887 – You be the judge—from entity to identity | Paul McKeever

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Nov 202024
 


Whether acknowledged or not, every individual has a philosophy, leaving open only the question of how well that philosophy is understood.

At a time when so many people are unable to determine even their own identity (whether based on gender, sexual, political, racial, social, religious grounds, etc.) let alone the nature of the world around them, the dystopian consequences of popular philosophy’s shortcomings have become embarrassingly evident. However, the causes are not so evident because they relate to a failure to properly identify the very nature of things that exist – entities.

The solution to this dilemma, explains our guest Paul McKeever, is to consider the ‘identity’ of any ‘entity’ from a ‘first person’ perspective, not from a ‘third-person’ perspective based on some relationship with the entity in question. If all this seems rather abstract, it is, but the ‘first person’ perspective resolves a fundamental error made by philosophers throughout the ages.

In his monumental work, “Judge: Philosophy and Freedom in the First Person,” Paul meticulously examines thirteen classic philosophical problems, offering solutions with such lucidity that there remains no justification for their continued discussion as credible issues. Written over a period of ten years, it is the product of a philosophical examination never before undertaken.

‘Judge’ presents both a challenge and a clarity to many long-held philosophical concepts including, among others, free will, induction, causation, perspective, relation, entity, identity, change, autonomy, and freedom itself.

In the field of philosophy there are four essential categories affecting how and what choices people make. Metaphysics and epistemology describe ‘what is.’ Morality and politics describe ‘what ought’ to be. But if one’s moral and political actions are based on a false conception of ‘what is,’ then a dystopian unreality becomes a natural consequence of the error. Hence, the importance of being able to correctly identify the reality within which one acts.

In an age of ‘identity politics,’ it’s surprising how little the concept of ‘identity’ is actually understood. For that shortcoming, we can blame the philosophers throughout the ages who never got it Just Right.

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Judge: Philosophy and Freedom in the First Person | Paul McKeever

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Nov 172024
 


For many, philosophy has devolved into an exercise where errors in reasoning, logic, and definitions are layered upon one another, resulting in the field becoming a subject of mockery among the general populace. Imagine if foundational sciences like physics, chemistry, or mathematics had clung to their initial mistakes; we might never have seen the advent of computers or advancements in medicine, and basic arithmetic could still be in dispute.

To rejuvenate the importance of philosophy, we need to pinpoint and resolve its historical puzzles and paradoxes, effectively consigning them to obsolescence.
In his work, “Judge: Philosophy and Freedom in the First Person,” Paul McKeever meticulously examines twelve classic philosophical problems, offering solutions with such lucidity that there remains no justification for their continued discussion as credible issues.

“Judge” distinguishes itself as a work of deep insight, crucial not just for academic scholars but for anyone intrigued by the exploration of human nature, our connection to reality, and our interactions with others. In a very novel way, it provides one with an understanding of reality, perception, identity, logical reasoning, ethical principles, and the fundamental aspects of individual freedom.

However, there’s no need to take our word for this assessment. In keeping with the theme of McKeever’s work, you be the judge.

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856 – ATHEISNT—Fallacies And Realities About Atheists

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Apr 172024
 


Atheist Richard Dawkins recently sparked a controversy that challenges fundamental assumptions about both atheism and faith-based belief. Referring to himself as a “cultural Christian” he has been criticized by both atheists and religious believers alike.

Unfortunately, too many self-described atheists are being unfairly criticized and maligned by those who, on the one side, equate atheism with an absence of morality, while on the other equate the sharing of some religious beliefs with unprincipled atheism.

One dictionary we consulted incorrectly defines ‘atheism’ as “the belief that there is no god.” The problem with this definition is that atheism is not a ‘belief’ system at all. Nor is atheism a philosophy or code of morality. It is merely the non-acceptance or a rejection of the concept of a literal supernatural ‘deity’ – nothing else. Atheism does not require ‘belief’ as its base of justification. Atheism is primarily a response to theism, which does rely on ‘faith’ and ‘belief.’

The fact that many atheists abide by a moral code that mirrors that associated with Christianity is less about atheists borrowing from Christian values than it is about Christians and atheists alike borrowing values from other shared philosophical sources. This includes many writers and philosophers throughout history setting out the principles of Western culture over time – from the early Greeks through the Age of Enlightenment and to the present day.

Those who blame atheism as being the source of our current tyrannical zeitgeist – or who blame the Soviet Union’s past tyrannical history on its ‘officially atheist status’ are arguing a contradiction. One cannot judge any individual or national actions on what is ‘not’ believed and practiced but on what ‘is’ believed and practiced. In both cases, the cause of the tyranny was (and is) the ideology of collectivism.

Today’s WOKE ideology is merely the latest label given to yesterday’s Marxist ideology – and religious affiliation or lack thereof has little to do with the support of such ideologies. The same principle holds true for freedom.

Whether atheist or religious, if one accepts and respects the principles of individualism, individual rights and freedom, then it is possible for people of every belief and non-belief to share the ideals and blessings of a society that’s Just Right, with the understanding that freedom of religion also includes the right to be free from religion.

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855 – Do you mind?—thinking about thinking

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Apr 102024
 


There has recently been a growing concern and much discussion about why so many people are still not awake, but just remain WOKE in the face of a pending civilizational collapse. “The WOKE mind virus is the greatest existential threat faced by humanity,” concludes Gad Saad, and Elon Musk apparently shares his alarm.

Among other causes cited for this sad state of affairs are the inability to have an inner monologue, the effect of the Covid spike protein, fear mongering, bacteria, chronic infection, the fake news media, intelligence guided by irrational bias, and of course the WOKE ideology, to name but a few.

Missing from most of the discussions is the ‘means’ by which people actually think: through the use of concepts and language. Because the human mind is essentially ‘programmable,’ and because words and concepts are the ‘software’ on which each mind functions, humans in the exercise of free will have the capacity and choice to think and behave either rationally or irrationally.

An irrational concept is one that does not conform to reality or reason. And significantly, irrational concepts can be held by highly intelligent people. How is this possible? Continue reading »

852 – Primacy—consciousness or existence?

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Mar 202024
 


“In politics, perception is reality, the truth doesn’t matter.”

Given the broad acceptance of this view of politics, it should not be surprising that so many good people see politics as an evil. They thus avoid getting involved in a process that affects everyone’s life whether they are interested in politics or not.

But this viewpoint is itself a form of political propaganda because in reality the truth does indeed matter in politics, so much so that political interests which are not aligned with truth go to such great lengths to hide and/or misrepresent the truth. Those political views are broadly identified as coming from the Left, which represents many variants of collectivism.

For those on the Right (which represents individualism, freedom, and capitalism), the current state of politics has become so irrational and beyond understanding that it is almost impossible to accept that the tyranny we are experiencing is real. “Everything is upside down or totally backwards,” has become a familiar refrain expressing this frustration and disbelief.

To understand the madness of the political Left, it is necessary to know how those on the Left think. One of the most difficult concepts to grasp is that those on the Left are strictly ideological, not philosophical. Ideology originates strictly in the mind, unconcerned with the facts of reality. A working philosophy on the other hand, is disciplined by the facts of reality.

In philosophy, these two opposing ways of thinking are contrasted as the ‘primacy of consciousness’ (in which reality is not perceived by consciousness but is created by consciousness) and the ‘primacy of existence’ (in which reality exists irrespective of anyone’s consciousness).

In politics, it is the Left that relies on ideology, while the Right relies on philosophical principles.

Consequently, this conflict between Left and Right manifests itself in a battle of definitions and concepts, ranging from the definition of freedom to the definition of democracy. While those on the Left are obsessed with “defending democracy,” many on the Right insist that freedom is the primary value to be defended.

While freedom is indeed the primary value, the surprising truth is that freedom and democracy go hand-in-hand.

Unfortunately, even when the truth is told, most people cannot recognize it or distinguish it from all of the false perceptions about politics. To be understood in a light that is Just Right, truth must be discerned; it requires a process of thought and discipline that too few understand: philosophy.

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842 – Stupidity—Socialism’s moral defect

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Jan 112024
 


“When you’re dead, you don’t know you’re dead. The pain is felt by others. The same thing happens when you’re stupid.” And to explicitly conclude the thought of that popular meme: “When you’re stupid and you don’t know it, the pain is felt by others.”

The truth of that statement strikes at the heart of what was experienced in Nazi Germany, thanks to the seemingly willing support that so many German people gave to Hitler. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor theologian and anti-Nazi dissident, believed that this was a not a consequence of malice, but of widespread stupidity.

While in a German prison during the Hitler years, he formulated a theory arguing that we must seek to understand the nature of stupidity as stupidity is not an intellectual defect, but a moral one. Stupidity, therefore, is a much more dangerous enemy than malice because one can expose malice and argue against it and even use force to stop it, but this is not possible when dealing with stupidity.

One has but to look at all of the utterly stupid ideas and causes (and quite demonstrably so) being supported in today’s zeitgeist. From Covid to climate change, these stupid fictions continue to be believed by a significant number of people who, as a result, become a danger not only to others but to themselves as well. But having chosen to be stupid, they are oblivious to this reality.

Moreover, this phenomenon of stupidity, observed Bonhoeffer, is most predominant among people living in groups and collectives, and very rare in independent individuals or those who generally live alone. This suggests a strong psychological force at play, and goes a long way towards explaining why the collectivist Left (communism/socialism/fascism) promotes so many genuinely stupid and immoral ideas, policies and ideologies.

Upon a review of the evidence, it would appear that Bonhoeffer’s theory that stupidity is a moral defect turns out to be Just Right.

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841 – Is Myfly open—for discussion?

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Jan 042024
 


Sometimes our philosophical assumptions and beliefs can be challenged by the most unexpected and seemingly trivial events. To illustrate this, we offer a remarkable true story about a lowly housefly named ‘Myfly’ and what it tells us about human nature.

The story has encouraged us to re-examine some long accepted philosophical principles, like the one that postulates that truth is that which reflects and corresponds to reality. But is that really ‘true’? Might it be possible for something to be true, but not necessarily real? Is there a distinction between the ‘real’ and ‘reality’? These are but a few of the questions considered in our first presentation of 2024,and we hope and trust that everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Given all of the dire predictions and expectations for this new year, being able to distinguish between narratives that are true or false becomes all the more urgent and necessary. The science devoted to the discovery of the proper methods of acquiring and validating knowledge is known as epistemology.

In both politics and war the first rule is to define or be defined and in so doing, control the narrative. Through the application of valid epistemological principles. false narratives can easily be identified and discredited without having to resort to censorship and other means of speech restrictions.

If it is true that the narrative is all, then clearly those on the Right must endeavour to spread those narratives known to be Just Right.

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