Unlike Descartes, I don’t doubt that I exist. Actually, I suspect Descartes didn’t, either; after all, who was there to doubt if he didn’t exist? Having disposed of that question, the next one logically revolves around the question of authority. What does one rely on to determine what is true and what is false?
For me, the answer is as follows, in order of certainty:
- Propositions that are compelled by the use of logic. Most of these are mathematical in nature (i.e., a =a);
- Theories that can be verified empirically through the use of the scientific method;
- The consensus opinion of experts on the subject matter; and
- Personal experience.
Three observations are pertinent here. First, you will have noticed that reliance on religious texts is absent from my list. Second, “personal experience” isn’t limited to information derived from the senses; it includes the use of the subconscious, as well. Finally, because personal experience plays a large role in the process, evangelism is ultimately useless; your experiences inevitably are different than mine.
I will be using these criteria in the following weeks to set out my views on the workings of the universe, starting with the nature of ultimate reality. If you don’t agree, that’s ok; as noted above, evangelism is not the point.