At its core, The Big Answer (TBA) is a framework that explains what "works" in reality.
It identifies the fundamental "Core Qualities" that are objectively necessary for any complex system to persist and thrive. We know when a relationship, a business, or a government has failed because it ceases to exist. It "didn't work." TBA explains that when things don't work, it's always because they lacked one or more of these essential qualities.
Conversely, when systems possess these qualities in abundance, they are more likely to succeed. This applies to everything from the smallest virus to the largest civilization. It is a universal principle of viability.
Because this framework is so fundamental, it provides a single, unifying lens through which we can answer some of life's biggest and oldest questions:
What “works”? Which we’ve already covered above.
What is evolution selecting for? The Core Qualities are evolution's rubric. Any change—in a physical trait or a behaviour—that increases these qualities also increases the organism's chances of persisting. It "works better" and is therefore selected over less effective alternatives.
What gives our lives meaning and purpose? What is morality, and where does it come from? What is the origin of our values? We evolved to subjectively appreciate The Core Qualities because doing so aided our survival. Once this appreciation was part of our nature, we began to see and value these qualities everywhere—in art, music, community, and spirituality. Our highest values, from a sense of purpose to our moral intuitions, all evolved to enhance these same qualities in different areas of our lives.
What is truth, and how can we find it? TBA also provides a functional definition of truth. A "true" idea or theory is a system of principles that possesses The Core Qualities. The more a proposed truth demonstrates that it has these qualities, the better it “works” in reality. Effective epistemologies, such as the scientific method, “work” by testing whether a proposed truth exhibits these qualities.
So, what do you call a single framework that offers an objective foundation for evolution, value, morality, and truth?
While the title is admittedly audacious, "The Big Answer" felt fitting for a model that provides a single, coherent answer to many of life's most profound questions.
However, the title is not an assertion that this model is perfect or complete. I view it as a promising beginning to what I hope will become a new field of study, one that will be continually improved and refined over time. In the learning section, I have endeavoured to make it as clear and approachable as possible. My personal interest currently lies in its application to one of the most pressing challenges of our time: solving the AI alignment problem.
