This blog reflects my feelings, thinking, research and interests. I am an engineer, philosopher, musician and activist. I think life is always a work in progress and so are my posts. I have changed and grown much over the years from the work and struggle of thought. It is not easy to sift through myriads of alleged truths and, for many, it is a maze that leaves them lethargic and uninspired. However, for me, life is about taking hold of discovery, beauty and truth. Truth is not static. It can be earned and achieved with great effort and most easily slips away in passivity and apathy. It can be lost and must always listen to the voice of reason, research and solid sourcing. I love to blog and debate when I have time. I have learned much from debate. I do not think the lack of informed opinions is a virtue. To the contrary, while everyone makes judgments continually, whether they can admit it or not, many simply get old in mere whims of putrefied values which never see the light of day, of critical and researched work. Uncritical thought is characterized by a lack of proportion and magnitude as Aristotle would remind us. The web is full of anecdotal opinions which can only become meaningful in the context of solid research such as population studies, polls, original sources and statistics. Opinions and emotions are fine but when free floating become mere whims, dogmatism and reflect the insanity of violence and personal insults. Anyone that resorts to those tactics may as well put a sign on themselves saying they have lost their argument and begging someone to put them out of the misery by deleting their post. No dignity is lost by losing an argument but groveling in ad hominem drooling of the mouth is like watching a train wreck of the human soul.

Many of my posts here are works in progress. I love my software work but it is extremely time consuming. I would rather sketch out my research, opinions, current thinking in abbreviated form in this blog than publish or perish peer reviewed, finished products which would require me defend a point of view ’till death do us part. I like the freedom to change when reason requires it without having to maintain a pretense to any institution or group. My direction has always been towards liberal thinking because I find many times the status quo is a mere justification for perpetuating human tragedy, lulling one to sleep in the ‘tried and true’ and maintaining impossibly hypocritical insanities. We owe those beset with injustice and tragedy, at the very least, the effort of making sure that we are part of the solution and not the problem. I find the most real evil of the world not so much in the macroscopic events of history but in the best of intentions by well meaning folks that play into traditional, misinformed and assumed values. I am convinced, the roots of human tragedy are in our innocuous and subversively protective strategies to conserve fantasies and illusions of security, unwittingly at the cost of the other. This psychology will inevitably be met with violence, revolution, social upheaval as original violence is always done in the face to face encounter with the poor, the sick, the marginalized other who has nothing to protect but tragic, bare existence. Liberalism is not a “hand out” but a serious and concerted attempt to allow folks to find dignity and meaning. If liberalism fails in this effort it fails itself and should not be dismissed as a failed philosophy since every good virtue as Aristotle thought is founded on liberalism, the sincere effort to provide the opportunity for human dignity. This is not social engineering but freedom, fairness, and security at the most basic level. How could anyone oppose such an effort?

I would welcome any thoughtful comments if anyone would care to venture them but keep it clean please!

P.S.
Let me add to this that I have no illusions about my mental acuity. I work as hard as time and ability allows to think through difficult issues with passion but most importantly with well sourced facts and logic. I like to believe we all do this to the best of our ability with all the time constraints life forces on us. I do believe passion is important for a well lived life in the pursuit of meaning. We all make premature, ill-informed and unsustainable judgements. It is simply a practical necessity that we do this. However, when faced with contrary evidence we also have the practical ability to change of beliefs along with out accompanying passions. I do my best to educate myself but with practical constraints and limits. I really do like and welcome arguments thought to be founded on the principles of fact and logic. I have learned much from such encounters and always enjoy the process. Unfortunately, many do not have the time, patience or concern to research and think through their beliefs. I understand but please do not hesitate to let me know your differences and opinions. I, among all, am well content to consider myself ignorant and in need of serious correction or polite conversation.