Monthly Message, August 2021
Metaphysics is ideas about the unseen universe in which we live. It is the complement of the seen universe in which we live, which we will call “physics.” We cannot see all of physics, but we sample enough of it by our senses to firm up good ideas as to what it is, even the parts we cannot now see, such as the parts of this earth we cannot now see. Metaphysics is much more vast and complicated than physics is, for it includes all of the past, all of the future, all of the things so small we cannot sense them, and all of the things so large we cannot sense them. Metaphysics includes the causation of most of the things we observe in physics and any realms that exist that we cannot observe.
So there are at least seven big questions to be resolved about the metaphysical realm:
- Is there a God?
- Is there a devil?
- Do we humans live after death?
- Is there right and wrong?
- What causes what?
- Is there a spiritual realm related to this physical realm?
- What is the true character of the persons whose bodies we see?
It is probable that each human being answers these questions and the ideas related to each of them in at least a slightly different way, but that too is a metaphysical question. If we are thus different in our thinking, then each of us lives in a private universe. And one of the great metaphysical questions is: Is my private metaphysical universe real or just imaginary? One reasonable answer to that question is that I alone exist, and everything else is just my imagination. This answer is called “solipsism.” There is no mortal way to show that solipsism is not true.
One positive side of the unseen existence of the metaphysical realm is that our situation, with metaphysics being discussable but unknowable between human beings, is that the situation provides us with a most precious gift: agency. Because we cannot prove to anyone else that our formulation of the metaphysical universe is true or correct, each of us is free to answer all metaphysical questions for ourselves. We may bear testimony of what we believe to others, but since we cannot prove what we believe about metaphysics, we cannot coerce any other person to believe as we do. This does not mean we cannot influence them. Parents, teachers, friends and so-called authorities are often very persuasive in getting other people to accept their metaphysical views. But it remains that no one can force another person to any metaphysical belief against their will.
Conclusion: It is my belief that we have a Heavenly Father and a Savior who love us so much that they created a mortal existence for us wherein we could imagine for ourselves whatever kind of universe we wanted to live in. They also created a real physical world that we must deal with. We find we succeed better at our tasks in the physical realm when we agree and cooperate. But each person is forced to imagine his or her own metaphysics, which personal metaphysics gives answers to all the great questions of life and provides the basis on which the individual lives the life of their own choosing. Thus are we free indeed. Our freedom is not unlimited, but it is sufficient for each of us to show what we really want to be true. I believe that the love of God thus assures each human being a mortal experience that is a perfect prelude to an eternity of living with the answers to the questions of metaphysics which we choose during mortality.
Chauncey C. Riddle