#CosmicWisdomGr • Parmenides • on Well-being [& a sprinkle of _self]

Parmenides • on Well Being

The Eleatic school of philosophy was primarily concerned with the nature of Being and the rejection of the concepts of motion, change, birth, and decay of entities.

 

ত Eleatics believed that Being is the only reality and the source of all existence.The Eleatics rejected the epistemological validity of sense experience and instead relied on logic and clarity to uncover the truth

 

Parmenides attempted to explain changeable phenomena in terms of changeless principles.

 

For Parmenides, correct thinking begins with the premise that A necessarily is A - A cannot be both A and B simultaneously.

This principle later came to be known in logic as the "principle of identity" or the "principle of non-contradiction." Parmenides was the first to conceive of this principle and elevated it to a criterion for rational thought. It is the principle upon which mathematics and the sciences were founded.

For Parmenides, "being" is "unborn" and "indestructible," and "thinking" is the necessary link to "being." He also believes that the senses can give people false images or false representations of the world.

 

He ascribed perfection and permanence as the qualifications to the true being or existence. Evaluating from this criteria, Parmenides disqualified all beings subject to change and alternation as non-being or mere appearance, not true existence.

ত His philosophy emphasizes the importance of reason and knowledge in understanding reality. He believed that true knowledge could only be attained through reason and that the senses were not to be trusted to reveal the truth. His philosophy suggests that true well-being can be achieved through the pursuit of knowledge and reason, rather than through sensory experiences or ordinary beliefs.

 

Parmenides held that the multiplicity of existing things, their changing forms, and motion are but an appearance of a single eternal reality ("Being"), thus giving rise to the Parmenidean principle that "all is one."

 

ত From this concept of Being, he went on to say that all claims of change or of non-Being are illogical. Therefore, he rejected the concepts of motion, change, birth, and decay of entities.

 

He argued that the world of our ordinary experience is illusory and that our normal beliefs in the existence of change, plurality, and even our own selves are entirely deceptive.

 

He focused on the one and only real entity, the One, and its properties :

"unborn, imperishable, whole, uniform, unchanging, perfect, all together, one, continuous, indivisible, because it is all, similar, motionless, without beginning or end, remaining the same, in the same place, it stands alone, and so, firmly it will remain. For Necessity holds it in the bonds of limit, which surrounds it all around."

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a sprinkle of _self

Parmenides' ways of inquiry are said to be the Way of Truth (Aletheia) and the way of Doxa (Opinion).  

I found an article by Alexander Nehamas entitled "On Parmenides' Three Ways of Inquiry" where he mentions a third way ~ The Way of Seeming. [6th fragment]

 

He says The Way of Seeming is a path of inquiry that is neither true nor false, but rather a kind of "play" or "game" of dialectical reasoning. This way of inquiry is characterized by the use of contradictory arguments and the suspension of judgment.

 

According to Nehamas, Parmenides uses the Way of Seeming to explore the limits of human knowledge and to demonstrate the inadequacy of ordinary human experience in grasping the true nature of reality.

 

The Way of Seeming is distinct from the Way of Truth, which leads to knowledge of the unchanging, eternal reality of Being, and the Way of Opinion, which is the path of ordinary human experience.

 

And here is where i beg to differ, a tiny bit.

 

• "Way of Seeming" typically refers to the realm of sensory perception and the opinions or beliefs that arise from our senses. It's the world of appearances or impressions and subjective experience. This way is contrasted with the "Way of Truth" or the world of ultimate reality.

• "Way of Opinion" is a similar concept, emphasizing that our beliefs and opinions about the world and are often subject to change, error, or distortion. which may not necessarily reflect the ultimate reality.

 

If we are to use the word 'seeming' , then it would be appropriate for the "ordinary human experience" which is absorbing information through the senses and creating impressions about Reality upon them. The 'Way of Opinion' is proper title for the way of logic or dialectical reasoning, and clears the path towards Aletheia.

So, if we have three paths, then the path of opinion is the intermediate; it is between the path of appearances or impressions and the path of truth.

On the path of appearance, we have the beliefs and convictions that arise through sensory perception. Phenomena. The shadows in the cave.

On the path of truth, we have only what is of Reality. That which is independent of the perceptions of appearance or our beliefs. It is the objective and absolute truth.

The path of opinion is the middle path. As the author says  "it is neither true nor false". The one who walks on the path of opinion desires to strip away appearances. It is the effort through dialectic or deductive reasoning to create an Opinion about the truth or to ultimately experience the truth.

❈ We can walk the Way of Opinion in the two following ways :

• The personal work : When logic is used on the path of opinion, the appearances/impressions that have been created by the self or espoused, will be gradually removed, or at least cleared according to the intellectual capabilities of the working self.

• The interpersonal work : When dialectic is used on the path of opinion, by using another self, the appearances/impressions that have been created or espoused, up to that point, as to what is true,  will be discarded.

As to summarize my syllogism,
• if we have three paths, the first is the path of truth and absolute Reality.

• Second is the path of opinion, where some type of reasoning is used to attempt to reach the truth or at least form an opinion about the truth with as few appearances as possible.

• Third is the path of appearance, which is the path of simple human experience that typically creates phenomena.

Cherry-on-top :

From a different perspective, if we set Truth to be Oneness, from a path we walk on or within which we work, it becomes the objective environment in which we live.

Within this environment, we have two possible ways to walk.
• The way of Appearances, i.e. impressions, which creates a world of phenomena sourcing to the simple human experience.
• The path of Opinion, i.e., logic and reasoning, with which we try to remove the appearances we have espoused or created, and reach the point where we experience the Truth.

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Wrap-up to farewell...

In the pursuit of well-being, Parmenides' philosophy serves as a guiding beacon, shedding light on the nature of true existence. His unwavering belief in the oneness and permanence of Being underscores the importance of seeking perfection and enduring truths.

To achieve balance on the path of truth and attain spiritual benefits, one must first embrace the idea that all is one and that change and multiplicity are mere illusions. Three key ways to achieve such balance are:

• Embrace Reason and Knowledge : Parmenides emphasized the primacy of reason and knowledge as the means to unravel the mysteries of existence. By relying on the power of reason, we can transcend the deceptive appearances of the world and find genuine understanding.
  
  
• Reject Illusory Beliefs : To reach the essence of well-being, one must discard the deceptive beliefs in change, birth, and decay. Parmenides teaches us to recognize the illusory nature of ordinary experiences and to look beyond the surface to discover the unchanging truth.
  
  
• Seek the Perfection of the One : Parmenides' One, described as "unborn, imperishable, whole, uniform, and unchanging," stands as the epitome of true existence. By focusing on the perfection and unity of this singular reality, we can attain a sense of spiritual completeness and ultimate well-being.

In embracing these principles and embarking on the path of reason and knowledge, we can transcend the superficial appearances of the world and, in doing so, find genuine well-being in the unchanging, indivisible reality that Parmenides extolled.

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