16.6.09

I Exist

For some reason, this concept has been on my mind a lot lately. The miracle of existence. I exist. However improbable or unlikely, I am an intelligent, self-aware, living, and breathing organism capable of reason, logic, understanding, and change.

I've come to the conclusion that this most basic and universal truth carries with it a great responsibility, to discover the reason for the miracle for existence. I've decided to use this blog as an outlet to explore these concepts and ideas, and I hope it will spur some interesting discussion.

Some ideas I plan to explore are these:

I exist

Matter exists

Universal laws exist

Moral laws exist

Time exists

God exists

Obviously, these are quite in-depth and sometimes heavy topics, but I don't think they receive a lot of attention or thought. I don't consider myself an expert on any of these subjects, but I do find it interesting to think about, reason, and discuss. Feel free to chime in with any other topics that you think would be fun to look at.

5 comments:

Leslie said...

I always suspected that you exist! Thanks for confirming. :)

I look forward to the discussions.

Tiffany said...

Looking forward to it.

Ryan (Ranger) said...

been thinking a lot about these lately.
Think you might enjoy this.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2005/02/04

All their shows are great, and many touch on your topics.

Jesse C said...

Cool. Thanks Ryan. I'm going to check those out. Last night I was really debating whether or not to actually go forward with this, but I think it could be interesting and fun. I think the original post came off as a little too serious (specifically the part where I describe myself as intelligent.) Clearly, that is debatable.

John said...

What a great topic. At work lately we've had some conversations about the huge responsibility that comes with wealth. But your point is even more provocative: We all enjoy the "wealth" of existence. We all bear a tremendous responsibility to not squander it.

It reminds me of a quote from CS Lewis:
There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. ... And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinners--no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbour, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat, the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.