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Connection, Consciousness, Wisdom

My Micro-philosophy

I wrote this around October of 2025 on completion of the micro-philosophy course. My views have evolved since then, but I am proud of my work. You can see how much I’ve changed. I felt this was needed after fully leaving the idea of materialism behind.

Summary

At the core of my philosophy is consciousness. My world beliefs center around consciousness, free-will, and evolution. The world is made of consciousness which we plug our spirit into. Our spirit interfaces with the world through the soul, a combination of the astral and etheric. This is analogous to a player, a controller, and the game. The spirit is a divine fractal of the creator which gives us the feelings of subjective consciousness. Without spirit I’m unsure if there is “something it is like to be” a living thing. This is our source of qualia. This source of consciousness is outside the universe as we know it, so it is difficult and potentially impossible to define or understand within our context. At the same time we readily have access to it through our awareness.

My current axioms are similar to those put forward by Thomas Campbell who I’m currently heavily influenced by among others like Tom Montalk. The universe tends towards entropy, disorder, but life tends towards syntropy, order. Life increases entropy to increase complexity where that is more parts and more connections between those parts. There are also other factors to consider in complexity and order such as truth, evolutionary fitness, sustainability, values, etc. Evolution is a formal, purpose-driven process directed by the choices of consciousness.

What I was pleasantly surprised to find is how synergistic my world beliefs and values are. My listed five values are conscious experience, wisdom, benevolence, connection, and dignity. The source of value is the subjective feelings of consciousness. Wisdom is overcoming or avoiding problems before you face them. It’s also overcoming self-deception and seeing the world clearly. This helps benevolence which is to maximize good and minimize harm. Connection is the foundation for further growth and complexification. Justice is valuing the dignity of another being and acting in moral fairness toward them.

My values lead to an ethical framework to take action. Valuing conscious experiences leads to activities that enrich subjective feeling, awareness, and flourishing. I do breathwork, meditate, learn, practice skills, and contemplate. I actively increase my wisdom and share it with others. Wisdom is worth continuing to investigate. A nice, short way to think of it is the square root of experience. I love John Vervaeke’s definition of wisdom which is going towards optimal balance of rational systems and tools to overcome self-deception. Often wisdom is a good for its own sake. Sharing wisdom is one way to increase benevolence. This increases syntropy. I create content, engage in discussion, and act kindly and professionally with my work. Connection with others synergizes with the other values as we can share and increase in conscious experience, being good to each other, meeting each others’ needs, and sharing wisdom. Connection is a fundamental need for human beings as well as a value in itself. A focus on justice as an upheld value leads to more benevolent connection and reinforces the primary value placed on conscious experience.

I continue to learn about consciousness. As an operational definition consciousness generates a range of possibilities and is that which actualizes a possibility. From the space of possibilities consciousness chooses and biases the world to bring that choice into existence. As the universe is consciousness which we interact with it is consciousness interacting with consciousness.

Overall this exercise has helped me clarify my beliefs and given me a starting point to develop a macro-philosophy. I enjoy thinking about these fundamental and essential questions to live by. I will likely refine them over the years.

5 Atomic World Beliefs

I think I’ll win the award for “most out-there world beliefs.” I’ve gone through a period of major change in my views which drew me to this course. I’m surprised by what I’ve come up with, but it’s fun to go through all the questions. Some of the questions I was quite unsure about like questions on abstract entities and nothingness. There are still things I’m fairly confident about.

It was difficult to choose the five. I’ve combined a few from the output and had to make one extra to cover some bases. I’m happy to share my final output from the LLM if anyone is interested. As a side note I found it so enjoyable working with Gemini on this. It tells me how smart my views are, haha! I have to be careful in that I know it’s trained to do this, but it’s still quite nice to talk about these ideas and have a detailed response.

Proton: Reality is fundamentally a manifestation of Consciousness.

Proton: The universe was intentionally created and is guided by an inherent purpose toward lowering the entropy of consciousness.

Proton: The true self is an eternal Spirit, which is a fractal of the Creator. The spirit interacts with the body through the soul.

Proton All knowledge is provisional, except for the immediate certainty of one’s own momentary consciousness. Justification for belief is pluralistic and context-dependent.

Proton: Evolution is a formal, purpose-driven process directed by the choices of consciousness.

5 Atomic Values

This was a really interesting exercise for me as many of the questions got me thinking deeply. They require much reflection. I had to contemplate what things I truly do for intrinsic reward without any external validation. In a large way I got what I wanted from this which was to more deeply connect with myself. I took a long look at what I’ve valued. I had to add a value that wasn’t explicitly listed which is conscious experience as explained below. I enjoyed trying to sneak and blend together as many of my favorite values together.

Atomic Value Belief 1: Conscious Experience

Proton: The subjective sense of awareness is the most fundamental aspect of existence and the primary basis for all value.

Atomic Value Belief 2: Wisdom

Proton: Wisdom is the optimal use of rationality to overcome self-deception and avoid or resolve problems in life.

Atomic Value Belief 3: Benevolence

Proton: Benevolence is a desire to increase good and avoid harm.

Atomic Value Belief 4: Connection

Proton: Connection is the joy of forming deep and meaningful relationships with others through shared experiences and mutual understanding.

Atomic Value Belief 5: Dignity

Proton: Dignity is the inherent right to respect and freedom that every being possesses as a subjective, feeling entity.

A note: After some reflection I’ve decided to replace Dignity with Justice. I believe justice (especially when tied to benevolence) inherently involves diginity.

Atomic Value Belief: Justice

Proton: Justice is the ethical obligation to acknowledge the inherent dignity of all sentient beings and to guide action by the principle of fairness toward them.

Ethics

Conscious Experience

Conscious experience is the subjective awareness that serves as the ultimate source of all value.

Principles:

Seek to enrich your own awareness through learning, mindfulness, and novel experiences.

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

By being alive! I make habits out of the act-types with some daily and others nearly daily. I investigate consciousness and values. Physical exercise effects my cognition. I like to be considerate of all conscious beings.

How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I feel negative when I have poor mental health. I think about how much I can do to improve it. Certain habits also feel quite wasteful like scrolling social media. In the moment it feels good, but this is quickly forgotten and promotes low awareness.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

I meditate, do breathwork, go for walks in the sun, enjoy nature at the park, and exercise. I watch videos, read books, and write. I also regularly work on healing myself and supporting my mental health. I like to support others in conversation and video games.

Wisdom

Wisdom is the practice of applying rationality to overcome self-deception and effectively navigate reality.

Principles:

Truth should be pursued even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable.

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I read books on difficult topics like trauma and healing. I do inner work which often involves facing uncomfortable emotions. I’m learning ways to gently challenge people in discussion. I seek models for explanation and prediction through study and contemplation. I look for counter arguments and people who disagree with me. How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

There’s turning away from discomfort in seeking truth. The harder part to me is actively going against pleasant lies and illusions. It’s tough to actually change your perspective on a meaningful level. Staying focused on a critical insight is difficult. Of course respecting the argument of someone I think is clearly wrong is quite is difficult.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

I write essays and share them. I make videos and post. I look for feedback. I research topics. I talk to people about my views and theirs.

Benevolence

Benevolence is the active desire to increase order, complexity, and conscious experience while avoiding harm and suffering.

Principles:

Act to increase syntropy, the tendency towards order, complexity, and connection

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

This is a principle I consider an ideal I aspire to. There are of course degrees of benevolence. In my work I mentor students through their higher education. I create content to share the wisdom I’ve learned. In many ways I believe wisdom works closely with benevolence. Wisdom helps to avoid and overcome problems while giving a good path towards syntropy. I build myself up so I can help others.

How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

“There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism.” I struggle with perfection in this value. There’s really harm all around us. If I buy from unethical companies am I now part of the problem? I feel I could be more ascetic. I try not to hurt others, but ignorance and apathy lead to it.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

I continually raise my awareness through practices like meditation and inner emotional work. Every once in a while I review my regular choices to determine if there’s a more benevolent option. When I talk to others I try to do the least harm and act towards their benefit.

Connection

Connection is the cultivation of deep, meaningful relationships founded on empathy, trust, and mutual understanding.

Principles:

Listen with empathy, seeking to understand another’s inner world before seeking to be understood.

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I reach out to friends and try to be there for them. I connect with people through my work. I create content to share online.

How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I’d like to have much more community, but I’ve been hesitant. I hold myself back from volunteering or other regular activism. I’m working on being more emotionally open with my friends.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

I can plan more activities with friends. I can volunteer or find more hobbies.

Dignity

Dignity is the inherent right to respect and freedom possessed by every conscious, feeling being.

Principles:

Every being has intrinsic worth and should be treated as an end, not merely as a means.

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I try to be upfront and honest when interacting with others. On serious topics I give space for people to consent to going deeper with potentially harmful information. I respect general boundaries and ask before crossing them.

How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

There are little lies to protect the feelings of others. These kinds of things can cause conflicts between benevolence and dignity. Again it’s also tough to work in and contribute to systems the degrade the dignity of others.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

I feel I do well in my friendships. I’m careful in my relationships with work which are more professional. Again volunteering and activism can promote dignity. I want to create more content around these values to inspire people to increase dignity.

Justice

Justice is the ethical obligation to acknowledge the inherent dignity of all sentient beings and to act fairly toward them.

Principles:

Distribute resources and opportunities equitably, prioritizing the fundamental needs of all sentient beings.

How are you promoting the chosen value and acting in alignment with the corresponding principles?

Largely I aim for justice in my day to day actions. I treat my friends and others fairly. I analyze the systems I work with for fairness. I support good businesses within my means. I act in ways that enhance the freedom and dignity of others.

How are you failing to promote the chosen value and act in alignment with the corresponding principles?

I worry about all of the systems I pay into. Our current systems are highly unfair. I know I can make better choices in consumption with more effort. I have cognitive blind spots that make me miss key aspects of fairness.

What specific actions can you take in your current circumstances that would fall under the listed act-types and promote the chosen principles and master value?

Donating my time and money to people in need. Joining charity organizations. Being just and fair in my dealings with friends, professionally, and business transactions. Creating content that promotes the principles of justices and gets people thinking.