Chapter IV.

       Axioms of Reality—Continued.

       Table of Content

      AXIOM OF INCLUSIVENESS.

       SECOND AXIOM OF REALITY: REALITY is All that is in actual Being; all that is in actual Being is REALITY.

      THIS AXIOM announces the inclusiveness of REALITY. REALITY is perceived to include within its content and being All that actually is in BEING—all that really is. REALITY is perceived actually to BE ALL-there-is. Likewise, it is perceived that all that occurs, appears, or is presented in the form, shape, state, or condition of "Becoming" is not in actual BEING, and therefore is excluded from the content and being of SPIRIT.

      ACTUAL BEING.

      "Actual BEING" is that which is existent in truth, in verity, and in fact; that which has a fixed, unalterable, eternal existence; that which is the same yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow. Nothing that changes in Time can be said to be in actual BEING, for it does not exist in its original state even for the briefest moment of consideration in thought. Even if we reduce the period of thought-consideration to the infinitesimal point of a second of time, the phenomenal thing under consideration undergoes change during that consideration—this from the fact that Time itself is but a record of change, and the smallest period thereof must be a record of change. A thing which changes even in the infinitesimal moment of time when it is under consideration by the mind cannot be said to have been in actual Being at all. All that has been perceived as in apparent existence is a series of changes of form, shape, state, or condition; a procession of such and no one real, abiding thing; there has been no actual Being at all, merely a series of states of "Becoming." The only actual Being is vested in the essence, nature, substance, and principle of the Thing.

      "BECOMING."

      "Becoming" is a term used in philosophy to designate the ever-changing state of phenomenal things. The term means "passing from one state to another." Many philosophers, ancient and modern, from Heraclitus the Ephesian (500 b.c.) to Bergson of to-day, have held that to the universe there is no BEING but only an eternal "Becoming." If the universe be conceived of as simply an eternal series of changing things, with no unchanging background or continuous essence, then this theory holds good, for there can be no BEING in a series of infinite changes, for nothing would persist long enough to Be; even at the instant of its birth it would have begun to change into something else. Everything in the phenomenal Universe is undergoing this eternal change. As Bergson says: "Though we may do our best to imitate the mobility of ‘becoming' by an addition that is ever going on, ‘becoming' itself slips through our fingers just when we think we are holding it tight." The idea of "Becoming" is that there are no things, but only actions; no fixed thingness, but only changing events. Bergson compares the universe to a great moving picture which is never in actual BEING for a single moment but which is always "Becoming"— the rapid motion giving to the "Becoming" the appearance of actual BEING. Unless we grant the unchanging Essence or background of REALITY, then, indeed, there is no actual BEING.

      This axiom includes in the content and being of REALITY all that is in actual BEING. Likewise, it excludes from the content and being of REALITY all that is merely "Becoming." Thus we see the actual existence of all "Becoming" is denied; the appearance of such must be accounted for in another way.

      AXIOM OF INVARIABLE IDENTITY.

       THIRD AXIOM OF REALITY: REALITY is always and invariably itself, and never other than itself.

      This axiom announces the invariable identity of REALITY. It accords with the Primary Laws of Thought which hold that a thing is always itself, and never other than itself, in spite of the forms, shapes, states, or conditions under which it occurs, presents itself, or appears. REALITY can never, under any circumstances, be other than itself, no matter what disguises it may assume in manifestation in the phenomenal world. Neither can it change itself into something else, or become something else, than itself. Neither can it change the ultimate facts of its essence, nature, substance, and REALITY. Neither can it acquire characteristics, qualities, properties, or attributes not originally and essentially its own. All apparently such must be recognized as merely a part of the phenomenal world of appearances. Nothing can rob BEING of its invariable identity. Neither can it itself divest itself of its invariable identity. REALITY and its invariable identity are inseparably bound together, and are the one and the same thing, forever undivorceable. The reason is unable to think otherwise. So long as the reason functions it must report the truth of the Axiom of Invariable Identity. Nothing can be other than itself. REALITY must ever and invariably remain itself and nothing else.

      AXIOM OF THE NEGATION OF NOTHINGNESS.

       FOURTH AXIOM OF REALITY: "Nothingness," being the negation of REALITY, does not exist.

      This axiom announces the Negation of Nothingness. The conception of Nothingness is the antithesis of the conception of REALITY, which alone is actual Being. The two cannot exist at the same time. Either REALITY is not, or else Nothing is not. Either REALITY is, or Nothing is. We have discovered the fact of the existence of REALITY; therefore, we must of necessity deny the existence of Nothing. It may seem childish to assert so emphatically that Nothing has no existence. But when we meet with the assertion of Nothingness advanced by certain thinkers as an explanation of the facts of being, we shall see the necessity of either affirming or else denying its existence. Hence this absolute denial and negation of Nothing and Nothingness. They are meaningless words and have no counterpart or reason in actual existence and being. These terms are valid only in the fact of bringing REALITY into positive and clear relief by reason of the contrast. As a positive concept, "Nothing" is fallacious, fictitious, and untruthful, having no basis in verity, REALITY, fact, or experience. It is a mere statement of the absence of existence. "Nothing" either is or is not. The reason refuses to accept the idea that it is, therefore it reports that it is not. With this report also comes the report that "from Nothing no thing can come"—"ex nihilo nihil fit." And, likewise, "into Nothing no thing can go." Anything that appears to come from Nothing, or to go to Nothing, is seen by the reason never to have been,—to have had naught but an illusory and fictitious shadow of existence.

      AXIOM OF ABSOLUTE UNITY.

       FIFTH AXIOM OF REALITY: REALITY is Absolute Unity and Oneness.

      This axiom announces the Absolute Unity of REALITY. By Absolute Unity is meant Absolute ONENESS OF BEING. Absolute Unity does not mean a mere loose association or union between diversified parts or separate things, such as the union of atoms or parts of a thing; or the association of individuals, such as a congress, army, crowd, assembly. Absolute Unity means a state of absolute oneness, absolute singleness as opposed to plurality. Absolute Unity does not mean a temporary union; Absolute Unity means an eternal, fixed, immutable, and invariable Unity or Oneness. Absolute Unity means unity absolute, without any qualification or reservation whatever.

      The Absolute Unity of REALITY is the report of all trained and developed reason directed to the subject. All philosophy worthy of the name has expressed the necessary report of the reason that Ultimate REALITY is One and one only. Science has agreed in this report and has announced the existence of a One "infinite and eternal energy from which all things proceed." It is a mathematical and logical truism that "the infinite must be absolute unity." Without such Absolute Unity the facts of the phenomenal universe cannot be explained. The constant change of form, the constant correlation of energy, the constant transformation and transmutation of substance—all these indicate the existence of one common and universal essence, nature, substance, and REALITY, from which all manifestations of form, shape, state, condition, and activity are expressed.

      Denial of the Absolute Unity of REALITY is the denial of the ultimate principle of REALITY itself, and the assertion of the existence of many Principles of REALITY. This, if true, would destroy all infiniteness and cause every one of the many principles to be finite, bounded, limited, and opposed to each other. All human thought and experience is directly opposed to this conception. Every instinct, intuition,