Reason, Mathematics, Art, and More

Some things can't be explained by reason, for reason has its limits: "Why is there anything at all?" is one of the questions that reason cannot answer; the answer is "because there is." Reason requires assumptions, states, experiences, and if you assume none, then you get none. I am a person who loves reason, loves mathematics, and loves the arts. I love asking the question "Why?", but this doesn't mean that I worship reason, or worship mathematics, or even worship the arts. I am a learner, a teacher, a creator, and I feast on being, creating, connecting, and understanding.

I believe that the universe has purposes, has rules, and has soul, and therefore I seek it, I seek the underbelly, I seek perspectives. In mathematics, if you asked me, "What is a number?" I could not give a simple answer. I could give you the standard definition found in set theory, but I could also define them using Conway's surreal construction, I could describe them as a count or measure of something, or I could consider them as actions in a group. I understand numbers so well, my answer would depend on the situation, my mood, and the person who asked.

I feel like some people think that reason is the only way to determine truth, and while with assumed assumptions it's not that far off, I dislike that belief. We're more than just things of reason, we are more than just facts and machines—we're agents who can make goals and can use our minds and bodies to try and achieve them. We know and learn from experience, we make our beliefs and actions with experiences and intellect. It is misleading to assume that all truth is determined by reason, and it's misleading even in the context of reason to assume all statements are true or false—black or white.