Understanding Key Concepts of Existence and Life
Cast: Life is not a matter of choosing one’s life; rather, it is about navigating the world into which one is thrown. It’s about the decisions we make within our circumstances, often leading to unforeseen consequences.
Knowledge: Knowledge, in its purest form, is a continuous revelation, a constant unfolding of understanding. It’s about perspective, as Ortega suggests, where all knowledge, including scientific and mathematical, is viewed through a particular lens. There is no absolute knowledge, only perspectives that offer radical and integrated views.
Decide: Deciding is a core aspect of life. To live is to decide, to choose among the possibilities presented by our circumstances. The weight of these decisions, the “gravity” of life, is ever-present.
Evidential: The eye of Horus serves as a metaphor for the attribute that gives life. It represents not just the object or appearance, but both the subject and the act of vision. To truly live is to see the world from one’s own perspective, to make it one’s reality.
Existence: Heidegger defines existence as “being-in-the-world,” while Ortega understands it as “living in the world.” Life and existence are intertwined, and Ortega emphasizes the originality of this concept.
Fatality: Life is not predetermined by historical determinism. We do not choose our world or our circumstances; we are born into them.
Futurition: Futurition is the act of projecting forward, of shaping the future through decisions made in the present. It is about choosing among available possibilities.
Freedom: Freedom lies in the ability to decide, to choose one’s path within the given circumstances. It is inseparable from life itself.
World and Circumstance: The world, or cosmos, encompasses both the physical universe and the everyday circumstances of our lives. It is the stage upon which we act.
Preoccupation or Cure: Life is about navigating the world, making decisions, and being preoccupied with the everyday affairs that surround us.
Revelation: Revelation refers to the evidential, the unfolding of life’s truths. It is about gaining insight and understanding through experience, without relying on transcendental or transhistorical principles.
Time: Time is not merely a sequence of instants or the ticking of clocks. It is not physical or biological time, but historical time, the time that runs through the fundamental modes of living. Because life is about deciding, the future is the primary mode of time.
Universe: The universe encompasses all that exists. It is a subject of philosophical inquiry, raising questions about its nature, its knowability, and its order.
I: The self is intertwined with living circumstances. It is not the thinking subject of Descartes or the transcendental apperception of Kant, but rather an inseparable part of the world. To live is to be thrown into the world, to make decisions within it.