On consciousness
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:59 pm
"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must pass over in silence" - Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.
Our subject is consciousness. I will hereby attempt to briefly introduce my thoughts and observations on the subject.
Modern western philosophy began with Descartes's statement: "Cogito ergo sum" recognized as the only sure knowledge. The statement, however, is flawed as Descartes presupposed that the 'I' existed and that the action thinking was done by this 'I', or that there was such an action as thinking at all.
According to my observation, the truly accurate and certain statement must be: "Cognition exists." or "Consciousness exists." This is given, and from this we can process to develop certain knowledge about consciousness.
1. Consciousness exists.
2. Consciousness is a movement.
2.1 Consciousness changes constantly.
2.2 No consciousness stay the same between two consecutive moments.
2.3 Consciousness is no longer itself after a unit of time.
3. All movement of consciousness is inevitable.
3.1 All movement of consciousness is caused and conditioned.
4. All ordinary movement of consciousness remains trapped in the duality of the point of view and the pointed, of the viewer and the viewed, of the observer and the observed, of subject and object.
4.1 All ordinary movement consciousness has a vantage point, namely, a point of view, from which consciousness launches itself.
4.1.1 My ego is that vantage point ('I' is a vantage point).
4.1.1.1 I do not have an ego or a self beyond that vantage point.
4.1.1.1.1 My body is not my ego.
4.1.1.1.1.1 My body is but a totality of my parts.
4.1.1.1.1.2 My parts are my possessions.
4.1.1.1.1.3 My possessions are not me.
4.1.2 My vantage point does not realistically exist.
4.1.2.1 A vantage point is merely geometrical.
4.1.2.2 A vantage point is factually empty.
4.1.3 My ego does not realistically exist.
4.1.4 I do not have an inherent existence.
4.2 All consciousness is consciousness about something, launched toward something.
4.2.1 That something is my world.
4.2.1.1 My world is all that my consciousness perceives and all that is not my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.1 My consciousness is the reflection of my world.
4.2.1.1.2 My perceptions of my world is dependent on my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.2.1 I perceive my world as forms.
4.2.1.1.2.2 The existences and forms of all entities that my consciousness perceives are dependent on my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.3 My world is dependent on my consciousness.
4.2.1.1.3.1 No form exist independent of my perception.
4.2.1.1.3.2 Nothing possess form apart from what my consciousness perceives, namely my world.
4.2.1.1.4 My world is the only world I ever perceive.
4.2.1.1.4.1 What my consciousness perceives is all that I ever perceive.
4.2.1.1.4.2 My vantage point is the only point of view that I can ever possess.
4.2.1.2 I and my world are one.
4.2.1.2.1 The existence of a separation between I and my world is as realistic as the existence of my vantage point.
4.2.1.2.2 The separation is formed and strengthened through my educational environment in which 'I' have grown up.
4.2.1.2.3 Language strengthens the separation between I and my world.
4.2.1.2.3.1 All language is the result of categorization.
4.2.1.2.3.2 Language determines my thoughts.
4.2.1.2.3.2.1 My instincts and habits are petrified thought, established through a long history.
4.2.1.2.2 All ordinary movement of consciousness is pointed toward my world from my vantage point, but not self-pointed. In other word, consciousness at a particular moment is not conscious of itself and I am not conscious my own action right that moment.
4.2.1.2.3 My ordinary consciousness can only observe my past self and not my current self.
4.2.1.2.2.1 When I am happy I am not conscious my happiness.
4.2.1.2.2.2 When I am conscious of my happiness I am no longer happy.
4.3 Any merely oppositional movement of consciousness remains trapped in the networks of what it opposes.
5. Ordinary movement of consciousness is motivated by fear and at the same limited by fear, which is caused by the illusion of duality.
5.1 All ordinary movement of consciousness of caused, motivated by the deep-rooted desire for eventual pleasure, that is, to gratify itself. (Or to put it casually, we all want to feel good and everything we do is to achieve that good feeling, whether directly or indirectly, whether we are aware of it, whether we hasten or postpone it.)
5.2 All ordinary consciousness is limited by the fear of not being able to gratify itself.
5.2.1 All emotions is caused by this deep-rooted fear.
5.2.1.1 Emotions come through stimulation.
5.2.1.2 Emotions is the manifestation of the inability to accept the causes of emotions.
5.2.1.2.1 Emotions cannot end itself.
5.2.1.2.1.2 Emotions only breeds more emotions.
5.2.1.2.2 Emotions cannot be ended by thought.
5.2.1.2.2.1 Thoughts can intensify emotions.
5.2.1.2.3 At bottom there is only one emotion: fear.
5.2.1.4 The ordinary man doesn't want to be free from fear, because he doesn't want to be free from the bondage of emotions.
5.2.2 Emotions, caused by fear, prevent the cultivation of consciousness
5.2.2.1 Emotional pleasures are a distraction from fear, or a disguise of fear, generated by the desire to escape from the fear of loneliness.
5.2.2.1.1 All decadence of consciousness is caused by the escape from the fear of loneliness.
5.2.2.2 Loneliness is as realistic as the separation between I and my world.
5.2.2.2.1 Loneliness and fear strengthen each other.
5.2.2.2.2 Fear is caused by delusions.
6. Fear is overcome when all duality is transcended, including the duality of dualism and non-dualism.
6.1 Fear cannot be overcome through the rejection of fear.
6.1.2 The rejection of fear remains trapped in fear.
6.1.2.1 The rejection of emotions remain trapped in the network of emotions.
6.2 Fear can only be overcome the thorough understanding of fear, namely the piercing through delusions.
6.3 The through understanding of fear come through the cultivation of consciousness.
6.1 The cultivation of consciousness means to look at fear in the face, to accept loneliness and insecurity.
6.4 Genius is the cultivation of consciousness.
6.4.1 Genius is high sensibility fueled by passion.
6.4.1.2 Sensibility is enhanced perceptiveness, acute observativeness.
6.4.1.2.1 Logical ability it not itself sensibility and therefore not necessarily the nature of genius, but a faculty that can be strengthened by sensibility.
6.4.1.3 Cultivated and expanded sensibility and reflection bring about existential angst.
6.4.1.3.1 Cultivated and expanded sensibility brings to my face the meaninglessness of existence.
6.4.1.3.1.1 The reflection and observation of cultivated sensibility drives my to question my individuality, namely my ego, and my relation with the world around me, namely all that is not my ego, and my death, namely the finitude of my existence.
6.4.1.4 Existential angst enables me to unconceal the truth of existence and exposes me to the reality of my world.
6.4.1.5 The thorough understanding, acceptance and overcoming of existential angst is the beginning of the transformation of consciousness.
6.4.1.6 The transformation of consciousness brings about the disappearance of the illusion of self.
6.4.1.7 The disappearance of the illusion of self is the first step beyond duality.
7. All is one and all is different.
Liberty Sea.
Our subject is consciousness. I will hereby attempt to briefly introduce my thoughts and observations on the subject.
Modern western philosophy began with Descartes's statement: "Cogito ergo sum" recognized as the only sure knowledge. The statement, however, is flawed as Descartes presupposed that the 'I' existed and that the action thinking was done by this 'I', or that there was such an action as thinking at all.
According to my observation, the truly accurate and certain statement must be: "Cognition exists." or "Consciousness exists." This is given, and from this we can process to develop certain knowledge about consciousness.
1. Consciousness exists.
2. Consciousness is a movement.
2.1 Consciousness changes constantly.
2.2 No consciousness stay the same between two consecutive moments.
2.3 Consciousness is no longer itself after a unit of time.
3. All movement of consciousness is inevitable.
3.1 All movement of consciousness is caused and conditioned.
4. All ordinary movement of consciousness remains trapped in the duality of the point of view and the pointed, of the viewer and the viewed, of the observer and the observed, of subject and object.
4.1 All ordinary movement consciousness has a vantage point, namely, a point of view, from which consciousness launches itself.
4.1.1 My ego is that vantage point ('I' is a vantage point).
4.1.1.1 I do not have an ego or a self beyond that vantage point.
4.1.1.1.1 My body is not my ego.
4.1.1.1.1.1 My body is but a totality of my parts.
4.1.1.1.1.2 My parts are my possessions.
4.1.1.1.1.3 My possessions are not me.
4.1.2 My vantage point does not realistically exist.
4.1.2.1 A vantage point is merely geometrical.
4.1.2.2 A vantage point is factually empty.
4.1.3 My ego does not realistically exist.
4.1.4 I do not have an inherent existence.
4.2 All consciousness is consciousness about something, launched toward something.
4.2.1 That something is my world.
4.2.1.1 My world is all that my consciousness perceives and all that is not my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.1 My consciousness is the reflection of my world.
4.2.1.1.2 My perceptions of my world is dependent on my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.2.1 I perceive my world as forms.
4.2.1.1.2.2 The existences and forms of all entities that my consciousness perceives are dependent on my vantage point.
4.2.1.1.3 My world is dependent on my consciousness.
4.2.1.1.3.1 No form exist independent of my perception.
4.2.1.1.3.2 Nothing possess form apart from what my consciousness perceives, namely my world.
4.2.1.1.4 My world is the only world I ever perceive.
4.2.1.1.4.1 What my consciousness perceives is all that I ever perceive.
4.2.1.1.4.2 My vantage point is the only point of view that I can ever possess.
4.2.1.2 I and my world are one.
4.2.1.2.1 The existence of a separation between I and my world is as realistic as the existence of my vantage point.
4.2.1.2.2 The separation is formed and strengthened through my educational environment in which 'I' have grown up.
4.2.1.2.3 Language strengthens the separation between I and my world.
4.2.1.2.3.1 All language is the result of categorization.
4.2.1.2.3.2 Language determines my thoughts.
4.2.1.2.3.2.1 My instincts and habits are petrified thought, established through a long history.
4.2.1.2.2 All ordinary movement of consciousness is pointed toward my world from my vantage point, but not self-pointed. In other word, consciousness at a particular moment is not conscious of itself and I am not conscious my own action right that moment.
4.2.1.2.3 My ordinary consciousness can only observe my past self and not my current self.
4.2.1.2.2.1 When I am happy I am not conscious my happiness.
4.2.1.2.2.2 When I am conscious of my happiness I am no longer happy.
4.3 Any merely oppositional movement of consciousness remains trapped in the networks of what it opposes.
5. Ordinary movement of consciousness is motivated by fear and at the same limited by fear, which is caused by the illusion of duality.
5.1 All ordinary movement of consciousness of caused, motivated by the deep-rooted desire for eventual pleasure, that is, to gratify itself. (Or to put it casually, we all want to feel good and everything we do is to achieve that good feeling, whether directly or indirectly, whether we are aware of it, whether we hasten or postpone it.)
5.2 All ordinary consciousness is limited by the fear of not being able to gratify itself.
5.2.1 All emotions is caused by this deep-rooted fear.
5.2.1.1 Emotions come through stimulation.
5.2.1.2 Emotions is the manifestation of the inability to accept the causes of emotions.
5.2.1.2.1 Emotions cannot end itself.
5.2.1.2.1.2 Emotions only breeds more emotions.
5.2.1.2.2 Emotions cannot be ended by thought.
5.2.1.2.2.1 Thoughts can intensify emotions.
5.2.1.2.3 At bottom there is only one emotion: fear.
5.2.1.4 The ordinary man doesn't want to be free from fear, because he doesn't want to be free from the bondage of emotions.
5.2.2 Emotions, caused by fear, prevent the cultivation of consciousness
5.2.2.1 Emotional pleasures are a distraction from fear, or a disguise of fear, generated by the desire to escape from the fear of loneliness.
5.2.2.1.1 All decadence of consciousness is caused by the escape from the fear of loneliness.
5.2.2.2 Loneliness is as realistic as the separation between I and my world.
5.2.2.2.1 Loneliness and fear strengthen each other.
5.2.2.2.2 Fear is caused by delusions.
6. Fear is overcome when all duality is transcended, including the duality of dualism and non-dualism.
6.1 Fear cannot be overcome through the rejection of fear.
6.1.2 The rejection of fear remains trapped in fear.
6.1.2.1 The rejection of emotions remain trapped in the network of emotions.
6.2 Fear can only be overcome the thorough understanding of fear, namely the piercing through delusions.
6.3 The through understanding of fear come through the cultivation of consciousness.
6.1 The cultivation of consciousness means to look at fear in the face, to accept loneliness and insecurity.
6.4 Genius is the cultivation of consciousness.
6.4.1 Genius is high sensibility fueled by passion.
6.4.1.2 Sensibility is enhanced perceptiveness, acute observativeness.
6.4.1.2.1 Logical ability it not itself sensibility and therefore not necessarily the nature of genius, but a faculty that can be strengthened by sensibility.
6.4.1.3 Cultivated and expanded sensibility and reflection bring about existential angst.
6.4.1.3.1 Cultivated and expanded sensibility brings to my face the meaninglessness of existence.
6.4.1.3.1.1 The reflection and observation of cultivated sensibility drives my to question my individuality, namely my ego, and my relation with the world around me, namely all that is not my ego, and my death, namely the finitude of my existence.
6.4.1.4 Existential angst enables me to unconceal the truth of existence and exposes me to the reality of my world.
6.4.1.5 The thorough understanding, acceptance and overcoming of existential angst is the beginning of the transformation of consciousness.
6.4.1.6 The transformation of consciousness brings about the disappearance of the illusion of self.
6.4.1.7 The disappearance of the illusion of self is the first step beyond duality.
7. All is one and all is different.
Liberty Sea.