Question

Where does this concept of existence fall?

Premises:

Reality is not fundamentally physical; it is mental/spirit for lack of a better term. It simply exists in a formless state.
Everything we can perceive exists. Therefore, everything exists in a formless state of non-physicality.
Before we are born we exist floating in eternity as pure existence (souls) but with no form or self-knowledge. Because we are aware of nothing else, there is no contrast, so we do not even realize that we exist. Existence-awareness requires contrast (subject-object).

God created the physical spacetime world as a medium for our existence to become existence-aware through awareness of others. Humans in particular were created with complex brains that serve as translators (not generators or receivers) for existence to manifest itself. By being able to see others, we realize that we too exist. This is the knowledge we gain in the physical world. We are here to make connections to other souls and validate each others' existence. Perhaps God was lonely and wanted to share experience-awareness.

Animals and other physical matter are not existence-aware. That is what makes humans unique. Animals, for example, exist as formless existence underneath the physical reality - just as we do - but they will never know it. Same as an apple or any other matter.

When our bodies die we return to eternal existence; floating in eternal mental space if you will. But this time we take the knowledge of existence-awareness with us. Maybe not actual memories, but knowledge that we are not alone and that we and others exist. I posit that we then have an eternal connection to those other souls in the afterlife/heaven/eternity. Our purpose here is to build those connections so that more people can bring more existence-awareness with them to eternity.

Those that misuse their gift of existence to hurt others are condemned to an eternity of existential terror and torment. This is why murder is the gravest sin - a murderer ends the chance for the other soul to manifest its own existence.

To me, this is a logical conceptualization of existence that conforms to tenets of religion and also to our understanding of the underlying quantum nature of matter. It also avoids the hard problem of consciousness (I think).

Answer 1

The student presents a philosophical view where existence is non-physical and mental, realized through interaction in the physical world. The concept is rooted in dualism, ontological arguments, and existentialism, proposing that human purpose is to gain existence-awareness and form connections, carrying this awareness into an afterlife.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student asks about a concept of existence that integrates religious tenets, the quantum nature of matter, and the hard problem of consciousness within a framework of non-physical reality. In this conceptualization, existence is primarily a mental or spiritual phenomenon rather than a physical one. The student posits that before birth, entities exist as formless souls without self-knowledge. They suggest that God created the physical world to allow souls to realize their own existence through contrast and interaction with others, attributing a unique existence-awareness to humans distinguishing them from animals and inanimate objects. Upon death, humans return to a formless existence, now with the awareness attained in life. The consequences for actions that harm others are existential dread in eternity.

This discussion incorporates the ontological arguments of the existence of God, as proposed by Anselm and critiqued by Kant, and aligns with dualistic philosophies as described by Descartes. The student tackles topics related to consciousness, existentialism, and cosmological reasonings for God's existence. They suggest a perspective that transcends simple materialistic or idealistic viewpoints, leaning towards a belief system where subjective beliefs shape one's acceptance of nonphysical entities like souls.

This theory is in dialogue with philosophical thoughts by thinkers such as Berkeley, who saw all existence as perceived ideas within the mind of God, and existentialists who focus on the certainty of one's own existence. The concept provides a narrative that explains human life and its purpose in relation to an afterlife, suggesting that existence-awareness and the building of connections are paramount.