Meta - Ontology
Categories • Concepts • Principles
Meditating & Contemplating
Metaphysical ontology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of existence, the nature of being, and the structure of reality.
As an existential philosophy, it is concerned with the study of the nature of being and existence, and how it relates to other aspects of reality such as time, space, causality, and substance.
It seeks to determine what it means for something to exist, what kinds of things exist, and how they are related. It also explores questions about their relationship between mind and matter, the nature of causality, and the nature of time and space.
Metaphysical ontology often deals with questions related to the nature of being, the nature of substances, and the relationships between different entities in the universe. In the case of the soul, metaphysical ontology may explore questions such as:
- What is the essence of the soul? What is it made of?
- Is the soul a separate, immaterial entity, or is it intricately connected to the physical body and mind?
- Does the soul have an enduring existence beyond the physical realm (immortality), or is it inherently tied to the lifespan of an individual?
- How does the soul relate to consciousness and personal identity?
- What is the role of the soul in shaping our human experiences and interactions with the world?
Meta-ontology is a branch of philosophy that seeks to uncover the deeper, often abstract, aspects of reality that underlie our experiences and perceptions. As such, it invites contemplation of these profound questions to better understand the soul's place in the grand scheme of reality and to explore the nature of existence beyond the physical and material aspects of life.
꘏ Ontological Categories ꘏
Ontologists often try to determine what the categories of highest kinds are and how they form a system of categories that encompasses the classification of all entities. Commonly, proposed categories include substances, properties, relations, states of affairs, and events.
Ontological categories are the fundamental categories that encompass the classification of all entities and are characterized by fundamental ontological concepts, and are important in understanding the nature of reality and the entities that exist within it.
Here is a list of the ontological categories:
• Properties : Properties are attributes that are possessed by substances. They are universal entities that can be predicated of substances.
• Relations : Relations are entities that exist between substances. They are often defined in terms of the ways in which substances are related to one another.
• States of affairs : States of affairs are complex entities that involve the combination of substances, properties, and relations. They are often used to describe situations or events.
• Events : Events are entities that occur in time and involve changes in substances or states of affairs. They are often studied in the context of event causation.
ত Substances (*)
In ontology, substances are entities that are ontologically independent and able to exist all by themselves. They are the basic individuals that give unity to our spatio-temporal framework, and the individuation and re-identification of which enables us to locate ourselves in that framework.
Substances are often contrasted with properties, which are aspects, features, or characteristics that objects (and classes) can have.
According to substance theory, objects are constituted each by a substance and properties borne by the substance but distinct from it. In this role, a substance can be referred to as a substratum or a thing-in-itself.
Substances are particulars that are ontologically independent: they are able to exist all by themselves. Another defining feature often attributed to substances is their ability to undergo changes. Changes involve something existing before, during, and after the change. They can be described in terms of a persisting substance gaining or losing properties.
Substances are a key concept in ontology, which is the philosophical study of being. Aristotle used the term "substance" (Greek: οὐσία ousia) in a secondary sense for genera and species understood as hylomorphic forms (*).
ত Properties
In ontology, properties are entities that can be predicated of things or attributed to them. They are often called predicables and are also referred to as attributes, qualities, features, characteristics, or types. Properties are ways things are, entities that things exemplify or instantiate.
Properties can be classified into different types, including:
• Individuals - instances or objects (the basic or "ground level" objects; the tokens).
• Classes - sets, collections, concepts, types of objects, or kinds of things.
• Attributes - aspects, properties, features, characteristics, or parameters that objects (and classes) can have.
• Relations - ways in which classes and individuals can be related to one another.
• Function terms - expressions that combine individuals and/or other function terms to form complex expressions.
Properties are also known as universals, tropes, natural classes, and resemblance classes. The study of properties is important in ontology because it helps to understand the nature of objects and their relationships to one another.
ত Relations
In
ontology, relations are entities that specify how objects are related
to other objects. Relations are often of a particular type or class that
specifies in what sense the object is related to the other object in
the ontology.
A relational ontology acknowledges that entities are related to other entities and that the relations between entities are ontologically more fundamental than the entities themselves.
Relationship ontology is a formalization of the ways in which entities are associated. It provides a set of relationship types (concepts or terms) that are typically with human-readable definitions of each type and machine-readable definitions of their relations
The main contention of a relational ontology is that the relations between entities are ontologically more fundamental than the entities themselves. A common type of relations is the mereology relation, written as part-of, that represents how objects combine to form composite objects.
Relations are used to link categories together, and they are an important part of the structure of ontologies. Relation types are sometimes domain-specific and are then used to store specific kinds of facts or to answer particular types of questions
Key points about relations in ontology:
- The is_a (or subtype) relation is the central structuring relation of an ontology.
- The set of used relation types (classes of relations) and their subsumption hierarchy describe the expression power of the language in which the ontology is expressed.
- The set of relations describes the semantics of the domain, including its various semantic relations, such as synonymy, hyponymy, and hypernymy, coordinate relation, and others
ত States of Affairs
In ontology, a state of affairs is a way the actual world must be in order to make some given proposition about the actual world's truth. In other words, a state of affairs is a truth-maker, whereas a proposition is a truth-bearer.
States of affairs are complex entities that are built up from or constituted by other entities. Atomic states of affairs are constituted by one particular and one property exemplified by this particular.
For example, the state of affairs that Socrates is wise is constituted by the particular "Socrates" and the property "wise". Relational states of affairs involve several particulars and a relation connecting them.
A proposition is true if and only if the state of affairs it corresponds to obtains, and it is false if and only if the state of affairs it corresponds to does not obtain.
States of affairs are also used to explain the nature of facts, which are often identified with obtaining states of affairs.
ত Events
In ontology, events are entities that describe things that happen or occur. They are central elements in the representation of data from a variety of domains, such as history, cultural heritage, geography, and multimedia.
They are used to explain the nature of change and causation, and are often modeled as reified entities that have a location, a time, and active agents.
The categorization of events in ontology varies depending on the domain and the purpose of the ontology. Some examples of categorization of events include the Simple Event Model (SEM), the Event Ontology, and the Stanford Events Calendar system.
Events can be categorized based on their time, place, type, context, purpose, and size.
The Simple Event Model (SEM) is an ontology for modeling events in various subject domains. It captures the time and place aspects of a domain and provides a way to describe complicated relations between people, places, actions, and objects
꘏ Ontological Concepts ꘏
In ontology, a concept is an abstract idea or a mental representation of a category of objects, events, or relations. Concepts are used to represent the meaning of terms and to organize knowledge into a structured system.
The term is used as to refer to a general category or class of things that share common properties or characteristics.
The categorization of concepts in ontology varies depending on the domain and the purpose of the ontology. Some examples of categorization of concepts include flat vs. polycategorical vs. hierarchical, upper ontology, domain ontology, interface ontology, and process ontology
All ontological categories are characterized by fundamental ontological concepts, including
- particularity and universality
- abstractness, and concreteness
- possibility and necessity
Of special interest is the concept of ontological dependence, which determines whether the entities of a category exist on the most. Fundamental level disagreements within ontology are often about whether entities belonging to a certain category exist, and if so, how they are related to other entities.
ত Particulars and universals
In meta-ontology, the concepts of particulars and universals are used to explain the relationship between individuals and properties.
Particulars or individuals are usually contrasted with universals.
For example, a tomato and a strawberry are two particulars that exemplify the universal redness.
❈ Particulars are individual entities that exist in space and time, while universals are mind-independent entities that are shared by individuals.
❈ Universals are used to explain relations of identity and resemblance among individuals. They can be instantiated by multiple particulars at the same time, and their existence in one place is independent of their existence elsewhere
Universals can be present at various distinct locations in space and at the same time, while particulars are restricted to one location at a time.
Furthermore, universals can be fully present at different times, which is why they are sometimes referred to as repeatables in contrast to non repeatable particulars.
ত Abstract and concrete
The concepts of abstract and concrete are used to classify objects based on their physical referents.
❈ Concrete objects are those that can be perceived through the senses and have physical properties, while abstract objects lack physical referents and are often considered problematic for physicalism and empiricism.
❈ Abstract objects lack physical referents and are often considered problematic for physicalism and empiricism. They include numbers, propositions, and concepts, and they are often studied in the philosophy of mathematics.
The distinction between abstract and concrete is relevant for various philosophical discussions, including ontology, epistemology, and the philosophy of language.
ত Possibility & Necessity
In ontology, possibility and necessity are fundamental ontological concepts that are important in understanding the nature of reality and the entities that exist within it.
❈ Possibility refers to the property of being able to exist or occur.
The concept of Possibility is often understood in terms of possible worlds, which are hypothetical worlds that differ from the actual world in some way.
For example, it is possible that unicorns exist in some possible world, even though they do not exist in the actual world.
❈ Necessity refers to the property of being required or unavoidable.
The concept of Necessity is often understood in terms of logical necessity, which is a property of propositions that are true in all possible worlds.
For example, it is logically necessary that 2+2=4.
These concepts are often used in modal logic, which is a type of logic that deals with modalities such as possibility and necessity. Modal logic is used to reason about propositions that are true or false in different possible worlds.
꘏ Ontological Principles ꘏
Ontological principles serve as the foundational keystones in the grand architecture of philosophy, guiding our understanding of the nature of being, existence, and the intricate relationships that define reality.
From the essence of entities and the principles of dependence to the hierarchy of fundamentality. These principles not only shape our perception of the world but also beckon us to contemplate the fundamental structures that govern the very nature of existence itself.
ত Ontological dependence or Fundamentality
Dependence refers to the relationship between entities and whether they exist on the most fundamental level. It is often distinguished from causal dependence, which concerns the relationship between cause and effect.
Ontological dependence can be rigid or generic, depending on whether it concerns the dependence on one specific entity or merely a certain type of entity.
Hierarchical ontologies are interested in the degree of fundamentality of the entities they posit. Their main goal is to figure out which entities are fundamental and how the non-fundamental entities depend on them.
❈ Dependence and its Nuances:
Dependence, in the context of ontological exploration, encompasses the intricate tapestry of relationships governing the existence of entities.
- Dependence is concentrating on the connections between entities and their foundational existence.
- Causal dependence explores the cause-and-effect dynamics that shape the fabric of reality.
This subtle yet critical differentiation lays the groundwork for a more nuanced examination of how entities derive their being.
❈ Rigid and Generic Ontological Dependence:
The nature of ontological dependence is not a monolithic concept; rather, it unfolds into two distinct forms — rigid and generic.
- Rigid dependence delves into the specific reliance on individual entities, highlighting the intricacies of their existence.
- Generic dependence takes a broader stance, considering the dependence on certain types of entities rather than singular instances.
This duality introduces a layer of complexity, prompting scholars to navigate the fine line between specificity and generality in understanding how entities derive their existence.
ত Identity
Identity is a basic ontological concept that is often expressed by the word "same".
It is important to distinguish between qualitative identity and numerical identity.
Qualitative identity refers to the property of having the same qualities or properties, while numerical identity refers to the property of being the same object or entity
Two qualitatively identical things are often said to be indiscernible.
The two senses of 'sameness' are linked by two principles :
❈ The principle of indiscernibility of identicals is uncontroversial and states that if two entities are numerically identical with each other, then they exactly resemble each other.
❈ The principle of identity of indiscernible is, on the other hand, more controversial in making the converse claim that if two entities exactly resemble each other then they must be numerically identical. This entails that no two distinct things exactly resemble each other.
ত Properties as 'Principles' : Alethic and deontic
These properties are important in understanding the nature of reality and the entities that exist within it.
❈ Alethic properties are concerned with the truth and necessity of propositions. They include the properties of existence, completeness, possibility, and necessity. These properties are important in understanding the nature of propositions and their relationship to reality.
For example, the property of necessity is important in understanding the necessary truths that exist in reality.
❈ Deontic properties, are concerned with the properties of permission, obligation, and choice of deontic entities. These are the entities capable of making choices, such as agents or moral subjects. Deontic properties are important in understanding the nature of moral and ethical systems, as well as the relationship between agents and their actions.
꘏
In conclusion, metaphysical ontology is a foundational philosophy that holds the key to unraveling the mysteries of reality and existence. Its importance cannot be overstated, as it not only clarifies the fundamental nature of being, but also guides us in navigating the complexities of our perceived world.
By delving into the intricacies of ontology, we gain a deeper understanding of the self and the soul, shedding misconceptions that often cloud our perceptions of reality. It provides a roadmap for experiencing reality in its truest form, liberating us from the existential and ontological uncertainties that often plague our minds.
Through ontology, we embark on a profound journey to grasp the essence of existence, enabling us to engage with the world in a more authentic and enlightened way.
Combined with the study of ontology of the soul , our existence is enriched with the true human nature. It encompasses various facets that contribute to a more profound understanding of the inherent human essence, thus enhances the clarity of oneself.
꘏ Ontology • self, being, life ꘏
❈ Intellectual meditation on Ontology with lenses the sense of self, the purpose of being, and the meaning of life, provides a transformative journey that enhances self-awareness, enables essential being, and leads to a purposeful life and Soul fulfillment.
The process allows for a more authentic alignment of actions with one's true self, and serves as a guide in exploring the purpose of being, offering a framework to contemplate one's role in the grander scheme of existence.
It opens avenues to question, refine, and align our life goals with a more profound understanding of purpose. Additionally, this practice sheds light on the elusive meaning of life, encouraging us to explore and construct our own narratives, thus contributing to a more enriched and purpose-driven existence.
❈ Philosophical contemplation on Ontology with the goals of connecting with one's true essence, amplifying being, and comprehending purpose in the cosmos. This introspective process yields a deeper understanding of one's true essence, facilitating alignment of actions and choices with Core Values, contributing to a more purposeful existence.
A philosophical contemplation opens the door to an expansive understanding of self and leading to a sense of transcendence beyond individual identity, connecting with a broader, universal consciousness.
Stay tuned...
brewing a reflective meditation
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#CosmicWisdomGr, is a meta-ontological project with which i aim to enable & nurture Spiritual cultivation; to enhance our Minds with Wisdom of Cosmos & profound Truths of Reality, as discovered by Cosmic Consciousnesses of ancient Greece that explored Nature and unveiled it's elements and Essence.
With a constellation of philosophers that took wings up to the realm of Forms and Stoicism as the grounding node, we explore timeless wisdom and pursue spiritual cultivation.
❈ Visit the Project's page for an in depth understanding of the chosen philosophers' contributions to Spiritual Cultivation & ascent, or visit their respective pages and converge with their philosophies, core theories, ethics, metaphysics, and overall contribution to Episteme (aka Philosophy).
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