Ayn Rand was asked if she could explain the foundations of her objectivist philosophy while standing on one foot. Surprisingly, Rand responded by doing just that. I have attempted a similar project here by articulating my belief system as succinctly as possible while not sacrificing thoroughness, albeit that I am not standing on one foot.
In order to clearly articulate one's beliefs, the individual must first be aware of what it is that they do believe, and be willing to reject the limbo of indecision that comes under false pretenses of being "open minded." In the Greek world, there were two schools of skepticism: The first, Academic Skepticism, founded by Arcesilaus (315-240 B.C.) would state as their first thesis that all things are inapprehensible, thus no one has any knowledge; and second, that we can affirm the first thesis dogmatically. Hence, the academic skeptic knows with certainty that noone has any knowledge.
The other school of skepticism, and perhaps the more dangerous one, is the Pyrrhonian skepticism founded by Pyrrho of Ellis (360-270 B.C.). The Pyrrhonian skeptics rejected the dogmatism of the Academic Skeptics, and instead followed a form of antithesis (where all positions of an issue are placed in opposition to each other), epoche (the suspension of judgment), and ataraxia (the desired state of tranquility). The principles of this school still exist in the name of open-mindedness, but in the end leaves one undecided even in matters of basic beliefs, despite the weight of available evidence.
Clearly, claiming that one has no beliefs is incorrect: one should say that one has not formed any beliefs, is willing to reconsider their beliefs, or be willing to admit that their beliefs are wrong (that is to say, that they do not accurately represent their object). By knowing where one's beliefs stand, one can put forth the necessary effort to carefully reevaluate their beliefs to develop as accurate and coherent a system of beliefs as is possible by mortal, sinful humans.
If you have comments, issues, or concerns, please email me directly: michaelh@ductape.net
Date of Birth Fall 1977 Gender Male Marital Status Single, Never Married Sexual Orientation Chaste (Celibate Monogamous Heterosexual) Place of Residence Richardson, Texas (North Dallas) Education Electrical Engineering Undergraduate, University of Texas at Dallas Occupation Unix System Administrator Vocation Undecided w/ Opportunities in Mind Religion None / Christian Life Verse Romans 8:35-39
Preferred Contact Method Primary Email michaelh@ductape.net Office Email michaelh@utdallas.edu Home Phone 972-733-3357 Office Phone 972-883-2997 Cell Phone Upon Request Mailing Address Upon Request Webpage http://www.michaelh.com/ AIM ID HabitsOfTheMind Campus Office ECS North 4.302
Worldview Classical Trinitarian Theism (affirming the Athanasian Creed) Theory of Truth Correspondence Realism/Antirealism Critical Realism Metaphysic Thomistic Pluralism Mind/Body Concept Thomistic Substance Dualism Semantic Realism (locus of meaning is in the text) Hermeneutic Objective / Grammatico-Historical (affirming Chicago Statement) Epistemology Reformed Epistemology (General and Special Revelation) Concept of Time Aristotelian Historiography Linear and Objective Ethic Biblical Virtue and Deontological Ethics / Moral Law Primary Values Transformation; Truth; Human Dignity; Justice
Denomination Confessing Evangelical (Non-Denominational Protestant) / Bible Spirituality Exoteric / Evangelical Bibliology Plenary Verbal Inspiration; Inerrant (affirming Chicago Statement); Closed Canon Origins Old-Earth Creation Justification Sola Gratia, Sola Fide (By faith alone through grace alone by the merit of Jesus Christ alone) Sanctification Sola Gratia, Sola Fide (against antinomianism and legalism) Soteriology Amyraldian Calvinism (a.k.a. Historical Calvinism; "Chosen, but Free") Mode of Baptism Credobaptism / Believer's Baptism by immersion Eucharist Calvinistic Memorial Apologetic Classical (Princeton School of Apologetics) / Integrational Neibuhr Culture Christ Transformer of Culture (Culture is Rome, not Zion or Babylon) Ecclesiology Body Theory Church Polity Elder Managed / Presbyterian Gender Roles Complementarian (affirming Danvers Statement) Ecology Stewardship Eschatology Tentatively Premillenial Pretribulation
Mode of Government Democratic Republicanism Federalism Minimalist / Devolutionary; State's Rights War Just War Theory Concept of Liberty Classical Liberalism (prior to John Stuart Mill) Fiscal Policy Fiscal Conservatism Party Affiliation Independent, aligned Republican
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Notice: These pictures are ©Copyright Michael Hamblin, 2003 and may not be used without permission of the copyright holder.
"I'll always be younger than this society. What do you expect
me to do, keep silent all my life?"
Oleg Kostoglotov, from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward
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