ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES TO THE RIDDLE OF EXISTENCE

Rescher gave 6 alternative responses to the riddle of existence mystificational, arational, theological, necessitarian, rejectionist, and nomological. Nozick gave four inegalitarian, egalitarian, fecundity, and fecundity and self-subsumption. Parfit also gave four theological, arational, nomological and maximalist. The mystificational response says that the riddle of existence is valid but it is unanswerable; it remains a mystery for us. The arational approach which is a response common to both Rescher and Parfit, concludes that something exists rather than nothing, just because; and offers no further explanation, it just simply is. The theological response, which is again common to both, gives an end all be all answer to the whole question God. The necessitarian alternative responds that it is strictly/logically necessary for something to exist; while the rejectionist, on the other hand, throws the question as illegitimate. Nozick puts forward the egalitarian approach which holds that everything or all states of matter are equal and each requires explanation; this opposes the inegalitarian some things need not to be explained because they occur naturally. Nozicks fecundity and Parfits maximalism both hold that this is the best of all worlds we can get, and that there is that force which made all into being or what they are right now. Rescher, Parfit and Nozick all shared the idea of a nomological response to the riddle of existence. For Rescher, and extending a bit to Parfits idea of maximalism; there are laws (protolaws) which may explain and describe the conditions for existence, and how we came to have the best of all possible worlds that we have right now. Nozick will somehow expand this by saying that it is necessary for this best of all possible worlds and thus, something exists; because nothing is not a natural state, and it nothinged itself, creating existents/something.