WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
By Conor Horan
0 / Observation & Inquiry / 2* * * * *
I / What it IS versus What it DOES / 3
II / Knowledge, as Created by Technology & Communication / 3
III / Intellectual Wherewithal, as Indicated by Depth of Knowledge / 5
IV / The Construct of Existence / 7
V / Consciousness, as Driven by Technology and Communication / 9
* * * * *
VI / Why We Do What We Do / 11
VII / Morality, as Byproduct of Civilization / 14
VIII / Philosophical Cognizance / 16
IX / Philosophy as Manifestation of Consciousness / 19
X / Civilization, as Advanced by Science & Technology / 23
* * * * *
XI / Civilization, as Defined by Morality / 25
XII / Government, as Function of Civilization / 28
XIII / The Current State / 31
XIV / The Fate of Human Civilization / 50
XV / Civilized Human Nature & Philosophical Morality / 83
OBSERVATION AND INQUIRY
The year 2016 is certain to go down in History as a major turning point, for not only The United States but indeed, for Humanity itself- and in more ways than we even yet know. Obviously everything about the United States Presidential Election was completely unprecedented; with Donald Trump, furthermore, definitely pioneering some waves in the U.S. sociopolitical landscape, and indeed that of the international community. While other topics of U.S. national significance, poignant of 2016, include the “Black Lives Matter” movement and consequent showcasing of “Black vs. Blue” tension; along with such mainstream public spotlighting of the long-underappreciated personal struggles behind the Transgender Rights movement. And what was with all those celebrities dying? Well, as the pages to come shall quite plainly explain, all of the above represent the historically documentable effects of certain sociopolitical developments in Human Nature; as, for tens-of-thousands of years and even arguably far longer than that, the inhabitants of this planet have been subject to powerful natural forces never before adequately deciphered…until now.
The whole of the following chapters is divided into three sections. The first two are liable to seem oddly esoteric and irrelevantly pie-in-the-sky; that is, until the latter puts the entirety of World History in terms of that which the two prior put forth. The First Part defines relationships between such concepts, so foundational to the structure of Reality and Existence, as Technology, Communication, and Science; and how they define Knowledge, Consciousness, and other main ingredients to this ever-brewing molecular stew. The Second Part looks inward to the Individual, and what exactly defines and influences Instinct, Morality, Philosophy, and the like; and finally, Civilization as we know it. The Third Part examines and deconstructs modern Civilization, but particularly, The United States; and consequently, the very Path of Humanity. Mathematical “parodies” are used to describe yet unmeasurable qualities of rather undeniable notions; while most concepts, ideas, and phenomenon – all throughout every chapter – are both definitive of and defined by each other, as the nature and state, of most, are certainly not stagnant and most definitely change over time. And it is actually quite impossible to fully define Civilization as we know it, without a detailed examination of…Government.
WHAT IT IS VERSUS WHAT IT DOES
Government is human-made. And in so being a human function, its appearance, structure, and general state of being, is therefore subject to that which affects humans. Moreover, every civilization has beaten its own historical path of governmental evolution as, while humanity grows over time governments change; and so governments are as unique as the societies they maintain- yet throughout human history, hitherto, the fundamental ROLE of Government has essentially remained, that of Protection and Preservation (of national territory and way of life). Meanwhile, Civilization’s two greatest factors of social progress are technological advancement and development of communication- the pair thereby exerting influence over what sorts of FORMS Government tends to hold. So ultimately, in order to fully and most adequately define “government,” one must first examine the forces of Human Nature through which Government may only be properly defined…
KNOWLEDGE, AS CREATED BY TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATION
Technological artifice increases the amount of knowledge that has been discovered about the world around us; and since such advancement tends to involve innovations made possible based only upon prerequisite of previous invention, the more we DO discover, the more we CAN continue to expand our body of available knowledge…and the more tools there are, for Government to protect and preserve.
Meanwhile, just as Science is only as precise as the most advanced of available tools of measurement; our potential to understand Knowledge about the world, available to us, is only as strong as our ability to effectively communicate. Science itself represents a developmental path towards universally communicative understanding (of the world); whereby Truth tends to be found through the synthesis of a thesis and its antithesis- the very essence of Dialectic Materialization, wherein Knowledge essentially discovers more of itself and refines itself…through Communication, and the development of STRONGER Communication.
Communication is the process of information exchange- Expression and Perception. Furthermore, to be conscious is to communicate. For consciousness suggests some degree of sensory perception; while any conscious being – simply by nature of existence – is presenting “an expression” of one’s presence unto a tiny piece of Reality-as-a-whole, and therefore, potentially unto the perceptions of others (even if there are none around). After all, given linguistically communicative wherewithal, one quite innately perceives one’s own self-expression. This is called the self-concept- but one’s self-concept does not necessarily correlate to how one is perceived by others…much less, how one really and truly IS…
INTELLECTUAL WHEREWITHAL, AS INDICATED BY DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE
Presumably, the freshest of newborns can for the most part see, hear, feel, taste, and smell; but one tends not to remember the experience of such sensory stimulation until one has learned words necessary to adequate description of those surrounding phenomena. However, even rather young babies are surely capable of recognizing good versus bad with out “knowing” those specific words – for instance, as relates to pleasure versus pain – in being a reflexive matter of intrinsic emotional response. And actually, this source of information is at the foundation of one’s earliest vocabulary lessons.
Indeed, emotion is at the fundamental core of the most basic levels of language development. The physiological manifestations inherent to emotional response tend to be rather universal; so the body language relative thereto, would tend to be mutually recognized by others, mostly regardless of differences in spoken language, or even heritage and culture. The earliest of human vocabulary no doubt arose in reference to those things of universal recognition, and mutual understanding. Wherefore, “Dad” and “Mom” are usually among one’s first actually spoken words. Not to mention many such words tend to be understood by the pre-toddler, before they are ever said by the child- such as, perhaps, notions of “hot,” or what it means when Mom or Dad says “no!” It is even entirely possible that “more versus less” will be understood long before a child learns to count- again, probably stemming from those perceptible notions of good versus bad.
Just as Technological Advancement depends on previous discovery, certain knowledge is available to one’s perception, only upon understanding particular foundational lessons- as illustrated by the structure of academia. One does not go to high school before demonstrating proficiency within realm of those lessons presented throughout elementary and junior high schools; as because, if such a student somehow does so slip through the system, this person will struggle to continue learning.
And as knowledge is the keystone element behind the perpetual motion of communication, STRONGER COMMUNICATION begins to be illustrated by this capacity to understand Knowledge of a higher order. “Stronger Communication” is achieved of (mutual) growth in effective expression and active perception(s). With three properties of increase – in substance, accuracy, and efficiency – there are six variable values of communication, in three corresponding pairs of accord, with respect to its two mutual proprietors- input and output…
Said "information or material" of this input/output process must have Substance and Accuracy; but furthermore, there is a higher-ordered facet to mutual understanding- a "rating” of EFFICIENCY… In eliminating confliction between the expressed and the perceived, there is an “ideal manner” of expression whereby a point is made via the utmost of, not only clarity and completeness but, conciseness. And hopefully, the one on the receiving end has developed the communicative power to completely expedite this intellectual exchange- being able to fully perceive the knowledge, or “data,” that is being expressed…AND…do so with maximum expediency. Of course, this assumes that the originator of said process has employed the capacity for a certain degree of this linguistic effectiveness. Such are functions of any involved parties' personal KNOWLEDGE CAPACITY- and accompanying level of intellectual ability for “expressive articulation" and "perceptive dexterity."
THE CONSTRUCT OF EXISTENCE
Picture all of the information – or knowledge – about the world and everything in it, to be arranged within the representation of a circular pyramid, or “cone,” rather. The lowest layers entail the basic building blocks of knowledge- colors, numbers, and other simple sights, sounds, and sensory stimuli. Once one learns numbers, one can learn basic math- and then Algebra…then Calculus and Physics. Somewhere along the way add shapes, and then advanced Geometry, to the mix and one can learn Trigonometry. Likewise, once one learns to recognize Geographical features, one can learn the Geology behind how they came to be. One cannot learn ABOUT something without first learning OF it.
So, upon birth we are all placed somewhere within the very lowest level of this pyramid. And as everybody walks their own path through the world, we wander around, learning things throughout the variously adjacent realms of knowledge within that lower level; and soon, we recognize something of a higher order, based upon that which we have already experienced. This is the genesis of one’s Perceptual Reality. But in order to continually learn more, within the next level up, we must keep gaining more and more familiarity within that first layer- broadening one’s general circle of experience. And upon thereby also broadening the (smaller) circles within those next levels up, one can continue one’s understanding up towards higher, more scientifical levels of the Pyramid of Knowledge. The information that one DOES accumulate, constitutes one’s Capacity of Knowledge, and represents one’s Perceptual Reality- which amounts to a cumulative interpretation of one’s experience within the Ultimate Reality.
“ULTIMATE REALITY” is “that which IS,” or, “the world before perception.” The Individual personally understands – or “knows” – a PERCEPTUAL REALITY. Likely identical to nobody else’s, it is one’s own; and while it exists within THE Ultimate Reality, parts of it ultimately tend not to be “TRUE” at times…because, not only do we not always see everything that is going on around us, but furthermore, sometimes we do just get things all wrong…
Government is human made, and different everywhere. This stands in contrast to Natural Law. Natural Law is “that which is universal.” And it predicates humanity and even consciousness. Science is essentially the study of Natural Law. While Science also represents a body of self-expanding knowledge by which humans have built a UNIVERSAL REALITY, and through which all of our perceptual realities can effectively understand, and communicate, the higher-ordered knowledge and phenomena of the world; wherefore, Science is both a form, and a product, of both Technology and Communication. The three are actually locked in a perpetual state of symbiosis, as they mutually progress, advance, and develop.
Natural Law is “part” of Ultimate Reality. In fact it could be said that, Natural Law defines Ultimate Reality in much the same way as, one’s Capacity OF Knowledge defines one’s Perceptual Reality. And furthermore, as time moves on, and the World Knowledge Capacity grows, Science and Technology even make perception less relative “to the eye of the beholder…”
CONSCIOUSNESS, AS DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION
Nobody can know everything there is to know- there is just too much going on, and not enough time in a single life. So the best that one may hope to accomplish, is to learn as much as one is able to, based on where and when one comes into the world, and what and where one will consequently do and go. Wherefore people create their own pyramid of knowledge within that “Greater Pyramid,” or, that which is “the Pyramid of Cumulative World Knowledge.” Now, any two people may have independent Capacities OF Knowledge with “similar” breadth and depth, but of “totally different substance.” While these folks may be of a “different kind of intelligence” from each other, they may likely still have equal speed and scope of perception, and ability for accuracy thereto- just probably geared in differing directions…relative to individual paths of experience.
Embodied within every individual is one’s own Capacity OF Knowledge. Quite simply, it is “that which one knows.” It is the source of one’s Perceptual Reality. And it directly influences one’s Capacity FOR Knowledge- or, “that which is directly within one’s immediate grasp of what may (come to) be known.” There is however a greater – external – force of influence upon that which one is directly able to immediately learn- something other than, merely, that which one has already learned.
Just as one’s own pyramid of personal knowledge – or rather, personal Capacity OF Knowledge – grows and expands with the passing of time, that greater pyramid, of cumulative world knowledge, does so too. When somebody invents something, or discovers something, or even simply provides a better understanding of something by offering a previously un-proposed explanation of it, said individual has contributed novel substance to the WORLD’s Capacity OF Knowledge, by commandeering something across the Threshold of Perceptual Comprehension; assimilating it, into known reality, from being limited to a sort of “pre” existence or “potential” reality, merely within the WORLD’s Capacity FOR Knowledge, or, “that which is directly within immediate grasp of the most current state of scientific progress. Wherefore one will never have had been afforded the opportunity to learn about any discovery, not yet made by others until after one’s life has already expired.