Coming to Understanding

Abstract

Reality constitutes a single, intelligible whole identical to God, the only ontologically independent particular. This metaphysical system identifies the fundamental categories of existence as eide—God’s own attributes—which emanate from the divine source in a sequential structure of ontological dependence. Utilizing a generalized hylomorphism, every metaphysical particular is analyzed through six causal factors: individuating form, matter, efficient cause, telos, differentiating form, and structuring form. Human beings function as constructed “selves,” pairing spatiotemporal physical agents with atemporal cognitive agents. Crucially, God’s consciousness is practically dependent on these finite agents; a “soul” is formed when a virtuous person’s grasp of metaphysical reality becomes a constituent of God’s own self-understanding. Consequently, the ultimate purpose of existence is the process of coming to understanding. This metaphysical framework necessitates an ethical shift from conventional morality to a God-centered piety. It mandates the development of “Ultimate Institutional Persons”—transparent, collective organizations dedicated to the rational pursuit of metaphysical verities. By promoting collective knowledge, these institutions serve as the primary vehicles for God’s self-revelation and the fulfillment of the divine will. This objective teleology replaces supernatural revelation with a reasoned methodology for discovering the nature of reality and the moral obligations of persons. – AI-generated abstract.