The Many-Faceted Pool by Barac Sthinlbzar

Definitions

i. Being is a condition of a body such that it allows it to possess Essences.

ii. An Essence is a characteristic without which a particular body would be another.

iii. We define Attributes as the understanding of a body’s Essences which are the result of Perception by another.

iv. By Existence, we mean the condition of Being independent of Perception.

v. Truth is a mode of expression of its Essence by a Being.

vi. We understand Perception is the creative not-act of imposing a Truth by a body.

Axioms

i. Any Being must, throughout its Existence, express a particular Truth. If it does not, then it would be another Being, or, which is the same thing, cease to Be.

ii. A body that is not can only be considered by the Attributes it does not possess. Corollary – Things that are Not cannot be understood, for they share no Essence with Existing Beings, and thereby has no comprehensible Attributes. Any Truth expressed of things that are Not will have no Perceivable Attributes for Existing Beings.

iii. Truth can be and is expressed by any body about any body. There is thus no relation between Truth and Existence, as Truth is entirely composed of Perception.

iv. Beings cannot express Truths they do not understand, for Perception is grounded in understanding of the Attributes thus expressed.

Propositions

i. Any Expression of Truth is inherently false or at least misleading, for it relies on Perception (Definition v), which cannot express Existence (Definition iii). To understand Existent Attributes, a body must have understanding independent of its own Perception, which is impossible for any Perceiving Being (Definitions iii and v). Corollary – The Existence of a Being cannot be verified by another Being, as a Being’s entire mode of understanding is achieved via sympathy through Attributes. Because a Being is Perceived by any number of other Beings, a single Essence can result in an infinite number of Attributes (Definition vi and Axiom ii).

ii. Understanding by a body of an other’s Essence is flawed, as any act of Perception could potentially result in the creation of any number of new Attributes, which will then result in the changing of the observed body through the impositional not-act of Perception (Definition vi and Proposition i). Corollary – The understanding of a body by itself is impossible for the same reason. To understand itself, a body must posses an Essence which is its Existence. They must therefore be the same thing (Definitions ii and iv).

iii. To understand itself, a body must have no Perception of itself or any other (Proposition ii), and thereby no Attributes (Definition iii). Any self-understanding body must therefore possess Existence and no other characteristic (Definition iv). Perception is to be denied for those seeking self-understanding.

iv. Understanding and Existence are therefore one and the same (Proposition iii and Definition iv). Corollary –Understanding is not a condition that can be attained by bodies that Are. In order to Be, bodies are distinct from each other (Definition i), and thereby engage in Perception and the consequent creation of an unnecessary infinitude of Attributes (Proposition i).

v. In order to Exist, a Being must therefore be a Being entirely unique in Nirn, or, which is the same, become NRN, old or new. All else produces Attributes through Perception (Definition iii). This Existing Being would result in a singular Truth, expressed as Existence (Definition iii, Attributes iii and v). Corollary – If an Existing Being is to interact with any other Beings, it must be in terms of what is Not, as these do not produce Attributes through dissimilarity (Axiom ii).

vi. Any Existing Being must therefore only derive any connection whatsoever from things that are Not. Any attempt to connect to things that Are on NRN will result in the potential for Attributes.

vii. The ability to express what is Not is key to Existence, as not-Attributes are not shared among Beings (Axiom ii). This will result in no Perceptions for the Existing Being to Perceive.

viii. The concurrent expression of what is and is Not by an Existing Being is necessary to achieve its Truth, which is a condition of its Being (Definitions i and v). The former is an expression of itself, the latter the ability to end all Attributes that result from Perception. In doing so, an Existing Being will reaffirm itself, as the single, and ultimate Truth, through its Essence. All else is falsehood, which must be shown its state of Not-Being through the Truth of an Existing Being.