(January 25, 2023 at 12:01 pm)Objectivist Wrote:(January 25, 2023 at 3:02 am)GrandizerII Wrote: The total of what actually exists appears to be quite arbitrary if the total is basically this universe or a limited range of universes. Perhaps for you, this doesn't raise any big questions and therefore you're content with what just is, but for me, it's a question still worth considering.How? Arbitrary means unsupported by any evidence either perceptual or conceptual. Once we are aware of some objects then a total is implicit. An actual infinite can not exist. It defies the law of identity. By what means are you aware of these other existents that exist outside of the total and how can we distinguish these other existents from somehting that is merely imaginary? It's these other existents that are arbitrary and we have a way of ruling them out.
Arbitrary, in the sense I'm using here, just means something like random. If it happens to be that the totality is just this one universe, with very specific initial constants that just are, then that's arbitrary to me. The constants could've been different values, there could've been more than one universe. So per my reasoning, this comes off as quite arbitrary.
Interesting statement you made about actual infinity. I don't see how it has to be impossible. Could you enlighten me on how, per Objectivism, the law of identity negates an actual infinite?
I'm not aware of anything that is beyond this universe, and nothing about my wording suggested that. I'm just using reason to see what could be possible, contemplating and asking questions based on my reasoning.
How have you ruled out those "arbitrary other existents" exactly?
Happy to learn more stuff about Objectivism from you, but I'm also here to share my perspective as well.
