Welcome to the Objective Experience. This is a blog that is devoted to finding the truth. It will express an unbiased, impartial, non partisan, neutral opinion about the world. So to start things off, I must explain what is objective, and to do that, I must explain why only one thing is truly objective. That thing is the fact that there are thoughts. It’s bit vague, but I can’t really get more specific without being intellectually dishonest. If I want to write about anything else, I have to make assumptions.
We all make assumptions, but there are assumptions that we are forced to make if we want to interact with any part of reality. The first is that the universe exists. The second is that the universe is intelligible. The third is that models with predictive capability are more useful than models without predictive capability. These three assumptions may seem odd to think of as assumptions, but currently there isn’t a way for us to determine the validity of them. We assume them because it is practical to do so. Now the scientific method is what we use to determine specific and general characteristics about the universe, but even before we can use that, we must make three more assumptions. The first assumption of science is that there are natural causes for things that happen in the universe. The second is that evidence from the universe can be used to learn about those causes. The third is that there is consistency in the causes that operate in the universe. After making these six assumptions, you can begin to figure out the going-ons of our universe.
This blog will also attempt to cover a lot of controversies. Some of these controversies will involve morality. Morality is especially not objective. Your current morals are probably based solely on empathy and the influences of the environment you grew up in. So naturally, morality will be different from person to person. With that being said, I’m going to propose a moral code. Given that the first six assumptions I mentioned are true, I can make this assumption about morality. If something possesses the ability to suffer and doesn’t cause suffering, that is not in the best interest of the sufferer, it possesses the right to live free of suffering unless that suffering is in the best interest of the sufferer. The reason why this assumptions requires the first six assumptions to be true is that suffering itself can and is determined by science. Scientists understand how we feel pain fairly well. It’s not until we look at animals, that we share a very distant relative with, do we start becoming unsure on whether they experience suffering of any kind. For example, we don’t know if insects can suffer, but we’re convinced that mammals can. As for the part about suffering that is in the best interest of the sufferer, there are many aspects of life where we are forced to do things we do not want to do. Going to school as a child and paying taxes as an adult would be examples of this. You’re being forced to do something that may cause you to suffer, but it is still in your best interest to do it. Last but not least, you can lose the seventh assumption right if you cause something to suffer, where that something doesn’t benefit from the suffering. This allows for self defence and the defence of others.
So from this point on, I’m going to write with the idea that the following seven assumptions are true:
- The universe exists.
- The universe is intelligible.
- Models with predictive capability are more useful than models without predictive capability.
- There are natural causes for things that happen in the universe.
- Evidence from the universe can be used to learn about those causes.
- There is consistency in the causes that operate in the universe.
If these assumptions are true, what I write about will be objective. I will try to add to this blog monthly so come back soon.
“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.” -Voltaire
‘,:)
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_in_animals
No comments:
Post a Comment