Phenomenology of Non-existence

Whenever asked to explain the key idea underlying his latest masterpiece 'Phenomenology of Non-existence', Joseph would often make use of an enigmatic Gedankenübung (thought-exercise). He'd invite the typical inquisitive offtologist, or the occasional ontologist, as the case may be, to consider how seriously they take themselves. That it was always too much, Joseph explained, was the first step to understanding the main themes covered in his work.