Major life decisions like career paths, marriage, or having children are not made based on a scientific assessment of success odds. Instead, they are acts of faith, guided by what we allow ourselves to hope for, even when the data suggests the path is difficult.
Skepticism isn't just doubting religion; it's recognizing that certain human knowledge is impossible in any domain, including science and ethics. This forces us to rely on a form of faith or hope to make decisions and live, as reason alone is insufficient for life's biggest questions.
Striving for absolute certainty to overcome doubt can lead to inaction and a loss of connection, as exemplified by the character of Hamlet. A more effective path is to embrace love, which allows for action and engagement with the world despite the presence of uncertainty.
The common pursuit of 'freedom of the will' can lead to a tyrannical ego and constant striving. Mysticism proposes an alternative: 'freedom from the will.' This involves practices that quiet the ego, leading to a 'released existence' of detached, flowing openness with the world.
Mysticism isn't just for medieval monks; it lives on in everyday aesthetic experiences. When we listen to music we love, we engage in a form of 'sensate ecstasy' that allows us to access something larger than ourselves, pushing the ego aside in a way that is functionally mystical.
The claim that atheism relies solely on facts and reason is a misconception. Since science cannot answer fundamental questions about how to live, everyone must adopt beliefs—things held true without full factual evidence—to make life's most important decisions. This functionally makes atheism a creed like any other.