Category Archives: Golden Rule

Solve for x (good) & y (great/beautiful)

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Maryann Spikes

Following up on a segment of my last post, “It’s a greater ‘neutral value’ view that considers competing goods as neutral values before they are in the context of a decisive action,” from Graded Absolutism Revisited: Ordered Neutral Values, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Divine Essentialism, Ethics & Metaethics, Golden Rule, Harmonic Triads | Leave a comment

Graded Absolutism Revisited: Ordered Neutral Values

Posted on November 16, 2025 by Maryann Spikes

Generations of people who survived childhood are evidence of a mother’s nurturing and a father’s protection—or some other caregivers who stood in their places. At the animal level it involves following a program of parental empathy. At the intentional level … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Divine Essentialism, Ethics & Metaethics, Golden Rule, Harmonic Triads, Is-Ought Fallacy | 1 Comment

Jesus’ “State of the Kingdom” Address

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Maryann Spikes

Jesus’ “State of the Kingdom” Address: Good News of the Kingdom: Costly Grace https://a.co/d/6iE6IbX These are the words of Jesus found in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke/Acts, and John), and in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, with only … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Ethics & Metaethics, Faith, Golden Rule, Natural Law and Divine Command, Neighboring, Problem of Evil & Hell, The Gospel | Leave a comment

C Theory of Time & the Venn of Import

Posted on June 14, 2024 by Maryann Spikes

First, an introduction of C Theory and the Venn of Import, then an explanation of how C Theory is distinct from and resolves conflicts arising from A and B theories, using the Venn (or Harmonic Triad) of Import. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in Divine Essentialism, Golden Rule, Harmonic Triads, Is-Ought Fallacy, Justified True Belief, Predestination | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Euthyphro”-type Dilemma of Language Ability and Learning

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Maryann Spikes

Does what is encoded (the pious/good) get our attention, or is it that what we attend to (the loved/valued) gets encoded? Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Euthyphro Dilemma, Gettier Problem, Golden Rule, Is-Ought Fallacy, Justified True Belief | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Four Groups

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Maryann Spikes

Which group ARE we in, and which group SHOULD we be in? Does it exist, or can/should we cultivate it in everything we do? The 4 groups… can you think of another? The Four Groups The first group of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics & Metaethics, Golden Rule | Leave a comment

Local Changes Needed Re: Housing & Homelessness

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Maryann Spikes

Just passing on my vision for how to improve the situation locally, in view of global cooperation. What Needs to Change (begun May 30, 2018) – updated February 2023

Posted in Ethics & Metaethics, Golden Rule, Neighboring | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Counseling Theory & Basic Listening Sequence

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Maryann Spikes

Just passing on some of the knowledge I gleaned from obtaining my Psychology/Philosophy B.A. through Stanislaus State: Longer, but missing the below: My Integrated Counseling Theory Shorter, but missing the above: Basic Listening Sequence & 5 Stages of a Counseling … Continue reading →

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Why does God allow sin? A bit of a different take.

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Maryann Spikes

This question was submitted by a woman via email in preparation for an apologetics discussion my sister and I held this past weekend at a women’s retreat hosted by Redeemer Modesto, our church home. I want to share my answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Golden Rule, Problem of Evil & Hell | 2 Comments

Discussing with my sons the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Maryann Spikes

We just had a really great discussion (Ethan is 17, David 14) on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. I started writing on this topic mid-May, but it was just never in a shareable condition until after this … Continue reading →

Posted in Golden Rule, Homosexuality | Leave a comment