May 15: Reflect, Redirect and Renew | Spiral Inquiry

Spiral Inquiry Podcast (updated 5-15-21)

The fourth episode of the Spiral Inquiry Podcast was released on April 15, and is available on the Podcast Page. It is a reading of “The Empirical Standard of Knowing – Faith Misplaced” (Part 2).  The essay was presented to The Institute for Religion in an Age of Science at their 2016 conference “How Can We Know: Co-Creating Knowledge in Perilous Times” and was awarded a Shapley-Booth Fellowship.  It is discussed in the blogpost The Unexamined Faith at the Foundations of Science.  In this second episode I explore the anomalies in quantum physics, logic and mathematics, and then suggest some modifications to the empirical tenets of faith. I believe these changes can offer a more fruitful approach to the continuing efforts to expand our knowledge and understanding of the world.

Intentions for 2021 (published 2-15-21)

The past year has been incredibly challenging: globally, nationally and individually.  These challenges provide the opportunity to reflect on the lessons our experiences offer, and to redirect our priorities towards the things that matter most.  The final step is to renew our commitment to improving our own lives and the lives of others — with a goal of helping to create a better world for the future. For Spiral Inquiry, this has involved a review of the posts and essays written and published over the past four years.  The key themes in our deep exploration of science, faith and philosophy are timeless and continue to resonate.  The posts dealing with society and culture touch on issues that we continue to struggle with.  There is also a spiral thread moving through all of the questions, ideas and arguments that have been probed in these essays and posts.  The evidence we see in mathematics and science, in evolution and emergence, and in humanity and society suggests that all these interconnected systems are dynamic and uncertain, yet ultimately drawn towards an affirmative future.  Science, faith and philosophy are all necessary for a comprehensive, integrated understanding of these systems. In 2021, Spiral Inquiry is being redirected to focus on this compelling evolutionary message.  

• We have redesigned the Spiral Inquiry website to make more of the material visible and accessible.

• We have launched a Spiral Inquiry podcast, which will initially focus on the essays.  They present, in-depth, many of the most important concepts in our journey.  The first podcast will feature the award-winning essay “The Tip of the Spear”, exploring the question posed by FQXi: “How Should Humanity Steer the Future.”

• We have collected the Spiral Inquiry videos and feature them in a video channel which brings together the past video messages and provides a platform for future videos.  For an excellent introduction to the Spiral Inquiry website, please watch the video “Spiral Inquiry” produced by Three Bridges West.

• Spiral Inquiry will also increase its outreach, migrating from a periodic newsletter to a more timely email (like this one) featuring the latest posts and releases.  And we make a commitment to personally respond to all (legitimate) comments and inquiries.

Thanks for your time and your ideas.  Let’s renew our commitment to the journey that each of us, and humanity as a whole, needs to engage in if we are to succeed in building a better future, for ourselves and for our ancestors.