Alois:
For one, existence doesn’t create anything.
Yes it has, and I have shown how: by making temporal “existences” that don’t exist of themselves. This is both logical and proven by the manifested universe, among other things.
Our statements will probably remain obscure unless we establish more precise meanings for terms such as “existence”, “create”, and others.
Alois:
Everything is in it. Everything makes up parts of it. Everything has always existed, in essence.
We should clarify this. I agree that the “perfect somethingness” has always existed, and is the essence of existence. But things manifested in the universe appear, change, and disappear. The physical universe cannot logically be an “inherent” “part” of the essential existence. It only exists by participation.
Alois:
The space shuttle example isn’t valid because it assumes that something can exist and be nothing, you have not shown this to be logically true.
I did not assume, instead, I demonstrated. And I have shown it to be logically true. Countless times. And I am willing to do so again. For it is eternally consistent. But you seem to merely dismiss it. You dismiss it by claiming it is not logical, but you yourself do not establish the logic of your own conclusions. I cannot control your will, but I will contend for the truth.
Alois:
You will have to do so before this becomes a valid argument.
It is already so. Nonetheless, I can forever show the validity of the fact that something can exist and be nothing. Only we must understand terms in light of the basis of established logic.
Established: “perfect somethingness” has always existed
We established this in post #735, which you accepted, if I am not mistaken. I will recap:
- Logical basis: Nothing can come from “total nothingness”
- Sensible basis: There is not “total nothingness” now
- Conclusion: There never was “total nothingness”
- Corollary : There must always have been “perfect somethingness”
This “perfect somethingness”, which must have always existed, must have certain attributes. First of all, it must be the “essence of existence”, and exist of itself. There is nothing else that exists
in the same manner, for there is nothing else existing of itself. True essential existence cannot have a start or an end.
So you see, we can already know that it must be eternal, complete, and the very essence of existence.
But manifested objects in the universe are not eternal, even if the concept it manifests is. A manifested object cannot “consist” of essential existence, and must therefore “exist” in a different manner. It surely participates in the “perfect somethingness” somehow, for nothing can come from total nothingness. But any manifested object in the universe is nothing “of itself”. It is built from “perfect somethingness” while not actually “being” that “perfect somethingness”. And it has to be this way, because otherwise the self-existing somethingness would not be complete already. So the manifested objects must “subsist” in “perfect somethingness”, and it must do so by some sort of participation.
Now, the concept of existence by participation can even be demonstrated in the universe of manifest objects. For new things are “made” from other objects. With clay we can make a jug. It is made of clay, yet it is no longer called clay, but a jug. The jug only “exists” because of the clay. But the jug is not “somethingness” of itself. We might say the clay is the something that the jug subsists in. But we wouldn’t say that the clay “consists” of jugs, cups, bowls, and anything else that might be “made” from it. Likewise, the essential existence of “perfect somethingness” does not consist of everything in the universe.
This is logical, demonstratable, and reasonable. Perhaps you didn’t understand before because of the semantics of language. I hope this example clears up the issue regarding the difference between the eternal existence that is existence of itself, and the temporal participated existence that is nothing of itself.
Alois:
It is not the source of manifested existence, manifested existence is a part of it.
I have shown the opposite above. Furthermore, it is contrary to logic to say that manifested existence is part of it in the sense of eggs in a basket, because the essential existence is unchangeable in itself.
hurst