Parmenides' Effect (Η επίδραση του Παρμενίδη)

-From the Meletic Scrolls.

For centuries, philosophers have grappled with one of the most fundamental questions of metaphysics that is what is the nature of being? What does it imply or represent in the ontological sense, and how does it relate to the order of the Logos? To explore this fascinating question, we must first realise that the established concept of being is essential to existence itself. In classical thought, being is opposed to non-being, and logically, something cannot be both existential and non-existential at the same time. This principle eliminates any assumed contradiction in the study of ontology.

This is where what we call in Meleticism the Parmenides' Effect comes into focus. Reality does not unify these states of contrast of being and non-being, because reality itself is not necessarily truth, but a perception of what appears to be. Matter in its fundamental essence, asserts its own validity; it exists because it is present, because it has actual form and function. Non-being, on the other hand is a state that has no substance, no presence and no role in the order of the Logos.

The Parmenides' Effect represents the philosophical realisation of the idea thst reality does not inherently unify the states of being and non-being. This derives from the understanding that reality, as perceived by the mind and senses is not absolute truth, but a perception shaped by appearances and impressions. The effect underscores the Meletic notion that what we deem to be “real” is not always aligned with the eternal or essential truths of existence. It draws from Parmenides’ principle that only being is, whilst non-being cannot be. In Meleticism, this idea is reframed to illustrate the dissonance between perceived reality and the deeper, unchanging essence, which is (To Ένa) the One that lies beyond illusion and flux.

What we cannot dismiss is the fact that reality permits existence to develop, transform and evolve. This evolution of existence is not dictated by reality itself, but by the state of being. Being is not contingent upon reality; it is contingent upon itself. It is independent of perception, for perception belongs to the realm of subjective experience, whilst being transcends perception and remains as a fundamental and objective truth.

Thus, the Logos represents the order of existential things. This order is neither arbitrary nor the result of a creator deity imposing structure upon the cosmos. We are not the byproduct of divine intervention, because we are the unfolding of the natural order that is inherent within being itself. In Meleticism, we do not attribute existence to an external force. Instead, we attribute it to the intrinsic and necessary reality of being.

One of the primary challenges in discussing being is that we cannot measure existence in a quantifiable manner, or at least, not in the same way we measure physical phenomena. Existence is not something that can be confined within the limits of mere time or space. Time itself is merely a construct that allows us to perceive the sequence of events, but it does not define being.

If we examine being in contrast to non-being through meticulous observation, we must introduce two additional states to refine our understanding, which is the state of actuality and the state of potentiality. These two states help us close the gap between what is and what could be.

Actuality refers to the state in which something fully exists and is realised. It is the fulfilment of potentiality, the tangible and discernible form of being. Potentiality, on the other hand, refers to the latent possibility of something becoming actualised. It exists not as a defined reality, but as an inherent capacity within being.

This relation between actuality and potentiality allows us to see that being is not a static entity. Rather, it is both a physical and metaphysical state of transcendence. It can exist in a multitude of forms, coexisting with either its physical manifestation or its immaterial presence. This duality is reflected in the dynamic essence of universal existence.

To Ena is the foundational principle of existence. It is not merely a concept of superiority or a simple mechanism governing the cosmos; it is the actual source of universal existence. The universe does not arise from chaos or randomness, but from a single, unifying substance, which is To Ena.

To Ena is eternal, unchanging and indivisible. It underlies all that exists, providing the fundamental essence from which all things emerge. The true nature of being is demonstrated through To Ena, and in this understanding, we arrive at the important realisation that being cannot become non-being.

As human beings, we function within the necessity of the body, experiencing existence through the vessel of the physical form. Our ousia (true essence) transcends the body through the mechanism of consciousness. This is akin to the nature of matter in the cosmos. It may shift between different states, taking on various forms, but it always remains matter. It cannot simply dissolve into non-existence.

Once we establish the undeniable reality of being in contrast to non-being, we can proceed to explore how these concepts should be interpreted in accordance with their perception.

Existence is replete and transparent. It is not necessarily bound to physicality, but is instead a condition of being. Even if something is intangible, such as thoughts, emotions or the essence of consciousness, it still possesses existence. Nonexistence is depleted and intangible. It is not merely an absence of existence. It is a state that lacks any form of being altogether in its possibility.

Some may be tempted to assume that one is a void or vacuum whilst the other is a totality of being, but in reality, nothing can derive from nothing. This was one of the fundamental assertions of Parmenides of the idea that non-being cannot give rise to being. There must always be something that exists, whether in one form or another. Thus, non-being should be understood not as a paradox, but as nonviable that is an impossibility, a state that cannot truly manifest in any sense of reality.

What we are discussing in the Parmenides' Effect is the impact of something that exists versus something that does not. We should not conflate existence with possibility or probability.

Possibility refers to something that can occur, but has not yet become actualised into existence. Probability refers to something that likely will occur based on existing conditions. The distinction is fundamental, for it allows us to avoid the error of assuming that non-being is merely a “possibility.” Non-being is not a possibility, because it is an impossibility.

Mathematical equations and physical theories attempt to describe the difference between being and non-being, but time itself offers another lens. We can consider linear time, as an example of how being is perceived

The past is a remnant of what was. It is the vestige of the present, an occurrence that has been set into sequence and recorded by memory. The present is the current state of being, unfolding in real-time. The future is the probability of the finality of an event, reshaping the trajectory of being itself. As events unfold, being is altered. Whilst these certain transformations take place, To Ena itself remains immeasurable, unquantifiable and unchanging.

To truly answer the question of being, we must realise that being means existing. Existence itself is not fleeting, because it is eternal in its fundamental state. The things that emerge from being, such as the multiplicity of objects, individuals and concepts, may be subject to change, but the One remains the ultimate, unchanging force.

In the end, being is not defined by perception, nor is it dictated by transient realities. It is an undeniable truth, one that transcends the assumed constraints of time, space and human understanding. The Parmenides' Effect is the realisation that being is absolute, and non-being is merely an illusion or a concept that bears no place in the evolving order of the universal Logos.

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