The idea of one is a very interesting concept, and for those of you how have glanced into philosophy of any sort (including a bit of Atlas Shrugged) I'm generally referring to the law of non-contradiction (aka either/or). The concept, as I have been thinking about will focus on a couple of main areas: morality and destiny. To start off with, I considered what it would be like if there were only one way. We can call it the way. What if there was only one right way to do any one thing? I mean of course this is hard to imagine because

there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Or so they say. But I mean let's really look at this. Let me take driving as an example. There are several paths we can take to get from point A to point B. And while physics tells us that the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line, it also says that that same straight line might now always be the fastest. So help me out here if you can think of something different or some counter point, but as I think about leaving home to go to "B," I can think of a dozen or so ways to get there, but when I really think about it, depending on my purpose and the conditions, there is really only ONE BEST way. Okay, so enough about driving, where am I going with this? This leads me to the first point that has been the focus of my comtemplation, morality. Is there such a thing as a singular (meaning one) goodness? Is there some one good that prevails above all? John Rawls might call it justice while someone versed in the bible might call it love, still another might call it happiness. What is good? If we face a decision, how do we know which one is the better? This question of one seems to plague every aspect of our lives. I mean why do we have to simply pick one? Why can't we have all? I was reading this afternoon and such a cry jumped out from the pages...

So you think you're sure of your opinions? You cannot be sure of anything. Are you going to endanger the harmony of your community, your fellowship with your neighbors, your standing, reputation , good name and financial security--for the sake of an illusion? For the sake of the mirage of thinking that you think? Are you goin to run risks and court disaster--at a precarious time like ours--by opposing the existing social order in the name of those imaginary notions of yours which you call your convictions? You say that you're sure you're right? Nobody is right, or ever can be. You feel that the world around you is wrong? You have no means to know it. Everything is wrong in human eyes--so why fight it? Don't argue. Accept. Adjust yourself. Obey.

It's interesting that this particular theme seems to be resounding throughout our culture today. And so we talk about issues while trying to avoid the fact that there are definite "oneness-es" (new word) or that which is right and that which is wrong on just about every issue I can think of. Granted people will argue for some level of relativism or culturalism or whatever else it is that they want to call it to justify some action they want justified. It's interesting to me that if we're on the decision making end or on the side of the majority, then the scale tips towards relativism and as soon as we become the judged or the minority, then there are certain rights, specifics ones that must be kept and cherished above all else.

So what about destiny? is there just one? I mean is there one career for us? One mate? How selective should we be about the friends we have and the jobs we take? Or are all these things simply a way to fill the one void that we all go around trying to cover up or avoid? What is that one void? Is there just one? How do we find it? I'll refer to the 11th step of Alcoholics Anonymous :

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

It's interesting to me, not only because tonight is the first time I've ever read the 12 steps, but also because 6 of the 12 steps make reference to A God (singular, one). I really haven't come to any conclusions or tied anything together at this point, but in glancing back through my thoughts looks like I asked several more questions...

I'll simply say it's a thought in progress...