An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Discuss any topics related to metaphysics (the philosophical study of the principles of reality) or epistemology (the philosophical study of knowledge) in this forum.
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DumDumTaDum
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An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by DumDumTaDum »

Here, stated as best I can, is a proposal and a little of the implications that seem concomitant. I do not claim to have inquired exhaustively of people or sources of information (e.g. books, online presentations, or presentations in other media formats) … indeed that is why I am laying-things-out here.

Note: By "differentiation" I mean the instantiation of 'difference' - which is to say, the simultaneous existence of at least one 'is' and 'is not'.

Suggested foundational axioms of all existence:
1. Differention must be possible
2. For differentiation to occur, there must be something to differentiate and the conditions whereby it can - logically, if such conditions can never exist, differentiation is not possible and nor is existence
3. Difference while essential, alone is insufficient for existence
4. Differentiation of 'difference' (the is under consideration) necessarily infers 'similarity' (i.e. 'same-as', isomorphism, iteration etc.) as the corresponding 'is not'

As far as I have been able to examine this consideration, it applies to all parameters of existence: e.g. if certainty is to be possible, then uncertainty is also.

It appears to me that this also requires that for there to be 'relativity' there must also be (at least one) 'absolute', the possibility of 'invariance'. Right at this moment I can only offer as examples, what I will call the 'structural absolute' of 'time', and the 'procedural absolute' of 'differentiation'. I think it likely that a another field of structural absolutes arise in consideration of the relationship(s) between 'energy' and 'physical existence'.

All of the above seems to lay the ground for an inherently paradoxical Universe, essentially dichotomous, inclusive of all that can be differentiated and thereby exist, and outside of which can only exist 'no thing'.

'Time', by the way, seems to be better considered as an irreversible 'sequentiality'. If time was reversible, we could never know it; memory/recall, for one thing, is dependent on there being an unchanging sequence of events. If the sequence of events could reverse, to what extent would they do so; (Question: is time quantisable? If so: What might be the quantum … something to do with the Planck Constant?); What would determine a subsequent flow-of-time?; How could we 'know' that there had been a change in time? One implication of irreversible Time is, there is nothing that "could have been", all that could have been, has been and it could not have been otherwise.

As a parting consideration I would like to make a plea for Philantilipsy - as opposed to Philosophy. The former is a term designating a love of understanding (Greek, Antilipsis = Understanding), and clearly Epistemology is its foundational concern. Understanding, I would argue, is the best basis for arrriving at that which is thought to be 'wise'. But enough of that distraction.

-- Updated May 19th, 2017, 8:30 pm to add the following --

Not a reply, but rather, an extension!

Differentiation, the difference between, infers 'separation'. The binary to this is 'combination' - specifically the combination of 'different-from' and 'same-as' results in 'gradation' and the possibility of 'ordering'.
Paradigmer
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Re: An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by Paradigmer »

The universe is inherently paradoxical.

Check this out: The paradoxical effect of nature
Don Schneider
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Re: An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by Don Schneider »

"'Time', by the way, seems to be better considered as an irreversible 'sequentiality'. If time was reversible, we could never know it; memory/recall, for one thing, is dependent on there being an unchanging sequence of events. If the sequence of events could reverse, to what extent would they do so; (Question: is time quantisable? If so: What might be the quantum … something to do with the Planck Constant?); What would determine a subsequent flow-of-time?; How could we 'know' that there had been a change in time? One implication of irreversible Time is, there is nothing that "could have been", all that could have been, has been and it could not have been otherwise." [Emphasis mine]

That’s a very astute comment. Suppose one could think himself or herself back to a period of time when one was happiest. (A fantasy entertained by a great many, I’d guess; there was a Twilight Zone episode along those lines.) Unless one could take his or her present memories back as well (in which case would should be able to become very rich in short order!), then what would be the result? One would be trapped in an eternal time loop repeating forever one’s life from the happy time…through perhaps many unhappy periods…to the time when one learned how to think one’s way back.
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Webplodder
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Re: An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by Webplodder »

Don Schneider wrote:"'Time', by the way, seems to be better considered as an irreversible 'sequentiality'. If time was reversible, we could never know it; memory/recall, for one thing, is dependent on there being an unchanging sequence of events. If the sequence of events could reverse, to what extent would they do so; (Question: is time quantisable? If so: What might be the quantum … something to do with the Planck Constant?); What would determine a subsequent flow-of-time?; How could we 'know' that there had been a change in time? One implication of irreversible Time is, there is nothing that "could have been", all that could have been, has been and it could not have been otherwise." [Emphasis mine]

That’s a very astute comment. Suppose one could think himself or herself back to a period of time when one was happiest. (A fantasy entertained by a great many, I’d guess; there was a Twilight Zone episode along those lines.) Unless one could take his or her present memories back as well (in which case would should be able to become very rich in short order!), then what would be the result? One would be trapped in an eternal time loop repeating forever one’s life from the happy time…through perhaps many unhappy periods…to the time when one learned how to think one’s way back.
If we accept that time is infinite then it must logically follow that everything that could have happened has happened, including this very sentence I am composing.

But I find this somehow too simplistic and naive because it seems to be attributing far too much prominence to time. I'm not very sure myself what I mean exactly, just that can we really conceive of existence without the element of time included? We measure time mathematically because, through mathematics, we are able to 'pattern' the world in terms of the physical environment we have to navigate through but could there exist 'realities' where time isn't relevant at all?

We have to be aware that the way we, as human beings, look out at the world is partially at least a function of our perceptions so it might be a gross generalization to assume the rest of 'creation' follows this model.
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Webplodder
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Re: An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by Webplodder »

A paradoxical universe can only appear to exist through lack of knowledge. Science constructs models which it knows are always testable and as a result are wrong.
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DumDumTaDum
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Re: An Inherently Paradoxical Universe?

Post by DumDumTaDum »

I regret I must withdraw from this thread … I have been unable to find the time to adequately address points raised by interlocutors.
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