Note 1:  The Logic Of Surak is a set of logical arguments that are voluntary.  I am by no means demanding, cajoling, threatening or otherwise requiring the reader to follow this text; rather, I am asking the reader to consider the application of the logic of this text to their life, and everyone else's lives, for the improvement of everyone's life.  In The Logic Of Surak, there is no "fire and brimstone", no Heaven, and no Hell.  As a matter of fact, there is no Heaven nor Hell in any known logical system.  Why I can logically make this assertion will be revealed within this document.  I would welcome any and all attempts to prove the existence of Heaven or Hell by using logic.

I urge the reader to use logic to analyze this document and find errors or gaps, which will serve to improve the document.  You may contact me by email here.

Note 2:  The Logic Of Surak does not attempt to displace, augment, obviate, nor refute any religion or belief system.  Logic is based on reason which in turn is based on arguments that are provable.  There is an entire subset of mathematics devoted to logic and reasoning, which can be used to analyse problems and find answers.  There's only one rule:  every rule contained in the logic branch of mathematics must be provable.  Logic is based solely on ideas and knowledge of things that are provable.  Since there is, to this writer's knowledge, no proof of any one or more "supreme being(s)", then religion and belief systems cannot be based on Logic.  Perhaps they are based on faith, or guessing, or supposition, or speculation, or fear.  Regardless of how religions and belief systems have been derived, they are not based on Logic.  Please note that this applies even if they are named "the word of God".  The mere "naming" of something does not prove the attribute.  If a container contains ice cream, you can name it whatever you want, but inside, it's still ice cream.

While theories may be provable with sufficient data, theories with insufficient data cannot be proven.  In a likewise manner, objects of faith such as supreme beings that cannot be proved to exist, or a place that is totally idyllic such as "Heaven", and a place that is to be the worst possible region imaginable such as "Hell" are all outside the realm of logic and so are outside the scope of this document.  Is it possible such places exist?  Yes, I believe so:  until it can be proven impossible I assume that it is possible1.  Do we have proof that such places exist?  No, and that is the reason they are outside the realm of logic (and thus outside the scope of this document).

In the case of any perceived conflict between The Logic Of Surak and one's faith in one or more belief systems, I caution the reader to use logic, objectivity and reason when making this comparison.

I am not making any assertions as to which belief systems are right and which are wrong.

As a student/practitioner of logic, and as the author of "The Logic Of Surak", I have already made my decision as to whether provable logic or unprovable belief systems will carry the day when there is conflict.  As I am a member of the sentient beings known as Species Homo Sapiens and not a machine (nor a Vulcan!), my decisions may be wrong.  Caveat legens.  And all you fundamentalists out there:  please lower your weapons - I'm not trying to convert you, and I think it would be just swell if you stopped trying to convert me.

Note 3:  While I have tried to remain "politically correct" with the terminology used herein, some readers may be offended by terms used herein.  As "offensive terms" and "political correctness" is a fluid, dynamic, ever-changing phenomenon (that is hopefully evolving in a positive manner), if any of the terms herein are offensive to the reader, please be advised that I have made every attempt to remain as politically correct and inoffensive as possible as of the date of this writing.  Doubtless, some readers will be offended, because they believe with all their hearts in a belief system that this book may render illogical.  Should they gain control of their emotions, and analyse their belief systems with the same rigor that they will doubtless analyse this book, their opinions and beliefs may change.  Please rememer the Vulcan saying, "Nam-tor ri thrap wilat nem-tor rim" ("There is no offense where none is taken.")

Note 4:  In this book, "male" = "man", and "female" = "woman", unless I am referring to gender-variant people, in which case I have used more appropriate language.

Footnote(s)

1  There are three logical ways to view the sum of all possible things that could happen:  (a) you assume that everything is possible until proven impossible; (b) you assume that everything is impossible until proven possible; and (c) you agree that some things may be possible and others may be impossible and until we have proof we can't know.  These roughly correspond to "optimism", "pessimism", and "undecidedness", respectively.  My gestalt prefers (a), and thus I use that perspective in this document.

Backup to the footnote reference.