Philosophy’s First Principles: Reason
Quora question: What have you found in your pursuit of truth?
I came to understand reason – what it is, how it relates, and how important it is. It has been a 20 year pilgrimage for me, and the journey is not yet over.
I now believe that (1), the meaning of reason is philosophy’s central, and possibly only, first principle, that (2), morality is excepted from the burdens of rationality by the requirements of faith, and that (3), some subjective truths (enacted into laws) can be policed like objective truths, but only safely (that is, un-oppressively) when accompanied by a thoroughly rational justice system.
First.
Nothing is provable. This is why philosophy exists. Humans need answers, but finding and establishing absolute truth generally is not possible. This last point, paradoxically, is the only absolute truth humanity can safely claim. Yet, philosophers continue to ruminate, as if absolute truth is within their grasp. But it is not. As a result, philosophical thinking has grown in complexity, yet with no correspondingly better hope for clarity.
Nevertheless, humanity must first declare how truth is ascertained. Its first principle. Moreover, this process is must be accepted as axiomatically true—by everyone. Everything else will follow. This what I learned – reason: the process for finding truth. Without it, human understanding diverges into subjectivity … and chaos, or great oppression.
Section II and III below are the rules for reason and finding truth, with some justification. However, there are two exceptions to an unwavering emphasis on societal rationality. These exceptions are set forth in section IV, and V.
SO this is what I learned in my pursuit of truth about the pursuit of truth:
>>>>> Our default state.
I – Life without rationality and objective truth:
- Here, nihilistic thinking governs human understanding of life. Which is to say, there is no objective understanding of reality. All truths are subjective. Nothing is believed to be absolutely right or absolutely wrong. Without oppression (a dominant truth governing others), human life will be chaotic. As a result, humanity’s nihilistic humans pursue utopianism to the inevitable oppression of nearly everyone.
Nihilistic thinking means humanity does not need to respect reality, but is instead empowered to define it (Utopianism): Communism, Marxism, Critical Theory, Postmodernism, etc.
Nihilists, in a reality vacuum, define their truths. They are, by definition, irrational.
>>>>> Finding, subjectively, understanding …
II – I observed that nature exhibits order, obviously respecting rules. Others see this order too. Our perceptions are generally, though not always, shared:
- Thus, there must be meaning. There must be a reality. And, it is likely a shared reality. Order would not occur without rules. Rules, when part of a bigger system, have meaning.
In order to discover the meaning of this order, theories about the nature of reality have to be offered. In order for the theory to be meaningful, the theory must necessarily explain the observed.
This creates the truth for subjective understanding:
The necessary condition: A hypothesis that explains the observed.
I assert that the “Necessary Condition” is axiomatic.
The Nihilists do not. This is because they deny objective reality, guiltlessly denying the observed in pursuit of an imagined Utopia.
>>>>> Finding objective truth (shared understanding/reality) …
III – Others see order as well, but not always similarly.
- Thus, reality is not perceived the same way by everyone. This indicates that though objectively or absolutely true reality exists, my subjective belief may not represent it.
For absolute truth, I must prove that no other person’s hypothesis exists to better, or more accurately, explain the observed. I can’t know or talk to everyone, so I must disprove all known and unknown hypotheses. Objective truth is arrived at when all known, but one, hypotheses is disproved.
The sufficient condition: All known and unknown hypotheses, but one, disproved.
I assert that the “Sufficient Condition” is axiomatic.
Without objective truth, a shared reality is impossible, and, humanity will again return to the conditions of section (I). An unwillingness to pursue objective truth is irrationality.
>>>>> Morality as pseudo absolute truths …
IV – Yet, some truths, for example, morality, should be shared inter-generationally, and not necessarily re-discovered by reason in every generation.
- Faith plays a crucial role protecting reason while ensuring the fundamental goodness of a society. It is not an absolute truth, so everyone need not accept it. However, for the faithful, it is an immutable truth.
Essential moral “immutable” truths are provided in faith.
>>>>> For societal harmony …
V – Some truths, though not objective or absolute, must be respected (thoughnot necessarily accepted) as true in order to sustain a harmonious society.
- In order to make this possible, the society must strive to create a justice system that tends towards the production and preservation of objective truth (shared truth):
- Accessible to and by everyone (not at all)
- Power is maximally disbursed (in decline)
- Freedom of thought & speech protected (threatened)
