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[johnjubinsky]

Life After Death

The brain generates the self. This is irrefutably demonstrated by the fact that the self completely disappears when one is under anesthesia so it cannot be independent from the brain. Moreover, the general nature of a self is determined by DNA. That is, a being’s DNA determines what species of animal it is. Furthermore, through selective breeding we have developed dogs from wolves in order that dogs be much more loving than wolves and they are. As such, DNA to a great extent even determines our personalities. This is also evidenced by identical twins having very similar dispositions. Accordingly, we cannot be who we are without our brain and DNA. However, when we die our brain dies too and our DNA, which is not alive, cannot serve its purpose in a dead body. Therefore, we cannot still be alive, much less be who we are, after we die. Consequently, there can be no life after death for us.

[johnjubinsky]

Happiness

Self-evidently, being happy requires that we be able to laugh at ourselves. However, being able to laugh at ourselves is not a characteristic that can be acquired through being rich, powerful or famous. Rather, it requires that we be of good intentions. In that being happy requires that we be able to laugh at ourselves and being able to laugh at ourselves requires that we be of good intentions, being happy requires that we be of good intentions. Therefore, happiness must come from within us. That is, the source of happiness must be the wholesome feelings of self-respect that come from within us as a result of being in good faith.

In everyday life there are many socially functional people who are not able to laugh at themselves. They are status-oriented rather than goodwill-oriented people. Having significant status is wonderful when the status is deserved. However, there are many people who accumulate status by achieving greater recognition, position or wealth at the expense of their consciences. They are socially functional but, being in bad faith, they are not truly happy. Someday, like all of us, they are going to die and if, in the meantime, they do not change to a value system in which they are in good faith and, therefore, happy from within, they will not be at peace with themselves when they are passing away.

Some of them are incapable of changing to a value system in which they are in good faith. That is, somewhere in the course of their lives, in complete lack of empathy, they chose to disrespect the innocent and, in that the choice was in complete lack of empathy, it left them irreversibly without consciences. Being irreversibly without consciences they are now permanently unable to feel guilt and, as such, it is impossible for them to choose to love. In fact, because they cannot feel guilt they cannot love. Therefore, they are incapable of changing to a value system in which they are in good faith. Rather, they are irreversibly in bad faith.

We should deal with them by disliking them for their choice in complete lack of empathy to disrespect the innocent. In doing so we should know that they cannot love and, therefore, cannot change their bad will except to escape undesirable consequences. Even if they change it to escape undesirable consequences they still will not be able to feel guilt about anything and if they escape the undesirable consequences they will become of bad will again as soon as it is safe for them to do so.

Because they cannot feel guilt they cannot imagine what being in good faith is like and, as such, are unable to choose to be in good faith. Accordingly, their choice to be in bad faith is not a free one. In that all of their choices are founded in their choice to be in bad faith and it is not a free one none of their choices can be free. Therefore, they do not have freewill.

In order to be happy from within it is only necessary that we obey our consciences. That is, obeying our consciences keeps us in good faith and being in good faith is all that is required to be happy from within. Therefore, we should obey our consciences in everything that we do.

If we decide to not obey our consciences about something then, of course, we will be in bad faith and, therefore, not happy from within. However, we need not remain in bad faith if we can be unconditionally remorseful for not obeying our consciences. That is, if we become unconditionally remorseful for not obeying our consciences then we will be in good faith again and, therefore, happy from within again.

In obeying our consciences we should be modest rather than boastful, sincere rather than self-righteous, humble rather than egotistical and poised rather than incensed. In most cases we should also be honest. However, we should lie when necessary to bring or protect justice. As an extreme example, if we were harboring a Jew in Nazi Germany and the Gestapo asked us if we were doing so we should lie if we could reasonably get away with it. This type of lie would not amount to doing a wrong.

In obeying our consciences we should hold in high esteem others who are in good faith. That is, we should, as much as is feasible and pragmatic, sincerely welcome, reward, encourage and show appreciation to others who are in good faith. However, in retrospect we should realize that they have freewill and, in exercising it, could choose to do wrong. In exercising it they could go beyond doing a single trivial wrong and become extensively or irreversibly in bad faith. Therefore, we should hope but not trust that they will remain in good faith and wholeheartedly treat them like they are unless we have reason to suspect otherwise.

Furthermore, just as we should hold in high esteem others who are in good faith, in obeying our consciences we should, as much as is feasible and pragmatic, hold accountable others who are in bad faith. In doing so we should keep in mind that if we are not part of the solution then we are part of the problem. Consistent with this we should also keep in mind that for bad to prevail over good it is only necessary that the good do nothing. In holding accountable others who are in bad faith we should utilize law enforcement officials and the courts as much as is appropriate.

In obeying our consciences we should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by anyone. That is, we should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by anyone who is in good faith, we should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by anyone who is in bad faith but not irreversibly in bad faith, and we should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by anyone who is irreversibly in bad faith.

To help us adhere to these principles we should understand that, being in good faith, we are as deserving of moral character respect as anyone who is in good faith, we are more deserving of moral character respect than anyone who is in bad faith, and anyone who is irreversibly in bad faith, being without a conscience, is deserving of no moral character respect whatsoever.

In that happiness must come from within us we should not compromise any of these principles and understandings. Doing so would cause us to feel shame and, thereby, lose our enthusiasm.

In obeying our consciences we should attempt to inspire by our examples others who are not irreversibly in bad faith. That is, we should, as much as is feasible and pragmatic, be positive role models for others who are not irreversibly in bad faith. In being positive role models we should strive to be forthright, self-confident, optimistic, organized and responsible. Moreover, we should behave in a manner that demonstrates integrity and self-respect.

In demonstrating integrity and self-respect as positive role models we should not mind if any of those who emulate us become our equals or surpass us in being virtuous. Rather, we should wholeheartedly give credit where credit is due to those who equal or surpass us in having high moral standards.

In obeying our consciences we should develop our talents and use them to the benefit of ourselves and the rest of humanity. However, in that happiness must come from within us, we should not develop them according to what would result in the greatest financial gain for us. Rather, with exceptions involving what is feasible and pragmatic, we should develop them according to which of them we are the most gifted in. Developing our talents in this way would best provide for us to enjoy our work and make significant contributions in it rather than to be bored or mediocre in it.

In that happiness must come from within us, when it is not feasible and pragmatic to develop our talents according to which of them we are the most gifted in we should, if feasible and pragmatic, develop the talents that we are the most gifted in on a secondary basis if only for the purpose of using them in avocations. We should do this so that we might substantially enjoy our greatest talents as we contribute to humankind in putting them to use.

We should have a strong work ethic in developing our talents and using them to the benefit of ourselves and the rest of humanity. Moreover, in developing our talents and using them to the benefit of ourselves and the rest of humanity we should not view our accomplishments as things that we did primarily for greater recognition, position or wealth. Doing so would make us status-oriented. Rather, in obeying our consciences we should view our accomplishments as things that we did primarily to effect good. In viewing our accomplishments from this perspective we should be proud of them. Being proud of them from this perspective would not amount to being vain.

In obeying our consciences we should not only be proud of our accomplishments but we should take pride in everything that we do. If we do not consider it important to take pride in everything that we do we could become someone who only does the right thing when somebody is looking. We could even become outright lackadaisical. Moreover, in that we cannot be morally respectable in doing something without taking pride in it our dignity depends on us taking pride in everything that we do. Taking pride in everything that we do requires that we be oriented to doing things right for the principle of it.

One of the most important things that we should take pride in is the way that we communicate. In conveying our ideas we should attempt to present them in a manner that the listener or reader can understand them with the least amount of effort. As such, we should, under no circumstances, try to impress the listener or reader by using words that only a small percentage of the population knows the meaning of. Moreover, in attempting to present our ideas in a manner that the listener or reader can understand them with the least amount of effort we should strive to organize our words in the most efficient and lucid arrangements.

As an example of organizing our words in the most efficient and lucid arrangements let us consider two presentations of the same idea: 1.) We should make an effort to inspire others who are not irreversibly in bad faith by our examples. 2.) We should attempt to inspire by our examples others who are not irreversibly in bad faith. The first presentation is weaker than the second because it uses three words (make an effort) to convey what the second conveys in only one (attempt). It is also weaker than the second because it could mean something different from what was intended. That is, it could mean that we should attempt to inspire others who, by our examples, are not irreversibly in bad faith. In comparison the second can be interpreted in only one way. In having a more efficient and lucid word arrangement the second presentation better serves to keep the listener or reader on a roll in understanding our points.

In that we should take pride in everything that we do we should, under no circumstances, allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity.

Finally, in obeying our consciences we should have courage when the situation calls for it. We should have courage when necessary to bring or protect justice and we should have courage when necessary to protect or restore the physical or emotional well being of someone. However, we should not put our security at risk to help someone whom we know to be irreversibly in bad faith.

In that our having courage can bring on unpleasant experiences for us and those who need our courage to help them we should not unnecessarily allow situations to develop that would call for us to have courage. Rather, we should, as much as is feasible and pragmatic, take proactive measures to preclude situations from developing that would call for us to have courage. In doing so we should obey our consciences.

As an example of being happy from within let us consider two high school students who were in the same class and took the same test. The first was in good faith and studied very hard for the test. Not knowing what would be on it she studied everything that could possibly be utilized for it. The second was in bad faith and was able to find out what was on the test the day before from a friend who had already taken it. Knowing what would be on it she studied only those things. They both took the test and the second got away with having cheated.

The teacher graded the tests and the next day was returning them to the students. Just before returning them he announced that there were only two perfect papers.

When he returned the first girl’s paper she saw that her grade was 100% and, being in good faith and, therefore, happy from within, she jumped up from her seat in an explosion of happiness and waved her paper in the air. This was the result of being overwhelmed by wholesome feelings of self-respect coming from within her. She was very proud of herself. When he returned the second girl’s paper she saw that it was the other perfect one but, being in bad faith and, therefore, not happy from within, she felt no explosion of happiness nor an iota of it. Being in bad faith precluded her from having feelings of self-respect and, thereby, precluded her from feeling happiness even though she had gotten away with having cheated. She could not be truly happy about her perfect paper nor anything else.

Happiness must come from within us. That is, the source of happiness must be the wholesome feelings of self-respect that come from within us as a result of being in good faith. It is not difficult to experience these feelings. Rather, to experience them we need only stay in good faith by obeying our consciences.

[johnjubinsky]

Logical Disproofs of a Biblical Type God

I am a good without gods person. Below are four logical disproofs of a Biblical type god.

1.) Good beings do not freely desire to be worshiped. They desire to inspire others (and especially others who are good) to be as good as and even better than they are rather than to hold them in prostration. Freely attempting to hold others (and especially others who are good) in prostration is on its face proof that the attempter is not good. Accordingly, a being who freely desires to be worshiped and is all-good does not exist. However, by definition a Biblical type god is a being who freely desires to be worshiped and is all-good. Therefore, a Biblical type god does not exist.

2.) Freely permitting the temptation of good beings to be bad is inconsistent with good itself. As such, an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good god would not do it. Obviously, however, the temptation of good beings to be bad exists throughout the world. Accordingly, an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good god does not exist. However, by definition a Biblical type god is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good. Therefore, a Biblical type god does not exist.

3.) All beings have freewill. As such, a being that is all-good would have it. Moreover, in knowing that it had freewill it would know that it had the capacity to choose to become evil. In this it would know that if it chose to become evil while being worshiped by others the worshipers would be left to follow it (evil) in blind faith. Accordingly, being all-good it would not freely hold that it should be worshiped by others (and especially would not freely hold that it should be worshiped by others who were good). As such, a being that is all-good and freely holds that it should be worshiped by others does not exist. However, by definition a Biblical type god is a being that is all-good and freely holds that it should be worshiped by others. Therefore, a Biblical type god does not exist.

4.) Some wrongs are so bad that there is no amount of compensation that could be given to the victim that would result in justice. If an innocent child is raped not even everlasting life in paradise could make up for it. Obviously, however, innocent children are raped every day on an international basis. An all-powerful and all-knowing god would be able to prevent this. Accordingly, an all-powerful, all-knowing and just god does not exist. However, by definition a Biblical type god is all-powerful, all-knowing and just. Therefore, a Biblical type god does not exist.

Disproofs 2.) and 4.) establish that not even a Biblical type god that does not freely desire to be worshiped can exist.

The disproofs demonstrate that an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good god (whether or not it freely desires to be worshiped) cannot exist. However, they do not imply that people should not be good anyway. People should be good anyway.