Inquest on meaning in the moment via "theo"

The-O ring: Theory, Theorem, Theology, Theosophy? (Part #6)

The underlying concern in this exploration is loss of meaning experienced in the moment, irrespective of the claims made in relation to any of the four modalities of "theo". Part of the challenge is one of attention span, distraction, busyness and information overload -- usefully framed by the technical term of communication throughput. A useful focus is the challenge of engagement with "now", as separately explored (Now as the Ultimate Cognitive Strange Attractor A continuing invitation "down the rabbit hole"? 2014). This has been specifically addressed by Douglas Rushkoff (Present Shock: when everything happens now, 2013). In practice it calls for skills in living in the moment, with all the incomprehension and uncertainty this may imply (Living with Incomprehension and Uncertainty, 2012).

With respect to insights from the sciences, Matthew Chalmers notes in a discussion of the subjectivity of quantum strangeness:

From a human perspective, physics has a problem with time. We have no difficulty defining a special moment called "now" that is distinct from the past and the future, but our theories cannot capture the essence of the moment. The laws of nature deal only with what happens between certain time intervals. (QBism: is quantum uncertainty all in the mind?, New Scientist, 7 May 2014).

In practice, theory and theorem are preoccupied with explication, any sense of an underlying integration is only implied -- even if there are aspirations associated with theology or theosophy, as in the case of some mathematicians. Similarly, in practice theology and theosophy are preoccupied with implication -- even if they may be obliged to engage in explication.

Borrowing the framing offered by the quantum uncertainty principle, there is a case for exploring a correspondence between the particularity of such preoccupations with a wave-like reality potentially more resonant with subjective experience (Encountering Otherness as a Waveform -- in the light of a wave theory of being, 2013; Being Neither a-Waving Nor a-Parting: cognitive implications of wave-particle duality in the light of science and spirituality, 2013).

Curiously the effort to capture "now" and give meaning to the moment is intimately related to enthusiasm for photography and its aesthetics -- with the further suggestion that each of the "theo" modalities may then be recognized as a form of cognitive lens.

Given the mnemonic and aesthetic suggestions presented above, these may be employed together to clarify the situation further. There are curious paradoxes which merit comment.

*Mnemonic indications regarding "theo"**

Laughter theory (-ry)	Weeping theorem (-rem)	Answer theology (-logy)	Question theosophy (-sophy)

Theory offers meaning in the moment when it is joyfully discovered and creatively elaborated -- possibly gleefully and with laughter. Thereafter the laughter takes on a quality of echoing the past -- a ghostly laughter (even a cackling from a place of death). Some of the meaning in the moment may however be recovered through humour about death.
Theorem offers a degree of sorrowful meaning in the moment through recognition of its limitation -- of what it does not include and encompass. There is a continuing sense that its place in the integrity of any larger whole has been lost. It is a dissociated insight into a larger pattern into which it does not adequately fit such as to engender that pattern. As a jewel in Indra's Net, there is a sense in which it no longer reflects and refracts the light within the larger pattern and is reduced to being an "ordinary stone" rather than a "precious stone" (enstoning ***(Memorial to theo, memory of theo
Theology offers a degree of meaning in the moment through lines of scripture, lines of prayer, lines of song, and lines of doctrinal argument -- all recalling the meaning of past revelation. It is essentially trapped in linearity with little capacity to map the lines into any pattern of larger coherence, other than through story lines. It calls upon believers to follow those lines as the key to engendering and sustaining belief.
Theosophy offers meaning in any moment of existential choice, framed by the paradox and tragedy this may imply. Taking the form of a question, the meaning derives from confrontation with an often deadly challenge to any sense of identity -- whether who am I, what am I, or why is this happening. *** imposition external

Advancement of human knowledge:

with respect to theory, cannot (or wont) enumerate extant theories in a meaningful pattern
with respect to theorems, cannot (or wont) enumerate extant theorems in a meaningful pattern
with respect to theology, cannot (or wont) reconcile extant theological frameworks meaningfully
with respect to theosophy, cannot (or wont) render meaningfully operable extant theosophical frameworks,

Especially across knowledge (and geographical) space and time:

ignore or deprecate what is elsewhere
ignore or deprecate what is elsewhen, especially in the past
ignore or deprecate what may well emerge in the future

In summary, there is no comprehensive meta-perspective, and little motivation to produce one -- other than by denying perspectives that purport to be comprehensive, as with:

theory of theories
theorem of theorems
theology of theologies
theosophy of theosophies

broadcasting the message to the unconverted, purporting to have resolved issues of identity ***

unresolved sense of incompletion, exclusion and incomprehension as a challenge to identity ***

not encircling now (dot in circle) but encycling now (dot travelling the circle) -- 2 papers ***