Start here…first principles (A)Terry Dashner……..Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013
Mortimer J. Adler said, “The fundamentals of logic should be as transcultural as
mathematics with which principles of logic are associated. The principles of logic are neither Western nor Eastern, but universal.” That’s interesting.
Aristotle was keen on “first principles.” He said that every science begins with certain obvious truths, and these truths form foundations upon which all knowledge rests. [Norman Geisler and Peter Bocchino, Unshakable Foundations, (Bethany House: Minneapolis, Minnesota) p.19]
These days most Christians are too quick to respond to an opposing worldview by critiquing it at conclusion of an argument. Mortimer Adler rightly points out that most of time errors exist in beginning. This means we must focus on these “points of departure” used by philosophers, professors, authors and skeptics to see if any errors exist in their foundations (most basic assumptions). [Ibid, p.21]
Now most everyone has a worldview. And worldviews are varied to say least. Why? Because everyone looks at world through lens of various colors. If one’s glasses are blue lens, then his worldview will be blue. The question I raise is this. Is it possible for everyone to see through same colored lens? Maybe. It depends on whether or not everyman with a worldview wants to paint color of his lens with “first principles.” If everyman shapes his worldview with logic, everyman is going to come to logical conclusions. Right? Let me explain myself, please.
Everyone uses logic to think about life. All people have at one time or another given thought to fact that they exist; existence and human reason are two most fundamental assumptions that all people have in common. These two assumptions are unavoidable; in order to deny existence and reason, one would have to use reason to think about denial. Further, one would have to exist in order to be engaged in reasoning process. Therefore, existence and reason must be place to start an honest and impartial search for truth. [Ibid, pp. 22-23]
