- Existence
- Identity
- Consciousness
2020–2022 | Nothing’s The Same
Information Theory meets Objectivism: exploring a holistic integration of existence, identity and consciousness
1 April 2025
Cooking Concepts
1 March 2025
Simmering…
On the other hand, even if it ultimately falls short, some visuals are more apt at representing these metaphysical axioms than others. This series of blogposts have demonstrated a few different ways in which the task can be attempted — some more successfully than others, yet none being fully satisfactory so far.
I still think I can get closer. This project is simmering away, I hope to be able to bring it nearer the to boil next month…
1 February 2025
Convoluted Convergence
1 January 2025
Golden Horn Torus
1 December 2024
Horn Torus
1 November 2024
Tortuous Tori
1 October 2024
Back To Basics
1 September 2024
Critique of Current Model
It is not a satisfactory model.
It is confusing rather than clear.
It relies too heavily upon animation.
Indeed it doesn't work as a physical object or mechanism — there is a complete lack of natural cause and effect.
Unless stated, it is far from obvious that shapes represent metaphysical axioms.
Specific points to address:
- The only vaguely apt upshot are the two ‘golden’ black & white spheres within the spiral, within the (half) container sphere of greyness (or grey-noise). However, even that set of objects is an overblown way of conveying Identity. All that's needed is a zoom-in to the grey-noise and show a black sphere surrounded by white or white sphere surrounded by black. Furthermore, Identity doesn't grow out of greyness (a grey sphere), it just is, like Existence.
- The Consciousness sphere is unconvincing, not radical enough and seems to emerge magically, without causation.
- Consciousness's split, echoing Identity's split, has more sense than the former, yet the process should be more immediate and no account is given of the context of a moving body (let alone the Free Energy Principle).
- The emergence of Entity is lazy. It ought to combine Identity with Consciousness in a more convincing way.
1 August 2024
Metaphysical Axioms Animated
1 July 2024
Inversion Of The Sphere Of Consciousness
Above, without the ‘process’ spirals. The upper pair of nested spheres (the prior) would fade-out leaving just the three metaphysical axioms: Existence (grey), Identity (black), Consciousness (the white prediction error forming ‘current experience’ within Identity).
1 June 2024
Spiral Comes Between The Dynamic Duo
1 May 2024
Dynamic Duo?
1 April 2024
Elevating The Primacy of Existence
I think the above animation for the structure of Objectivism is an improvement on last month's because it firmly re-establishes “the primacy of existence” — indeed, the primacy of metaphysics at each stage.
- Metaphysics is always the containing sphere.
- Epistemology is here always shown as the darker, larger sphere.
- Axiology (Ethics/Politics/Æsthetics) is here always shown as the brighter, smaller sphere.
Metaphysics | Metaphysical Angle | Epistemological Angle | Axiological Angle |
1 Axioms | 1 Existence exists. | 2 Consciousness is the process of identifying that which exists. | 3 Identity is what defines an existent (the difference that makes a difference). |
2 Correlates | 4 Entities exist as identifiable similarities. | 5 Action is how entities behave together as processes in accordance with their attributes. | 6 Causality is the law of identity applied to the action of entities. |
3 Inference | 7 Volition Inserts Self as a result of the choice to focus/evade (autopoiesis). | 8 Validity of the Senses in that they are causal evidence of a difference making a difference. | 9 Objective Reality as absolute (primacy of existence). |
Epistemology | Metaphysical Angle | Epistemological Angle | Axiological Angle |
4 Integrals | 10 Sensation as undifferentiated awareness of objective reality. | 11 Perception as groups of sensations becoming causally identified as entities in the present. | 12 Conception as the volitional categorisation of percepts into particular relationships. |
5 Formation | 13 Mind-Body Integration harmonises consciousness with existence. | 14 Differentiation & Integration of percepts into concepts. | 15 Man-Made from Metaphysical conveys that choice-contingent concepts are hewn from given percepts. |
6 Integration | 16 Cognitive Objectivity when concepts are aligned with reality. | 17 Logic as method of developing knowledge through non‐contradictory identification. | 18 Rationality as man’s only true means of knowledge. |
Axiology | Metaphysical Angle | Epistemological Angle | Axiological Angle |
7 Ethics | 19 Reason as man’s means of survival. | 20 One’s Own Life as the ultimate measure of value (reason, purpose, self-esteem). | 21 Virtue of Selfishness with man as an end in himself (pursuing rational self-interest). |
8 Politics | 22 Happiness as the aspired condition of man (via rational self-interest). | 23 Individual Rights (freedom from coercion) entails enforcement by governmental agency. | 24 Capitalism as the only moral system (in which happiness may be fully realised). |
9 Æsthetics | 25 Art as the concretisation of metaphysical ideas. | 26 Romanticism as the supreme conceptual school of art. | 27 Æsthetics Are Objective when evaluated within the appropriate, holistic context. |