Why I Do This Work
My Spiritual Perspective
I'm not part of any organized religion. I don't belong to a church or follow a single tradition. But I can't deny that something beyond me has guided this work.
In moments of despair, when I was in survival mode with no clear way out, I felt a presence that wouldn't let me quit. In moments of insight—when the equations of AST first came together—I felt like I was discovering something that was always true, not inventing it. I call that God, but I understand if you'd call it something else: the universe, consciousness, the collective human spirit, or simply mystery.
What matters to me is that this work is in service of something larger than myself—the possibility that humans can build environments where everyone can flourish. I believe we are meant to connect, create, and cooperate, and that the right conditions can make that possible for everyone.
Ethical Commitments
Truth
My theories must be falsifiable and grounded in evidence. AST is built with testable hypotheses, and I welcome attempts to prove it wrong. Truth matters more than being right.
Compassion
Understanding suffering should lead to healing, not blame. AST reframes "mental illness" as adaptation to environment. This isn't abstraction—I've lived it.
Justice
The conditions that enable flourishing should be available to all. AST demonstrates that capitalism systematically degrades these conditions. This isn't ideology—it's neurodevelopmental science.
Humility
I don't have all the answers. AST is a framework to be tested, refined, and improved. I'm a student, not a guru. My past taught me that.
The Prophet/Patient Spectrum
AST reframes what our culture calls "mental illness." The person diagnosed with depression may be carrying their community's despair. The "schizophrenic" may be experiencing reality-deconstruction under unbearable social contradiction. The "anxious" person may be accurately calibrated to an unstable world.
Other cultures have recognized this: shamanic traditions see psychosis as spiritual emergency requiring community integration. Ancient Greece saw melancholia as genius, mania as divine inspiration. Capitalist modernity collapsed this to "Diseased Patient."
AST restores the spectrum: "What happened to you?" not "What's wrong with you?"
An Invitation
I share this not to convince you of anything, but to be transparent about what drives me. If you're reading this and working on your own healing, your own theory, your own contribution—keep going. The right environment can change everything. I'm living proof.