Ultimate Reality
Ultimate reality is defined as the absolute form all things that exist. Unlike ordinary reality which is a work of the conscious human mind, ultimate reality is independent of personal observations. In some quarter's ultimate reality is conceived as a personal being, the personal being, in this case, is a deity who is considered loving and caring. Others consider ultimate reality as an impersonal being that is the source and origin of human beings. Moreover, ultimate reality is considered as an eternal truth that governs how the world operates. Therefore, ultimate reality is concerned with the question of what is real. In science, it is believed that human beings have enough knowledge to explain what is real and material. Religions use the concept of faith to distinguish between what is real and what is not real.
2) What is the nature of the world? Is it orderly or chaotic, intelligible or absurd, good or evil (or something else), eternal or finite?
The nature of the world is orderly, chaotic, intelligible, absurd, eternal and finite. In a cosmic point of view, there is no such thing as good or evil. All the above concepts are abstract concepts. Orderly is the opposite of chaotic. Intelligible is the opposite of absurd; good is the opposite of evil. The Human beings understanding of these concepts is relative. Although orderly is considered as the systematic arrangement of things and chaotic considered with the unsystematic arrangement of things; this understanding is dependent on one's perception and upbringing. That is to say what is deemed to be orderly by someone may not be considered orderly by another person. Those concepts display some form of relativism. The concepts mentioned above are some examples of familiar dichotomies. These concepts are subjective. Although there are actions in which there is a consensus about their state, still there is no clear-cut distinction. Due to this, the concepts tend to be predominantly affected by our perceptions and behavior. For example, a scientist may consider life to be as finite. That is life begins when you are born and ends when you die. On the other hand, a Christian considers life to be eternal. In this regard, the world can be considered to be all the above. Similarly, the world can be considered not to be all the above.
3) What is the nature of human beings) are we good or evil or immoral?
The nature of human beings is that they are amoral. As earlier mentioned the concept of good or evil is an abstract concept that is not only subjective but also depends on one's perception. Before the development of the conscious mind, human beings were only concerned with activities that supported their continued existence. The end goal was survival. Charles Darwin concept of survival of the fittest can be traced from here. It did not matter whether one's survival was at the expense of another person. Therefore, only the strongest and healthiest individuals survived. With the development of the conscious mind, human beings began to be concerned with more than just their survival. They began being concerned with what the society considered acceptable and what the society did not consider acceptable. From the above, it is clear that the concept of morality is a relatively new concept. It never existed before. The concept is shaped by our cultural experiences and norms. What was considered moral a hundred years ago may be considered to be immoral now. The fact that the concept of either good or evil is shaped by our experiences means that human beings are amoral. The subjective nature is seen in instances where Christians consider themselves immoral due to Adam's sin. This view is not held by individuals from other groups.
4) What is the source of the problems we face?
The source of the human being's problems exists in the human beings themselves. A problem is said to exist where there is an anomaly or deviation from the standard/usual way of doing things. A slight deviation from the prescribed way of doing things results in problems. For example, if you are driving in the wrong lane, an accident is bound to happen. All our problems follow this pattern. The deviation cannot happen spontaneously. It has to be triggered by the actions of human beings. The argument that we are the causes of our own problems cuts across both religions. Even from the biblical perspective, human beings started facing problems when Adam sinned. Had Adam not sinned, human beings would not have experienced problems. It can also be argued that problems are part and parcel of human beings. That for human beings to exist, there must be problems. It is what makes life interesting. It is the sole purpose that drives the existence of human beings.
5) What is the solution to the problems or problems we face?
Just like we have shown that human beings themselves are the cause of their problems, they are also the solution to their problems. Again, we showed that problems are a result of a deviation or anomaly from what is considered acceptable. The deviation from what is considered acceptable is either engineered by human beings or intertwined with the existence of human beings. Therefore, since the problems are a creation of human beings, the problems can only be solved by them. For instance, when one is sick, he/she goes to a doctor (human being) to treat him. Equally, when one's car breaks, he/she takes it to the mechanic (human being) to repair it. Again, as mentioned earlier that the desire to solve problems is the sole purpose of humans' existence, it is apparent that the solution to the problems lies in human beings.
