My first blog entry

I do not care that former vice president Al Gore thinks that blogging is a way to save democracy in a world where reason is assaulted. The majority of the blogs I have seen have been inane comments to known events so it is with some hesitation I have begun mine contribution to the information overflow on the Internet.

The only justification for a blog in my opinion is to either present well considered comments to known events or present new information before the major media corporations get hold of the news. If one is really lucky one might be able to do both but to do neither is a waste of bandwidth.

To stumble over a spectacular news story is perhaps not that easy so one may excuse people that write blogs from failing to do so on a regular basis. But having the belief that one’s own opinion on any topic is of vital importance to the entire world is something many bloggers can be blamed for.

It would serve any serious blogger well to chose a topic for his or hers comments since few of us can have well founded opinions in all matters of public interest although everyone has an opinion.
This will be the topic of this blog: Well founded opinions and believes, and of course not so well founded opinions, gut reactions, silliness, and the manipulation of people, the question of how do we know what we know and are we sure about that?

So in one sense I cheat, I have been know to do that from time to time, this blog can discuss a great variety of different topics under the disguise of focusing on the arguments presented without contributing with any factual knowledge.

I do have factual knowledge of a few things but my expertise is limited and all to often I do not have a good source for where my knowledge comes from. This is true for most people but we rarely see it as a problem but it can become a problem.
When two believes stand against each other it is vital that we know how to determine what proposition is correct. Or if it is merely a matter of subjective opinion where both believes are equally valid we need to be able to determine if this is so.
Unfortunately neither is self evident. Leibniz had the idea that with a perfect language and knowledge of logic it would be possible to sit down and calculate the answer to a question instead of endless debating but where is the fun in that.

Hopefully the readers will find some of the comments I make well considered since I am unlikely to present any revolutionizing news. People have been thinking and debating since before antiquity and there is a wealth of material to comment upon and loads of warning examples. (Although the examples from before recorded history are scarce.)

This blog will not stop the assault on reason but if it can be a contribution in the battle I am content.