TST Trainer
WWB Story Mode
MODE:
~
8 minute
audio walk.
Ontology:
The study of being itself.
Story mode.
Eight key ideas and takeaways.
1. Our first story.
From History: You exist, then you mold your essence..
Subject: TST Metaphysics.
Existence grounds essence; identity is not discovered in a metaphysical realm but formed within structured reality.
Briefly.
The essence–existence debate asks whether identity is predetermined or developed. Plato located essence beyond the material world; Aristotle and later Sartre rejected that move. TST aligns with a structured realism: biological constraints exist, but personal identity emerges over time through interaction and choice within mind-independent reality.
That Ontology Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
2. Now for our second story.
From History: born 1788..
Subject: Pessimistic Worldview.
Lived from 1788 to 1860, aged 72.
Schopenhauer: Blind Will and Human Suffering shows how one philosopher took Kant’s boundary between appearance and reality and filled it with a darker force — a restless Will beneath life itself, one that helps explain why human self-awareness so often deepens suffering instead of easing it.
To clarify.
For Arthur Schopenhauer, existence is driven by a blind, restless will that guarantees dissatisfaction. Suffering is not an accident—it is the engine of life. Friedrich Nietzsche accepts the same raw forces but rejects resignation. Where Schopenhauer urges restraint, denial, and quieting desire, Nietzsche urges affirmation, struggle, and creative becoming. One seeks relief from the will; the other seeks mastery through it.
That Ontology Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
3. Tidbit number three, a quote.
Subject: Identity.
- Michael Alan Prestwood.
- 2024.
Identity isn’t fixed. It shifts as we grow. Understanding yourself means accepting that “me” is a story in motion, not a finished definition.
From another angle.
Identity feels solid, but it shifts with every stage of life. You are not fixed; you’re evolving. This line reminds us that “me” isn’t a static definition but an ongoing story. Knowing that frees you to grow, question, and become something better than yesterday’s version.
That Ontology Quote,
was first published on TST 5 months ago.
Finally, 4 frequently asked “questions.”
4. Tidbit number four, another quote.
Subject: Particle Physics.
Empty space is not nothing—it is structured, active, and defined by fields, particles, and forces.
At its core.
What we casually call “empty space” is anything but empty. Even the quietest regions of the universe are shaped by particles passing through, forces acting at a distance, and fields extending everywhere. Our idea of emptiness reflects the limits of perception, not the absence of reality.
That Ontology Article,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
5. Now it is time a question.
Subject: Existentialism.
Existence before essence means you arrive without a script, and your identity emerges through a life in motion: shaped by change, choice, and time.
Now to clarify.
The idea of existence before essence is most closely associated with modern existentialism, especially Jean-Paul Sartre. It rejects the notion of a soul or destiny and instead places responsibility on the individual to shape who they become. In contrast, essence before existence claims identity or purpose precedes birth. At its core, this debate lives in metaphysics, asking whether identity is discovered or created, and whether meaning is inherited or earned.
That Ontology FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 year ago.
6. Tidbit FAQ number six.
Subject: Copernicus.
Nicolaus Copernicus didn’t remove humanity from the center of the universe—he removed the assumption that centrality equals importance.
To be clear.
Copernicus didn’t strip humanity of meaning by moving Earth from the center of the universe. He stripped away a comforting assumption—that importance comes from position. The deeper lesson is philosophical: meaning isn’t guaranteed by centrality. It emerges from understanding, humility, and our willingness to face reality without illusions.
That Ontology FAQ,
was first published on TST 3 months ago.
7. Here is another tidbit FAQ.
Subject: Metaphysics.
- Being! Existence!.
- Is there an afterlife?.
What exists and what it means to be. The material world is our common footing. For the rest, your way of being is not fixed. You can reflect on who you want to be and grow into your more authentic self.
Stepping back for a moment.
Ontology explores the nature of existence, asking whether life is purely material or something deeper. It helps us define our place and purpose. Ask yourself, who are you becoming? To live well, reflect on the kind of person you want to be, then grow into that way of being with intent. Your beliefs shape your path, but your choices shape the self that walks it.
That Ontology FAQ,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
“Done.”
When a source is corrected or expanded, it can be updated once at the tidbit level and reflected everywhere it appears.
Ideas here are not replaced when they evolve—they are refined, annotated, and revisited.
Refresh for another set.
TST Trainer
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
