The Master Plan: why I’m doing this

This might seem off topic, but it isn’t. From time to time I’ve mentioned that my ultimate reason for creating this game is to fund my research into land rent. Over the last few days I did some more work on land rent, so I thought I’d post a summary here so you know what I’m talking about.

The full details won’t be ready until next year, and then I’ll post it all on AnswersAnswers.com and start a daily news blog, showing how land rent would affect the days’ events.

For me, land rent is amazing not just because it’s a good theory, but because it has a solid foundation. I was just reading Paul Dirac’s biography (Paul Dirac was one of the founding fathers of quantum physics) and I agree with his view: an underlying theory must be elegant or there’s something wrong. It seriously bothers me that most political and economic theories are incoherent, vague and ever changing. It’s no wonder the world is so confused, we’re basically traveling blind.

Land rent appeals to me because it’s possible to derive it from absolute first principles and beyond. It’s definition of property implies a perfectly rational (and perfectly moral) view of the world. It’s a beautiful theory, it agrees with all observations, and it’s really the only economic theory there is – all other economic “theories” are really economic guesses – sound mathematics at the top, but based on unprovable (and often very shaky) assumptions. They’re built on sand.

So part of my work with land rent is to create a complete theory of everything, and show how it all works together. Note that this theory only deals with the big issues, I leave out any details that don’t change the final result. So don’t expect a unified string theory here, but do expect something where every statement can be proven, right back to first principles and beyond.

Anyway, this is an outline of the theory, without the mases of notes that I need to incorporate over the next year or so: I claim to answer all of life’s biggest questions, starting with zero assumptions and using pure logic. (One of the early steps is to justify the use of logic, since not even that is assumed). I do it in ten stages, hence the graphic with ten fingers:

stage 1. Start with nothing: no assumptions at all

I start by exploring what is meant by ‘nothing’ and what it implies. I also examine the word ‘exist’ and show why pure abstract logic is the only thing that truly exists.

stage 2. If nothing exists, then something exists

I expand the idea that “the existence of nothing implies the existence of something” and show how every possible thing exists. Which raises the question, what is possible? Before examining that, I derive the principle of probabilities and hence Occam’s razor.

stage 3. If something exists, then math exists

Continuing the principe of logic and probabilities, I derive the existence of numbers. From that I derive dimensions, and hence equations, which lead to shapes, and thus to fields, and universes. Universes lead to linked universes and the existence of time. FInally I tie it al together wshowing that the concept of space, the arrow of time and quantum indeterminacy naturally follow.

stage 4. If math exists, then physicality exists

Most people have a hard time seeing how abstract numbers can lead to a physical universe, and so I show how time and space lead to the existence of movement, hence to force, force leads to energy and energy leads to mass. And these shapes with force and energy and mass can lead to the complexity we see around us. This is probably the least controversial part, as it’s well established physics. I’ll probably spend a little time on the nature of light, though that isn’t really central to the argument. Note that I won’t try to second guess the details theoretical or experimental physics here, I’m not qualified for that, I’m simply showing that the physicists’ approach is correct.

stage 5. If physicality exists, then life exists

This is a quick run through of how physics leads to chemistry and chemistry leads to biology. I also side track on the existence of God. sing the matrix argument, I conclude that the existence of God is highly probable, and derive his attributes. (If anyone’s interested, I’m a pantheist – see http://answersanswers.com/pantheism.html )

This section includes a brief run down of the logic behind evolution, the existence of brains, the nature of consciousness, and  free will. People like to see themselves as somehow separate from the universe, so I also apply the same logic to simpler structures like atoms and examine how it “feels” to be an atom.

stage 6. If life exists, then morality exists

This section deals with the evolutionary origin of right and wrong (in the need to cooperate), how they are defined, and the extent of personal responsibility. These principles are then applied to topics like care for the weak and sick, the role of religion, marriage, abortion, cruelty, torture, slavery and privacy.

stage 7. If morality exists, then property exists

This is probably the core of my whole argument: I argue that the common definition of property (what the government says is ‘yours’) is irrational and immoral. The only rational and moral definition is the one used in physics and programming: a property of X is anything that is different because of the existence of X. It’s a lot simpler than it sounds, trust me.

This principle is then applied to trade, money, life, behavior, theft, and authority. I expand on the topics of the nature of God and personal responsibility and discuss common objections.

stage 8. If property exists, then land rent exists

Finally we are on to land rent! I apply the principle of property to raw materials, and show how they can be morally used. This leads to the existence of land rent, with numerous real world examples. Note that land rent is already the foundation of every successful economy, but in such a limited, distorted and corrupted form that most people don’t recognize it. So I will show how it exists and where.

I discuss its irresistible rise (again with many examples), and why land rent leads to vast wealth. This is where the standard economics comes in. I discuss the history of land rent and why vested interests have opposed it, and how they have been placated. I then suggest why it will increase in future, suggesting slow and fast scenarios. I finish by examining common (and not so common, but likely) objections.

stage 9. If land rent exists, then choice exists

This section looks at the social and political implications of land rent. Basically, land rent provides an objective measurement for the value of all human effort, and thus allows us to measure morality. This leads to much better political decisions, and great leaps in human comfort, wealth and justice. I show how this will lead to an end to global poverty and war, and why non-land rent countries will inevitably switch to land rent.

These are bold claims, so a lot of this section is devoted to addressing objections. I also discuss land rent’s long term impact on national and individual wealth (it vastly increases), on the environment (extremely positive), the nation state (better than you might expect) and psychological effects (again, extremely positive).

finally, stage 10. If choice exists, you can have anything you want.

This section wraps it up by looking on broad topics like an end to suffering (by today’s standards at least) and the long term future of the human race.

I think you’ll agree that this is an ambitious project.

Please note that the whole point of this exercise is to derive these rationally, so that anyone can see the reasoning and point out any flaws in the thinking. After a lifetime of working on this I am confident that the theory is extremely sound, and can be backed up in any number of ways. But you’ll appreciate why it wil take me a few years yet to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t.’ This is an ambitious project and I expect a great deal of criticism if I haven’t thought through every tiny detail and anticipated every possible result.

My goal is to present this case so clearly that any thinking person has to take it seriously. Within twenty years I want land rent to be on the agenda whenever anyone discusses politics, economics, or social issues in general. Specifically I need to show how, no matter what the issue, and no matter how you currently make a living, land rent will make your life even better.

Well that’s it, anyway. Next time I say “this game exists to fund my studies of land rent and end global poverty” then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Oh yes, and I promised a couple more screen shots. Here they are.