A Post Dogmatist Philosophy on the Nature of Being (an artist). (1)

Journal Entry: September 3, 2022

For a general introduction to the International Post Dogmatist Group see: postdogmatist.com

The fact that my title includes ‘Post Dogmatist’, I am required here to first include the Post Dogmatist Standard Disclaimer

“The ideas, views, opinions, attitudes, conceptions or insinuations, both explicit and implicit, contained herein may or may not be those of the International Post-Dogmatist Group as a whole or any of its constituent members, associates, affiliates, subsidiaries or institutions.” 

As with all philosophers throughout history, everything I am about to say is speculative tarradiddle. I am going to say all these things in language which, by its very nature is a completely unsuitable way to explore the issue at hand. I am an artist and do have a Ph. D in philosophy, but it is self-conferred from Fluxus Institute since I am the founder so take that for what it is worth.  I also have a widely unrecognized, self-conferred PDPhD in Post Dogmatism. So, you can call me Doc Touchon if you like.

First off, I have no recollection of having been born. I accept that the woman who raised me is my mother and her assertion that she is. I did meet a Sufi one time at a retreat who remembers not only being born but also of being conscious while in the womb. She had a photographic memory and remembered every detail of her life. I found this to be quite astounding as I cannot remember most of yesterday. I am not sure I would want to recall such things so, that is possibly why I don’t. Perhaps this is a sign of lacking internal fortitude on my part or perhaps she was a buddha.

I have had several internal experiences that are at the root of my philosophical point of view. I will begin with the most basic insight. The universe is a single living Entity and/or a living expression of a single living Entity. This Entity may or may not live within and beyond the observable universe, but I would also say we humans, looking outwardly, have no idea what the universe is or what it consists of nor whether there is one universe or many. If many, there are infinite numbers of them. Everything that exists does so as a part of an infinite expanse. Infinitely small, infinitely large, infinitely inward, infinitely outward and is beyond the capacity of human imagination.

This one Entity has expressed itself through all things in the only way that it can, as infinitely unique things. This uniqueness of all things is the stamp of authenticity; the proof of the singularity of being. Further, all things are a part of this one Entity and hence only identifiable as the one thing itself. Yet neither is any one thing the one Entity except for itself nor are all things together the one Entity. Should all things perish the one Entity remains Itself just as it was prior to anything having come to be or after all has passed away. It could be said that the one Entity is alone, has always been alone and shall forever be alone and yet dreams of being many through the endless expanse of all things through all time and across all space. All time is one time, all space, one space. All moments in time and all points in space extend infinitely in all directions simultaneously and all is exactly right here and right now. There is nothing more ancient than the present moment which has existed since the beginning of time. Or perhaps there was no beginning, and perhaps there is no time or perhaps things are continually flickering in and out of existence.

The sense of uniqueness and individuality in beings, where that sense exists, is a reflection of the singleness and oneness of the one and only living Entity. Nothing can escape it, there is nothing outside of it. It alone exists and there is nothing else. To the extent that any of us exists, we exist only as an ephemeral figment of imagination of this one Entity.

Quite possibly the One Being is selfless and, without self, cannot be self-aware yet is aware, is consciousness. It could be said that the manifest universe as we experience it is a process of creating endless individuated, localized points of self-consciousness – apparatus for the creation and apprehension of phenomena.

This is a brief and incomplete explanation of the foundation upon which my further philosophical thoughts are based. Given what I have said so far, it is obviously complete folly to bother with continuing as anyone who reads this is, like me, the Entity dreaming it is you. So I am just talking to myself in the end.

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