My Current Personal Philosophy

-Truth exists but is inaccessible due to the limits of our perception. The fact that we are able to find and use patterns within the world is proof that there is an underlying solid reality from which those patterns emerge. But the nature of the reality itself is inaccessible -- we live only in the patterns. Because of this, we must approach our own knowledge with humility and respect our limits.

-Consciousness is not a unique thing to humans; it pervades all life and all matter. Consciousness is present in all matter, and when matter is grouped together in our brains a fabric of consciousness weaves together creating our minds. Similarly, when we die our unique consciousness is scattered back among the matter from which we made.

-Life is to journey to improve oneself that continues throughout or lives. To cease striving to better ourselves is a spiritual death.

-The events of our lives are related but it's only apparent in hindsight. When we look back at those events we can see the connections that were not immediately apparent.

-The individual self is not a unified entity. We should think of ourselves as more of a composite over time of related thoughts and feelings, and as an interplay between the contradictory drives of the conscious and unconconscious.

-We are neither our thoughts nor our feelings. Only our conscious will is present over the course of our lives. Our personality traits are tendencies over time, rather than unbreakable rules.

-Logic is just a process about thinking about something starting from a set of assumptions. But even slight variations in basic assumptions can lead logically to broad and diverse conclusions. These basic assumptions, or axioms, cannot be proven absolutely. To believe in anything absolutely is an act of faith.

-Life demands two contrasting things from us -- to be uncertain, but to act decisively to increase the chance of good results. Self-confidence is an act of practicality.

-People, places and objects mean nothing separated from the context of our love. It is our appreciation of things in the world that give them value.