I Believe

• External reality exists and there are facts about the world that we can be certain of.

• Ethical knowledge (know-how) is innate and ethical understanding transcends time and culture.

• “I feel therefore I know ethics” is an axiom of ethical knowledge.

• Ethical understanding (know-why) requires that people ask a basic question, “how would I like it if that was done to me?” This question should be applied with “the veil of ignorance” (the answers should be the same assuming you are on either side of the question/judgement), with a focus on matters of harm/care and fairness/reciprocity.

• Ideas related to authority/respect, in-group/loyalty, purity/sanctity, and Liberty/oppression, should all pass the ethical understanding filter.

• Change is constant, There is always a better way, Better mental models are required to break free from bad patterns. “The more willing you are to be wrong, the more right you will be.” This is an inherently liberal position. Openness to new ideas is the way to progress.

• Good Governance is necessary for a functioning society, it requires citizens who are committed to the pursuit of truth and justice for all. Liberty is achieved through the proper enforcement of laws founded in and tempered by ethical judgement with an appropriate balance between personal and group liberty. Rules and enforcement have to be founded in ethics for justice to exist.

• Being a good citizen requires each individual acts in good faith, seeks to continually improve their mental models of the world, that they engage in productive ways, and they sacrifice for the collective when needed. So honest, truth seeing, and loyal. A good society in turn, values people, invests in the well being of each person, and seeks to lift the intellect and spirit of its citizens. A god society provides a solid foundation to set up its citizens for success.

• Being a patriot requires living up to the nations ideals, not blind adherence to a signal authority figure. Valid criticism of faulty systems within the nation is part of your patriot duty. Good citizens work to constantly improve the nation. Ideals are never fully achieved but at continually approachable. Decline can and often does occur when people or societies stand still.

• Even if you believe in an afterlife, this life is important and while you are here you have a responsibility to yourself and others to respect yourself and others. This extends beyond the human world and includes the well being of the planet and its inhabitants.