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Connecting the Character Traits of Pride, Humility, and Dignity Together

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Pride, humility, and dignity emerge as authentic virtues when they arise from an internal locus of identity, shaped by self-awareness and rational integrity. These internalized traits stand in sharp contrast to their externalized distortions—arrogance, pretentiousness, and a superficial mimicry of dignity—which depend on an external locus of control or identity for validation. Ayn Rand, the creator of Objectivism, extolled pride as a moral summit, while rejecting humility as a flaw. […] Read more »

The Metaphysical Weight of Labor: Property, Purpose, and the Apple Tree

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The concept of labor as a means to claim property has long fascinated philosophers, from the practical insights of John Locke to the metaphysical depths of Aristotle. At its core lies an assumption: when someone invests their effort into something—like cultivating an apple tree—they gain a right to it, not just legally but in a deeper, almost cosmic sense. This right might carry a “metaphysical gravity” or “momentum,” a weight […] Read more »

Fiat Law vs Lawful Private Agreements

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“Fiat” is a Latin term meaning “let it be done” or “by decree,” and it refers to something established or authorized by an arbitrary command rather than inherent reason or natural law. In general usage, it often describes something imposed by authority, like “fiat currency,” which is money declared legal tender by a government without intrinsic value (e.g., not backed by gold). A “fiat law” extends this concept to legislation […] Read more »

From Instinct to Insight: Mastering Emotional Pain

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The Roots of Pain and the Power of Reflection Emotional pain often feels like an assault on our very being, a visceral signal that something is wrong with us or the world around us. But what if this pain arises not just from the event itself, but from how we identify with it? Consider the possibility that people—whether children, narcissists, or anyone in a prerational state—see their pain as a […] Read more »

Do Human Beings Have Intrinsic Self-Worth, or Are We Measured by our Utility?

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Ayn Rand’s Objectivism asserts that the individual is an end, not a means, judged by rational achievements and integrity rather than utility to others—an idea that challenges conventional views of value and purpose. This perspective invites us to explore how humans define worth, not just for themselves but for truth itself, and how these definitions shape spirituality, philosophy, and economics. What follows is an examination of this tension, tracing a […] Read more »

Duality, the Garden of Eden, and Ayn Rand

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In the biblical narrative, duality emerges as a consequence of humanity’s choice to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, an act framed by me as providing the necessary “opt-out” from a higher harmony and morality, to ensure free will. Eating the “forbidden fruit” plunges existence into a polarized state, where good and evil are no longer integrated within a unified moral framework but are instead […] Read more »

Tariff Wars! Sociocentrism, Balkanization, and the Fracturing of Society

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I have observed that Donald Trump is taking a lot of mostly non-aggressive, aka defensive, measures around the world in relationship to America and her interests, and that is what is tweaking everyone’s anger at him. This happened to us personally in the micro while living in the Europe; it was our protective actions around our family that got us into trouble, actions that would have been unnecessary had the […] Read more »

Isaiah 1:18 – Why Reason (Jesus) Forgives Sin

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Isaiah 1:18 presents a divine invitation with profound implications: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (KJV). This suggests that reasoning—whether to purify one’s Self, resolve conflict, or negotiate preferences—holds a redemptive quality, capable of transforming sins and mistakes. The process implies a […] Read more »

Abductive Reasoning, the Matrix, and the Morality of Opt-Outs

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Below is a Socratic like dialogue that I had with Grok today, exploring various forms of reasoning, which led to thoughts about using abductive reasoning to explore the nature of reality, including the possibility that we are in a simulated reality, much like is posited in the Matrix trilogy. Then discussing the necessity for opt-outs for transforming our current simulated reality into a “new earth” that’s inherently moral, including offering […] Read more »

Modesty: the Faux Humility

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I often joke around and tell people “I’m the most humble person I’ve met, but I’m not modest”, but I say this to poke at them because I also know that society doesn’t encourage people to develop their inner humility in a quest for unerring truth like I do, nor do most people approach life through the lens of the Socratic paradox of “I know that I know nothing” as […] Read more »

Ritualistic Observances Based Upon Logocentric Principles

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In a world yearning for meaning amidst the fleeting currents of modernity, ceremonies that ground commitment to a higher purpose offer a timeless anchor, particularly within a philosophically logocentric and religiously Christian framework. Drawing from the rich traditions of Baptism, Communion, and Marriage, these rites exemplify how public declarations can unite individuals with the Divine, their faith, and transcendent ideals, weaving personal intent into a tapestry of eternal significance. Here, […] Read more »

Integrating the Intellectual Character Traits to Make You a More Meaningful Reflection of God

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“Who you become is infinitely more important than what you do, or what you have. You were purposefully created and created for a purpose. You are here at this very moment to become the-best-version-of-yourself—not some second-rate version of your parents, friends, siblings, colleagues, or even your heroes. Life is a quest to become perfectly yourself. It is through this quest that we become real…” – The Velveteen Rabbit Life is […] Read more »

A Logocentric Philosophical Christian or a Christian Philosopher?

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Is the foundation of my faith theological or philosophical? What is the difference? By far, the vast majority of Christians are theological Christians and not necessarily philosophical Christians, and while on the surface it may look similar to the casual onlooker, especially those who do not understand the difference, at the foundation, it can be quite different. While I have no emotional judgmentalness against theological Christians for their foundation, I […] Read more »

Why False Accusations Are So Potent and Destructive

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Question: It seems that there is a dynamic where false accusations generate some sense of imagined or real power over others, where they are acting as the judge, lawyer, and sentencing authority all in one. For example, to accuse a friend or relative of wrongdoing without evidence and then punishing them for it by blocking all further contact, or by turning friends and/or family against them with dramatic certainty, but […] Read more »

A Philosophical Understanding of What it Means to Invite Jesus into One’s Heart

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The Christian experience of conversion, such as inviting Jesus into one’s heart to be “saved,” begins with an act of humility that reflects the recognition of a need for Divine understanding. This initial step, akin to the “grammar” phase of the Trivium where foundational knowledge is acquired, involves a willful acknowledgment of human limitation and a turning toward God’s grace. It aligns with Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace […] Read more »