Introduction

This blog is my philosophy. Like most mathematicians, I have a profound love for truth which compels me to reach for deeper levels of understanding in many areas. I spend great quantities of my time and energy in consideration of the questions I will address here. In areas where I think that I have stumbled upon something of value, I will write my thoughts here. Some of it, I'm sure, will be wrong, though I'm really trying to avoid that. Some of it, I hope, will challenge you to consider questions on a higher level than you have previously.

Socrates said that the only true knowledge is knowing that you know nothing, and Descartes was only able to add to that one absolutely provable fact, “I think, therefore I am.” Although I can’t prove anything beyond that with complete certainty, there are several other base assumptions that I feel are safe. My first entries will be dedicated to explaining and justifying some of those base assumptions. I will only name a few here, but will try to identify other assumptions I make as they materialize in different topics I will address.

1) We are not alone. While I can prove that I exist, I postulate that you also exist.
2) The world around us, whatever its nature may be, is sufficiently real and consistent for logic and reason to operate successfully.
3) There is one objective truth to be found in things of this world. Truth is subjective only in subjective matters, like tastes, and preferences.
4) There is a Supreme Being (God) which is perfect and immortal.
5) God created us in His image and sent us here to a world of imperfection. Thus, humans have a dual nature. They tend to strive for the divine, doing what is right, loving and being selfless. And they tend to be selfish, do wrong, and give in to the lower animal-like instincts of this fallen world.
6) In the presence of all relevant facts, choices can be accurately and objectively denoted as good and/or evil.
7) Life and all of existence has a purpose.

While I recognize that there are those who take exception to some of these assumptions, I consider these so reasonable as to be almost self-evident, so other than a brief justification of these, I hope to spend most of my time moving on from this foundation.