I’m a mathematician, psychologist, and computer programmer on a mission to improve mathematics education through video games. I want to improve the quality of education by providing a greater focus on critical thinking skills, reasoning and sense-making. I consider these educational improvements as essential for an effective democracy to function efficiently. The general public needs to be equipped with the mental facilities needed to distinguish fact from fiction so that they can make an informed decision on how to vote.
I think that science and reason have the power to improve the quality of life for humanity, through both technology and information. I think that the question of “why you believe” is more important that “what you believe”. I call myself an atheist because I came to the conclusion that a super-natural deity does not exist, but what I advocate is the process of skepticism that led me to this conclusion. Question everything, including me. Only by asking these questions and actively seeking the answers to them can you find truth.
I appreciate art from a variety of different cultures around the world. I’ve studied several different languages, but don’t consider myself fluent in them. I love art that challenges my intellect and makes me consider other perspectives. Despite my own lack of religion, I can readily acknowledge that some of my favorite artistic works have religious influences. I can enjoy Trigun knowing full well that Vash is a “Christ-figure”, or Pi knowing its influences in Judiasm, and understand the broader message of what these works are saying about the human condition.
I believe that morality is something that can be approached rationally and does not need to come from any “higher power”. I found Game Theory to be a particularly useful tool in the development of my moral guidelines. Later in life, I discovered that the Council for Secular Humanism had come up with a similar set of moral guidelines independently of my own exploration. From a political perspective, I was an Independent until recently when I joined the Green Party because I found their 10 Key Values to be compatible with my personal values also. Compare for yourself:
(this), "efc08a896269ed5a8f64ec6dcd6081bf", event)” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer” href=”http://www.gp.org/tenkey.shtml” target=”_blank”>http://www.gp.org/tenkey.shtml
I think that doubting religion has made be a better person. Doubting Christ’s eternal forgiveness has caused me to take greater responsibility for my own actions. Doubting the existence of an afterlife has given me motivation to improve my present life. Doubting the existence of Hell has made me more accepting of other cultures and belief systems. Doubting the existence of Heaven has motivated me towards creating a better society on Earth.
That’s not to say I don’t believe in things, but only that I believe what I believe because I’ve tried to exhaust all alternative explanations of the evidence.