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Carrying the Now: A Thought Experiment on Relative Presence
William Cook Abstract This paper examines the concept of now through an ordinary thought experiment involving travel from home to a store. The central claim is modest but significant: the term now is not a single, self-evident concept, but a layered and relational expression used in multiple ways. In everyday speech, the present is often…
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Personal Paper: Reflections on God, Perfection, Time, Hiddenness, and Freedom
Where is God? Private Notes for William Cook Introduction This paper gathers the core ideas explored regarding the nature of God, perfection, time, free will, suffering, and divine hiddenness. The goal was not to defend a doctrine blindly or reject belief carelessly, but to think carefully, challenge assumptions, and seek clearer definitions. A recurring theme…
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Mapping a Curiosity–Insight Cognitive Architecture:
A Structured First-Person Phenomenological Study William Cook ⸻ Abstract This manuscript presents a structured first-person phenomenological study of a curiosity-driven cognitive architecture observed longitudinally within a single individual. The purpose of this work is descriptive rather than diagnostic or causal. Recurrent experiential patterns were identified through sustained introspective observation and dialogue-assisted clarification. Core phenomena include…
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Morality as Equilibrium: A Systems-Theoretic Account of Ethical Function
William Cook Independent Researcher Mental Root Kit ⸻ Abstract This paper proposes a functional account of morality grounded in general systems theory. Rather than treating morality primarily as divine command, cultural construct, or expression of power, morality is examined as the equilibrium-maintaining structure of social interaction among agents. In systems terms, equilibrium denotes dynamic stability…
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The Constraint Principle: Intelligence, Wisdom, and Efficiency in Cosmological and Civilizational Equilibrium
William Cook ⸻ Abstract Modern models of progress emphasize intelligence as the driver of innovation, control, and technological growth. However, across physics, biology, and complex adaptive systems, long-term stability appears to depend not on increasing power alone, but on improving efficiency and constraint alignment. This paper proposes the Constraint Principle, a cross-domain framework in which…
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Fair Notice and the Legitimacy of Law:
Vagueness, Interpretation, and the Burden on Citizens William Cook ⸻ Abstract The Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments require that laws imposing criminal or civil penalties provide fair notice of what conduct is prohibited or required. This principle is most commonly articulated through the void-for-vagueness doctrine, which holds that statutes must be…