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Parmenides in ancient Greece formulated the principle: what is, is. Or, in Ayn Rand's words: existence exists.
Existence exists.


In particular, the grasp of "entity," in conjunction with the closely following grasp of "identity," makes possible the discovery of the next important principle of metaphysics, the one that is the main subject of the present section: the law of causality.
The law of identity.


The law of causality is an abstract principle;
Consciousness is conscious.


In adult, philosophic terms, we refer to this fact as the "primacy of existence," a principle that is fundamental to the metaphysics of Objectivism.
The law of causality.


the "primacy of consciousness." This is the principle that consciousness is the primary metaphysical factor.
"Primacy of existence."


The primacy of existence is not an independent principle. It is an elaboration, a further corollary, of the basic axioms.  
"Primacy of consciousness."


Proof presupposes the principle that facts are not "malleable."
Facts are not "malleable."


The Objectivist view of existence culminates in the principle that no alternative to a fact of reality is possible or imaginable.
No alternative to a fact of reality is possible or imaginable.


Implicit in the foregoing is a principle essential to the validation of the senses and, indeed, to all of epistemology. I mean Ayn Rand's crucial principle that consciousness has identity.
Consciousness has identity.


Identity is not the disqualifier of consciousness, but its precondition. This is the base from which epistemology must proceed; it is the principle by reference to which all standards of cognition must be defined.
Volition.
 
The principle of volition is a philosophic axiom, with all the features this involves.


The faculty of reason is the faculty of volition.
The faculty of reason is the faculty of volition.


The unit must be appropriate to the attribute being measured;
The unit must be appropriate to the attribute being measured.
 
The principle is: the relevant measurements must exist in some quantity, but may exist in any quantity.
 
In this sense, in the form of an epistemological standing order, the concept may be said to retain all the characteristics of its referents and to omit all the measurements (these last within an appropriate range).  


In her treatise, Miss Rand covers all the main kinds of concepts, including concepts of motion, relationships, and materials. In each case, she explains how the principle of measurement-omission applies.
Measurement-omission.


The definitional principle is: wherever possible, an essential characteristic must be a fundamental.
The definitional principle is: wherever possible, an essential characteristic must be a fundamental.


Man too can deal with only a limited number of units. [Crow]
Crow epistemology


The principle of unit-economy
Unit-economy


These rules can be condensed into one general principle: thinking, to be valid, must adhere to reality.
Thinking, to be valid, must adhere to reality.


"Existence is Identity; Consciousness is Identification."
"Existence is Identity; Consciousness is Identification."


The law of contradiction is the fundamental principle defining the method of reality-based thought, whatever its forms or complexities.
The law of contradiction.


Human knowledge on every level is relational.
Human knowledge on every level is relational.


The principle is that knowledge follows a necessary order.
Knowledge follows a necessary order.


[The principle of] Rand's Razor is addressed to anyone who enters the field of philosophy. It states: name your primaries.
Rand's Razor


In order to concretize the Objectivist principle that such claims cannot be cognitively processed, I want to elaborate here on a venerable rule of logic: the rule that the onus of proof is on him who asserts the positive, and that one must not attempt to prove a negative.
The arbitrary cannot be cognitively processed.


The principle of mind-body integration
Mind-body integration.


the principle of life as the standard of value
Life as the standard of value


A "[[principle]]" is a general truth on which other truths depend.
A "[[principle]]" is a general truth on which other truths depend.

Revision as of 20:12, 8 December 2011

Existence exists.

The law of identity.

Consciousness is conscious.

The law of causality.

"Primacy of existence."

"Primacy of consciousness."

Facts are not "malleable."

No alternative to a fact of reality is possible or imaginable.

Consciousness has identity.

Volition.

The faculty of reason is the faculty of volition.

The unit must be appropriate to the attribute being measured.

Measurement-omission.

The definitional principle is: wherever possible, an essential characteristic must be a fundamental.

Crow epistemology

Unit-economy

Thinking, to be valid, must adhere to reality.

"Existence is Identity; Consciousness is Identification."

The law of contradiction.

Human knowledge on every level is relational.

Knowledge follows a necessary order.

Rand's Razor

The arbitrary cannot be cognitively processed.

Mind-body integration.

Life as the standard of value

A "principle" is a general truth on which other truths depend.