SUMMARY
It’s often said “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
To the atheist, the burden of proof for the existence of a “god” (broadly defined as a conscious force behind the creation of the universe) is quite high. The atheist protests the universe is so extraordinary, it requires extraordinary evidence of a creator. That extraordinary evidence, the atheist says, does not exist.
The theist responds that the evidence of the creator is the universe itself: a phenomenon so extraordinary — an “everywhere” coming into being seemingly from nowhere, outside of which nothing can exist (including nothingness itself) — it could only be the product of the most extraordinary of causes: something so limitless that being conscious should be the least of its abilities.
To Supermetaphysics, the balance between these two arguments is more than coincidence: it is intentional.
Supermetaphysics believes the universe was intentionally created, with star systems (incubators born of hydrogen and gravitation) “breeding grounds” for life, with the ultimate goal of allowing consciousness to find its full expression without being influenced by knowledge of the universe’s origins.
Put another way, perfect knowledge of the existence of a universal plan would cause conscious beings to behave a certain way; perfect knowledge of its meaninglessness would influence people to behave in a different way.
Free will can only exist in a universe in which the two possibilities exist in perfect balance; in perfect, unknowable ambiguity.
And it is in this perfect balance that Supermetaphysics sees a clue to the existence of a creator, even as we understand the nature of this creator can never be known. By design.
What is “supermetaphysics?”
- Physics (Latin “physica”) is all of our universe’s physical properties, from quanta to galactic superclusters.
- Metaphysics (Latin “metaphysica”: beyond or after physics) is a general term for anything that theoretically may exist outside of this physical realm. (Which is why it’s often used to describe the world of the spiritual, encompassing ideas of “god,” or anything that can’t be measured or understood by science.)
- “Supermetaphysics” combines two Latin words, “super” (above) and “meta” (beyond), to give a name to everything: i.e., the physical and metaphysical universes, combined.
Supermetaphysics, simply put, is a “top-view” of the entire universe, exploring its combined physical and spiritual nature.
I. THE BASICS
The following is an attempt to come to some conclusions about the ultimate nature and purpose the universe.
It attempts to explain:
- Why the purpose of the universe remains so inscrutable
- Why our lives follow measurable (i.e., empirically observable) patterns based on the quality of our actions, and
- Why the universe we perceive looks the way it does
Tenet one.
Impossibility of full knowledge of “whole reality” is “by design.”
Although the origin of the universe may one day be discovered, the origins of “whole reality” (or what we call “supermetaphysics”) can never be known. This is by design, as knowing an answer would interfere with free will. However, some aspects of “whole reality” may be deduced. (More below.)
Tenet two.
The universe was created as a breeding ground for consciousness.
The universe was created with a purpose: as a breeding ground for consciousness imbued with free will. Consciousness and free will are inextricably linked: one cannot exist without the other. (More below.)
Tenet three.
“Evil” (the undesirable) is necessary for consciousness. (See “problem of evil.”)
“Evil,” at root, is anything we do not wish. (“Evil” is simply the most extreme form of the undesirable.)
“Evil” (bad stuff) is therefore a necessary component of the universe if we are to have free will.
Why?
Because without things we do not want, no decisions could be made.
Choice is informed by desire (or preference). Desire is, of course, governed wholly by pleasure and pain. We desire the pleasurable.
Given ANY two choices, ONE of the two must always be slightly preferable.
Without pleasure or pain, there would be no desire, and thus no preference. Do I look left, or do I look right? With no preference, there would be no choice: just a mindless, randomized movement.
No evil (undesirable circumstances) = No preference = No choice to make = No consciousness
And as every thought also involves choice, without preference, thought itself would ground to a halt.
No pain, no consciousness. (Thought experiment.)
II. Suppositions
Supposition 1. Solar systems are nests.
- The structure of the universe was specifically designed to create a breeding ground for organisms with free will. The key structure of the universe, the solar system, is merely an incubator. Stars are heat lamps. Planets are nests. This flows from the intentional nature of the universe. If the universe was created for the sake of consciousness, then it reasons solar systems were “purpose built,” to create the circumstances for that consciousness.
Supposition 2. The universe is governed by spiritual laws.
- The universe follows spiritual laws. All creatures of free will are hurt or rewarded accordingly. The main spiritual guideline is to nurture others. Our degree of happiness is linked directly and inextricably to how well we achieve this one task. This flows from the solution to the “problem of evil.” (Since we must make choices to be conscious, and the universe was purpose built, it would reasonably follow our choices also follow a contour of larger purpose.)
Supposition 3. Biology follows an evolutionary pattern toward greater consciousness and empathy over time.
- Life evolves naturally in the direction of greater consciousness (greater awareness of — and ability to interact with — an environment) and empathy and nurturing toward others, because all non-nurturing strategies impede life’s evolutionary development. Not only is this a readily observable trend from study of the 600 million-year history of life, but also flows from the above.
Supposition 4. The afterlife.
- Exactly as the origin of “whole reality” can never be ascertained — because it would interfere immediately with our free will — what happens after our lives also must remain inscrutable, or it would interfere with our free will. This is also by design. This also flows from Tenet 1.
# # #