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Personal Nonexistence
Background
Personal Nonexistence refers to a state of being studied in the philosophy of Meontology (the philosophical study of non-being) and other philosophical studies of nonexistence. "Nothingness" is a philosophical term for the general state of nonexistence, sometimes reified as a domain or dimension into which things pass when they cease to exist or out of which they may come to exist, e.g., in some cultures God is understood to have created the universe ex nihilo, "out of nothing". The being essentially does not exist on various scales. Beings of this state as explained above do not exist and have a paradoxical guise that allow them to even interact, have sentience, etcetera. In other cultures nothingness is merely missing a trait or aspect that other characters share that essentially defines them as "not existing".
Context of "Nothingness"
A nature of one's nothingness means different things in context. Some examples include:
- Philosophical Nonexistence: Characters like these are characters who lack existence in a more philosophical sense then literal. The character essentially lacks an aspect about themselves, meaning they aren't a literal nonexistent being that doesn't have form and one cannot pass through but rather just a being that lacks a common aspects others share. These normally fall under aspects of Mu, Spiritual Nonexistence, Mental Nonexistence, etcetera.
- Literal Nonexistence: Characters like these are characters that can't even truly be defined as "characters" as they are not a thing or existence in the conventional or upmost sense. They fall under truly not being an existent part of reality. These beings are normally unexplainable as they are completely illogical due to lacking any form or trait of an existence.
Forms
- Mu (negative): The Japanese and Korean term mu or Chinese wu, meaning "not have; without", is a key word in Buddhism, especially Zen traditions. It is a fourth grade kanji. In modern Chinese, Japanese and Korean it is commonly used in combination words as a negative prefix to indicate the absence of something for "wireless". In Classical Chinese, it is an impersonal existential verb meaning "not have". It's normally used in these cultures to reach Enlightenment, essentially this state would apply to characters who are nonexistent in the aspect of using "nothingness" or a "power of nothingness" in tandem for various different applications, such as negative energy as a primary example. In terms of binary code, Mu is essentially negative energy meaning it "doesn't exist" by all technicalities, but in many interpretations, it's still physically interactable.
- Users: Poo (MOTHER 2)
- Physical Nonexistence: Physically null beings don’t physically exist on the material plane. While they can be thought of and remembered and they may even have a visible, physical form, they cannot be harmed by conventional means due to already being null. Do also note their physical form is a mere guise or illusion as they paradoxically can enter existence with these. They'd also always need to be incorporeal to qualify for this type. Characters with Metaphysics Manipulation would be able to interact with these types of characters.
- Spiritual Nonexistence: Spiritual Nonexistence is where the character lacks a soul, spirit or astral form, and thus are considered to "not exist" in the verse as the verse treats the soul as a very important part of a being having an existence. This ability is thus only applicable in series where one lacking a soul is seen as a character not existing at all.
- Users: Born (Nihilumbra)
- Mental Nonexistence: Mental Nonexistence is where the character lacks a mind and cannot think, going against Descartes philosophical idea of "I think, therefore I am." These also apply to verses where the verse treats the mind as a very important part of a being having an existence. This ability is thus only applicable in series where one lacking a mind is seen as a character not existing at all.
- Users:
- Metaphysical Nonexistence: Similar to spiritual nonexistence and mental nonexistence, metaphysical nonexistence deals with a character lacking one of the many metaphysical aspects that a verse may treat as a very important part of a being having an existence. his ability is thus only applicable in series where one lacking that metaphysical aspect is seen as a character not existing at all.
- Users:
- Material Nonexistence: The lack of any conventional existence. Such a character will exist as something beyond the normal scope of the physical and metaphysical worlds, instead existing as an idea or other unconventional state. Such entities can be conceptualized by individuals, but do not exist in a physical or metaphysical form, such as a soul. In terms of binary, this would be a 0, where existence is 1 and nonexistence is 0.
- Users: Crono (Chrono Cross), Yoba (Stardew Valley)
- Paradoxical Nonexistence: Paradoxical Nonexistence is when a character operates under a state of Paradox Existence in which they will both exist but also not exist at the same time.
- Users:
- Universal Nonexistence: Universal Nonexistence is for a character that technically "exists" but not in the main universe or reality, essentially being unable to directly enter reality without approaching through a physical form, thus essentially not "existing" in that reality. These characters normally require range beyond the regular universe in order to affect.
- Users: Waterwraith (Pikmin), Fox McCloud Sr. (Star Fox)
- Ayin Physiology: Ain/Ayin (Kabbalah) literally meaning "Not", is truly nonexistence, being a state of nothingness/oblivion so absolute that it cannot be even commented or described, you can only stay silent on it. The characters that exist within this state of an absolute nonexistent state, being the highest form of nonexistence and completely imperceptible. In terms of binary, this would be having no code, where existence is 1 and standard nonexistence ideals are 0. Some characters in this state are so nonexistent that even acknowledging them will cause one to be erased from reality.
- Users: Lavos (Chrono Cross), Chara & W. D. Gaster (Undertale)
Limitations
- Some verisons of nonexistence do not operate under being "uninteractable" and mereyl are a more spiritual idea of a character lacking an important aspect for existence, being a weakness rather then an ability that can be used against someone in combat.
- As the user no longer exists, they may be unable to interact with reality.
- Affected by Nothingness Manipulation and similar powers.