Quote:
Originally Posted by deloprator2000  Western metaphysics originated with Greek Philosopher Parmenides, he was the first (in the western world) to think of the idea of the entity. The entity is the "thing in itself" an object without reference to any sensory impressions.
The following comes from Julian Marias "History of Philosophy", Dover edition pg 22:
The predicates of the entity are:
1. The entity is present. The things (things are different from entity), insofar as they are, are present to the mind. The entity neither was nor will be; it is now, in the present.
2. All things are entities; that is they are. They are enveloped by being; they are united, one.
3. Furthermore, the entity is immovable. Motion is understood as a mode of being. Coming to be or ceasing to be implies a duality of entities, and the Entity is one. For this reason, from its own point of view, the entity is homogeneous and indivisible.
4. The Entity is full; it has no empty spaces. ... If something happened to be outside the Entity, it would not exist, and if something existed outside the entity, it would be - that is, it would be the Entity.
5. For the same reason, the Entity is uncreated and imperishable. The contrary would imply non-being, which is impossible.
Of course, you can see some problems with this notion of the entity; Aristotle resolves most of these problems. The most important thing here is that the notion of the entity came into being.
This notion has many of the same predicates as similar notions in Indian philosophy. The reason why we have not learned of western metaphysics is because British philosophy has, almost from the inception of England, been empirical and they rarely focus on, or believe in metaphysical issues. Since most English-speaking countries inherited the same philosophical outlook we are unaware of the vast tracts of metaphysics written from the western perspective. |
Dear deloprator:
It seems you've struck a chord related to the Theory of Everything here.
I'm surprised you aren't receiving more responses.
Are your familiar with the works of Kierkagaard and Buber? They were existentialists - reflecting on the way things - entities - are, but metaphysics is also the way things are (whether we are aware of them or not).
I applaud your post and will give it more thought and try to make a meaninful contribution. I hope others do the same.
Best regards.
- RP