John and Jean-Paul I am going to begin working on a series in which I go thru Sartre's Being and Nothingness, chapter by chapter, defining terms, clarifying the basic message and analyzing it, in the hopes of understanding existentialism better, to better help me complete the work on my own book, The Relativity of Being.

I will try to do a couple sections each week, but will deal with one at a time. I will basically be breaking it down to 3 sections:

1) define terms. Sartre uses a lot of big words, non-english words, etc. I want to define these to make it easier to understand what he is talking about.

2) highlight references. Sartre uses a lot of references in his writing, which is great. Sometimes, tho, he seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the reference, so I am going to try to make the reference more familiar to my readers, and to me.

3) Break down what the heck he is talking about! Most of what he says is pretty dense and hard to conceptualize so I will do my best to break thru all the arguments and get to the heart of the point he is trying to make.

Hopefully once this is done I will understand Being and Nothingness (and you will too!)  ¶ 12:02 PM 0 comments

  Heaven? Heaven. What is it? Where is it? Does it exist? What is it like there? These are all very intriguing questions, but what purpose to they serve when we can never have a definitive answer to any of them. By definition, it exists (if it exists at all) beyond our lives, after our death. And once we have died, and I mean really died, not some "near death experience" we aren't coming back to tell everyone what we found. So, why all the talk about heaven?

Mostly, heaven serves the purpose of giving us hope for something beyond this life, it is there to give us something to look forward to, something to make us feel less dreadful of death. We need not fear death if after death there is heaven, goes the story. So, we are taught to be good little boys and girls so that we will be accepted into heaven, but cannot commit suicide to get there sooner, or we will go to the other place... hell. Of course Hell has to exist to keep everyone in line. To control the masses.

But lets be real. Nobody knows anything about this place called heaven so what are we really aspiring to? For all we know, and what I believe, is that once we die, we are gone. Period. No city in the clouds, no God welcoming us to the afterlife... just nothingness. And not a nothingness that we experience through eternity, but simply... gone. I equate it to what we experience during periods of deep sleep when we are not dreaming. We are not conscious, we have no memory of this time, we have no visualizations, no sounds, no thoughts, nothing. That is death.

Anybody have any proof to the contrary?  ¶ 8:49 AM 0 comments

  What is Relativism? Relativism is sometimes identified (usually by its critics) as the thesis that all points of view are equally valid. In ethics, this amounts to saying that all moralities are equally good; in epistemology it implies that all beliefs, or belief systems, are equally true. Critics of relativism typically dismiss such views as incoherent since they imply the validity even of the view that relativism is false. They also charge that such views are pernicious since they undermine the enterprise of trying to improve our ways of thinking.

Perhaps because relativism is associated with such views, few philosophers are willing to describe themselves as relativists. However, most of the leading thinkers who have been accused of relativism--for example, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Peter Winch, Thomas Kuhn, Richard Rorty, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida--do share a certain common ground which, while recognizably relativistic, provides a basis for more sophisticated, and perhaps more defensible, positions.

Although there are many different kinds of relativism, they all have two features in common.

1) They all assert that one thing (e.g. moral values, beauty, knowledge, taste, or meaning) is relative to some particular framework or standpoint (e.g. the individual subject, a culture, an era, a language, or a conceptual scheme).
2) They all deny that any standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others.

It is thus possible to classify the different types and sub-types of relativism in a fairly obvious way. The main genera of relativism can be distinguished according to the object they seek to relativize. Thus, forms of moral relativism assert the relativity of moral values; forms of epistemological relativism assert the relativity of knowledge. These genera can then be broken down into distinct species by identifying the framework to which the object in question is being relativized. For example, moral subjectivism is that species of moral relativism that relativizes moral value to the individual subject.

How controversial, and how coherent, these forms of relativism are will obviously vary according to what is being relativized to what, and in what manner. In contemporary philosophy, the most widely discussed forms of relativism are moral relativism, cognitive relativism, and aesthetic relativism.

Source: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy  ¶ 11:49 PM 0 comments

  Introduction I have been told many times that I should write a story about my life. At age 30, I hardly feel as though I have lived enough of it to write much. Sure, I have accomplished many things in my first thirty years. But are they really so extraordinary that they would fascinate a literary audience? Have I really done anything so interesting and unique that people will want to buy the book to read all about it? Somehow, I doubt it. But then again, someone might benefit from my experiences. Someone might be enlightened by what I have to say. Someone might want to know that they are not alone. That someone might be me.

Now, before you sigh and say, "Oh no, another autobiography of some nobody," wait! This is not really an autobiography, or a story of my life. Far from it. (I guess I never really convinced myself that mine should be written.) It is, however, a personal book that I believe others will benefit from. It explains many phenomenon which will become increasingly relevant in the 21st Century. It describes a way of looking at the world, life, ourselves and eachother as individuals all living together in this universe... rather universal existance.

As the subtitle of this book suggests, this is a reflection of my life... but it is the title which really explains the meat of this book. The Relativity of Being. What does this mean? Well, that is what this book intends to explain. You see, for me, the world is relative in every single aspect. People like to label and catagorize, prejudge and wrap-up everything in neat little packages. This, to me, is destructive of universality, spirituality, humanity, and individuality. In this book I will run undaunted through a myriad of different social and cultural concepts and sources of conflict. These include ethnicity and race, religion, nationalism and cultural ideology. Each of these, like everything in the world, has a relative perspective which I feel needs to be examined and understood.

Beyond the relativity of all things lies the individual. "Beyond relativity?" you might find yourself asking. "But you just said everything in the world is relative!" Well, you are right... but! there is a point of singularity, a point of reference from which all else is seen as relative. And that point is where you are sitting (or standing, kneeling, lying down...). Yes, you are the center of the universe! See, you always thought so, and now you know. This book will go on to see the world from the individual standpoint. From where you are, and from where I am. Because, you see, without each of us, relativity exists nowhere. And this is what 'observer created reality' really means. It means our true reality is relative, and yet that same reality only exists because we do.

And, so, who really cares about any of this anyway? I do! And since you have read this far, I suspect you do to. And what does it all mean? That will all be answered by the time you finish reading (about 5 or 10 years from now, if you read books like I do). A hunderd years ago, a philosophical concept known as existentialism was coming into being. I feel existentialism's time has come and gone, and that with the new millenium, a whole new way of viewing the world is vital. And that view, in my view, is relativism. With increasing globalization, a world economy and "the new world order" (which sounds like something out of an Orwell novel), relativism will be a necessary tool to understanding ourselves, each other and the world we live in.

Every story needs a starting point. This one starts with the title of the book, "The Relativity of Being." More specifically, the 'relativity' part. First proposed by Einstein as a theory of physics, it has become a part of everyday life. Book One of The Relativity of Being, titled "Relativity," explains what relativity is and how it relates to everyday life.

Chapter One introduces the theories of relativity and quantum mechanics. I start here because this is where my personal exploration of philosophy began. It may seem like a strange starting point but this will make more sense as you continue along. I have studied sub-atomic particles and universe expansion. For some reason these apparent extremes fall into the same category for me, a sort of relativity within quantum mechanics. I also seem to think of both at the microscopic, or actually, the sub-atomic scale. I guess this is because relative to the size of the entire universe, the galaxies, solar systems, stars, planets, and life forms are so insignificantly small that they become 'sub-atomic'. Perhaps 'sub-universal' is a more appropriate term. Sub-universal particles! This chapter explains, in simple language, the theories of relativity. Then it discusses the role they played in the development of quantum theory and quantum mechanics. The chapter wraps up with a brief discussion of chaos theory. Why? Who knows! Maybe I will by the time the book is finished.

Chapter Two makes the connection between relativity and philosophy. And, yes, there is a connection, as evidenced by such books as The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra and The Dancing Wu-Li Masters, by Gary Zukov. These two books are excellent resources for those interested in pursuing this connection. In this chapter I will touch on the main points of these books. I will then discuss how the concept of relativity can be applied to religion as a whole. Religions and philosophies are a part of almost every human culture. From Christianity and Judaism in the West to the Far East philosophies of Taoism and Hinduism. Many, if not most, claim to be the sole path to Heaven, Enlightenment, Nirvana, or wherever the particular ultimate destiny. Which is right? Are any of them wrong? Are all of them wrong? Or, are all of them right, relative to the individual? These are the questions I seek to answer. While I am at it, I will throw in a little bit about environmentalism under the guise of spirituality. It's my book, I can do that.

Chapter Three makes the leap from philosophy and religion to cultures and societies and nationalism. What, if anything, ties them together? What makes them unique? And what tears them apart? From ancestral ties and territorialism to common market economies and ideological adversaries, the question is older than mankind itself. Religion plays a significant role in the inter-relationships between two groups of peoples. Millions of people have died as a result of religious beliefs. The Cold War demonstrated how political ideologies can have a similar impact. Baltic and Central African genocides have demonstrated the lingering problems of ethnicity and territorialism. From the stand point of any one ethnic group, they are in-the-right and the others must be wrong. This is just one example of cultural relativity. After a quick geography lesson through the eyes of a relativist, I will take you to the four corners of the world and look at how we as people have made each other into the enemy based on simple differences, relative differences, in perspective. This includes the East-West struggle known as the Cold War and the less publicized North-South conflict that began with the slave trade and continues as the white man attempts rids himself of a self-inflicted burden. I continue with a discussion about the United Nations and nationalism and the role they play in the future of this planet. Then the chapter wraps up with a global study of tribalism.

Chapter Four pulls together the elements of the first three chapters, wrapping up the discussion of relativity by bringing it down to the level of the individual. The human being. And, finally the subject of the book, the relativity of being. What are the aims and goals of every individual? What are the differences, apart from religion, cultural heritage and education, that separate us. What makes some of us doctors, others mathmaticians, intellectuals, teachers, scientists, technicians, farmers, astronauts, politicians, accountants, civil servants, lawyers, business owners, or simply homemakers? Most of us view the individual human being, including ourselves and others, in relation to the rest of the world. This is a source of prejudice, pride, hate and ignorance. By considering the role of relativity when looking at the individual in relation to the rest of the world we can see what makes us tick and why we are different from everyone else. This chapter then looks at how the concept of relativity has made people who are "different" into enemies and then how these people have been brought together in what is commonly refered to as the 'melting pot', a myth which will be dispelled from several directions. Finally, this chapter concludes with a look at the idea of political correctness, again from the perspective of relativity.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Book Two of this single volume trilogy focuses on the "Being" part of the book's title. Once you know all you ever (never?) wanted to know about relativity, I go on to discuss what "being" means. That is, what it means to me in my understanding of the word, and the world. (Hmm... what is the difference between "the word" and "the world"... No L... get it? No L... Noel... the word, the bible... oh never mind.)

Chapter Five is titled "On Being and Being Alone". I start here because it is the 'being alone' part that prompted me to start writing in the first place. The 'Lonely Soul' within. I begin with a discussion on Being. What does it mean? How does it fit into the context of Book One and where does it lead us through Books Two and Three. I wrap up this chapter with a discussion on being alone. Sometimes one can be alone in a crowd of thousands, or at a family gathering, or in the company of a lover. Some are alone in all of the above circumstances. It isn't because nobody loves or cares about that person. But more often because nobody understands him or her. I feel that lonliness. I live it everyday. It can drive some people insane. I can't help thinking of those "crazy" street people. What got them there? Why do they talk to themselves? What are they saying and to whom are they saying it? I see these people as misunderstood, lonely people, not too unlike myself. I don't want to take that path. But I do think I know where it starts, and that is the heart of this book. As I mentioned earler, relativity ends only at the individual. Therefore, placing oneself in a position of being alone sets them up for self-reflection and prepares them to view the world from a point of singularity, clarity and openness.

What now? What next? And why, if for any reason at all? The answer is simply to be yourself. Chapter Six, "Simply Being", draws from my own personal philosophy to "live simply so that others may simply live." It is closely related to Taoism, though through my own study of this philosophy, I have discovered that most of what is Taoist thought was already included in my own personal philosophy. I continue with a thought that came to me in a dream. "To thine ownself be true." Simply BE, just as Love IS, and God IS, and Tao IS. To "simply be" the individual must first understand him/herself. This is a process of deep and (most importantly) honest reflection and introspection. I can only share my own thoughts and feelings, and hope this can serve as a guide to others.

The difficult part of simply being is doing so in the chaos of our society. The individual alone in the crowd again. This is a difficulty we must face every day and is the subject of Chapter Seven. It is about that which makes the soul lonely. It is important to know ourselves and to accept who we are before we can deal with society and our place within it. With this knowledge behind us we are now prepared to face the world. By considering our role and responsibility in the universal whole and in our society, all from the perspective of ourselves as individuals, and from a point of relativity, we become better world citizens.

Chapter Eight, goes back to the relativity of being, once again. Only this time the perspective is flipped. Instead of seeing the individual relative to the world, try seeing the world relative to the individual. How does the world, society and culture fit the needs of the individual? How does it conform to the individuals needs? And how does it work against the progress and evolution of the individual being. In general, this chapter wraps up the previous three, including the concepts of being and being alone, individuality and the role of the individual in society.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Book Three of the trilogy is titled "Relativity, Being and Nothingness." It is a deliberate play on Jean-Paul Sartre's book, Being and Nothingness. This book will continue to be written every day of my life, and may not be completed in its final draft for another 40 years, if ever. But since you, like me, cannot wait that long, here is the current reflection on the subject of relativism.

I begin with Chapter Nine, "Beyond Existentialism", which explains existentialism from beginning to end. While this is a subject which people have written volumes on (e.g. Sartre's diatribe), the essentials of existentialism can be trimmed down in a more concise format. (And with any luck, someone will be saying the same about my book 50 years from now). You might be asking what existentialism has to do with anything? Or, more specifically, with this book. I think that will become clear (to both of us) as we progress through this chapter.

Fundamentally, I see existentialism as a point of departure for the commencement of relativism. Relativism is, to me, the logical progression of existential thought, and a more appropriate philosophy for today and the 21st century. I use Sartre's book as a point of reference, since it is often considered the essential or principle text of modern existentialism. In Chapter Nine, after discussing the essential elements of existentialism, I will draw upon what you will, by then understand as relativity and being to discount the philosophy of existentialism in our own time. This will lead directly into Chapter 10.

Chapter 10 begins with a brief history of relativism and goes on to explain where it stands today and how it fits into today's global perspective. Drawing upon much of the terminology of books One and Two, I will conclude this volume with a discussion of a New Relativism, how I define it, and where it will lead us as we find ourselves in the Third Millenium. Are we headed toward Armageddon or Utopia? Do either of these concepts exist, or can they ever come to be? Or are they interdependent? These are the questions we will explore together in the final chapter. And on that note, I give you The Relativity of Being: Reflections of a Lonely Soul.  ¶ 9:39 PM 1 comments