The Relationship

Consciousness is a relationship identification tool.  Every concept requires a relationship be established (Perception works the same way).  For that relationship to be valuable to you, it has to be relevant to your goals and purpose.

You therefore need two things:

1) A factual relationship

2) A relevant relationship (to your goals and purpose at hand)

Epistemology is the bridge that connects Metaphysics to Ethics and Vice Versa (tool for survival)

On ‎7‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 9:26 AM, mpp said:

Does the term essence always pertain to a concept, hence implying a fundamental, distinguishing characterizing that is similar among many units?

Or can we have an essence of a single existent?

e.g. What's the essence of man? Rational animal. What's the essence of that person? We wouldn't say rational animal, maybe we would say something about his beliefs, or gene distribution or upbringing...?

Can we even speak of essences of existents or is essence reserved for concepts only? How does the essence of man and the essence of that person relate? Essence makes the thing that which it is. But the concept "man" doesn't exist, so essence cannot make the concept what it is. Essence can only make man, as in that person, what he is. But how could we then say what makes him him is his rationality? 

I am confused between the relationship of essence, what is the essence of, when we speak of an essence of a concept and can there be an essence of something that isn't a concept?

Thank you. 

 

If you were Aristotle you'd say that you could have an essence of a single existent (by itself) - Metaphysical.  But for Rand essence are things viewed in a certain relationship, essence is Epistemological not Metaphysical.