On Being and Existence
In discussing the problem of existence, the first question must be, “do we
exist”? That is, can we know we exist, or exist to know that we are, if indeed
such a question may be known to exist to be asked. By “existence”, I refer,
of course, to existential existence as a state of being, as opposed to existing
in the sense of seeming to be, or being in a state of seeming to exist as a being,
while being, in reality, in a non-existing state of being. To put it in clearer terms;
does there exist an existence which can be said to be being, rather than there
being a being in a state of non-being?
This question is one which has long puzzled eminent philosophers, and upon
re-reading the above, this does not surprise me one bit! Descartes touched on the
problem when he wrote “I think therefore I am”. What he thought that he was,
he omitted to say, or possibly this illustrated the existibility of existiveness,
if such may be. However, be that as it may, can mankind be said to exist
based on the above criteria, and if not, by whom can this be said?
To summarize, can the universe really be said to be, and why, and where
exactly? And why does it have to take up so much space?
Arnold K 1980