The starting point for reflections on the world has always been the awareness that beginnings and endings are inseparable parts of a single eternal process.

Eternal Unity: Philosophical Reflections on Beginnings and Endings

The starting point for reflections on the world has always been the awareness that beginnings and endings are inseparable parts of a single eternal process. Imagine a picture where all phenomena intersect in an endless cycle that has neither a true start nor a final finish. On one hand, there is the idea that the original state—before anything appeared—and the final moment of disappearance merge to form a closed cycle, comparable to the notion of absolute universal wholeness. This concept allows us to view existence as something where the boundaries between coming into being and ceasing to be dissolve, and the very fact of existence becomes intertwined with infinity.

On the other hand, everyday experience dictates the rule: everything that has a beginning will inevitably reach its end. Yet, philosophical reflection challenges this empirical rule, suggesting that many processes which have begun actually continue eternally, or that their end is only a relative aspect of a particular perspective. Thus, the opposites of beginning and end—like cold and heat or darkness and light—do not exist as absolute antitheses, but rather as complementary elements of a unified existence.

Finally, the endless quest of philosophy for knowledge underscores that final answers to questions about beginnings and endings remain elusive. In the very process of seeking truth lies the idea that the boundaries between beginning and end are blurred, with their understanding constantly evolving. This perpetual dialogue between finiteness and infinity allows us to see the world through the lens of eternal inquiry, where truth is not confined by fixed limits.

Thus, the philosophical view on beginnings and endings presents us with a picture in which all phenomena are united in a single cycle, and what appears to be an ending is merely a reflection of our limited perception of true infinity. It is precisely this idea of grandeur that hides a power inspiring the pursuit and revelation of new facets of existence.

In what way can one define the beginning and end of all that exists from a philosophical point of view?

Philosophically, the question touches upon the idea that these categories are not necessarily separate, linear points in time, but may represent one infinite and cyclic unity. One approach is to understand the beginning as the state in which “nothing existed before itself,” and the end as an integral part of an eternal cycle, where the first and the last merge into a single whole. As stated in one source:

"Indeed, it is exactly so if you look around... The precise beginning is that which had nothing before it. And just as all creatures are born and vanish, so it is that something must have existed before them and remain after. Therefore, nothing can be both the beginning and the end. The beginning and the end are equivalent to God, or to eternity. There exists nothing before it, nor after it. It encompasses everything within its boundless depths. It is not something added onto it; rather, it is the beginning and the end of everything. According to this view, the beginning and the end are the same. And this is indeed so, if one considers it closely. Eternity does not commence with itself, and the space that remains even after everything extends so far back as to precede all things. In it, as in a circle, the first and the last point are identical, and where it began, there it ended."
(source: link txt, page: 1264)

On the other hand, empirical experience—on which the human intellect often relies—tends to assert the general rule that “whatever has a beginning will have an end,” yet philosophy shows that this rule holds only partially. As noted further:

"Whatever had a beginning will have an end. This is what is ordinarily said, but why is it said so?... However, experience demonstrates that many things that have a beginning do not have an end. And if one rises from mere experience to abstract thought, one finds the exact opposite. It must be said that everything that has a beginning should, in fact, be eternal. Why? Because the end is the opposite of the beginning, just as cold is to heat, as darkness to light."
(source: link txt, page: 1175)

Finally, it is important to note that philosophy itself is engaged in a continual search, never arriving at definitive answers regarding either beginnings or endings. The philosophical perspective treats these categories as part of an endless inquiry, suggesting that the human mind, in its quest for truth, cannot exhaust the primal source or the ultimate aim of being. As stated:

"In one sense, philosophy strives for precise definitions, while in another it remains an eternal questioning... And it always remains 'in the middle': philosophy knows neither its 'beginnings' nor its 'ends'."
(source: link txt, page: 1895)

Thus, from a philosophical standpoint, the beginning and end of all that exists can be defined not as absolutely separate moments, but as interconnected aspects of a single eternal process. This understanding implies that the finiteness of any manifestation in the world is merely relative, while the true essence of being lies in its infinite unity, where the boundary between beginning and end is neutralized.