A Personal Treatise on Existence
My goal with this is to follow the history of science from its earliest conception step by step in order to enlighten my own understanding of reality while simultaneously asking an arrayed audience specific questions concerning the immediate effect shown as the result of experiment. I wish to establish a means of slowly reconciling science with faith, destroying prejudice as a pathway to truth while extending an olive branch to religion.
There are certain controversies which impede the progress of intelligent discussion due to both obdurate religious conviction and died-in-the-wool science advocates, not to mention political pressures which misconstrue the truth.
Some topics are more controversial than others, while many points in science are wholly accepted by the religiously minded. Although my intention is to follow, from its inception, the history of science, my focus will heavily involve the most controversial issues, such as: The age of the earth and dating methods, evolutionary theory, the big bang, and perhaps most pertinent to questions of ethics immediately affecting our society, climate change.
I realize this is a hefty project. But I thoroughly intend to learn, as an infant takes his first steps, every element of the sciences one small step at a time. With the intention to clarify points of contention I most certainly find this project not only worthwhile but also very exciting.
My idea is a simple one. Concerning our universe, it’s that things in the past have occurred in a very specific way. But yet, if this is the case, why then, should there be such a smattering of ideas obscuring the truth of any given matter? It is because bias is powerful, and the powerful sway the biased. Obviously some will never be able to part with their ingrained ideas, but it is my goal, not to tear down personal conviction to replace it with anything I have to say, but to present ideas in a way which caus my readers to see things in a different light—taking interest in the issues most pertinent to the project. Then, in those different lights, is when I believe truth can flit upon ones mind as basic units of knowledge begin to alter previously held prejudices allowing new world views to be entertained.
We are, through many mediums, inundated with information given to us by misplaced passions. Let’s just step back from all the anger, all the prejudice, all the pompous and ridiculous politics and start from the earliest points in which we can probe with empirical evidence. But before I do this I want to outline the structure of this project and define a few words.
There are three facets to this project I consider all individuals to fall into one way or another and or in any combination. Also, I am going to assume that truth can and does manifest in minds as the result of personal enlightenment or revelation derived from some divine source. However, I want to emphasize that that is not because of a personal agenda. It is an attempt to be as objective as possible from a point of view which considers all possibilities.
The three facets are as follows.
1. Empirical Evidence or Science
There is science which we can liken unto a candle flickering within an immense void of darkness. Its method is self correcting as those who advocate it consistently are subject to heavy scrutiny by peers and those who have opposing ideas. It is driven by tangible evidence and the whispers of mathematics abiding doggedly to well established rules for coaxing out the reality of nature. It readily admits that there is much it doesn’t know. Despite the personal biases of some scientists, in and of itself it cannot deny the possibility of there being a God and spiritual means of obtaining truth, even though there currently is no overwhelming scientific evidence to suggest those things to be real.
2. Other Means of Discovering Truth or Spiritual Enlightenment
There is truth out there that is beyond the flame our current sciences have lit. This is simply a fact. There are many who believe there is a spirit which manifests truth to those who seek it. Throughout this project I am going to assume it as true that truth can indeed be found through spiritual means. Often times, however, this proclaimed truth will either fly in the face of current science or it suggests things to be real that our current sciences cannot at this time prove empirically. If this is true than I want to establish a means of finding it out in ways that can be shown to be true within reasonable doubt.
Often, the consequence of science clashing with faith results in an unfortunate cataclysmic event leaving nothing but a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. I believe, in contrast to this typical outcome that we can look at science, contrast it with faith and should the spirit be real tease out ideas within the fray which in fact might be inspired by spiritually determined means, but ultimately lead to revolutions in the scientific community progressing forth the evolution of humanity toward better and higher states of existence. If there is a severe contradiction between what the science shows and what is thought to be revelation than this is where the fundamental constituents of the universe will press upon the minds of the penitent who wish to know in order to expand the flame of truth.
3. Misplaced Faith or Prejudice
We are left with ideas which are professed to be spiritually inspired but in truth are manifestations of personal bias or mental illness and nothing more. How we determine the difference between this category and the previous one might seem quite difficult. Yet, it might manifest in ways which I will need to further elucidate in the future. I will attempt to differentiate this category as this project rolls forth.
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So here we are. Given these outlines I believe I’ve touched on any outcome someone could hold their ground in. Objectively scrutinizing this we have a few possible ways people can live their lives grounded in one, two, or three, or any combination of these three.
The Pure Scientist
You disregard any means of obtaining truth that is not empirically testable.
The Convicted Scientist
You hold to the scientific method while allowing sources of spiritual light to influence your world-view.
The Biased Scientist
He holds to the scientific method while remaining immovable in deeply ingrained prejudices.
The Puritan
You hold to no elements of professed truth other than what you obtain from spiritual sources.
The Pharisees(prejudiced spiritualism)
You hold to professed spiritual truth which is indeed based solely in ignorance and personal preference.
The Purely Prejudiced
You believe whatever the hell you want to believe with no real basis in empirical or spiritual realities.
Next, I want to define certain words, which in my experience need clarification.
These words are:
Science
Theory
Fact
Faith
Religion
I will post the next section when I can. This is a very large project that I am going to work on in my spare time. Thank you.