Elegant Rigor: A Tribute to Dijkstra and the Art of Logical Simplicity

Introduction Edsger W. Dijkstra (1930–2002) is undoubtedly one of the most influential pioneers of modern computer science. Creator of the shortest path algorithm, inventor of semaphores, and opponent of abusive complexity, he shaped our way of thinking about code and program theory. As a software engineer, I find myself deeply resonating with his relentless pursuit of clarity: learning to transform abstract ideas into lucid artifacts, where every line of code bears an irrefutable mathematical justification. My point is simple: Dijkstra was not just an outstanding engineer, but a philosopher of computer science, for whom rigor and simplicity constituted a form of intellectual asceticism. Through this essay, I will examine his career and thought, analyze his vision of simplicity as a demand, and draw practical lessons for the contemporary software engineer. ...

April 22, 2025 · 4 min · Manoah BERNIER

“2 + 2 = 5”? – The Collapse of Rationality Through the Denial of Necessary Truths

🎯 Thesis Statement Denying the existence of necessary truths — such as \(2 + 2 = 4\) — undermines any claim to objective knowledge or meaningful discourse. Through a close analysis of Aron Ra’s comments during a public debate, this essay exposes the internal incoherence of relativistic rhetoric and affirms the centrality of the law of non‑contradiction and necessary truths to any consistent worldview. I. Introduction In a widely viewed debate on the existence of God, Aron Ra, the famous atheist activist, asserts provocatively: ...

April 19, 2025 · 4 min · Manoah BERNIER

The Transcendental Argument for Christianity: Rational Grounding of an Absolute Truth

Introduction The central question we will address is the following: can we think, reason, and act morally without presupposing an absolute foundation? The transcendental argument does not posit God as a mere additional hypothesis within our worldview; rather, it considers Him as the very condition of possibility for all coherent knowledge and morality. Our thesis is as follows: the Christian God is the only intelligible, rational, and moral foundation upon which human thought can be firmly grounded. We will develop this idea in three stages: ...

April 5, 2025 · 4 min · Manoah BERNIER

From What Is to What Ought to Be: The Moral Flaw of Atheistic Materialism Faced with Hume’s Guillotine

Introduction The central problem we address is the following: can an “ought” be derived from an “is”? During the Enlightenment, there was an attempt to ground morality solely in reason, without reference to any transcendence. But if one rejects all divine or metaphysical authority, can a strictly materialist worldview truly justify objective moral norms? We will first examine the nature and scope of Hume’s “is‑ought problem” (I), then consider its implications for an atheist morality (II). We will then analyze materialist attempts to overcome the obstacle (III), and finally reflect on the possible necessity of a metaphysical foundation to save morality (IV). ...

April 4, 2025 · 4 min · Manoah BERNIER