The human contradiction of life

Summary: Man needs freedom to act. Freedom requires the adherence to absolute boundaries (which also yields peace). This requires self constraint, based on mutual trust. But this mutual trust can be broken. Moreover, man has no rational justification for self constraint, unless the cost outweighs the benefits. This results in a destructive cycle. This is the human contradiction of life. 

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The human (prisoner's) dilemma

1. Man’s life is finite, for he shall die.
   
2. In his life, man acts.
   
3. Action requires freedom.
   
4. Freedom requires the adherence to absolute boundaries. For example, respecting the entitlements of another man, his life, his opinion, goods, services and contracts.
   
5. The adherence to absolute boundaries requires self constraint.
   
6. The self constraint of man is based on trust.
   
7. Trust can be broken.
   
8. Broken trust limits freedom.
   
9. Limited freedom prohibits action.
   
10. Prohibited action ultimately equals death.

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No absolute boundaries

Freedom requires the adherence to absolute boundaries. But mankind itself cannot provide a source for the absolute boundaries needed for freedom, which is needed to live.

On the individual level, a man can only establish his own rules. But his rules are not absolute. His rules will be:

• limited in scope, to the extent of his sphere of influence;
• limited in duration, to the extent of his lifetime; and
  
• limited by other rulers, when a stronger man decides to overrule them.
  

At the collective level, national and international, the same principles apply. (Like a brick wall consists of the individual bricks in it: it is only a matter of scale.) It follows that mankind is unable to secure freedom, action or life.

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No trust

Trust can be broken. In light of the fragility and finiteness of a man, he cannot afford his trust to be broken by any other man. Because this would limit his freedom, action and life, which could result in his death or lead him closer to it. Therefore, he cannot rely on the self constraint of other persons. This means that: 

• he must limit his actions; and
  
• he cannot give the same trust to other men that they need to freely act, which he needs in return from them to freely act.

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No self constraint

There is no rational justification for a man to exercise self constraint, unless it would cost him. In principle, violating another man’s entitlements can be very beneficial to the man that is both willing and able to: 

• breach the trust given to him; or 
• deny the trust that is required of him.

The limited time that a man has provides a compelling argument to live at the expense of others, rather than allowing others to live at his expense.

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No power

The increase of power to act in one man causes a simultaneous decrease of the power to act in other men. This shift in power is in constant flux. This means that the fittest can survive and thrive at the expense of others until they are removed by those that will be the fittest until they are removed. Etcetera. It follows that the fittest don't survive. Neither do the unfit. This cycle is inherently destructive. This makes it a downward spiral. Not towards life, but towards death. This is the human contradiction of life.

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Related definitions

From Websters 1828 Dictionary:

FLUX, noun 
The act of flowing; the motion or passing of a fluid. The moving or passing of any thing in continued succession. Things in this life, are in a continual flux

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