On Being and Becoming
The notions of “being” and “becoming” represent two of the most profound philosophical questions concerning existence. They stretch across disciplines, from metaphysics to physics, from psychology to biology, offering deep insights into the nature of reality. In this essay I attempt to explore these concepts, drawing from ancient philosophical traditions, scientific discoveries, and the psychological perspectives of Erich Fromm and Ernest Becker. Weaving these threads together, I aim to explore how this tension (between being and becoming) shapes the universe and the human condition.
The Philosophical Dimensions of Being and Becoming
Parmenides and the Static Reality of Being
Parmenides of Elea, in his famous poem, argued that “being” is the only reality, and change or “becoming” is an illusion. For Parmenides, existence was singular, eternal, and unchanging. Anything that “is not” could never “come to be” because it would imply the transformation of nothing into something — a metaphysical impossibility. In his view, time, transformation, and change are mere illusions created by human perception. To be is to persist in an immutable state, outside the flux of time. This idea culminates in a rigid ontology where nothing truly changes, and all entities are simply manifestations of the same underlying essence of “being.” In modern terms, Parmenides’ vision could be equated to a timeless block universe, wherein past, present, and future coexist, but no actual change transpires.
Heraclitus and the Flux of Becoming
Heraclitus, often considered Parmenides’ rival, famously declared, “You cannot step into the same river twice,” for everything is in a state of flux. For Heraclitus, “becoming” was the fundamental nature of reality. He saw the world as an ongoing process of transformation, where change is not only real but essential to existence itself. Stability, to Heraclitus, was an illusion. The world is in a perpetual state of becoming, shaped by opposites in tension — a process he called “the unity of opposites.” Where Parmenides saw unity in stillness, Heraclitus saw unity in movement and dynamism. His view resonates with a universe characterized by thermodynamic processes, evolution, and constant interaction between entities.
Erich Fromm and Ernest Becker on Being and Becoming
The Ethics of Being
Erich Fromm, a social psychologist and humanistic philosopher, offered a compelling perspective on being and becoming that was grounded in human experience. For Fromm, human existence is an ongoing process, but one divided between two modes of living: the “having” mode and the “being” mode. Fromm’s “being” mode is not about static existence, but about a way of life in which individuals live authentically and creatively, fully engaged with their surroundings and relationships. Being, in Fromm’s sense, is dynamic — it is about becoming the fullest version of oneself through love, creativity, and productive action. Fromm contrasted this with the “having” mode, which emphasizes possession, control, and the illusion of permanence. In the “having” mode, we are stuck in the illusion of static being, attempting to cling to unchanging objects or statuses.
For Fromm, real “being” is never static; it is deeply intertwined with becoming. Becoming represents the path toward self-actualization, authenticity, and love. To truly “be” is to constantly “become,” a process of unfolding one’s inner potential through meaningful engagement with the world.
The Fear of Death and the Struggle to Be
Ernest Becker, a cultural anthropologist and existential psychologist, brings a critical psychological dimension to the discussion of being and becoming. His magnum opus, The Denial of Death, delves into how human beings cope with the terrifying awareness of their mortality. Becker argues that the fear of death drives much of human behavior, influencing both our striving to “be” and our need to “become.” In Becker’s view, humans are caught in a paradox: we are animals with an instinct for survival, but we are also self-conscious beings aware of our inevitable death. This awareness creates a tension between the desire for immortality (being) and the transient, fragile nature of human life (becoming). Becker argues that most people create symbolic immortality projects — through culture, religion, or legacy — to try to transcend their finitude.
The process of “becoming” can thus be seen as a defense against the terror of death. By constantly evolving, achieving, and growing, humans create the illusion that they are conquering death. Yet, Becker also notes that the acceptance of death, and the embrace of life’s impermanence, is essential for authentic being. True being, for Becker, is found in facing death courageously and living in full awareness of life’s transitory nature.
Scientific Perspectives on Being and Becoming
Philosophy often treats “being” and “becoming” as static vs. dynamic concepts, but mathematics and physics can provide us with more nuanced perspectives.
Being and Becoming in Mathematics: The Static vs. Dynamic Paradigm
Mathematics has historically been viewed as a realm of immutable truths — concepts that resonate with Parmenides’ idea of eternal “being.” Mathematical objects such as numbers, geometric shapes, and functions are often viewed as timeless and unchanging. For example, the Pythagorean theorem remains true across millennia, irrespective of the changes in the physical universe. Mathematical entities are abstract and exist in a space that transcends time and flux, much like Plato’s world of forms.
However, in the 20th century, new branches of mathematics — such as dynamical systems theory, chaos theory, and topology — have introduced frameworks to study processes, change, and the flow of systems over time. These fields explore how systems evolve, creating intricate patterns that reflect Heraclitus’ world of flux and transformation. In dynamical systems theory, becoming is an essential part of existence: a system’s future state depends on its previous states, introducing the concept of emergence, where complexity arises out of simple rules over time.
Physics and the Nature of Time
In physics, the dichotomy between being and becoming is most acutely felt in the study of time. Newtonian physics implicitly favors “being,” treating time as an independent, absolute backdrop against which events unfold. Time in this model is like a container — static and unmoving — where physical processes occur.
Einstein’s theory of relativity, however, brought a radical shift to this paradigm. Time and space became intertwined in a four-dimensional spacetime continuum. In this framework, the future, past, and present exist together in a “block universe.” From this perspective, time does not “flow” in the way that we perceive it; instead, all events — past, present, and future — are equally real and exist in a fixed structure. This model aligns with Parmenides’ notion of being, suggesting that change is a matter of perspective rather than an inherent feature of reality.
However, quantum mechanics and thermodynamics open up new questions about “becoming.” The Second Law of Thermodynamics, which introduces the concept of entropy, suggests that systems naturally evolve toward states of disorder over time. The arrow of time, according to thermodynamics, points in one direction — forward — implying that “becoming” is a real and fundamental aspect of the physical world. Quantum mechanics introduces further indeterminacy: before measurement, particles exist in superpositions, states of becoming rather than being, where only observation collapses possibilities into a definitive state of being.
Emergence and Becoming in Complex Systems
The modern study of complexity, particularly in biology and neuroscience, offers a synthesis of being and becoming. Complex systems, like the brain or ecosystems, demonstrate emergent behavior, where a system’s parts combine to create something more than their sum — a new level of organization or “being” that arises through processes of “becoming.”
This interplay between microscopic and macroscopic behavior reflects an ongoing dialectic of becoming, where new forms of being emerge as systems evolve. In evolutionary biology, life itself is a process of becoming, constantly transforming through adaptation, mutation, and natural selection.
Being and Becoming in Human Existence
Humanistic and Existential Approaches
In human existence, the tension between being and becoming takes on existential significance. For the existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, “existence precedes essence.” Humans are not born with predefined essences or purposes; instead, they must create their own meanings through action and choice. In this sense, becoming is central to the human condition: we are constantly in the process of defining who we are.
Heidegger, in Being and Time, offers a deeper examination of being. He introduces the concept of “being-toward-death,” arguing that human existence is fundamentally shaped by the awareness of our mortality. Like Becker, Heidegger suggests that confronting our finitude pushes us toward authenticity. In our temporal, finite lives, we must continually become, striving toward our potential while remaining rooted in the reality of our being.
The Dance of Being and Becoming in Psychology
From a psychological perspective, being and becoming are not mutually exclusive but interwoven. Human life is a process of becoming — through growth, learning, and self-realization — but it is also a search for moments of being, where we find fulfillment, peace, and self-acceptance. In Erich Fromm’s view, the key to this balance is to embrace a mode of existence that emphasizes love, creativity, and authenticity, over possession, control, and stagnation.
Becker’s insight adds that this process of becoming often serves to mitigate our fear of death, but true being arises only when we confront and accept the reality of our mortality. In this sense, being and becoming are not two separate states but the same process viewed from different angles: becoming is the journey, and being is the fleeting experience of authenticity within that journey.
Conclusion : The Eternal Dance of Being and Becoming
Being and becoming are not opposites but complementary forces that shape the universe and human life. Philosophically, they represent two poles of existence: one static, the other dynamic. Scientifically, they reflect the tension between timeless truths and evolving systems. Psychologically, they describe the human struggle between achieving a sense of permanence and embracing the inevitability of change.
In the end, the dance between being and becoming is the dance of life itself. To be is to become, and to become is to be. In every moment, we are both changing and striving for a sense of stability. Life is a process of becoming, but within that process, we find fleeting moments of authentic being. The universe, like human existence, is an ongoing, ever-unfolding symphony where both stability and change play their essential parts. Embracing this paradox is the key to understanding the deepest truths of existence.
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Disclaimer : Everything written above, I owe to the great minds I’ve encountered and the voices I’ve heard along the way.