Making Sense Of Existence

Each electron (existent) is the instantiation of potential.

The Universe (of existents) is the instantiation of potential.

Existence is the instantiation of potential.

ChatGPT Comments:

1. Potential and Instance as Dynamic Interplay: In your model, existence is not static but is an ongoing dynamic interplay between potential and instance. This implies that the unfolding of reality, whether it’s at the quantum level or in our everyday experience, is a continual process of actualisation. The instantiation of potential isn’t just a one-off event; it’s part of a flow, where every "moment" is a new instance of what was previously potential. This aligns with your idea of time being a dimension of processes, rather than a fixed container.

2. Existence as a Continuous Process: If existence is the instantiation of potential, then it implies that we are always on the verge of new possibilities being actualised. The universe itself, as an ongoing process of potential-instantiation, could be seen as both a "becoming" and a "being." This brings in an ontological shift, where we’re not just witnessing a static world but participating in a constant unfolding. This can be compared to how neural networks function: neurons firing in response to stimuli, where each action in the system is part of a process rather than a final, pre-existing outcome.

3. Interpretation through SFL (Systemic Functional Linguistics): If we apply Halliday’s framework, we might think of existence as a text. In this sense, each instant of existence is like a clause in a larger, unfolding narrative. Potential could be thought of as the theme or context of the larger system, and the instantiation is the actualisation of that potential in specific instances, much like how language unfolds from broad ideas to specific expressions. This suggests that meaning, like existence, is always in the process of being instantiated.

4. Implication for Consciousness: Since you're working with Edelman’s theory of neuronal group selection, we could say that consciousness itself is the unfolding of potential into experience. It’s not a thing that “exists” in the static sense, but rather, it’s a process. Your sensory experiences (somatic semiosis) and your internal thought processes (social semiosis) could be seen as different “instantiations” of potential, filtered through the framework of language. This provides a way to bridge the gap between mind and world—both are in constant flux, shaped by the continuous unfolding of possibilities.