0.1.6 Gold Standard Questions

Version 1.3 January 2019                                             (Previous Version)

We’re not asking you to read all these (seriously, we're not), but …

In these pages we try to address all these questions, leading us to the 42 gold level conclusions in Parts 1 to 8.

Do we answer all these questions?  Does each chapter answer questions we left out of this list?  Have we left out significant issues?  Click on feedback, or add a comment below, if you can improve the substance or the phrasing.

1. Philosophy                                                                                                    more

1. What is the truth?  It is difficult to know what really is true.  Some say there is no absolute truth.  Is there such a thing?  Is everything relative?  Can one thing be true for you and not be true for me?  Is there some ‘higher truth’ that lies beyond the merely rational?  Do we have to ignore emotions to get to the truth?  Do faith and reason apply to totally separate domains, as some people say?  Can we be totally rational and ignore emotions and feelings?  Are our beliefs caused by our genes and how we grew up?  Can we arrive at, and agree on, at least some approximation of the truth?  How do we know what is NOT true?  How can we tell whether science or history is right, or which religion to believe, or which political leaders to follow?  Can we be sure about anything?   See 1.1
2. What is real?  Is it all a dream?  Are we all a figment of some supernatural being’s imagination?  Some people say there is no ‘out there’ out there – it is only in our minds.  If there is something ‘out there’, can we ever know what it is really like?  Can we actually perceive it in any way?  Do our perceptions have any link to reality?  Does the way we perceive the world, in time and space, colour and movement, tell us something real about the world, or is it more about us?  Do we impose these categories on reality or are they real?  Do words actually mean anything?  Is a psychedelic experience more real than ‘ordinary’ experience?  Can we have spiritual experiences?  See 1.2
3. Does God exist?  Is there one god, or many gods?  Is there a god who created the world?  Is there another god who keeps the world going, or is it the same god as the one who created the world?  Does god care about us, about humanity or individuals?  Is god more like the aboriginal gods, more like the Hindu gods, or more like the Judeo-Christian-Muslim gods?  Does your spiritual life or your conviction that there is goodness and justice and value make you think there must be a god, even if you see no other reason for it?  Can we have values, or find meaning and purpose, without God?  Are we all figments of God’s imagination?  Should we pray to God or worship him or her?  See 1.3
4. Are our minds real things?  Are they different from the matter of the universe?  Are our minds separate from our brains?  Are they made of the same stuff as matter but still fundamentally different?  How can we explain consciousness?  Do we have souls?  Where do souls come from?  Where were our souls before we were born? Where do they go when we die?  Do we go to heaven or hell?  Does our soul get reincarnated?  Is this life all there is?  See 1.4

 

5. Why be good?  Does goodness come from god?  How can we be good without god?  If there is no god, does anything go?  What is goodness anyway? Is it better to do one’s duty and hang the consequences?  Can we ignore what’s happening in the world and still be virtuous?  Or is it better to just work towards the best outcomes, and ignore the rules if they get in the way?  Is it all relative?  Is it just survival of the fittest?  Does the end justify the means?  See 1.5
6. Is anything really beautiful?  Can there be objective beauty?  Or is beauty just in the eye of the beholder?  What makes something beautiful?  Is something beautiful more valuable than something that is ugly?  What is art?  Should we specially value indigenous art or art from other cultures?  Is the post-modernist rubbish we see in art galleries really art, or is it just fashion?  Is modern art really the gormless and greedy beguiling the gullible?  See 1.6

2. Science                                                                                                        more

7. Can science tell us what is true?  Can science tell us what is ultimately true?  Can science tell us everything that is true?  Are there truths that science cannot tell us?  Why believe in science, especially when in the past science got it all wrong?  How can we possibly believe that science suddenly got it right this time?  How can we know that science is right, when scientists disagree with each other and get it wrong so frequently?  How can we tell what is bogus science?  Are you lost in the maze of science and technology, confused by all the pseudo-science and plain fraud?  Are you uncertain about what really is scientifically proved, how it all fits together, or how to integrate new facts into what you already know?  See 2.1
8. If god did not make the world, where did it come from?  How come it is so finely tuned for human beings?  Where did the forces of nature come from?  Where did matter and energy come from, the elements and radiation?  Where did the stars come from?  See 2.2
9. If god did not make them, where did the sun, the moon and the earth come from?  How come we have day and night, tides, months, seasons, years, continents and seas, wind and rain, drought and dust?  See 2.3
10. If god did not create life, where did it come from?  How can all the complex processes required for just a single living cell come together all at once?  isn't it like a storm in a junkyard producing a jumbo jet?  Aren’t the chances of life so miniscule that is has to be a miracle?  How can dead matter suddenly come to life?  What is life anyway?  See 2.4
11. Without god to control it all, where did all the difference species of plants and animals come from?  How can we have such complex ecosystems, where every component is dependent on all the others, and couldn’t have evolved without them?  How can we have some complex organs such as eyes and brains, unless these are designed by a designer?  Why do we have sex?  What is the benefit of sex?  Why would an uncaring universe develop sex?  Why does sex cause so much trouble?  Why is there so much suffering in the world?  Why do animals suffer so much pain?  Why do some animals have to eat other animals?  See 2.5
12. If god did not make man in his own image, where did the human race come from?  Are we really evolved from monkeys?  Where is the missing link?  Why are humans so hairless?  Why do only humans walk on two legs?  Why do men and women look different?  Why are there different races, skin colours, hair and facial characteristics?  Why are people so evil?  Why is there so much conflict between all sorts of ethnic, religious and national groups?  See 2.6

 

13. If there is nothing divine in us, how can we be conscious? What is consciousness?  How can we be self-aware?  Why are people sometimes so mean, so selfish, so stupid?  Why are people sometimes so kind, generous, and clever?  How can we be so rational sometimes and so emotional other times?  Why do men and women seem to think so differently?  Why are we all a bit racist and all a bit sexist?  How come humans like music and singing?  How did our hominid ancestors learn to speak?  See 2.7

3. History                                                                                                        more

14. Why do we have so much trouble agreeing on our history?  Can history tell us anything?  Can we learn anything from history?  Or are we condemned to repeat it?  Can we honestly say we understand how history unfolds?  Or can we only tell lots of individual stories?  Do the famous people make history?  Or are they subject to blind historical forces?  Can history be objective, or is it always tainted?  Is history only written by whoever wins the war?  If what we believe now is a product of our history, is there any reason to believe we are any closer to the truth now rather than earlier?  See 3.1
15. How did the first humans spread around the world, just by walking?  Did they walk across water?  Who invented the first tools?  Who invented agriculture?  Where does our food come from?  Why did farming develop earlier in Asia, later in the Americas and Africa, and hardly at all in Australia?  See 3.2
16. Where did civilisation begin?  Who invented arithmetic, money, writing, the wheel?  How did weapons and war develop?  Is government natural?  Where does religion come from?  Why did civilisations thrive in Eurasia and the Americas but less so in Africa and Australia? See 3.3
17. What were the ancient empires like, in the Middle East, Europe, China, India and North and South America?  Why did some civilisations die out?  How did some survive and others fail?  Has climate change caused problems for earlier civilisations?  Is a good king any better for society than a bad one?  What kind of government helps a society survive, or thrive?  See 3.4
18. How did the Europeans come to dominate the world?  Was it due to Europe’s geography or that it was never controlled by a single emperor?  Was it because Europeans were intellectually and morally superior?  Or was it that Europeans were actually morally inferior, more racist, ruthless, and arrogant?    Did Europeans invent modernity?  What started the Industrial Revolution?  Was China repressed by Confucianism, India by Hinduism and the Middle East by Mohammedism (Islam)?  Was European religion or its practice superior, or did Europeans ride to success on the backs of slaves?  Was it just an accident?  See 3.5
19. Why did the Europeans abolish slavery and lose their empires?  Was it because of their Christian morality, the rise of secular human rights, or anti-colonial nationalist movements?  Is democracy the best form of government?  See 3.6
20. Where is the world heading?  Has capitalism triumphed?  Is materialism the best we can hope for?  Is the world doomed?  Will the global financial system totally collapse?  Will we have World War III?  Will there be a nuclear Armageddon?  Will we be wiped out by a global pandemic?  Will population and consumption growth destroy the environment?  Will climate change destroy modern civilisation?  See 3.7

4. Religion                                                                                                      more

21. What good is religion?  Should it remain totally personal?  Should all religious matters be kept out of politics?  Should we move towards abolishing all religions or try to merge them into one?  Are there any similarities between religions?  What is religion anyway?  Can you have a religion without a god?  Does religion cause more harm than good?  Do we need religions to define or express our values?  Do you have trouble explaining your religious or spiritual experiences or practice in a modern sceptical world?  Do you have the feelings but not the words?  Do you have a religious background, but find it harder to believe?  Are you feeling lost, because without religion there is nothing left of value, nothing good, nothing to live for?  Do you have doubts about your religious leaders, but don't know what to think?  See 4.1
22. Do primitive or indigenous religions provide any insights for the modern world?  Should we tell our children about indigenous creation myths?  Do aboriginal dreamtime stories help us to relate to our country and our society?  Are polytheism and pantheism valid religious options?  Or are they just precursors to more advanced monotheistic religions?  See 4.2
23. If there is no god, and no other supernatural entities, do the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, or Sikhism provide any insights for the modern world?  Is there such a thing as enlightenment or nirvana?  Is there any benefit in meditation or the way of mindfulness?  Is the self real?  Should we practice non-violence?  Is compassion the universal good?  Was the Buddha real, are his insights valuable?  Should we follow any of the sayings of Confucius?  Should we seek the way of the Tao.  Has the eternal Tao got anything to do with physics?  See 4.3
24. If there is no god, and no other supernatural entities, do the Western religions, such as Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam or Baha’i provide any insights for the modern world?  Is there any solace to be found in prayer?  Do we find grace in good works?  Is the Law of Moses relevant to today?  Was Jesus real, are his teachings applicable now?  Was Mohammed an inspired leader whose revelations are worth following still?  Does Bahá'u'lláh's life and teachings provide guidance for people today?  See 4.4
25. How can modern people be fundamentalists?  How can they take Genesis literally?  If we don't believe in god, do we believe in nothing?  Is Atheism a religion, or just a denial of everything that’s good?  Should we accept that life is absurd, like the Existentialists?  Or can we pick and choose to make our own religion, like New Agers or Wiccans – or religious liberals?  Are you concerned about conflict in religion and politics, the clash of civilizations, terrorism, and religious fanatics?  Or that the country (or the world) may be taken over by religious zealots (or godless atheists) who will destroy all that is good?  Can we retreat from religion into politics – Nazism, Communism or Americanism?  Can we reinstate the Muslim Caliphate?  Should India retrieve a glorious pre-colonial, pre-Moghul Hindu utopia?  Should the Chinese empire return to its rightful leadership of the world?  Are the aliens out to get us?  See 4.5

5. Culture, Art and Media                                                                             more

26. How does our culture define us, or confine us?  How does culture affect our behaviour? What benefits do we get from the arts?  Is it reasonable to expect modern people to value indigenous or medieval art?  Is the so called modern art really art?  Can a tower of toilets really be called art?  Is analysis worthwhile?  Is the theatre really dead?  Can TV serials or manga comics be treated as serious art?  What restrictions should we place on art and artists?  Is there any point in producing a work of art?  See 5.1
27. Can we believe what the media tells us?  Is the media really telling us the whole truth, or just the part that they think will be popular?  Should we have controls on free speech or have completely free speech?  Can we control the media or the Internet?  Should we try to control pornography or racial and religious vilification?  How can we protect our children form the vulgarity and titillation that fills modern media?  Is the media beguiled into publishing trivia to attract audiences to sell advertising?  Do we measure a TV show’s success by its audience size, how long it runs for, or by its truth and accuracy?  See 5.2

6. Personal Practice                                                                                       more

28. How can we work out what to believe, how to behave, what is truth, justice and the best way to live?  What is right, for us?  How do we choose?  What values should we hold?  Can we expect others to hold similar values to our own?  isn't it all a matter of personal choice?  How can all the contradictory assertions made by philosophers, scientists, historians, teachers, politicians and religious leaders be of any use in forming a decent set of values?  What is the point anyway?  See 6.1
29. How can we be whole?  How should we best look after our mental and emotional well-being?  How can we tell whether we are doing well?  How do we manage emotions, drives and strong feelings?  Is stress all bad?  Is self-esteem good?  Why not just give up and go with the flow?  Why should we struggle to get things right?  Should we fit in with some social groups?  Can we actually work out what is right?  What will be effective for us as individuals?  See 6.2
30. How should we look after our physical welfare?  Must we starve ourselves, avoid the food we like, and exercise ourselves to death?  isn't fat beautiful?  Are recreational drugs really bad for you?  If adults think drugs are so bad, why do they use them?  Should we take vitamins and other supplements, or are they a waste?  Can we believe modern medicine?  Should we reject vaccines against infectious diseases?  Is it reasonable to try homeopathy or traditional medicine if modern medicine doesn’t work?  See 6.3
31. How do we deal with platonic and sexual personal relationships, with friends and lovers?  Can people of the opposite sex be “just friends�?  Are some sexual behaviours unnatural, or wrong?  Should we promote free sex?  Is it OK to be promiscuous?  Do women expect men to dominate?  Aren’t women better off being looked after by a man?  How can marriage be equal?  Is marriage only for one man and one woman?  When should we start having sex?  When should we stop having sex?  When should we get married or divorced?  See 6.4
32. How should we manage being a members of a family?  Are we obliged to obey and look after our parents?  How much are we obliged to look after our children?  How much should we look after our siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins or more distant relatives?  Should we sacrifice ourselves for our family?  Or are family responsibilities subsidiary to individual development?  When is it OK to outsource family responsibilities, looking after a disabled child or parent, to the government or a private organisation?  See 6.5

 

33. How do we deal with the wider community?  Are we obliged to deal kindly or fairly with others outside our circle of family and friends?  Why should we be nice to others if they are not nice to us?  Hasn’t modern society become selfish and self-centred?  isn't greed now good?  Is it OK to cheat on your tax return or insurance claims?  How should we behave as employees and as employers?  How should we handle unemployment?  Should we take professional ethics seriously, or are these just marketing tools to attract more clients?  See 6.6
34. In the light of modern knowledge, how can we be spiritual?  On the other hand, hasn’t modern science got it wrong when it disparages spirituality?  don't we need to return to a simpler life, to appreciate nature, and even abandon modern materialism and consumerism?  Or are all spiritual people just nutters who don't understand science?  Can we express spiritual feelings in a community setting without mass hypocrisy or delusion?  See 6.7

7. Politics                                                                                                        more

35. Why bother to have any interest in politics – isn't it all lies?  Can ordinary people have any effect?  Should we support one political party over another?  Is there any real difference between them?  Will we all be ruined if the opposition party comes to power, as the government predicts?  Are our political leaders deceiving just us or themselves as well? How can politicians stuff things up so much if they are really trying not to, unless they are selfish or corrupt?  Should we all hate the Americans, the Chinese, the Russians, the Jews, the Muslims, the capitalists, the communists, the oligarchs, the bunch next door or the others?  See 7.1

36.  Is capitalism really the best system, as its advocates say?  Or does capitalism need to be fundamentally overturned for there to be any hope of justice in the world?  Are we at risk of a devastating financial collapse?  don't multinational corporations have too much power, and aren’t they destroying the environment and devastating local indigenous populations, just for profit?  Should we break up large corporations?  Can we control the economy to avoid system failures?  Should we protect our local economy from foreign competition?  See 7.2 

37. Is democracy really the best system, as its advocates say?  Is democracy possible in Muslim countries?  Is democracy realistic in mega-countries like China and India?  Can we impose democracies on countries that don't have it, or do we need to wait centuries for democracy to ‘evolve’ in each country, like it did in Europe?  Are Western democracies a good as they can be?  Is American democracy a model for the world?  Is the Democratic Peoples Republic of China democratic?  See 7.3

38.  What are the responsibilities of local, state and national governments?  Should area governments own and run natural monopolies, or have social welfare programs?  Should we outsource government services to private companies or paramilitary, police and corrections duties to international corporations?  Should nations cede some of their sovereignty to international bodies such as the World Court, World Trade Organisation and World Bank or similar bodies?  Do we want the United Nations to become a world government?  Should we worry about ‘Big Brother’ and excessive state power?  Can national governments control multinational corporations?  See 7.4

 

39. Is the global environmental at risk of imminent collapse?  Is the climate changing or not?  Will climate change (if it is real) be as bad as some make out?  Is it possible to stop climate change?  Are we running out of oil and gas?  Do we need alternative energy supplies?  Are we running out of arable land to grow food?  Will be able to feed the growing population?  Can we limit population growth?  Can we save our environment?  Does it need saving?  Who is responsible for saving it?  Why care if the environment changes?  See 7.5
40. What can we do if national governments are not facing up to their responsibilities?  If every nation in the world reached the standard of the best nations now, would that result in global peace and justice, equality, financial stability and environmental sustainability?  Should we support global non-government organisations such as Amnesty International, the Society of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Médecins Sans Frontières, or the World Wildlife Fund, or is it a waste of time and money?  Can we do anything to address global poverty and social justice?  Should we, on principle, look to other big organisations or United Nations agencies to promote social benefits?  If so, how should they be structured?  What would be their role?  See 7.6
41. Is education a personal, a family or a political issue?  What should we teach our children, and who should do it?  Do we have a right or a duty to impart our values onto our children?  Should we indoctrinate them or provide prescriptive moral education?  What teaching methods are most effective?  How effective are our current education systems?  Should we focus education on job skills?  Or on the glorious nation they are growing up in?  Should we teach religion in schools or only in the home?  Should we just teach the facts and let the children decide?  What do we expect all adults to know?  How much should we expect people in general to understand philosophy, science and history?  How can we cater for people of different abilities?  See 7.7

8. A Reasonable Global Way                                                                          more

42. How can we make sense of all of this?  Even if we can answer lots of these questions, how does this help?  Is this enough to live life, to be happy or at least fulfilled?  Is that all there is?  How is this Way consistent with other developments in science and history?  Is this Way a religion?  How do we replace the rituals, liturgy and other comforts of religion – that religious people value?  isn't it realistic to only live in despair?  Are there any reasonable grounds to live in hope?  See 8.0