Philosophical Text 1

 The first fact of the human intellect is perception. Perception is the immediate contact between the human intellect and reality. It is difficult to define perception precisely, as it is the fundamental basis of belief and knowledge. However, I usually use 2 words to describe perception, that is appearance and feeling. Appearance connotes the objective aspect of perception, while feeling connotes the subjective aspect of perception. The great categories and examples of perception are sensation, emotion, and thought. However, as mentioned, any contact with reality which does affect those categories are true perception.

From the fact of perception we may infer that there is something which exists, that there is something which is, this is existence. Existence however may refer to multiple things. In this first section it chiefly refers to the state of perception in reality, that it is objectively present to the intellect. Existence is then a certain reality by the facts of perception. However, it is important to recognize that the existence that is certain is that of perception and not of the objects beyond perception. For there is no certainty of the nature of the objects beyond our perception, or the objects behind it.

Is it possible to reject these facts? Yes it is, but by rejecting them we reject all other facts as all knowledge stems from the truth of perception. The possibility of rejection is evidence of some sort of free will, and that reasonable intellect is not the sole determinant of human action and belief. There is another aspect to human existence which determines its acts, but what that aspect is is not the topic of the discussion of this text. Regardless, we by discussing these things and assenting to these facts submit to the authority of reason in dealing with these problems.

The reasoning behind the truths of perception and existence is simple, by the mere fact that we do perceive perception and its existence. Therefore at the level of perception, knowledge is circular. This kind of circularity has a special name, it is called being self-evident. Perception becomes the evidence for itself, and by doing so, it becomes the evidence for everything else which we know. Therefore, from now on, it is declared that all thought and knowledge are referrable back to perception and its various contents.

There are 2 principal modes of perception, which is mental perception and sensory perception. Mental perception is that perception which looks inwardly into the inner life of the intellect, while sensory perception is that perception which looks outwardly into the objective reality apart from the intellect. Both perceptions are valid sources and bases of thought and knowledge. Mental perception is also describable as the realm of thoughts and ideas. However, in this text we shall exclusively deal with the truths obtained from mental perception. As that is what is immediately accessible to us.

The first set of truths accessible from mental perception is the precise nature of objective reality in relationship to perception itself. First, we must distinguish between objective perception and subjective perception. The subjective perception is perception described by the word "feeling". It is how we view reality to our own subjective intellect. However, there is an objective form of perception which is called information. The existence of perception necessitates the existence of a perspective, a point of view, a central area from which perception is done. In objective terms it would be a centralized area of information which is capable of receiving information. This area can be called awareness.

There are 2 theories of the relationship between reality and information, either the 2 are distinct or the 2 are identical. The 2 theories then are appropriately named the theory of identicality and the theory of distinction. The theory of identicality declares that objects and information are fundamentally the same. Therefore, an object is its own information. The theory of distinction declares that objects and information are distinct but united in composition. Each object conveys the information of itself to all aware beings. Each theory has their own evidence. The theory of identicality is supported by the fact that mental perception and sensory perception are fundamentally identical, but mental perception is merely an imperfect form of sensory perception. The theory of distinction is supported by the fact that objects of sensory perception clearly take up space, but objects of mental perception take up no space. There are counter arguments to each theory as well, but it is not the focus of this text.

The second set of truths from mental perception is the intellect, which is an abstraction of the activities of the aspect of the self we often call the mind. This abstraction is foremost a certainty of the self in the subjective aspect, but it is a universal possibility of existence. The intellect is an object of immaterial nature which has 4 functions, that is the reception of information, the storage of information, the action of information, and the action by information. By receiving information, it is also known as perception. Storage of information is also known as memory. The action of information is also known as reasoning. While the action by information is an act done by the intellect towards reality according to the information it possess, thus action by information.

How does the intellect relate to objects it perceives according to the 2 theories? In either theory there is an agreement, the intellect is united to the object in some sort of way. Either by actual possession and integration of the object into the intellect or by the union of information between the intellect and the object. In the theory of identicality, the intellect is united with the object upon perception, and if it is an active intellect, the object forever becomes part of the intellect's self. In the theory of distinction, the intellect continuously possess the ability to perceive through time and space the object it originally perceived, even if it has actually passed away. 

The object contained within the intellect and the object outside the intellect are actually one object possessing 2 ontological positions, that is outside the intellect and inside the intellect. At the same time, the object perceived by the intellect according to the theory of distinction is not a separate object from the original object of perception, they are really one and the same. As such, there is an immaterial union of sorts between the intellect and the object. Either the object is united to the intellect or the other way around, the reality however is fundamentally the same.

There are 5 distinctions of memory within the intellect. They are based on the state of the memory before access, at access, relating to the particularity, the materiality, and the directness of memory. The first distinction is inactive and active memory. Inactive memory means information is stored in an inactive intellectual state, that is it is not always perceived. This is what we humans possess, where our intellect is triggered by the various perceptions of the sense. The active memory is the opposite, where memory is always actively perceived without the need to put it into an inactive state.

When information is brought from the memory up to the surface of the intellect, it can be imperfect or perfect. Imperfect memory is when the information perceived does not perfectly match the original perception. This is also what we humans possess, though some people may have more perfect or better memory than others. Perfect memory is when the information perceived is accessed perfectly as the original perception was acquired. It is probable that there are non-human intellects such as angels which possess this kind of perfect memory.

Particular memory is the perception of objects in their particular form, while general memory is the perception of the common aspects or properties of various particular objects, also called universals. Material and immaterial memory are the distinction between memories of the sensory kind and the non-sensory kind. Sensory memories are material as matter is associated with the sense. While the lack of sense is associated with the immaterial and thus perceptions which do not involve the sense are considered immaterial. Last, the direct memory is when an object is perceived as it is, while symbolic or indirect memory is when an object is perceived by means of another object. As such, while the intellect at present perceives object A, it understands it to be a symbol for object B or some other object.

The third set of truths derived from mental perception concern the necessity of existence. We can reason that existence is necessary, meaning it has to exist regardless of any conditions. Why is this? As there is always something which possess that existence, either it is something or it is nothing. Now what can we reason from the necessity of existence? That which is necessary to exist, that is existence alone, must possess no possibility of ceasing to be itself. This means it is simple, as all composites possess the possibility of cessation from separation. Due to simplicity it is also infinite, as it has no association with any other part. This kind of existence is what is called God, therefore God exists.

One important attribute reasonable from the 3 fundamental attributes of God is His immutability. It means He does not change from one state to another state and thus lack any form of sequentiality or temporality. This will be important in considering the relationship between God and things which are not God. We understand that all reality must have a definitive state, and that goes especially to contingent reality. Yet contingent reality, by its very nature can be any state, what causes it to be in any particular state? For contingent reality by itself cannot define itself, it has to be defined by God and God alone, for the only other reality is God. This means causation is the eternal communication of God's one act to all contingent reality to be the way it is right now.

The final piece of this text is the relationship between God and the intellect. When contingent reality is actualized, there are 2 possibilities on what is going on. Either there is a reality which is separated from God and possess 2 ontological positions, that is in God and outside of God, or really it is merely the intellect perceiving God through the actualization of limits on the intellect. Therefore, the laws of the world are not of the world but of the intellect alone. For what exists is only God and the intellect.