Opening Statement and Starting Point
Hi. I established this blog primarily to talk about my philosophical views about life and the world around me because that is what I think about all the time. Please note that these are just my beliefs, many of which are based on what I've experienced in life. I will try to not convey the idea that I am more correct than anyone else. I would love to have people comment on my views, and even challenge them, because it is only through being challenged that I will get any better. At any rate, here it goes.
"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things." -Rene Descartes
In order to find certainty and meaning in life, we have to be willing to question everything, including the beliefs that we have been brought up on. I think it is even good to question our religious beliefs, as long as we do it intelligently. I did so, and it actually made my core religious beliefs stronger. Despite this, I found that an emphasis on a philosophical interpretation of life and reality tends to lead to a different (not drastically different) outlook on things. The outlook is not so much scientific as it is logical. I do not believe in questioning everything like the skeptics did/do. Skepticism creates questions without attempting to find answers, and implies that nothing can really be ascertained with certainty. To me, that is wrong. Many, possibly even most, things cannot truly be known, but really important things can be definitively ascertained. Those things, for me anyways, is life, death, the soul, eternity, God, and existence. Skepticism and nihilism strike me as drastically wrong and groundless. Anyone can ask why, which is the skeptic specialty, but it takes far more effort to explain why. At any rate, each day or so I will try to post more and more of what I truly think. Anyways, in closing is a quote by Thomas Jefferson.
"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." -Thomas Jefferson
"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things." -Rene Descartes
In order to find certainty and meaning in life, we have to be willing to question everything, including the beliefs that we have been brought up on. I think it is even good to question our religious beliefs, as long as we do it intelligently. I did so, and it actually made my core religious beliefs stronger. Despite this, I found that an emphasis on a philosophical interpretation of life and reality tends to lead to a different (not drastically different) outlook on things. The outlook is not so much scientific as it is logical. I do not believe in questioning everything like the skeptics did/do. Skepticism creates questions without attempting to find answers, and implies that nothing can really be ascertained with certainty. To me, that is wrong. Many, possibly even most, things cannot truly be known, but really important things can be definitively ascertained. Those things, for me anyways, is life, death, the soul, eternity, God, and existence. Skepticism and nihilism strike me as drastically wrong and groundless. Anyone can ask why, which is the skeptic specialty, but it takes far more effort to explain why. At any rate, each day or so I will try to post more and more of what I truly think. Anyways, in closing is a quote by Thomas Jefferson.
"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." -Thomas Jefferson
posted by Andrew McKenna at 3:23 PM
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