Modalities of Thought - Language and Reality Pt.2

Content:
- 2.1 Thinking about Reality
- 2.2 Consciousness Addendum
- 2.3 Control, Conformity and Irresponsibility
- 2.4 Importance of Thought

Video

Audio

Download .mp3: Modalities of Thought - Language and Reality Pt.2

2.1 Thinking about Reality

General Grammar is a systematic method of gathering raw data of a similar nature into a body of knowledge, known as a subject, or study. Formal logic is the method of bringing full or intimate understanding to that body of knowledge. Grammar is like learning the alphabet, you are not sure what all these symbols mean, and you just take them in at first. First we observe and then gather and compile those observations into an organized database (grammar). Second, we process (logic) the data input, remove contradiction so that everything fits and follows from another. Thirdly, find some value and meaning to derive some use in it for our lives and what we do, our output (rhetoric) to express understanding into the world. We see, then conceptualize, then speak/do/act. Grammar uses the 5 senses to look at the individual parts and establish clear terms, logic thinks, filters/validates and fits the data together to form true premises, and rhetoric expresses that knowledge in a valid argument. A good reason to learn about the Trivium is because some people sell lies and most of us other people can’t discern correctly and buy into those lies.

“We’ve been fooled into mis-prioritizing what is most precious. When we fail to exercise our choice- to think or not to think- we become our own oppressors.” - Trivium Study Guide, p.15

The 3 parts of the Trivium are somewhat mirrored in the 3 ways of developing thought, the 3 basic pieces of how we express knowledge, 3 basic modes of human cognition. The first modality of developing thought and expressing pieces of knowledge is the mythological and poetic mode of literary-story-narrative communication, using analogical descriptions to elucidate reality. It is creative, imaginative, and uses imagery to convey messages. It is ambiguous. The second modality in human cognition is the philosophic mode that employs greater logical methodologies to explain reality. The third modality is the scientific mode that uses the scientific method to gain knowledge and understanding of reality through experimentation (empiricism).

Mythology is about thought, speech, stories, and narrative. Mythopoeic pertains to creating those myths. Myths are stories to relate abstract ideas from our minds. We take phenomena seen in nature and try to explain it through personification of phenomena. Take a thought you cannot actualize, and produce a mythology by relating it to an aspect of reality you can communicate. Turn the general idea into a personified object that doesn't really exist in objective reality as an extant concrete object. A fake mythology of society can also be created, where people are expected to accept it and not argue with this normalized narrative about ourselves, how we got here, how “good” things are, etc. The methods of mythology and poetics are of metaphor and simile, analogical comparisons. The analogies compare gathered data, from the universe and ourselves, against each other, to find similarity. This is the first and least structured of the 3 modalities. Keep this in mind when you read “history”, and the way people may have thought back then, in a mythopoeic narrative story-telling to metaphorically try to explain things, or invent a "history" of how they got to where they were. We can learn a lot from fictional allegories about our current reality provided in obfuscated means as to allow the allusions to be drawn by the receiver of the message. Though lacking refinement of symbol and logic to explain reality, the creative narrative is the basic method of conveying concepts, and is also a second basic form of cryptography (apart from the default of language itself), where representations in reality are not conveyed through their own word symbol, but through another symbol that needs to be interpreted to be understood as a reference to something else. This is imagery, a basic component of human consciousness.

The philosophic mode (Love of Wisdom - Care for Truth and Morality) goes beyond the basic grammatical organization of the mythopoeic first level creative capacities. As knowledge and symbolism were built up in certain sectors using the first modality through story, song and drama of verbal communication, there comes a limit to the amount of information that can be shared this way, as it depends on the memory and consciousness of the people sharing and interacting. The invention of symbols to store language outside of consciousness helped to spread knowledge. When enough data was written down, it could be better and more efficiently collated through synthesis and analysis. Philosophy progressed from the analogical to the logical form of thought, where phenomenon were looked at within their own nature, their own category of being, rather than inexact analogous comparisons of bare objects, events or phenomena. We look at things in themselves: something does what it does because of what it is (identity, causality), not because of how it relates to other things (analogy). Logic is used to detect and filter contradictions in the observations we coalesce.

Metaphysics helps us answer ‘what is’ regarding the matter of existence, the grammar knowledge. Epistemology looks at how do we know ‘what is’ using the mind, a theory of knowledge, the logic processing. Ethics and aesthetics looks at what do we do and how do we do it, the rhetorical wisdom of right-action. The purpose of philosophy is to answer the ethics and aesthetics of what to do in life, a moral philosophy, which brings us to the third modality of thought to understand reality with greater accuracy: the scientific method. This method can verify observations and phenomena by repeating a process of verification. It can help guide us in determining what is true or false, and therefore help in reality and morality (Natural Moral Law).

The scientific method is based in the previous aspects, but with more verification in physical reality to confirm the conclusion. Observe, gather data, and ask questions about reality and hypothesize some answers through intuitive induction, then deduce an experiment to demonstrate the most accurate hypothesis, and finally conduct the experiment in reality to corroborate the accuracy of the hypothesis and validate a theory. There are causal links between actions and effects that are detectable over time and will be seen with repeated demonstration. Overall, the scientific method is intended to demonstrate our hypothetical propositions about reality.

The Trivium components of grammar and logic are used to help distinguish objective existence from the unreality created in our minds. Reality is made of primary particular individual substances. Sub-stance has the thing that stands, that is perceivable with 5 senses in reality, and there is the thing that describes it, the subtext, universals, Natural Laws, etc.

First we develop a mythological person story (1^st phase), then look more and ask questions about it, (2^nd phase philosophical, epistemological), then manipulate or reproduce the substance (3^rd phase, science, experiment, demonstrate) by looking at subtext (universal) to see how complete our explanation is, then output into demonstration in objective reality to reproduce or modify the thing that stands, substance, along with the subtext universal, such as a Natural Law, that we have been able to discover in the progression of memory knowledge within ourselves or of humanity as a whole.

The logic and grammar helps us to look at things more closely, to look for answers and get closer to the natural proper explanation of these universals that exist and are manifesting through the natural world. The Trivium helps the development of subjective thought processes, along with trying to make the discoveries of Nature's Laws, and continually trying to align our thoughts with these Laws. Using the Trivium Method, mostly grammar and logic, helps us to put undifferentiated related data on a subject together in order to come to an understanding. It is taking a complex set of ideas and removing contradictions so that one thing follows from another as a coherent, integrated, unified and harmonized whole. Think properly, think for yourself. Start to question what you have been told. Find out what is in reality and what things mean.

Logic brings the internal subjective realm into alignment with the objective rhythm of reality to produce harmonious external manifestations. Logic helps us find and verify Truth. Over our lives we learn to synchronize our expressions of consciousness with objective reality. Contradictions need to be removed to produce harmony with reality, otherwise we can end up living in subjective realities that are not true reflections of what is happening in the world. Not knowing about possible dangers in reality is dangerous for our own well-being, hence why the knowledge of evil is paramount to Truth and Morality and creating the world we want. Deduction helps to provide additional proof to validate a conception through comparison and correspondence to objective reality. From the higher level concept we follow a self-consistent chain of causal relation to deduce back down to foundational concepts or axioms. The secondary level constructs need to be related to the primary foundational constructs that hold everything up in our understanding of reality. If there are contradictions, there is a problem. Some foundational axioms are consciousness, causality and existence itself. Proper effective use of logic maintains grounding in reality while allowing imagination and inductive intuition to formulate new ideas and then validating that search for knowledge through deduction. We need to dissect our own and other’s thoughts and expressions, and point out the contradictions and errors in understanding reality or themselves, that is the only way to find the truth accurately. As we bring our thoughts, emotions and actions into greater alignment with Truth and Morality, we evolve consciousness in greater degrees as well.

2.2 Consciousness Addendum

(continued from previous articles on the subject: here and here)

Consciousness is primarily a term that relates to knowledge and morality, as I previously demonstrated through etymology. There is another form of alleged "consciousness" (so-called) we can conceive of, the "ALL" pervasive "omnipotent" "omnipresent" "consciousness" of the "ONE" that underlies everything, the "one mind". From this different imagined "consciousness", everything, even rocks, are "consciousness", and the word becomes meaningless to talk about from our perspective we live in or from the etymology itself. Just as rocks are made of this underlying consciousness, so too are plants, animals and all matter. Plants are living biological matter, like animals, but they don’t have what is considered consciousness as the word was created in etymology. We should not engage in this false equivocation of the "all consciousness" when talking about the expressive consciousness of many species of animal kind, of mobility in action and behavior of expressing consciousness, of memory in storing specific knowledge, of recall of memory, in understanding word symbols, etc. Animals are animals, plants are plants. Humans are a step above the rest of the animals in consciousness capabilities and potential, and our symbolic understanding far exceeds the rest, while others excel in sight, hearing, taste, sensation, etc. Our excellence is in consciousness itself, which we can develop and harness for good or evil, or let go to waste in unmanifested potential and value.

Here is a breakdown of 3 basic levels of "consciousness" that various biological life forms can be said to express. Each successive level has the preceding level as part of it, like a species-genera loop if you are familiar with metaphysics (which will be presented partially later).

Direct sense experience, one stimulus and one automatic response. No memory. All life has this aspect. There is not conscious knowledge stored and recalled, but more of a response or alteration of basic survival programming to maximize longevity and existence of being. Genetic information is knowledge of a kind, but not the conscious knowledge that progresses in the evolution towards real consciousness, as the word really means. This level 1 is a base pre-consciousness that all biological life has.
Perception, memory. Awareness of things, entities, existents in physical universe, not the abstract existents. Percept is automatic: open your eyes, hear a sound, feel wind on your skin. Memory through perception stores sense-experiences and this allows for learning from the past, from trial and error and integrating various experiences. Most animals have this capacity (if not all?) and we can see them demonstrate it in reality with our own senses, we don't need technology to sense things beyond our given tools for existence to see the reality of basic animal consciousness and knowledge they possess.
Conceptual abstraction. Generalize one or more similar instances from particular retained memories, which is to identify universals. Green can be abstracted from frogs, leaves, grass, etc. The concept is communicated as a symbolic reference to reality. Abstractions can be compounded to build higher order, deeper, conceptual understanding of reality. Humans are the animal known to possess this capacity to the greatest degree. I would say some animals can process commonalities and differences in reality, and recognize a similar color, shape, sound, smell. Animals differ in degree of consciousness expressive capability in thought, emotion and action. Humans can express these three modalities to the greatest degree.

You could look at all the biological consciousness being the same, and the limitations are imposed by the biological life form unit that hosts the consciousness. If you do so, then plants are still not animals. Humans are animals, but with even more freedom of will and capacity to express consciousness, while other animals are in varying degrees of restriction in consciousness compared to us. But, animals are not plants. If you were stuck in a plant, then you don't have eyes, or ears, you don't interact with reality like animals do. You are food for the existence of animals to be possible. This is a primary purpose of plants in this alleged progression in evolution of consciousness, for without plants no animal life would possibly exist. After plants, come various degrees of animals, and it seem humans have the greatest potential to manifest in reality through the expressions of their consciousness. So, if you choose to look at the "ALL consciousness", minerals are at the bottom, then plants, then animals. You cannot fallaciously equivocate plants with animals, nor either of those with minerals. If we could simply eat something else other than plants and spare their limited consciousness and let them continue existing, then we could do that, and it would be more "right" to do so. As reality is demonstrated to all, though, plants are required to sustain animal life as we currently know it. Maybe human animals can evolve beyond this to breatharianism, or some such thing. We have this greater capacity for thought in consciousness, and we have greater power that comes with that capacity, great power for evil or good. With great power comes great responsibility. Morality is a primary purpose in evolving consciousness. We are responsible to Truth and Morality as higher order consciousness beings.

2.3 Control, Conformity and Irresponsibility

We need to do this work of developing our thought capacity. The current society creates strong co-dependence with overspecialization in many aspects of life, from our jobs, to specific knowledge and media exposure that promotes less thinking and less depth of thought. The specialization on certain aspects of human constructs for living in falsity, or distractions and pleasure, focuses attention away from other more meaningful aspects of ourselves and the world. There are not enough generalists to look at the bigger picture as people are limited in their scope and input of knowledge. The selective media input and superficial concern with physical presentation, with cosmetics, keeps people infatuated with the many appearances and idolatry in the media, keeping them titillated or numbed and unconcerned with developing their higher order consciousness capacities in thought.

People get stuck in the appearance of particulars, over the substance of meaning and definition found in the essential substance underlying it all which would allow them to see the deceptive illusions for what they are and also the clarity to get back to the Right Path and Way. The overspecialization and restriction of ways of living can be seen in the caste system: to divide people into specific aspects of life and require each other to complete the overall system's functionality that serves the overlords. This includes basic survival mechanisms being removed from the individual. This is the co-dependence and enslavement through coerced economic survivability. Movies like Divergent display this explicitly, and how the compartmentalization of aspects of living divided people within themselves and prevented them from actualizing themselves. The one who had all 5 aspects was deemed a threat to the existing social order as they were non-conformist. They had more aspects of living authentic. Overspecialization breeds weakness and devolution, in general, through the removal of adaptability of the individual.

Related to specialization is the resulting compartmentalization that comes from focusing on only certain things. This leads to a lack of responsibility as a whole, as then we only need to be focusing on our jobs, and what we want, desire or wish for in life. Only do what you think and feel you need to. Only do what your specific job requires. Let other people do their jobs. Don't defend yourself, there is a job for that, police take care of that for you. Don't prepare food for yourself, there is a job for other people to do that for you. Don't grow your own food, there are jobs for people to do that for you...

Hmmm.... there is a problem, but the people in the jobs are busy and can't deal with the problem. I guess we do nothing and wait, wait for someone else to take up the responsibility according to their job. When there is a problem, we can just hold someone else accountable. We don't have to deal with it, it's not our job, it's not our compartment, that's for the politicians or policemen, etc. This laziness from the workplace gets into regular life. Then we get to our enslavement, if you're not a part of the system, you don't have anything. If you are not part of the compartmentalization, then you do not have the opportunity to survive and must live on the street.

"It's someone else's job to fix the system and all the problems, not mine to go learn about reality."

The one's we are waiting for, are ourselves. The somebody to fix things, is you, me and all of us. Every person needs to learn and seek Truth to eventually find the depth of the moral baseline to live from in order to create True Freedom and Peace. Removal of wrong-doings, removal of errors, removal of evil, is more important than creating a bunch of things that will continue to distract us from ourselves, our behavior and how we create evil.

2.4 Importance of Thought

Thinking identifies aspects of reality and corresponds them with symbols to logically connect and communicate that knowledge. Thinking right, correctly and properly is to bring perceptions into alignment with reality. Recognizing wrongness is a result of comparison in reality and seeing a contradiction between things -- something doesn't fit.

Observe reality, process the data to form concepts, then verify the concepts for contradiction, and reach greater understanding. The conclusion about reality is tested through reference to reality and its facts therein, and can be confirmed by others once this understanding is expressed to them.

The Trivium Method is likened to Alchemy and Natural Moral Law Expressions of Behavior, as previously mentioned in Part 1. These models can help us learn about ourselves and reality in order to Evolve Consciousness. Through proper thought, in contemplation, reflection, concentration, and true meditation of the mental imagery that exists within us, we can accurately model the actions and relationships before they happen, and predict what the result of specific behavior will be (synderesis). We don’t have to keep repeating the same actions, the same mistakes. This process is pro-active and requires the focus of the free will to choose to engage in it. It is not automatic impressions as is the initial perceptual apprehension of reality. This pro-active conscious awareness of reality through the imagery in our minds, will lead to greater evolution in consciousness.

Thinking is important. It provides for the acquisition of knowledge. Knowledge that is hidden, occulted knowledge, often creates a power differential between those who have the knowledge and those who don’t. With quality thinking and judgments on the information we receive, we can retain the quality knowledge and use them to guide our decisions for living, our actions and behaviors. The quality of knowledge derived from understanding reality and ourselves will lead to a greater quality of life. Truth leads to freedom. People can be prevented from thinking properly and making sound judgments by restricting information and occulting it. This is a method to dumb people down as it undermines their ability to make knowledgeable decisions in life. Their capacity to develop intellectual self-defense is manipulated and stifled by garbage information. People are easily fooled by false information because they do not know how to validate it correctly. To develop our capacity for thought and discernment of reality is to help increase the degree of certainty we have, to distinguish reality from unreality/fiction.

This topic of occulting reality, encrypting it, will be in Part 3. This is why we must think better, because there are master manipulators of thought who have spent much time developing their capacity of thought.

Previous article: Trivium in Reality – Language and Reality Pt.1

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