit God's Infinite Information in the least because the Infinite Information can only be used for the creation of that which is good. That which is not good merely constitutes a misuse of real information and so that which is not good lies within the realm of absolute nothingness. Absolutely no information (non)exists within absolute nothingness, and as such, cannot limit the Infinite Information which is God. If the unified, unbounded Infinite Idea which is the Word of God were encoded as a word which finite consciousness could at least partly understand; that word would be Love. Read I John 4:8.
God created only a good world; that is, a world geared for the further creations of wholesome and beautiful effects. In order to do this, God had to encode some of His Ideas as mathematical plans, and then use these plans for the creation of the world. The world consists solely of limited but useful information.
When God created mankind, He provided man with the capacity to encode limited information. However, God gave some unencoded information directly to the mind of man, such as our sense of the absolutely unlimited and the idea of nothing, which we could never have learned on our own. This fact accounts for why normal children can so easily learn the grammer of their language because God has preprogrammed their minds to be able to learn their language quickly. This fact also accounts for why idiot savants can be so talented in such limited ways because God has preprogrammed their minds readily to encode information in certain limited areas.
Limited encoded information allows man to discover, to create and to communicate on his own. Unencoded information flows into man's mind from the connection of his spirit to Infinite Information. God has equipped man's mind with the ability to translate this unencoded information into coded information in order to give man intelligence. This fact accounts for why we so often solve our problems so quickly in an unconscious way because unencoded information that flows unconsciously into our minds does much of the work for us. This fact also accounts for why a particular language might have a word for a certain idea or emotion which another language may have no word.
Encoded information, such as in language or mathematics, must become encased in material forms, such as in words or numbers, so that it can be used by material brains. Material information can also act as signals to the body to act in ways that are directed by the material information. Man has invented machines, such as drones, which can be controlled and guided by material information. In a similar manner, the human body could be controlled and guided by material signals derived from material information which, in turn, derives from unencoded information which comes from Infinite Information. God also programmed much of this process to happen without conscious awareness. These facts constitute the solution to the mind-body problem. But man has also acquired the capacity to misuse the encoded information derived from Infinite Information, and this condition is called sin.
This means that all of the basic elements of appearances must be real, whether these appear as concrete in the world or as abstract in the mind. Consciousness causes all appearances to be real by raising them above nothingness, and making all of them useful in creative combinations. Even when consciousness turns inward and separates its internal ideas of its own powers from nothing, it makes these internal ideas useful and thus real. Thus, such internal ideas as "imagination," "memory," "will" and "talents" are useful and real. Just as these internal ideas cannot be real without consciousness, so the outward world cannot be real without consciousness.
All of the basic elements of consciousness must be real, and can be used by consciousness in creative combinations that are also real. Unreality never appears to consciousness except as being equal to the idea of nothing. Unreality always equals nothing. Consciousness also holds the power to put together the basic real elements into false combinations which are always useless and equal to nothing, and therefore, not real. The idea of nothing itself is real, but as it serves the useful purpose of revealing the uselessness of false combinations, it indicates the unreality inherent in false combinations. For example, if one adds 2+3=5 in one's mind, then one has put together a true combination of basic elements which is useful and real because it reaffirms a basic truth. If one adds 2+3=6 in one's mind, then one has put together a false combination of real basic elements; that is, "2," "plus," "3," "equals" and "six," which is useless and thus equal to a real nothingness which also indicates unreality within this false combination.
Consciousness also holds the power to be conscious of itself. This makes consciousness itself a basic reality because it is useful as that very necessary power that causes reality. If consciousness were identical with brain activity, then from the standpoint of the real basic element of consciousness, it makes itself aware of a combination of real basic elements: "consciousness," "identical," "with," "brain," "activity." But this combination can only mean that the consciousness which put it together must be real in-itself because if it were not real then it would be useless and equal to nothing, and therefore, hold no power to put together this combination. In other words, the consciousness which put together this combination must be real in-itself because if it were not real, it could never be aware of this combination.
This awareness can only mean that the consciousness which put together this combination has separated itself from this combination in order to be aware of it. This being the case, then the combination of real elements: "consciousness" "identical" "with" "brain" "activity" must be a false combination which is useless as truth and equal to nothing, and therefore, not real. This combination of real elements must be false for the same reason that 2+3=6 is false. Consciousness of a false combination is real because the false combination always comprises real elements. Only the useless combination itself is false, not the real elements or the existence of the combination itself.
Going further, this consciousness of the false combination must also be in a combination since it has been made real by yet another consciousness. But then this process entails another combination made real by yet another separate consciousness and so forth toward infinity. But the finite mind does not hold the power to carry this process to infinity. Yet, this consciousness which moves toward infinity must be a real entity within itself since it cannot be identical with brain activity. In addition, this series of separated consciousnesses cannot be a material substance since it continuously separates itself from material substance. This separated real consciousness that moves toward infinity could be called the immaterial spirit of the human being.
Does this series of separated consciousnesses united into one connect to the infinite even though the finite mind cannot make the connection? It could if the infinite could be shown to be real, for then the infinite might connect to the finite.
Is the idea of the infinite real? The idea of the infinite, and all equivalent terms, cannot be a basic coded reality because it is not a single, irreducible idea or feeling such as "red" or "beauty." The idea of the infinite is a combination of two basic realities: "not" and "finite." This combination would be a false one if nothingness could actually negate finiteness. But nothingness never negates finiteness because finiteness equates to the reality made real by finite consciousness. This can only mean that the combination "not" "finite" must be a true and real combination. Yet, if it is real, it must also be useful and so how is the idea of the infinite useful?
In order to answer this question, one must examine the actual meaning of the true combination "not" "finite." "Not" "finite" actually means that the finite seems to be negated by something that transcends the finite. We do not have a word for this something but we know that it is real because we have a sense of it, an intuitive feeling for it. We cannot encode this intuitive feeling as a word, for if we did we would automatically attempt to reduce it to the finite, making the word useless and false. In order to be true and real, the infinite must remain as an unencoded intuitive feeling. In other words, there can be no word or other symbol for the infinite as an intuitive feeling because any such word or symbol would treat the infinite as being finite, and the real infinite, as its intuitive feeling suggests, must be absolutely unlimited. This means that our intuitive feeling for the absolutely unlimited is useful to us as unencodeable information of that which feels absolutely beautiful and awesome.
This means that our feeling for the absolutely unlimited must be a basic, irreducible element of reality even though we cannot encode it. This also means that we could never have acquired this feeling through any of our limited experiences. This feeling had to have been given to us from the real infinite itself.
Since this feeling has been given to us as a basic unencoded reality, then the purpose of this gift must be to give us some sense of the absolutely unlimited which makes possible absolutely everything that can exist. But no thing can exist without reality, and reality cannot exist without consciousness. That which lies beyond the scope of finite consciousness does not appear to finite consciousness, and therefore, can only be equal to nothing. That which does not appear to finite consciousness cannot be real to finite consciousness. For these reasons, our sense of the absolutely unlimited must have been given to us from the infinite. Since this feeling has to be real as a basic reality, then the absolutely unlimited must be real and its reality must make absolutely all possibilities real, which in turn, means that an Infinite Consciousness must exist who makes all good possibilities real.
Science has discovered that some things exist which it has never directly observed. Quarks, for instance, have never been directly observed, but scientists know that they exist because of the traces that they have left on photographic plates. Similarly, no one has ever directly seen God, but one of the ways we can know He exists comes from traces of His presence in our consciousnesses such as our awesome feeling for the absolutely unlimited.
In the Bible (KJB), John 1:1-5 compared with Psalm 147:5 tells us much about the Infinite Consciousness which is God. The Bible teaches us that the Infinite Word is one with the Infinite Consciousness of God. The Word refers to the unencoded Infinite Information which constitutes the Infinite Consciousness of God and the Infinite Consciousness makes the Infinite Information real. Infinite Information must be unencoded because if it becomes encoded, it becomes limited. This accounts for why we cannot encode our ineffable feeling for the absolutely unlimited. For these reasons, the Bible in these verses does not refer to the words of God, but to the Word of God. Infinite Information constitutes an infinite unencoded set of Infinite Ideas in God's Mind, but Infinite Information must also entail an infinite connection of these Infinite Ideas with each other. This means the Word of God must be a unified, unbounded Infinite Idea containing every infinite possibility for the creation of absolutely everything that can be good; that is, real and useful. It is impossible for God to create anything that is not good. For these reasons, that which is not good cannot be known by God. This fact does not limit God's Infinite Information in the least because the Infinite Information can only be used for the creation of that which is good. That which is not good merely constitutes a misuse of real information and so that which is not good lies within the realm of absolute nothingness. Absolutely no information (non)exists within absolute nothingness, and as such, cannot limit the Infinite Information which is God. If the unified, unbounded Infinite Idea which is the Word of God were encoded as a word which finite consciousness could at least partly understand; that word would be Love. Read I John 4:8.
God created only a good world; that is, a world geared for the further creations of wholesome and beautiful effects. In order to do this, God had to encode some of His Ideas as mathematical plans, and then use these plans for the creation of the world. The world consists solely of limited but useful information.
When God created mankind, He provided man with the capacity to encode limited information. However, God gave some unencoded information directly to the mind of man, such as our sense of the absolutely unlimited and the idea of nothing, which we could never have learned on our own. This fact accounts for why normal children can so easily learn the grammer of their language because God has preprogrammed their minds to be able to learn their language quickly. This fact also accounts for why idiot savants can be so talented in such limited ways because God has preprogrammed their minds readily to encode information in certain limited areas.
Limited encoded information allows man to discover, to create and to communicate on his own. Unencoded information flows into man's mind from the connection of his spirit to Infinite Information. God has equipped man's mind with the ability to translate this unencoded information into coded information in order to give man intelligence. This fact accounts for why we so often solve our problems so quickly in an unconscious way because unencoded information that flows unconsciously into our minds does much of the work for us. This fact also accounts for why a particular language might have a word for a certain idea or emotion which another language may have no word.
Encoded information, such as in language or mathematics, must become encased in material forms, such as in words or numbers, so that it can be used by material brains. Material information can also act as signals to the body to act in ways that are directed by the material information. Man has invented machines, such as drones, which can be controlled and guided by material information. In a similar manner, the human body could be controlled and guided by material signals derived from material information which, in turn, derives from unencoded information which comes from Infinite Information. God also programmed much of this process to happen without conscious awareness. These facts constitute the solution to the mind-body problem. But man has also acquired the capacity to misuse the encoded information derived from Infinite Information, and this condition is called sin.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Information and the Mind of God
Information comes only from minds. Information resides nowhere and is expressed from nowhere but from minds. In the objective world, the law of entropy constantly breaks down information. The objective world never creates information. One need not be a scientist to observe this constant fact. The materialistic scientist would have the ordinary person believe that only the scientist can think straight or observe anything correctly.
These facts can lead to only one conclusion. All of the vast amount of information contained in living cells and in the laws of nature had to have come from a Mind, and this Mind has to be Infinite given the vast complexity of this information.
These facts can lead to only one conclusion. All of the vast amount of information contained in living cells and in the laws of nature had to have come from a Mind, and this Mind has to be Infinite given the vast complexity of this information.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Subjectivity and Objectivity
Reality, like a magnet, consists of two polar components; subjectivity and objectivity. Unless such a connection is in place and operation, reality does not exist. Only that which appears can be that which is real.
Subjectivity by itself nullifies reality because it effects a state of nonconsciousness. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing of which the subject can be conscious, then no reality can exist. Nonconsciousness is different from unconsciousness. Unconsciousness constitutes merely a reduced form of reality. A person in a coma retains a somatic consciousness of heartbeat and breathing, and this condition constitutes his or her reality. But nonconsciousness has absolutely nothing of which to be conscious, and that condition nullifies reality.
Objectivity by itself also nullifies reality because no power adheres to it or inheres within it which can separate something from nothing. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing that holds the power to separate something from nothing, then no reality exists. Objectivity by itself is different from potential objectivity. Potential objectivity exists in a universe which contains a subject capable of discovering it and thus separating it from its equality to nothing and thus bringing it into reality. When the Hubble telescope discovered the light of galaxies in small spots of space that were formerly dark, then it brought these galaxies into the scope of a subject which separated them from nothing and made them real. In the absence of all subjectivity, a consciousless universe holds no power within itself to separate galaxies from nothing, or even to tell whether galaxies exist or not. No power exists within a consciousless universe that can tell where something is, or what it is, or if it is. Such a consciousless universe may be absolutely empty, and even if it contains something, that something can only be equal to absolute emptiness.
Materialists think that they can imagine a consciousless universe. But they forget that they have already used their imagination to separate something from nothing when they make this effort. A truly consciousless universe absolutely cannot be imagined.
Materialists imagine that matter and energy by itself can evolve consciousness. But such a process constitutes merely a metaphysical assumption which they have never even come close to proving. As a matter of fact, some of their own mathematicians have already shown them that such a process is absolutely impossible. Yet, they continue to hold to this metaphysical belief because they imagine that it relieves them of all responsibility to God.
Subjectivity is that necessary power of the universe that causes reality to exist. For that reason, Infinite Consciousness has always existed and He has created our universe and the finite life within it.
Subjectivity by itself nullifies reality because it effects a state of nonconsciousness. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing of which the subject can be conscious, then no reality can exist. Nonconsciousness is different from unconsciousness. Unconsciousness constitutes merely a reduced form of reality. A person in a coma retains a somatic consciousness of heartbeat and breathing, and this condition constitutes his or her reality. But nonconsciousness has absolutely nothing of which to be conscious, and that condition nullifies reality.
Objectivity by itself also nullifies reality because no power adheres to it or inheres within it which can separate something from nothing. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing that holds the power to separate something from nothing, then no reality exists. Objectivity by itself is different from potential objectivity. Potential objectivity exists in a universe which contains a subject capable of discovering it and thus separating it from its equality to nothing and thus bringing it into reality. When the Hubble telescope discovered the light of galaxies in small spots of space that were formerly dark, then it brought these galaxies into the scope of a subject which separated them from nothing and made them real. In the absence of all subjectivity, a consciousless universe holds no power within itself to separate galaxies from nothing, or even to tell whether galaxies exist or not. No power exists within a consciousless universe that can tell where something is, or what it is, or if it is. Such a consciousless universe may be absolutely empty, and even if it contains something, that something can only be equal to absolute emptiness.
Materialists think that they can imagine a consciousless universe. But they forget that they have already used their imagination to separate something from nothing when they make this effort. A truly consciousless universe absolutely cannot be imagined.
Materialists imagine that matter and energy by itself can evolve consciousness. But such a process constitutes merely a metaphysical assumption which they have never even come close to proving. As a matter of fact, some of their own mathematicians have already shown them that such a process is absolutely impossible. Yet, they continue to hold to this metaphysical belief because they imagine that it relieves them of all responsibility to God.
Subjectivity is that necessary power of the universe that causes reality to exist. For that reason, Infinite Consciousness has always existed and He has created our universe and the finite life within it.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Information and the Mind
Read John 1:1-5 Psalm 147:5
Modern science has discovered that a third component of the universe exists in addition to that of matter and energy. That third component is information. Language, mathematics, the DNA code and musical codes are some of the ways that information expresses itself within creation. Language, mathematics and musical codes were given directly to finite intelligent minds so that we could easily distinguish bits of information from each other to be reused in combinations of ideas in our own creative ways.
There can be no information without mind, and there can be no mind without information. These are mutually inclusive. No human has ever created anything without the use of his or her mind and the information contained within it.
Since the DNA code and the laws of nature exist and are far more complex than any finite mind could ever create, then an Infinite Mind must exist infused with Infinite Information who created life and the laws of nature.
Each bit of information within the Infinite Mind must itself be infinite. Thus, the Infinite Mind does not need an inner code to distinguish each bit of information, but knows the Infinite Information directly. This can only mean that the Infinite Mind must be identical with His Infinite Information.
But when God decided to create a finite world with intelligent creatures, then he had to base His creations on finite codes and give finite codes to His intelligent creatures so that they could obtain a finite understanding of His creations. However, God also knew that His intelligent creatures would possess a very limited ability to understand Him since He is Infinite. Therefore, after the fall of man, God began to reveal His Living Word to mankind; first through His prophets and later through His infallible written Word, the Holy Bible (KJB).
Modern science has discovered that a third component of the universe exists in addition to that of matter and energy. That third component is information. Language, mathematics, the DNA code and musical codes are some of the ways that information expresses itself within creation. Language, mathematics and musical codes were given directly to finite intelligent minds so that we could easily distinguish bits of information from each other to be reused in combinations of ideas in our own creative ways.
There can be no information without mind, and there can be no mind without information. These are mutually inclusive. No human has ever created anything without the use of his or her mind and the information contained within it.
Since the DNA code and the laws of nature exist and are far more complex than any finite mind could ever create, then an Infinite Mind must exist infused with Infinite Information who created life and the laws of nature.
Each bit of information within the Infinite Mind must itself be infinite. Thus, the Infinite Mind does not need an inner code to distinguish each bit of information, but knows the Infinite Information directly. This can only mean that the Infinite Mind must be identical with His Infinite Information.
But when God decided to create a finite world with intelligent creatures, then he had to base His creations on finite codes and give finite codes to His intelligent creatures so that they could obtain a finite understanding of His creations. However, God also knew that His intelligent creatures would possess a very limited ability to understand Him since He is Infinite. Therefore, after the fall of man, God began to reveal His Living Word to mankind; first through His prophets and later through His infallible written Word, the Holy Bible (KJB).
Friday, May 24, 2013
The Known and the Unknown
If a man takes a drug that causes him to have an hallucination of a pink elephant, we often say that he saw something which does not exist. Actually, when we say this, we do not mean that elephants or pink do not exist. We simply mean that no physical elephant or pink thing appeared to the man when he had his hallucination.
Do we mean then that the hallucination itself does not exist? We cannot mean this either for the simple reason that the man actually saw a real mental representation of a pink elephant. We can never contend that mental representations are not real because we only have mental representations of things that are useful and actual. Mental representations are always real for the same reason that a picture of an elephant is as real as is a physical elephant.
We never have mental representations of unknown things except by means of a logical inference of the possibility of their existence. Such logical inferences can be either true or false combinations of real ideas. For example, Leucippus and Democritus inferred the existence of an unknown thing called an atom. They did this by logical speculation about real things that they did know about such as motion, space and matter. As it turns out, modern science has discovered that their combination of real ideas that produced the idea of the atom was a true combination.
On the other hand, some theorists once postulated that space was filled with a substance called ether. When experiments proved that ether does not exist, then the idea of ether became equivalent to the idea of nothing. The combination of real ideas that produced the theory of ether had proven to be false. Only the combination and the idea of ether was false. The theory itself comprised only real and true ideas.
All of the basic elements, that which Locke called the simple ideas, that appear within the realm of conscious experience are always real. They are real because consciousness raises them above the level of nothingness, and because consciousness happens to be that sole necessary dynamism that establishes reality. The only false ideas we have result from false combinations of real ideas.
It matters little whether we know only our ideas about reality or directly know reality itself. In either case, our conscious experiences are all real, and if there is a thing-in-itself behind reality, then it is unknown, and therefore, cannot be real. All that matters is that which affects conscious experience. That which does not affect conscious experience does not matter, and cannot matter until such a time as it does affect consciousness. The unknown cannot matter because it can only affect nothingness.
If there were no consciousness, then all would be unknown and reality could not exist because absolute nothingness would prevail. Leucippus and Democritus could speculate about the existence of atoms only because they had minds that they could use to form a true combination of ideas. Those who postulated the existence of ether could do so only because they had minds that they could use to form a false combination of real ideas.
The only falsity within reality is that which equals nothing. Therefore, in the absence of consciousness, only absolute nothingness could non-exist. For these reasons, within absolute nothingness ether would be equal to atoms except in one respect. Atoms would possess potential reality only if there existed an intelligent consciousness capable of knowing them. In the absence of all consciousness, both atoms and ether would be equal to absolute nothingness.
That combination of real ideas called God would be false if God, like ether, could be proven to be nonexistent. But God must be a true combination of real ideas because if He did not exist, then reality would have been equal to nonexistence prior to the existence of finite consciousness making it impossible for it ever to become real.
Do we mean then that the hallucination itself does not exist? We cannot mean this either for the simple reason that the man actually saw a real mental representation of a pink elephant. We can never contend that mental representations are not real because we only have mental representations of things that are useful and actual. Mental representations are always real for the same reason that a picture of an elephant is as real as is a physical elephant.
We never have mental representations of unknown things except by means of a logical inference of the possibility of their existence. Such logical inferences can be either true or false combinations of real ideas. For example, Leucippus and Democritus inferred the existence of an unknown thing called an atom. They did this by logical speculation about real things that they did know about such as motion, space and matter. As it turns out, modern science has discovered that their combination of real ideas that produced the idea of the atom was a true combination.
On the other hand, some theorists once postulated that space was filled with a substance called ether. When experiments proved that ether does not exist, then the idea of ether became equivalent to the idea of nothing. The combination of real ideas that produced the theory of ether had proven to be false. Only the combination and the idea of ether was false. The theory itself comprised only real and true ideas.
All of the basic elements, that which Locke called the simple ideas, that appear within the realm of conscious experience are always real. They are real because consciousness raises them above the level of nothingness, and because consciousness happens to be that sole necessary dynamism that establishes reality. The only false ideas we have result from false combinations of real ideas.
It matters little whether we know only our ideas about reality or directly know reality itself. In either case, our conscious experiences are all real, and if there is a thing-in-itself behind reality, then it is unknown, and therefore, cannot be real. All that matters is that which affects conscious experience. That which does not affect conscious experience does not matter, and cannot matter until such a time as it does affect consciousness. The unknown cannot matter because it can only affect nothingness.
If there were no consciousness, then all would be unknown and reality could not exist because absolute nothingness would prevail. Leucippus and Democritus could speculate about the existence of atoms only because they had minds that they could use to form a true combination of ideas. Those who postulated the existence of ether could do so only because they had minds that they could use to form a false combination of real ideas.
The only falsity within reality is that which equals nothing. Therefore, in the absence of consciousness, only absolute nothingness could non-exist. For these reasons, within absolute nothingness ether would be equal to atoms except in one respect. Atoms would possess potential reality only if there existed an intelligent consciousness capable of knowing them. In the absence of all consciousness, both atoms and ether would be equal to absolute nothingness.
That combination of real ideas called God would be false if God, like ether, could be proven to be nonexistent. But God must be a true combination of real ideas because if He did not exist, then reality would have been equal to nonexistence prior to the existence of finite consciousness making it impossible for it ever to become real.
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