this is where we begin:
with consciousness in the world
this I argue is realism plain and simple
the human being as a two dimensional entity
the dimensions are internality and externality
the inside and the outside: mind and matter
mind and matter on this view are not substances - rather dimensions
dimensions of a singularity
how to characterize the unity?
we can only see inside and out -
we can thus only characterize internally and externally
as for the view from above - the third view - the view sub specie aeternitatis - there is
no such perspective
the unity as such is unknown
or the unity above and beyond its dimensions is unknown
OK
still it might be put that we only know this - if we know it - through consciousness
the idea being that internality and externality (mind and matter) are only - and finally
categories of consciousness
if so - the argument goes - all that is presented is an Idealistic picture
that all there is - is consciousness and its characterizations
so what of such an argument - is Idealism unavoidable?
my view is that consciousness recognizes itself as inside -
as inside the non-conscious dimension of the world
so crucial to the recognition of consciousness is a recognition of reality - outside of
consciousness
and the argument is that consciousness would not recognize itself - otherwise
could not distinguish itself - which in fact it clearly does
it distinguishes and defines itself dimensionally
in the absence of this dimensional distinction conscious could not recognize itself
which is to say consciousness would be unaware
that consciousness would not be - consciousness
what can the Idealist say to this -
that this recognition is illusory?
always the question is open - but is this particular question a sensible one?
can consciousness recognize itself as anything other than in the world?
I think not
but of the world?
is not the world only known via consciousness?
yes - quite true
and is what we know of the world only known in terms of consciousness' categories
indeed
nevertheless - the object of consciousness is that which is outside of consciousness
and what can we say of the outside without consciousness?
we cannot say anything
or to be more precise we can only say we do not know - we cannot know
there is no knowledge in the absence of consciousness
a world without consciousness is just that - an unknown and unknowable reality
all knowledge is a function of consciousness
knowledge is the natural expression of consciousness being in the world
consciousness itself - is thus a feature of the world - an attribute of it
which is to say consciousness depends on the world
the world does not depend on consciousness
p.s.
a note on Idealism and Materialism
Idealism amounts to the view that the world is one dimensional - that it has no outside
that the inside is all there is
the question to be asked is - the inside of what?
for on such a view there is no outside dimension
it is clear that you cannot maintain the argument of an inside dimension - of
consciousness - unless you can assert confidently that there corresponds an outside
dimension
with regard to Materialism -
a one dimensional world that is external - and has no internality - is not knowable -
therefore it cannot be asserted in the first place - it is non-sensical
the overall point is - that which is dimensional - has an ontological structure
and the ontological structure of a thing is its logic
it is what makes it what it is
to suggest that you can reduce a two dimensional entity to a one dimensional entity
is to argue illogically
it is to assume you can make something into what it is not
p.p.s.
a note on dimensions
a dimensional analysis of reality or of the mind-body relation is not a substance
analysis
dimensional analysis - is in the philosophical setting - a geometric analysis - let us
term this kind of analysis - meta geometrics
in real or practical terms - it is a structural analysis (a meta structural analysis)
in a 'theoretical' or mathematical sense - it is a formal analysis -
the point is that what exists (substance theories) are irrelevant - and non-productive -
in terms of ontological understanding - substance theories have held up any progress
on the question of the nature of things
first off we need to know what kind of thing we are dealing with - (and substance does
not deal with kind or type - substance theories are weak here because they undercut or
can undercut any formal / structural / meta geometric analysis) - and the way to
approach the problem of the nature of things is to first determine the type of the thing
what kind of thing do we have here?
what is its form - its structure?
a dimensional analysis is the beginning of an answer to these questions
if we ascertain the meta dimensions of a thing - we can begin to understand its nature
and dynamic
the issue is not as Spinoza thought - attributes of substance - it is dimensions of an
unknown unity
where we begin is with consciousness in the world
consciousness as the internal dimensions in a non-conscious external dimension
beyond these dimensions of internality and externality is the unknown
