Following The Infinite 'Why' Sequence
All Roads of Understanding Lead to the Same Destination
Lately I’ve been encouraged to explore the effects that blind misinformation can have on our worldview. Inevitably, this led to exploring the synergy between knowledge and belief. I’m writing this essay to share my findings. This is not a deliberation on faith, but on truth. I believe that the pursuit of understanding leads us to one truth, and one worldview—and only this worldview can lead us to true fulfillment. I’m looking for your feedback and help in this exploration.
A few months ago, if you asked me why I believed the things I did about the world, I wouldn’t have had an explanation beyond regurgitated information.
I would have told you that I needed to grow my business to make more money, so that I could have a nice house, raise a good family, and be a good dad. When asked why, I would have said because that will make me happy and that’s what I’m supposed to do. I had a belief about my life and because books and gurus supported that belief, I would have said I knew how to live my life. That was the problem, I knew a lot of things. I didn’t understand any.
Today, I’m under the impression that most of the western world is just like me, and doesn’t understand why they believe the things that they do—that is, if they’ve even thought about their beliefs. And I mean, really, truly understand why.
So my question to you is, what do you believe about the purpose of our existence? And why? Is it even important?
Why is Understanding Important?
Surely, if you’re reading this you understand the implications of your beliefs, and the role that they play in your worldview. But what if your understanding is wrong? Can you prove that it’s right? Odds are, you can’t. And that’s okay, most people can’t. I’m still working on it. But that means that the one thing that all of your conscious and subconscious decisions are grounded in, could be wrong. That’s why this is important.
Exploring Your Current Beliefs
Imagine everything you believe to be true in this moment is wrong. Pretty scary. That would mean your entire worldview is wrong. But can a worldview be wrong? And if so, how would you even know? Well, let’s find out.
What Do You Believe In?
If we were doing this logically, we would begin with objectivity vs subjectivity—is there a correct worldview, one that exists objectively? But that would require pages and pages, and this is not the place for that. However, I encourage you to try on your own.
Instead, we’ll do it the simple way based on intuition. We first evaluate our current beliefs and figure out what it is that we believe in. A great way to figure out what you believe about our existence is to ask yourself why. Why am I alive and Why do I stay alive followed by the seemingly infinite why-sequence. Eventually you arrive at—Well, why does anything matter—the creation and purpose of existence.
The Wrong vs Right Belief
Nihilism is Wrong
This single belief determines our entire outlook on life. If we think existence just is because it is, our lives have no fundamental meaning. We are guided towards Nihilism. This is a truly terrible and saddening worldview—and it’s wrong. Nihilism is wrong because it’s not conducive to self preservation, which is inarguably an innate quality of all living things and has been for all of life. The only question necessary here is, is hopelessness promising for evolution? No. So it’s a deviation from what is correct.
Our Beliefs Are Wrong
But can’t humans create their own lasting purpose? No—an easy way to prove this is to ask why in response to any self-proclaimed purpose. Eventually you end up back where you started, at creation. Why does anything matter at all?
Only This is Right
However, if we accept a creator, we are forced to explore the intentions of the creator and those intentions become the foundation of our existential purpose. This satisfies the infinite why-sequence. However, that is not why it’s correct. It’s correct, because logic says so. By using logic, we understand that all evidence points towards the existence of a creator. One sequence of reasoning from that logical deliberation is that existence necessitates creation and creation necessitates a creator, therefore there must be a creator. The nature of that creator deserves it’s own essay(s).
All Roads Lead to The Same Place
If we stop at belief, we have no grounds to stand on. For example, I believe we exist for XYZ reason. Because other people agree and I read it in a book, I say that I know I exist for XYZ reason. But unless the ultimate why is answered, what you believe and what you know don’t really matter.
Many of us stop at the How or the What and leave out the Why which is the key to true understanding. However, there is only one true why and the path of logical understanding takes us there—all the way back to the creation of existence. Only when we understand the intention of existence through logical reasoning can we understand the true purpose of anything we do.
What do you think that purpose is?