“You are a function of what the whole universe is doing in the same
way that a wave is a function of what the whole ocean is doing.”
—Alan Watts
“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.”
—Carl Jung
Metaphysics: the fundamental means through which we can
model and understand our reality. But our goal here is neither
to write an introduction to metaphysics nor to survey the field
of contemporary theories. Our interest herein lies in
further analyzing and ultimately advancing a novel
“theory of everything”, first published no less than three
decades ago. The Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe or
‘CTMU’ for short, advanced by the autodidactic,
unaffiliated philosopher Christopher Langan, purports to
not only re-frame our entire foundations of knowledge but to
prove the existence of God himself in the process. Though it
is reasonable that one should approach such claims with
incredulity, one cannot categorically deny such claims, as has been
done by more than a few members of academia. Moreover,
to categorically deny such claims would be to disgrace the
very undergirding of scientific inquiry. As the Brazilian
theoretical physicist, Marcelo Gleiser has recently stated, “I
honestly think atheism is inconsistent with the scientific
method. What I mean by that is, what is atheism? It’s a
statement, a categorical statement that expresses belief in
nonbelief” (emphasis added). But, as insightful as this point
may be, it is merely a platitude, often used to buttress a
resolutely agnostic position. Instead of proclaiming the
irrationality of atheism we must prove the rationality of
theism if we want an ultimate answer, if any is to be found.
Indeed, within the coming pages, with the help of the
scintillating theories of both Christopher Langan and the
Austrian philosopher of contemporary metaphysical lore,
Ludwig Wittgenstein, we will show (and say, to those who are
already familiar with Wittgensteinian terminology) that there is
an ultimate, metaphysical answer. Utilizing Wittgenstein’s
remarks on logic and language as scaffolding upon which to
introduce Langanian concepts, we will eventually “throw away
the ladder” of the former’s theorizing, beginning a gradual yet
inspiring climb up the middle of the CTMU’s interminable
steps.
Structurally, the book will be organized into four main
sections, comprising a total of five chapters. The first section
will consist of an introduction of each theory, both the
Tractatus and the CTMU. During this section, there will be no
cross-analysis; we will simply provide a relatively brief
overview of each metaphysical system. In the second section
we will begin to cross-analyze. The second and largest section
will present propositions or “numbers” from the Tractatus,
grouping them by topic and addressing them through the lens
of Langan’s theory. From discussion of “The Containment of
Reality” in subsection 3.1 to analysis of “The Evolution of
Reality” in subsection 3.5, all crucial elements of a coherent
and comprehensive metaphysics will be explored, as both the
Tractatus and CTMU will be laid against the “ruler” of the
world. Following this in-depth contrasting, we will introduce a
synthesis of sorts in the third section. Borrowing the structure
and style of the Tractatus, we will introduce a list of CTMU-consistent
propositions; the propositions won’t be grouped by
topic per se but will follow the Wittgensteinian convention of
general interconnection. In the closing pages, within the fourth
section, we will discuss Langan’s notion of God and his
conception of what he terms “metareligion”. Various religions,
from Christianity to Hinduism will be analyzed and seen to be
logically related to one other under the umbrella of
metareligion. We will also see how the notion of faith is
radically transformed, as God is proved to be no chimera.
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