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3 Random Tidbits

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Metaphysics
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What is real, and what it means for something to exist.

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Metaphysics.

3 random tidbits in about 5 minutes.

A Metaphysics Quote.

Subject: Daoism.

“Being and non-being create each other.”

  • Laozi.
  • 550 BCE.
For Laozi’s metaphysics, his reality is relational. Pairs rise and fall in unison defining and sustaining one another.

From another angle.

Western thought often seeks first causes and fixed definitions. Daoism offers a different lens: meaning emerges from relationship, not isolation. By seeing opposites as co-creators rather than contradictions, Laozi invites us to live with less resistance—and more harmony—with the way reality actually unfolds.

Now, the details…

The quote

“Being and non-being create each other”

comes from the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi, the founder of Daoism. This phrase is part of the Dao De Jing, a text that delves deeply into the interdependence of opposites—what Laozi often refers to as the Yin and Yang. The passage highlights how contrasting forces in life are not separate but fundamentally linked. For example, “long and short define each other,” and “high and low depend on each other,” emphasizing that one cannot exist without the other. Laozi’s message is that these opposites shape reality through their relationship and balance.

The philosophy of Daoism urges us to embrace the natural cycles of life, including these dualities. It views the universe as a constant flow where opposites like day and night, being and non-being, form a dynamic, ever-changing whole. Laozi’s idea of Yin and Yang, although central to his teachings, is rooted even further back in Chinese thought, tracing its origins to the Yellow Emperor around 2650 BCE. Just as the passage of time connects Laozi to the Yellow Emperor, the same amount of time separates us from Laozi today. This continuity through time reflects the Daoist belief that everything is interconnected.

In Daoism, time is often seen not as a strict linear progression but as a cycle, much like the changes of nature. There are no rigid beginnings or ends, only transformations that flow naturally. By understanding and aligning with these cycles, Laozi teaches that we can live in harmony with the world, embracing balance and simplicity. This timeless wisdom encourages us to reflect on how even the struggles and successes in life are two sides of the same coin, urging us to let go and flow like water.

 


That Metaphysics Quote, 

was first published on TST 2 years ago.

By the way, the flashcard inspired by it is this.

Front: What Eastern idea explains the interdependence of opposites?
Back: Yin and Yang

 

A Metaphysics Story.

From History:
Subject: Knowledge.

Grand Rational Framework

New Look
Good common knowledge is the Grand Rational Framework. It is our common-floor public belief, and it evolves knowledge anchored to the material world, where only evidence-grounded reasoning reshapes what we collectively treat as true.

Now, to be clear.

If we can all agree that the Grand Rational Framework is our science-first common sense, where we observe, test, and reason, we can remain honest about what cannot be. Public belief does not deny emotion, intuition, or confidence; it simply refuses to treat them as evidence.

Now, the details…

From Chapter 18 of 30 Philosophers:

“The Grand Rational Framework is a continually evolving body of shared knowledge. While common knowledge represents what is widely known within a region or culture, the Grand Rational Framework represents the total landscape of human knowledge as it relates to the material world. It includes both rational and speculative frameworks, but only rational frameworks—those grounded in evidence and logical coherence—contribute to its evolution.”

The Grand Rational Framework is science-first common sense. It privileges what can be observed, tested, and reasoned about, while remaining honest about what cannot. It does not deny emotion, intuition, belief, or subjective experience; it simply refuses to treat them as evidence or explanation. Speculation may inspire. Emotion may motivate. But only evidence refines the map.

In this way, the framework serves both as a description of how knowledge evolves and as a guide for how it should evolve—anchored to the material world, disciplined by reason, and continually open to correction.

 


That Metaphysics Story, 

was first published on TST 2 years ago.

By the way, the flashcard inspired by it is this.

Front: In the Idea of Ideas, what is the evolving body of shared common knowledge grounded in evidence and rational coherence?
Back: Grand Rational Framework

 

The end. Refresh for another set.

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Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
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