active draft. a technical sketch. general, before special —alignment, before distraction
territory is coherent: our maps ought to be ^[ essential, formative maps of territory ]. we can do better
introduction
It is a challenge to attempt to define truth so early in this writing, but given the subject matter, conclusions and claims, an early definition seems essential: to establish a foundation, and a credibility, for what follows.
Over the course of the exercise, a set of tools for thought will be developed, to be used to interrogate and describe universal phenomena for which we presently have no good explanation, nor definition: phenomena like human intelligence, consciousness, and universal common measures, for example
For brevity, an axiom ( though more a conjecture now, perhaps ) frames a premise:
ours is a coherent universe, representable by a unified theory of all universal phenomena; such that all phenomena can be reconciled and related by universal common measure, and reasoned by the circumstances in which they arise, and participate
The premise is not meant to be controversial: a notion of a grand unified theory, and some additional detail; ideas from kuhn’s common measures ^[ Taken from thomas kuhn structure ] generalised, and universalised to suit ^[ And as the exercise progresses, many more ideas are introduced and explored within this conceptual setting ].
One question then:
—might a unified scientific endeavour, one based upon universal common measures, be all that different to the science of present day?
And the answer:
—yes, and how ^[ though in some cases, no! it would depend on circumstances, which will be explored ]
It is a fun exercise: the ideas are built up slowly; incrementally evolved from least principles, or initially, devolved, toward; and with each step in either direction, as uncontroversial as the premise.
There is much to write: the scope for which these ideas apply, really does appear to be all-the-things; though before all that—perhaps the most pressing topic of concern for any reader contemplating the time and attention necessary to begin to consider these ideas—is captured by a simple question:
—why should i believe you?
Which is a very good question ^[ And one I will only begin to address here. After all, there is a truth which existed long before our interpretation and belief came to be, and which will continue long after all belief has long faded; an innate truth of our coherent universe, and of the compositional mechanics of evolving structure, which presently shapes all which we see and know, and all the rest ], and so the focus of this piece, will be on describing truth, using the language and ideas developed over the course of the exercise, framed by the premise of the axiom/ conjecture above.
for a sketch, see: io - a sketch intro for bryan kam
tbc