Origins on "First Principles"

I chose to call this blog “first principles” because I wanted to write pieces that break down ideas to their constituent parts. I admit it’s a big task. So far a lot of my stuff is sports and personal running goals. The blog has gotten pretty far afield since I started. I like to write light hearted stuff too, it’s a lot easier. But the idea of drilling down into core beliefs still appeals to me. I like the idea of thinking with first principles in mind.

I think the Cambridge English dictionary’s description is the best: First Principles “The basic and most important reasons for doing or believing something.”

In any age you need to know who you are and what you believe. What you believe should come through in the way you live. The core ideas about human nature and God, original sin and the afterlife come through in our views on existence. It isn’t intentional all the time but it’s there, running in the background like an app on your computer.

Here is a first principle: God created the earth and all life within. People are therefore His creation. Babies are people. Abortion kills a life that God created. I’m against abortion because the core of my first principle is that life is sacred because God made it so. It’s a belief that I link back to the Creation principle. The opposite argument also constitutes a ‘principled’ belief; there is no God and life is meaningless. Abortion isn’t a big deal because humans find their own meaning and create their own morality. Both are ‘principled’ in the strict definition of the word. Both trace an opinion on abortion back to a rooted value.

We don’t prove or disprove philosophical theories with first principles. We simply explain where the value comes from. We explain how an idea came to be. We explain how it runs through every significant view we hold like connective tissue.  

First comes the principle then comes the idea or view. Most political or philosophical reasoning comes straight from notions on human nature. I don’t mean that every person who votes for a tax increase to pay for local schools traces their opinion to Aristotle. But our governments, churches, schools and institutions have at their core, a view about human nature. Their functions are an outgrowth of their founding principles. 

Our government is broadly democratic because of the notion that “citizenship connotes responsibility. Citizenship is tied to the country’s founding and rooted in rights that are inalienable.  Since humans are born with these rights, the government must recognize them and protect them. Basic democratic norms begin with the principle that the individual is supreme.

Using first principles doesn’t mean mapping out connections with tacks and string on the wall like every killer in “Criminal Minds”. It’s more generally a way to think, a method of arranging mental parts. 

   

In the movie Money Ball Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) has an epiphany about finding value in overlooked baseball players. He puts together, along with his stat nerd, a list of players with high on base percentages (OBP) but low batting averages. Low averages mean they won’t cost the team much. The stats show that getting on base more frequently equals more wins, regardless of whether by hit or walk. So he rolled the dice on some bargain players past their prime. He didn’t have a choice anyway. The A’s had one of the lowest payrolls in the league. The Oakland A’s finished first that year, 2002. Beane used first principles to get wins by asking a basic question, how can we get more runs?

I think I envision doing more first principle type writing when I started the blog. Trying to find the basis for why people think the way they do has always appealed to me. I don’t always get it right and much of it is just opinion anyway. But I like to think if you go below the surface just a bit the image we all see can make a little more sense. In science, literature, film, religion, philosophy and countless other disciplines applying first principles helps us think clearer.  

Summer Training

I finished a long run this morning that should’ve included less walking and more running. But who is to say what is too much and what is not enough? It’s July in Oklahoma and although we started early the heat and humidity are impossible to ignore.

I guess the whole 11.5 mile route we took on (my brother and I) lasted around 3 hours. Obviously we didn’t run the whole path. We took a lot of stops for water at various parks along the way, some in neighborhoods as well. I haven’t gotten one of those handheld bottles for long distance running yet. Chuck had one but we needed the stops anyway, just to stretch and catch our breath. I’ve found out though that if you stop too much it gets harder to get going again with each new start. We knocked out the first 6 miles or so with minimal breaks. It worked out well because the hilly part defined the first leg while the second half was mostly flat.

After 6 miles we started taking longer breaks and even walking long stretches. I blame myself mostly. I was sweating so severely that my shoes felt as if I’d stepped in a mud puddle. My feet were soaked and it caused the inserts to shift around inside the shoes and bunch up. I stopped multiple times and retied them hoping that some change in position would alter the shoes just enough and help me ignore what I assumed would be blisters later on. Nothing worked. I eventually took the inserts out and carried them. It felt better even with the lack of grip inside the shoe. They felt roomier too which isn’t great for jogging but I couldn’t keep going with the inserts sloshing around.

 During the last half of the run the temperature was in the low eighties. That doesn’t sound like much but with the added humidity and full sun it was stifling. Next time maybe we should leave a little earlier. But despite not getting in a full run start to finish, I still acclimated to the temperature and hills. Those two things I’ve been making an effort to attack better. The later stages of races require grit that (honestly) I don’t have yet. You get it by breaking your muscles down and going at whatever pace is necessary to keep moving. If running is impossible at the moment, walk. Walk for a while until you can run again. Jog a hundred yards at a time if you have to.

I’m figuring it out slowly. I’m a little worried that nutrition plays a more important role in endurance than I’m comfortable with.  But like all diets/programs you can find one that claims whatever you need it too. If heaping piles of mint chocolate chip ice cream helps athletes run better than I’m a freaking triathlete. If coffee is a miracle drink than I’m superhuman! For me though, less is more with food. When I eat smaller portions I have more energy.

 Nutrition is like religion, people pick them based on their preconceived ideas about humanity and existence, good and evil. A rare few are willing to submit themselves to a higher cause no strings attached. I guess the “worry” comes the lack of a rigorous plan for losing weight and keeping down blood pressure. I just don’t want to think about it. I enjoy certain ‘bad foods’ and I don’t want to give them up.  Ignoring problems makes them go away right?

Next big run I’ll wear double socks and buy proper shoe inserts. Still learning.

Boldness in Truth: Acts Chapter 4

The book of Acts is an encouraging read. Acts follows the proceeding years after Jesus ascended to Heaven and the Holy Spirit becomes the “helper” predicted by Christ in John 16. The apostles take the mantel of leadership, teaching about the resurrection and performing miracles. In chapter 4 Peter and John get arrested by the Sadducees (religious leaders) for preaching.  But a significant amount of men, around five thousand, believed the message and it bothered the Sadducees. They tried to convince Peter and John not to speak by threatening them. Of course they refused and went on performing miracles anyway, healing in the name of Jesus.

Boldness is emphasized in this passage, Peter’s boldness in the face of opposition. Peter and his companions pray for boldness as well “Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word…” (verse 29).

 Boldness is critical for two reasons. First, it suggests moral clarity from the speaker, especially one “uneducated and untrained”. This was exactly what the Sadducees noticed in Peter before they shut him down. Peter was a fisherman from Galilee, a hick. Jerusalem was a cosmopolitan city, home to merchants and traders. A country boy like Peter would naturally feel out of place, unqualified to speak with authority on anything. He addresses the bigshots first “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel…” (verse 8). 

This is like the intern addressing the CEO “Excuse me Mr. President and staff, I'll need everyone's attention. I have something to say!”

It’s crazy. It’s improper. It’s bold.

Only a person who answers to a higher authority takes that kind of risk. Peter reacted to the truth right in front of him and the Holy Spirit did the rest.

 The second reason boldness is critical is body language, a practical need. People pick up on body language cues and presentation. A bold stage actor doing Macbeth is impossible to look away from. Their movements and voice attract the eye. Not that every act of boldness requires a demonstrative display, courage can be quiet and unassuming. But speaking to crowds demands a certain confidence in the message. If the speaker isn’t sure about what he is saying, why bother to stop and listen?

Boldness bridges the gap between our ignorance and God’s eternal truth.

We always think that boldness means doing some great act. History is full of examples of bravery in the face of persecution, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn exposing Soviet brutality in the labor camps, Martin Luther King championing equal rights in the South, and William Tyndale for translating a non-approved Bible into English. Most of the time though truth in boldness is closer to home. Honesty in job interviews or on resumes is a small act but one we easily blow off. Being honest with a family member or friend when you know the truth will alienate them. It’s tough to tell the truth because there is usually a measurable cost to standing up.

A belief in traditional marriage was never a courageous act, but as the culture changes so does tolerance for opposing views. Brendan Eich was forced to resign from Mozilla in 2014, a company he co-founded, because of his support for Prop 8 (pro-traditional marriage) in California. The board was so offended by his support for the bill and gave him a choice, renounce the donation and make amends with the gay community or risk having droves of users abandon the Firefox browser. He chose to resign. He stuck to the truth and accepted the consequences.

I watched a speech from Andrew Klavan where he told about a request from large book sellers in the U.K. to re-write characters in his books to hide their Christianity. Doing re-writes for different countries isn't that unusual but this particular request was too much for him. He denied the request and missed having his book sold in large book sellers in the U.K. 

So not having your book sold in certain markets isn't exactly like being burned at the stake. Still, if we can't tell small truths we won't tell big ones.   

The costs aren’t the end of the story though. Anyone who battles hard for truth eventually secures victory. Solzhenitsyn saw his novel published, Martin Luther King Jr. did see some victories in desegregation before being assassinated. Tyndale’s Bible was eventually printed (80% of it) after his death. The boldness that Peter showed was the first move toward igniting a movement that continues today, the spread of the gospel.

 Speaking truth in a climate of fear always costs something. Peter and John were thrown in jail, threatened and would forever be identified by the Sadducees as Christian sect nuts. But through their speech they influenced thousands and funded their ministry through the generosity of the multitude “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet;” (verse 34-35).

God had a plan for them that required a difficult first step.

Day-Off Blues

I’m in a testy mood right now. It’s Monday and I had the day off work. About the only worthwhile thing I did was go to the gym this morning and lift weights. With all the running I’ve done recently the weight lifting has dropped off significantly. Not to mention I always come home after work at least one day per week and mow the lawn. So my gym days are cut to 2 per week if I’m lucky. There was a time when that would have bothered me. I don’t have the energy or strength that I used to so the switch to running has been timely.

I took a nap this afternoon, yikes right? an actual nap. I could’ve worked on my kitchen floor and finished the tiling job which is quickly running into multiple months without being complete. Laziness rears its ugly head though. Days off aren’t days to lay around and do nothing. 

Because I instinctively understand this my conscience makes me miserable throughout the day when I do nothing. Hence the testy mood. 

I avoid people when I'm in a mood like this. Last time it happened I picked up cereal at the grocery store and haggled with the poor cashier over a dollar on a box of Honey Bunches of Oats. The label on the shelf had one price, the register showed another. Apparently the low price was for 8 boxes not 1. 8 freaking boxes of cereal! who buys that much? I made the bag boy shuffle off to check, everyone was rolling their eyes, sighing heavily, stomping off to other registers and generally hating me. "I hate all of you too! Hope you choke on your food!" I thought...but didn't say. 

I stayed in today.

I started out watching the Cubs and Pirates on ESPN but the boys from Chicago started a rookie and he got shelled. After the 2^nd inning they were down by 7. They kept giving up runs too even after they pulled the pitcher and began working through bullpen. I turned it off after 13-6. At some point you’re just watching the game for commentary, the win being so far out of hand.

I need to come up with a better plan for off days and stick to them. Plan a small project and do it before doing anything else. Set aside some money to buy products, house or yard, and get them the night before. I tried this once before and it proved remarkable effective. Of course I never have all the tools and products I need to do a proper job. I’m a 3 trip minimum on hardware store visits. That’s per project not per question I come up with for the employee in the plumbing department or the flooring section. It’s a little frustrating but Lowes is literally a block away so I can’t complain. Money is a little tighter than it was last year however. New cars will do that, as will the increased insurance needed for it.

All of have those things in life we’re good at. For me, exercise and fitness go in the plus column while home repair is firmly in the minus column. I’m not one who thinks every man should learn how to fix everything in the house. But I could certainly do more. Every year is a little better than the last though. I’m not totally useless. For the rest I’ll just get help. Anyway that’s what I’m working on, being more efficient with time.