Introduction

The human mind, bound by the limits of space, time, and perception, inevitably asks whether anything exists beyond its immediate experience. This fundamental inquiry forms the philosophical journey from transcendence to Absolute Reality. Transcendence, meaning "to go beyond," describes the act of searching for something that exceeds the material world, while Absolute Reality is the ultimate, non-dependent, perfect, and unified goal of that search.

The concept of the Absolute is not a scientific hypothesis but a logical necessity posited to resolve the inescapable flaws, dualities, and contradictions observed within our subjective, changing, and limited everyday existence.

The Philosophical Impetus

The initial philosophical impetus for positing an Absolute Reality is the realization of the contingency and imperfection of the material world. This realization creates a profound set of problems that cannot be solved by material evidence alone.

1. The Problem of Imperfection

Every physical object is temporary and flawed. A drawn circle is always imperfect; a just law is always applied unevenly. Yet the human mind possesses the concept of perfection. Philosophers such as Plato argued that if all we experience are imperfect copies, there must logically exist a perfect, non-material source where these ideals reside.

2. The Problem of Causation

In the material world, everything is dependent; every effect has a prior cause, leading to infinite regress. To halt this chain, thinkers proposed a First Cause or Unmoved Mover--an Absolute that exists independently and requires no external explanation.

3. The Problem of Subjectivity

Human perception is inherently relative, as illustrated by the "6 vs. 9" analogy. If all truth is subjective, moral and intellectual chaos follows. The Absolute functions as a necessary objective standard against which relative claims can be measured.

The Paradox of the Absolute

Although the Absolute is logically necessary, its transcendent nature creates a paradox. The mind--bound by time, space, and language--attempts to comprehend that which exists beyond those categories. This creates the "software/hardware dilemma": the mind can infer the Absolute's existence but cannot directly experience or fully understand its essence.

This leads to two responses:

• Mysticism: accepting the paradox and seeking the Absolute through non-rational, ineffable experience.
• Skepticism: rejecting the Absolute as a conceptual construct designed to ease existential anxiety.

Conclusion

The journey from transcendence to Absolute Reality reflects humanity's deepest longing for unity and certainty. Yet modern thought recognizes that logical necessity does not guarantee existence. Existential philosophy urges a shift away from searching for an external Absolute and toward the courageous creation of meaning within our finite, subjective lives.