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      Metaphysical and Physical

      The most basic division within cosmic reality is that between the higher, metaphysical world and the lower, physical world. We contend that this is a more accurate view of reality than the more commonly found differentiation between spiritual and material, since this physical world in which we live is already a combination of the levels of soul and matter. It is therefore, strictly speaking, wrong to say that we live in a material world, because the matter that we can perceive through our senses is formed matter, i.e., matter formed by soul. In contrast, unformed matter can be mentally conceived but not perceived, since it requires the addition of form to become accessible to sense perception.

      Plato outlines the metaphysical view of reality as follows: “As I see it, then, we must begin by making the following distinction: What is that which always is and has no becoming, and what is that which always becomes but never is? The former is grasped by understanding, which involves a reasoned account. It is unchanging. The latter is grasped by opinion, which involves unreasoning sense perception. It comes to be and passes away, but never really is” (Tim, 27d–28a). Later in the same work, Plato adds that the first kind neither receives into itself anything else nor enters into anything else. It is invisible and cannot be perceived by any of the senses. In contrast, the second kind is constantly borne along, now coming to be in a certain place and then perishing out of it (Tim, 52a). In the Platonic tradition these realms are usually denoted as the intelligible world (to noēton) and the sensible world (to horaton), respectively. The adjectives ‘intelligible’ and ‘sensible’ indicate the respective means by which these worlds may be known, namely rational thought and sense perception.

      The metaphysical and physical worlds are also known as the realms of being and becoming, which are respectively related to eternity and time. Whereas being is eternal, unchanging, and perfect, becoming is temporal, ever-changing, and imperfect. Since the primary elements of earth, air, water, and fire change into each other (e.g., in the process of condensation) and thus possess no stability, Plato concludes that everything which has becoming is unstable. It is therefore better to say ‘what is such’ than ‘this’ or ‘that’ to describe physical objects (Tim, 49c–50a). Incidentally, this recognition of the fluidity and impermanence of everything in the sensible world rebuts the oft-repeated charge that Platonism entails a static world-view.

      It is important to note that the recognition of a fundamental differentiation between the metaphysical and physical realms does not imply an ontological dualism, since both these worlds obtain their reality from a transcendent Principle. As we have noted earlier, this Principle is variously referred to as God, Brahman, or the One. But an important distinction should be made regarding the origins of these worlds: whereas the intelligible realm arises directly from the Principle, the sensible world comes into being through the intelligible world. The cosmic chain of causality may therefore be stated as follows: Principle → metaphysical/intelligible world → physical/sensible world.

      Participation

      How does the metaphysical and physical realms obtain their reality? In the case of both these worlds, their existence is obtained by means of participation (Greek metechein, Latin participatio) in a higher level of reality. The metaphysical realm participates directly in the Principle, while the physical world participates in the intelligible realm and thus indirectly in the Principle. In this way, a specific level of reality obtains its being from the level directly above it by means of participation: the physical world receives its being from the metaphysical world, while the latter receives its being from the Principle, which is therefore the ultimate source of all being, whether directly

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