Principles of Aletheism

Aletheism, the Religion of Truth^TM

from the Greek, aletheia: truth, honesty, transparency

An Aletheist is one who seeks, obeys, and defends the Truth


10/21/11

Principles of Aletheism

1.1

1. Data Locuta Est, Causa Finita Est. "The Evidence has Spoken, the Case is Closed." In Aletheism, data (factual evidence) is sacred. All beliefs, opinions, and doctrines must be subjected to the evidence. Everything Aletheists believe and do derives from and depends upon the latest and most reliable evidence.  

1.2

2. All ideologies, including faith-based religions and political systems, are false, because they are based on opinions, traditions, or imagination. Aletheism is the way to approach Truth, because it is based squarely and solely on factual evidence.

1.3 Ideology is backward thinking; it begins with a concept or doctrine (often erroneously called a "theory"). It either denies, suppresses, or manipulates any evidence to the contrary in order to maintain the ideological structure.

Conclusion (dogma, belief, etc) <- Evidence

1.4 The ideology takes more importance than any evidence, the well-being of others, or even the host's own life. Thus ideologies behave like mental parasites, and cause humanity inestimable harm.

1.5 Aletheism is free of ideological parasites, whether they be religious, political, or traditional. Aletheistic thinking begins with the best available evidence. It then reasons from that evidence to the most logical conclusion. Thus Aletheism is correct, forward thinking.

Evidence -> Conclusion (reasonable idea, theory, etc.)

1.6 Aletheism does produce valid theories in the scientific sense. There are two levels of conclusions: those which are approximately 90% verifiable, and those which are 100% verifiable. Conclusions verified by about 90% of the evidence may be called "beyond reasonable doubt" (BRD); the 10% remaining evidence may be error or anomaly. These ~90% conclusions work well enough for most of our daily living.

1. 7 On the other hand, Aletheistic conclusions verified by 100% of the evidence have the force of true, scientific theories. They have survived rigorous examination as well as critical debate. Even one piece of evidence against the theory will require it to be re-examined and either altered to fit the data, or entirely rejected. In this case, the Aletheistic process of gathering evidence, reasoning upon it, and concluding from it, must begin again.

  

1.8

3. Ideoclasm is the doorway to Aletheism. Ideoclasm simply means smashing one's most closely held beliefs with the hammer of hard evidence. The ideoclastic process must be totally honest and transparent; one of the definitions of aletheia is transparency.

1. 9 One must humbly accept the hammering of cherished beliefs, and sustaining the loss of most of them, if one is to become an Aletheist. Every Aletheist must be ready every day for their ideas to be destroyed by new evidence, and to reform their thinking accordingly. The price of Truth, of being an Aletheist, is humbling oneself before the evidence. Data locuta est, causa finita est.