I use the phrase “the setting” to refer to my minimalist metaphysical description of the universe. It is a short description that only includes what I think is useful for my quest. The description was inspired by existentialism and Shinichiro Imaoka’s Principles of Living. That said, the setting is simply a description of how the universe appears now and not as one would like it to appear.
Here is the setting:
I am an existent equipped with a measure of free will. But I am unsure where I came from. It seems that I was thrown in this universe—a wilderness—without my volition. Meaning is not a given in this wilderness. I could kill myself to escape this thrownness, this meaninglessness, this wilderness. But I realized I am capable of making meaning, so I could chose to continue living and have reasons for it.
The wilderness is deep and wide and life is long. In the wilderness are other human beings like me as well as nonhumans.