My Favorite Quote

So, I haven't double checked this quote with the original source, but I love it. We've been having some major issues with our dogs involving their lack of training and aggression towards each other. We've been doing lots of research to figure out how to solve our situation and came across this trainer called the Pooch Professor. I love her advice and she seems like my kind of person due to her attitude about training dogs. One's attitude toward training a dog heavily reflects their personal beliefs. I always thought it was insightful, but after now embarking upon it personally I realize it is far more than I had ever supposed. We've started to have some minor success thanks to some great advice from a friend of my husband's and as a result had our first night of uninterrupted sleep since we picked them up. Woo hoo! Life always seems much better after being well rested. The mandatory exercise that has accompanied my puppies also has me feeling better than I have in years. I may not appreciate getting up earlier in the morning, but I'd much rather spend 30 minutes walking my dog than sitting in traffic. It's amazing what a difference it has already made in my life. More on that later, along with the semi-conclusion of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad two weeks and my extended opinion on the "healthcare debate."

Here's the quote:
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions simply because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But when, after observation and analysis, you find anything that agrees with reason, and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
~ The Buddha, in the Kalama Sutra

I think that just about sums up my opinion on the world, if you include Christianity in the mix. My basic world views are primarily influenced by empiricism and Christianity. Apparently, this is not such a popular view these days. Or so society and my husband tell me. I'm also guessing that Buddha also would not approve of my approach since it includes some non-rational elements. The perpetual conundrum that is my life - no box applies.

Why Reason?

A quick explainer on the blog title...

The authors of this blog are huge fans of reason, love rational actors, and admire logic in all its forms (especially syllogisms.) I would like to think that most people feel the same, but am skeptical. This is not to say we don't have biases, but genuinely enjoy having reasonable and well thought out discussions about the world. It also doesn't mean we think we are the only or a supreme "voice of reason." Instead, we merely like to voice what we see to be reasonable and hope others find it to be so as well. And, if not, we would love to know in attempts to gain a clearer vision of reality in any topic we are addressing. Or, at the very least to entertain a point of view we may not have considered previously, although we certainly try to be thorough.

That being said, another equally adequate title for this blog would be "Really?" If you have seen the Saturday Night Live skit, you understand what I mean.

Why Blog?

A Voice for Reason blog is essentially an outlet for the authors to express their views on the world, current events, politics, and anything else they find relevant. Our posts may not always be heavily cited or researched to lengths that could be a dissertation, but the authors always put a great deal of thought into them and hope that readers will respond with the same level of thought to produce fruitful conversations.

The primary purpose of this blog is to provide an avenue for the expression of ideas based in the principles of liberty, capitalism, and general good sense. The authors believe that people have become too disconnected from not only constitutional principles in the United States, but overall moral philosophies or solid principles that govern their worldviews (and those philosophies and principles do not have to mean religious, conservative, or any other boxed-in interpretation.)

And, while we take our ideas incredibly seriously, this also is just a blog. Please take from it what you will and enjoy our crazy ramblings.