What is the Paradox of Existence?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the concept of the Paradox of Existence, exploring its implications across philosophical, scientific, and existential dimensions. Participants examine various explanations for existence, the nature of infinity, and the limitations of human understanding in rationalizing existence.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Philosophical reasoning
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that existence is inherently paradoxical and irrational, suggesting that attempts to rationalize it may be futile.
  • Others argue that the idea of existence simply "is" and that questioning it can lead to destructive solipsism.
  • A viewpoint is presented that paradoxes may stem from the limitations of language and human perception, though this remains unsubstantiated.
  • The concept of infinity is discussed as a potential explanation for existence, yet it is noted that infinity itself is paradoxical and cannot be logically or mathematically proven without leading to contradictions.
  • Historical references to thinkers like Lao Tzu and William Blake are made to illustrate the complex nature of infinity and existence.
  • Some participants highlight that science has not proven any form of infinity exists in the real world, reinforcing the paradoxical nature of existence.
  • There is a suggestion that the foundations of logic, philosophy, and science may be dubious due to the persistent paradox of existence.
  • Despite the challenges, a belief is expressed that progress in understanding existence may accelerate, particularly in relation to concepts in Quantum Mechanics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the nature of existence or the validity of proposed explanations. Multiple competing views remain, with ongoing debate about the implications of paradoxes and infinity.

Contextual Notes

The discussion acknowledges limitations in understanding existence, particularly regarding the definitions of infinity and the unresolved nature of paradoxes. The scope of the conversation is broad, touching on philosophical, scientific, and existential themes without definitive conclusions.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring philosophical inquiries into existence, the nature of infinity, and the intersections of science and philosophy.

  • #91
Originally posted by wuliheron
Sorry, but looking out my window the Earth looks flat. That doesn't mean it is a fact that the Earth is flat. Existence is demonstrably paradoxical, but at the same time it shows signs of being rational as well. Without a way to prove or disprove it either way all we can do is accept the evidence of our eyes until proven otherwise, but that doesn't mean we have to assume it is a "fact".

And the Earth is not demonstrably flat, it merely appears to be so.

Anyway, if all you are saying is that people have yet to figure out what to make of existence, then I have misjudged the thread.
 
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  • #92
And the Earth is not demonstrably flat, it merely appears to be so.

The Earth is demonstrably flat to a certain extent. Enough of an extent that people widely assumed it was flat for eons. Today we can demonstrate that this is merely an effect of scale, but you can still demonstrate that it appears flat as well.

Anyway, if all you are saying is that people have yet to figure out what to make of existence, then I have misjudged the thread.

I'm saying it may not even have a rational explanation, at least not one we can understand. Unlike the flat earth, perceiving any meaning or order or origin of existence may just be beyond our ability to comprehend much less perceive. This also means that ultimately everything science investigates may prove incomprehensible. Eventually each science in turn may find itself doing a bit of navel gazing without making any further progress in certain areas.

In the case of Quantum Mechanics and other areas the most useful thing to do in the meantime has turned out to be revising Aristotlian logic and studying the subject of paradox on its own more qualitative, contextual, and allegorical level. None of these have proven to be easy tasks by any stretch of the imagination, but they have proven to be exceptionally fruitful.
 

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