Soulful Conviction

From the previous two posts on goodness we have made several propositions and allusions. We state that all things exist with a meaning or qualia, and from a backdoor approach using human intuition we state that this qualia that we speak about is indeed the essence of goodness. We then proceed to identify two distinct perspectives of value that persist throughout creation. From this we borrowed the concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, and stated that all things have an objective metaphysical value as well as a subjective purpose relative to the perspective of man. We state that these two viewpoints are one in essence, and the proposition of subjective goodness actually stems from the outcome of the diverse permutations of determinism. It is from the infinite permutations of determinism that freedom (and free will) manifests, and it is in this freedom the subjective view that we may see how objective entities (i.e. a stone) may have an added qualia towards the individual. As these two perspectives are fundamentally based on the principle of determinism and causality, therefore both quale may be inter-converted, and it becomes perfectly valid to state that the objective purpose of the stone was for my benefit to build my house.

Along the way we have made an important discovery. From the infinite permutations of determinism, just like via the infinite domain of databases of a computer- we see that the essence of human life holds a potential infinitely more diverse, complex and profound than the purposeful outcome of a single deterministic principle.  From this statement we see the objective potential of mankind- as an entity completely free to expand on his domain, just as long as it does not clash with fundamental deterministic principles (i.e. time travel or defying the fundamental laws of nature). Yet we know that potential of man does not necessarily equate that man is infinitely good. We intuitively know that there is a difference of ‘possibly’ and ‘actually’; similarly, from the infinite permutations of determinism we know that some lifestyles are still objectively ‘better’ than others.

Now, this has been the crux of the living best postulate. From the beginnings of Project RN (T) we have already observed that there are certain lifestyles that will be better than others. This difference is evident as we compare the lifestyles of the retro junkie without love or care as compared to the decent child filled with love and spunk (you know who I am referring to). While both lifestyles are lived by humans- with an infinite potential of meaning and goodness, yet we know that it was the different combination of factors that had led (them) to live objectively different lifestyles.

At this point of time, some of us would argue that the free will we advocate is actually no more than an illusion created in determinism. There are many possible permutations (lifestyles) that we may lead, but in actual truth there is only one combination of lifestyle that had actually built up our individualities as we see to today. The retro junkie can therefore be not convicted of drug abuse, since although there was an infinitely possible ways for him to act otherwise, he was still in a way compelled by a chain of circumstances that had led to the eventual action of him sniffing glue in the toilet on the 12th May. This argument, as argued, is valid as it has seen practical usage in jurisdictions: certain convicts are pardoned owing to the reason of malady that disallows him to make a free choice at that point in time. If we were to introspect the psychological spectrum across individuals, we would see that all men are in some form obstructed by mindsets and emotions that would pose limit to his ‘freedom’.

What if man was not free? Such a realization would definitely devalue the qualia of man himself, putting him no higher than the qualia of sticks and stones; except probably that we have underwent much more deterministic processes. Yet, the distinction between both theories lie fundamentally upon the issue of conviction, or at least how much the proponent believes he has the ability to break free from circumstantial outcomes. We know for a fact that life in essence was a move against the natural laws of thermodynamics (metaphysically, this tends to the eventual sub-state of being- in line with the outcomes of circumstantial causality). It is in this phenomenon of life that subjective conviction had arisen- as a means of ‘going against the flow’. Indeed, such freedom may initially be an illusion- but it is the conviction of this illusion that allows the proponent’s subsequent actions to manifest. Now, it is in these manifestations made real that proves that the initial ‘illusion’ of conviction must exist, since existence cannot manifest from voidness without real intent.

Similarly, how do we know that human achievements are real? It is fundamentally from this set of convicting beliefs that allow us to acknowledge our existence. And from the manifestation of actions in our ‘belief that we are alive’ we can see and confirm the truth and validity of life and work. Definitely, we have heard many times before that the freedom to change can only manifest from the conviction of the soul, or when we believe that we can. The difference between wishful thinking, and truthful actions, would thus lie in the faculty of conviction- and subsequent manifestation from that initial conviction.

What then lies in the heart of human conviction? Intuitively, this answer has to be goodness. Since goodness, conviction and intent come hand in hand to form being, truth and progress. It was from the intent of creation that creation itself can manifest, just as how it was the dream of success of a businessman that had sparked out his campaign to realize that dream. Now, if human conviction is analogous to goodness, or qualia- and it is in this conviction manifestation may occur, to where are we leading ourselves exactly?

Surely many of us would have heard of the concept of the soul. The soul has been defined by many religions to be a transcendent of the material body- encompassing the entirety of one’s consciousness and personality. The soul and the psyche are synonymous, although the former is usually referred to in a metaphysical dimension while the latter has physical connotations. In essence, the soul and psyche are both idealistic embodiments of the self, while the material body forms up the materialistic counterpart. In part 3 on identity, we had collectively addressed this idealistic embodiment as a psychological entity. We will, however, redefine this idealistic embodiment in light of goodness.

Strictly speaking- the relation of the soul to the psyche is synonymous to that of the intent and the mechanism. While the psyche is subject to physical analysis and determinism, a collective feedback between self projection and social influences; the soul transcends this mere ‘psychology’ of the self to encompass elements of qualia, goodness, meaning and purpose. In other words, the psyche and the soul accounts for a truthful mechanism, and the qualitative meaning of humanity respectively. This postulation is partially derived from goodness-truth theory of life.

It is no wonder that Christianity advocates the existence of the soul at the point of conception, way beyond the human psyche may even take complete form. It is also of no wonder why the church stands against the legalization of abortion. Should the above postulation hold truth, then it is no more than commonsense that the purpose for man must be formed before the corresponding action-mechanisms of the psyche may manifest. It is in this realization that the arguments against abortions may be unified: The intent of one man overwrites the natural (God’s) intent, through the arbitrary denial of the psyche (and the physical body) to the child to manifest- originally meant for goodness. Such a move can now be seen as a move of treason against the progress of goodness.

Finally, it’s now clear why the human life was formed at conception and is regarded as sacred qualitatively.
Let us return back to our discussion of the soul and the intent. From the above paragraphs, we now realize that the soul is actually the seat of higher intents, as well as the seat for human conviction and qualitative experiences. Just as how the psyche is the seat of self and social projections of humanity in general. As we attempt to tie in human conviction through the belief of free will, we see that it is actually the soul, or at least the human spirit, that allows us to see a higher purpose in life that transcends the deterministic nature of sticks and rocks. It is from the soul, or con-anima, that man has the capacity to convict on top of reasoning logically. While the psyche reasons out, playing out the traits of the individual implicitly through subjective interpretation of facts, the soul provides the mechanism of intent and conviction to believe, invoke and see meaningful interpretation in the experiences that the body (and psyche) feedbacks.

Likewise, it is now of little wonder why humanity has distinct the ‘heart’ from the ‘mind’ since the beginning of civilization. A man who follows his beliefs was previously said to be a ‘strong in heart’.
We know now that these two terms actually transcript to the ‘soul’ and ‘psyche’ respectively. And just as how goodness and truth come hand in hand (with the body, which we will come to in the theory of Beauty) to give purpose and being to existence; add on to the fact that man was created with an added purpose as a co-creator and steward, we now see that the soul is indeed the source and intent of human convictions.

It has been said that what makes a human truly human is a person not only with feelings and emotions. Feelings and emotions, in the strictest definition, are no more than chemical plays on the human mind. They too can be reproduced and manipulated scientifically (in the form of drugs) to actually fool people with empty emotions. Rather, as we now slowly begin to realize, what defines and distinguishes man as a ‘sacred’ entity is actually the purposeful conviction (to the self) that these emotions entail. This it is in this conviction that realizes our difference from objects undergoing thermodynamic causality, our higher potential for life, and our ultimate realization of our meaning of life.

All these within a state of being of the transcendental soul.