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Dragan Glavasic
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Dragan Glavasic Dragan Glavasic is the most significant contemporary philosopher and one of the greatest thinkers ever. His main interests are in the fields of metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, mathematics, language and literature. He has written extensively for various (scientific and/or philosophical) journals, in addition to publishing several highly acclaimed books. Most notably The Cosmic Tree (2003), Space and Time (2005, in Serbian language), Keepers of the Flame (2006), Ascertaining the Intellectual Horizon (2008), 50,000 Miles Within My Brain (2009), etc. He is a founder and a regular contributor to Stvarnost the journal of science, literature and philosophy. Mr. Glavasic was born on 19th January 1958 in Belgrade, at the time of communism. His father was a judge. Dragan Glavasic briefly attended a university at Los Angeles; studied philosophy and mathematics and received his college degree at Davis & Elkins College in 1987 and Master’s degree at Marshall University in 1990. During his studies, he was working as a photographer for a local newspaper and as DJ for WDNE-FM 90.3 megahertz (radio station), and he also published several of his writings for Aurora and some other magazines. He is a lifetime member of the scientific fraternity Chi Beta Phi and the mathematical fraternity Pi Mu Epsilon, as well as of the American Mathematical Society. Mr. Glavasic has founded a publishing house (Infinity Books Ltd.) thus was working as its Editor-in-Chief. At that time, two of his books were published, in English; only FBI intervened and prevented their distribution. He was accepted, as an assistant, at University of Maryland, in 1992; but was soon after forced out of the country (through clandestine FBI workings), which happened to be the very best thing that could happen to him. Since according to him “USA is anything but a desirable place for a philosopher”. Aside from spending 13 years of his life in the United States of America, Mr. Glavasic has extensively traveled all over Europe. He is currently working on his PhD at College of Philosophy on Belgrade University. His most significant ideas and contributions to philosophy and/or science are the concepts of: the Realm, immortality argument, intellectual revolution, the rudimentary fact, the theory of repeating patterns, the fundamental assumption, the fundamental theory, the theory of intellect, absolute mind, parasitic races, as well as the cognitive proof that space and time do not exist, which is one profound and rather remarkable intellectual achievement! And of course, one completely new kind of mathematics. D.G. has also translated several books. Mostly from the fields of metaphysics, epistemology and ontology. He has also extensively explored Greek, Roman, Celtic, Slavic and Norse (Teutonic) mythologies. Some of the BOOKS by Dragan Glavasic Rudimentary exploration and remarkable discovery of the ultimate reality! The Cosmic Tree (2003) Written in 2003, it is the initial philosophical quest by the author. It deals with various aspects of philosophy, especially with ontology, ethics, philosophy of intellect, philosophy of science, as well as with European (Teutonic, Slavic, Celtic, and Greek/Roman) mythologies. Some of the initial philosophical concepts are presented in a clear and easy to understand way, such as: the theory of intellect, the self-preservation principle, the Realm, the rudimentary fact, the fundamental assumption, the theory of repeating patterns, the absolute mind, etc. A genuine starting point for a more complete introduction to and comprehension of Glavasic’s essential philosophy. Space and Time (2005)** This book is a profound philosophical exploration within metaphysics. Dealing with two very important concepts, those of space and of time. Which is rather significant, all by itself, considering that space and time play a key role in philosophy, physics and everyday life… As a matter of fact, the concepts or better yet the words have become necessary or indispensable in everyday conversation: which only demonstrates their genuine magnitude… Even more amazing is that for over a couple of millennia no one has seriously examined or questioned their ontological status or in any way tried to prove or disprove their existences… The book systematically elaborates and shows both space and time to be cognitive mistakes within reason that were made long “time” ago. In other words, they are abstract entities that exist in our minds only, as ideas, thus are not real. None of us has ever seen, heard, felt or in any other way detected space or time… And for a good reason, indeed: since, they are non-existent! Ultrafilters (2005)* Mathematical text dealing with a little known branch of pure mathematics, which is closely related to the set theory and the foundations of mathematics. Keepers of the Flame (2006) Perhaps the greatest book so far! An amazing compilation of 35 short philosophical stories. Some of the fables are science fiction or mystery, some are historical narratives, several are very much unusual and totally unexpected, most are funny and/or overwhelming in one way or another. Incredibly, many of the tales are interconnected or rather ingeniously woven into a bewildering bigger picture. However, all of them are totally original and profound in their exploration of the ultimate reality: such as the crucial questions of the ulterior purpose for our very existence or any existence, the question of human mortality/immortality , the all important problems of ethics, and, of course, the awesome underlining nature of everything. This book is not only a literary masterpiece, but, as a matter of fact, is also a profound study within metaphysics, epistemology, ontology, political philosophy and ethics. Implying that this compilation is something utterly remarkable, the beginning of an epic journey inside reality or a mind boggling revelation: a cognitive precursor for the book that is to follow next! Ascertaining the Intellectual Horizon (2008)* The latest book in philosophy by the author. A logical outcome of the previous book… Published in 2008, it deals with various philosophical problems and presents their intricate solutions. Not only that this book presents the Immortality Argument, thus demonstrates—through the immense powers of philosophy and logic—that we are, in our essence, fundamentally immortal beings: which, in its significance is the single most important proof ever made; but in addition, it also shows that our world is utterly insane and that most despicable lunatics and/or morbid perverts have all the power in their deadly grasps. Even more significantly, it is a manifesto for intellectual revolution, when the most intelligent men should take over this doomed planet from the corrupt and the perverted sediments, from the poor servants of the rich crooks and even the wealthier thieves: as a way to develop Plato’s ideal society and Nietzsche’s Overman, as a way to obey the overwhelming laws of colossal nature and to fulfill our very reasons for being, our ulterior prime objective, the rudimentary Cosmic decrees… After all, we are the consciousness, the eyes and the mind of this universe and the reality… The books are written in English and translated in Serbian, unless stated otherwise. A Short Sampling of the Writings by Dragan Glavasic: Metaphysics Political Philosophy Literature Philosophy Literature/Metaphysics IMMORTALITY ARGUMENT Live entities have an innate proclivity or an overwhelming instinct to stay alive, to avoid death. As a matter of fact, all that exist have a natural tendency to remain existent… On the other hand, intelligent beings also have a knowledge that sooner or later we must die: which is in the direct disagreement with our inborn predisposition to live, to fear death and our prime objective to circumvent our demise. That way, these two rudimentary but inconsistent forces have created a great deal of inner strife, a tremendous mental instability, a volatile environment, an enormous conflict within human mind: because, on one hand we are aware that death is eminent and on the other hand there is this overwhelming desire to live, a primordial order to stay alive… Unfortunately, up till now, only religions have attempted to reduce or completely alleviate this cognitive chaos, this awesome source of the ultimate confusion and horrifying contradiction… Within unbounded Cosmos or inside infinite universe that contains unlimited amount of substance or matter, which exists forever and undergoes constant or periodic changes for all eternity and beyond: it would not be logical for intelligent life to appear only once and only in one place. What’s more, within such awesome and mind boggling structure as is Cosmos or our universe, it would be far more logical to expect for each and every being—that is, was or will be—to periodically reappear then disappear and to continue that everlasting process indefinitely. In other words, all people that are currently alive, that have already lived or will yet live: will be born and will die countless number of times; hence, lead infinitely many identical, similar and totally different lives. Each and every conscious human being will have endless quantity of different lives and each one of those countless number of different lives will be repeated infinitely many times. That means that we are immortal beings: since an infinite number of short lives is actually immortality (eternal existence within the only functional framework of immortality: immortality that is made of incalculable number of finite lives)! Just stated is the only possible rational conclusion since in the infinite universe, which contains incredible amount of matter that exists forever and undergoes constant or periodic changes: it would not be logical to expect that life would appear only once in one place or that we would live just one short life then disappear forever thus never again exist for all eternity. Because if our ontological status before our birth is identical to our ontological condition after our death then we were dead before we were born and if we were dead once then we came to life, with death we only return to that previous state, in which we were already and from where we entered life, hence in eternal and infinite universe that contains endless quantity of matter: we don’t have any other option but eternally to carry on that colossal cycle of endless births and deaths, leading countless number of different lives, each one of them infinitely many times. This form of existence is also the only pragmatic type of immortality therefore the very best thing that could happen to us, which demonstrates that reason alongside science has finally managed to uncover—a deeper and more profound truth beyond mundane appearance—that the ultimate reality is much more favorable toward life and intellectual entities than what we could have ever imagined through irrational means, such as superstitions or religions. Similar to that, there is an additional argument: in colossal reality which is best defined through fundamental characteristics of eternal existence and change, it makes more sense to expect for us to live endless number of lives thus that way to be immortal; instead of anticipating that we would never get born or to have just one short life or a limited number of finite lives! The previous two arguments have demonstrated that from a materialistic position, as from an idealistic standpoint, just as from a general philosophical approach: there are rational reasons for us to claim to be immortal. As a matter of fact, it is far more justifiable for us to ascertain the notion of being immortal than of being mortal! Death is nothing else than man’s amazing voyage toward yet another birth, another life! [Taken from the book Dragan Glavasic, (Beograd: Tajd, 2005) pp. 223-25] CONCEALED ENEMIES Enemies could be from inside or from outside and those both types could be either concealed or visible… Worst enemies are concealed ones, especially those that clandestinely work from inside! Because, they can bribe and corrupt, they can collaborate with traitors and/or simpletons. That way they are in a position to infiltrate our centers of power, our governments, control our media (including entertainment industry) and secretly work on fulfilling their ulterior motive of our annihilation; they can surreptitiously labor on our genocide! It is easy to detect obvious enemies, thus to mobilize against them and to get ready to battle them; but concealed enemy with the secret agenda to destroy us, that has recruited countless traitors and malcontents, that has manipulated or corrupted population, at large, is a far greater danger… Like cancer, it will devour unsuspected victim’s body while the patient will not even realize that it is sick, until it is too late, or might never realize, thus will fall in a terminal coma and die! It is much easier to fight the visible threat, opposing armies that march toward us… But it is far harder to detect and defeat concealed enemies that gradually invade our lands under false pretenses thus use bribery and corruption to become immensely rich and powerful, hence, to infiltrate our governments, media and other key components of society: which enables them to castrate white men, brainwash and force the population to turn pacifistic and masochistic, to look the other way, to keep quiet and to collaborate as to willingly self-destruct! [Taken from the book Dragan Glavasic, 50,000 Miles Within My Brain (Belgrade: Odin & Thor, 2009) p. 312] NASA “I’m sad to announce that our attempt of putting a female teacher in space was a horrific failure!” said NASA spokesman at the news conference in Huston, Texas. “We have genuinely believed that space shuttle has become so reliable, safe and easy to fly that even a regular woman could go into space… Therefore, we found a female teacher from New England and we hoped to make her an astronaut…” The man from NASA was sweating profusely while trying to answer the barrage of questions by great many journalists. They all wanted to find out why the space shuttle has blown up, disintegrated high up into the stratosphere, killing all aboard and wasting billions of dollars of tax payers’ money in the process. Consequently never succeeding of bringing the teacher in space. Among the cacophony of voices one has somehow managed to get through, “What was the cause of the accident?” “It’s hard to tell. We don’t know it, precisely, at this moment. Only one thing is for certain, it was not a mechanical malfunction,” replied the NASA official, while wiping sweat from his forehead. His main concern was that the general public would become suspicious and thus presume that there was a cover up. As if NASA or USA government wanted to hide some deeper secrets, something that could profoundly affect our world: for instance, whether or not it was a good idea to send females in space, in the first place… Which might force us to carefully reexamine, profoundly alter, our rudimentary attitudes toward the weaker gender. Then next reporter wanted to know what the teacher’s last words were. “Her last words, just before the explosion,” replied the NASA representative, “were: ‘What is this button for?’” The cacophony of sounds suddenly died down… Everything was completely still; nothing was moving or making any noise; only one red light was constantly flickering as if it was an alarm, a dire warning signal… [Taken from the book Dragan Glavasic, Keepers of the Flame (Belgrade: Tajd/Odin & Thor, 2006) pp. 191-92] MATERIALISM VERSUS IDEALISM There are several approaches to structured understanding of reality. Two of them—those of materialism and of idealism—are rudimentary and also most credible because they create two most ordered (and plausible) forms of reality. Since it makes sense to presume that reality is ordered then such implies that those two approaches have the best chances of being correct. Nevertheless, they are also opposing to each other which additionally means that they both cannot be true or that, at most, only one of them could be correct. Materialism ought to be defined as a claim that reality is made of matter [mass and energy (including various forms of energy fields: electromagnetic, gravitational, radiation, etc)]. The sole reality is matter (and everything is a manifestation of it or its activity). Matter is the building block of everything. Every change (event or activity) has a material background or cause. Such that matter, and its activity, is eternal. Or alternatively it could be stated that only matter in motion exists. It has always existed and it will always exist… There is no first cause or a prime mover. There could be some other variations on the idea but the essence of materialism is matter. Everything that exists is matter or a product of matter. For instance, mind if it exists is the product of matter. Immaterial entities (such as mind, self, consciousness, god, demon, ghost, spirit, soul, etc) do not really exist. They are abstract concepts that were thought (created) by matter (brain) but which are not real and as such are not a part of reality; or at most are a product of matter in motion and if they exist, it is only due to imagination, and as such they exist abstractly and only for as long as matter induces them. Mind and consciousness would not be possible and would not exist if there is no matter that produces them within a functional brain. In this less rigid approach to materialism, mind exists as an abstract entity but has no causal abilities and is, in fact, completely dependant of the brain (matter), which induces it and brings it into abstract existence. [Far stricter would be to say that only and exclusively matter in motion exists! Such that all immaterial objects or abstract entities are non-existent. On the other hand, a more lenient approach to materialism would permit a possibility that mind, all by itself, affects reality. Which would imply free will.] This however does not imply that Cosmos or reality do not have some purpose or awareness: as many promoters of materialism seem to have believed. Quite to the contrary, it is rather possible to incorporate the ideas of some higher purpose or direction and that of overall intelligence or awareness as being integral parts of matter or the universe and reality. Materialism makes a great deal of sense if we take under consideration empirical data. By applying the perceived outside information we could conclude that reality is indeed best defined through materialism… Idealism is the opposite approach to materialism. It is the theory that everything (universe or reality) is the product of a mind. Meaning that reality is dependant for its existence on a mind and its activities. Without the mind (and its activities) there would be no reality or indeed anything else. All reality is a creation of a mind: matter does not exist! More correctly stated, matter does not exist of itself and for itself, but is a cognitive (or abstract) creation of a mind, without whom it would not be at all. Only abstract entities exist. They exist abstractly and only if the mind thinks of them. Mind is the only truly and really existent entity; such that it is also the creator of everything. [The only question is whether there is just one mind or more than one. To which there is no answer. Previous could also imply that there might be one or more than one reality, in regard to how many minds there are. Or alternatively there is only one reality such that it might be a product of all minds, or by the absolute mind which could be defined as the sum of all minds. [Materialism would also permit absolute mind as the sum of all brains (or some other cognitive structures, like computers, if they are intelligent), especially if they are able to communicate and collaborate.]] Physical world is not real and does not really exist. Or alternatively stated: the external world is not physical. Reality could be explained through concepts of: mind, self, soul, ego, spirit, facts of truth, ideas, thoughts, emotions, etc. Everything else depends on them for their existences, but they depend on nothing for their existences. Only mind, mind type activities and their idea-type contents actually exist. [Or as Plato would say it: the absolute reality is the everlasting domain of ideal (best possible), independently existent, unchanging and timeless forms (actually: ideas) and the absolute subjects of the ultimate truth; such that perceived reality (obtained through senses) is only a bad copy or inadequate approximation of what is actually real.] However, from epistemological standpoint that could imply that nothing is known except the mind and its mental content. In the extreme sense: all that a person could ever know is what is in his mind and nothing else. Alternatively, it actually implies that entire knowledge is derived from the mind. No empirical date is possible or in any way reliable. Nothing could be known about the external world, not even if there is one. Knowledge about everything has to be derived from within one’s mind (since our senses are useless). And such is a dead end, the unavoidable demise of philosophy: which ought to discredit idealism altogether! Because, in a more pragmatic sense, such approach might be counterproductive in dealing with the rigors of everyday life thus is not beneficial in our attempts to make sense of reality and to improve our standard of living. Not only that it would force us to live in a state of constant denial and under a reign of dormant lethargy, but also would undermine our prime objective of being the eyes and brains of this universe, of becoming the essential cognitive parts within the absolute mind of the ultimate reality. Even though idealism creates most elegant design of reality, still it is not very practical; while materialism depicts the most functional and also more probable one. In other words, according to our senses and overall perceptions and understandings of reality: materialism is credible and most likely to be the accurate description of what is really out there… And under no circumstances should human immortality be exclusively associated with the notion of idealism, as it will be demonstrated presently. But first, let’s examine the very foundations of the ultimate reality… [Taken from the book Dragan Glavasic, Ascertaining the Intellectual Horizon (Belgrade: Odin & Thor, 2008) pp. 20-23] THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (or The Amazing Voyage ) ~ Dedicated to all my ancestors and my progeny, especially to my sons. ~ Igor Sokolov was in his late eighties when one day he fell and could not get up. His eldest son helped him to bed and immediately called a physician. But there was nothing that the medical doctor could do. The old age has finally caught up with Mr. Sokolov. So Igor’s daughters and his youngest son came. They brought their families with them just in time to see the dear old man for the very last time. The women quietly sobbed and left the room together with his great-grandchildren. They were gathered in the adjacent living room. Igor Sokolov was on his deathbed, surrounded with his immediate offspring; realizing that his life has passed in an instant, that seemingly not long ago he was but a little boy playing in the snow of his youth. He opened his eyes for the last time and looked at them with pride and joy just before he died! His life-energy slowly seeped out of him, his tired eyes closed and total darkness inundated his very being… Everything transcended into a complete silence, turned black and disappeared into oblivion as if he has entered a dark tunnel (of death)… The years went by. His children and grandchildren expired as well. New snows fell and melted, seasons changed and all life disappeared from the planet. Eventually the sun exploded and swallowed the Earth. In due time, it burned out, dimmed and stopped shining altogether… But other stars, in fact, countless numbers of them, appeared—within distant nebulas—and they, in turn, kept on shining for ions. Around one such star, inside this infinite universe, in a completely different galaxy, far away from the Milky Way: there was a planet very much similar to what Earth once was, on which emerged life very similar to life that once flourished in the Solar System… Then people appeared and civilizations followed… Finally, one day, there was a family just like the Sokolovs and their surname was, in fact, Sokolov and they had a baby boy, whose name was none other then Igor, who was in every conceivable respect totally and undeniably identical to Igor Sokolov that once lived and died long time ago on the other planet… His birth did not take long, and when the doctor took the newborn and cut his umbilical cord, Igor blinked his sensitive eyes blinded by the light and overwhelming surge of existence permeated his very being, as if he has just left a long tunnel of death, entering the immense field of life. The boy took his first breath, signifying that he has finally arrived, or perhaps, returned among the living once again, after a prolonged and justifiable absence! It was a festive occasion indeed and entire family gathered together. The grandparents arrived bearing gifts. Uncles and ants, various cousins, well-wishers and friends came from far… The proud father and his pretty, young wife were rather happy, as if they somehow instinctively knew that life is but a journey between two deaths just as death is only an amazing, ultimate voyage between two consecutive lives: assuring that the grand eternal cycle within the infinite circle will never be broken, never cease, never end! That ultimate reality is made of the endless existence and the inexhaustible change. [Taken from the book Dragan Glavasic, Keepers of the Flame (Belgrade: Tajd/Odin & Thor, 2006) pp. 94-96] 20:17, 9 August 2009 (UTC) This entire text and all the included original writings, by Dragan Glavasic, were approved and permitted by the author. For further readings and/or info visit or the official or semi-official web sites affiliated with the author. See Also
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