It is important to observe the interrelation of these three axioms [existence,
consciousness, and identity]. Existence is the first axiom. The universe
exists independent of consciousness. Man is able to adapt his background to
his own requirements, but “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed” (Francis
Bacon). There is no mental process that can change the laws of nature or erase
facts. The function of consciousness is not to create reality, but to
apprehend it. “Existence is Identity, Consciousness is Identification.”
The philosophic source of this viewpoint and its major advocate in the history
of philosophy is Aristotle. Its opponents are all the other major traditions,
including Platonism, Christianity, and German idealism. Directly or
indirectly, these traditions uphold the notion that consciousness is the
creator of reality. The essence of this notion is the denial of the axiom that
existence exists.