And I am a philosopher by calling. Instead of a standard abbreviated biography, let me tell you why I’m here.

I have been a contemplative soul from an early age, touched by a nebulous distance between my fragile, incipient self and the landscape of my reality. Only later, when the institutional underpinnings of human development subsumed my distinctive perspective on the world around me, that this innate quality found its name: philosophy.

No one knows why or how the core enigmas of the human condition dawn on a developing homo sapiens. I presume that we today are no different in that respect from the ancient Greeks, Babylonians, Indians or even some prehistoric cavepeople, and that it has to do with our language “gene”, namely with the emergence of that unrelenting conceptual echo we take for cognition – a passive, introspective dialogue that is the hallmark of our species rather than any sense of extrovert curiosity or analytical forte we share with other living creatures. I trace it to a point in our early teens when the nature of existence (of what it is to be) is no longer merely a source of physical or psychological sustenance but takes on a note of jarring, unsettling importance that doesn’t leave us until we perish from this earth. Some call it the discovery of meaning, but as every philosopher knows, this is not an εὕρηκα moment, but merely the beginning of a journey.

Although it has been quite a while since I was spellbound by this fundamental wonder, it remains as vibrant in my life as ever. Over the years I immersed myself in the study of philosophical texts and perspectives, contended with academic demands and frustrations, and kept abreast of the field’s prevailing debates. And yet I’ve always sensed that the massive edifice of philosophy, as it stands, is fundamentally disconnected from the unique wonder that first sparks its fire. The undercurrent of my personal metaphysical pains refused to let go in spite of the ocean of human wisdom and intelligence I was fortunate to access.

In particular, I couldn’t help feeling that the prevailing formal and popular philosophical discourse consistently evaded the keenest riddles of that wonder and that highbrow jargon was used to circumvent and downplay its most vexing puzzles. More precisely, I felt that the misconceived application of the scientific method to hardcore metaphysical inquiry gave rise to pseudo-scientific philosophical rhetoric, which failed to do justice to the questions themselves and the mysteries at their core. So, I decided to give it – to give these pains – my own authentic go.

The contemplations on this website, brought to you in their authentic, unedited form, are the result of my undertaking. I believe that they embody the very essence of philosophical engagement and, by extension, its subtle, yet profound, rewards.

Philosophy always straddled the blurred boundary between rigorous logic and spiritual or mystical traditions, refusing to be subsumed by either. I sought to stay true to that intellectual pull, without slipping into clever sophistry and empty ambitions but also without absolving myself of the true weight of human cognitive constraints. The latter revealed a depth far beyond initial perception.

That’s why I’m here, then! On a more personal note, I was born on the Baltic coast and carry with me the “northern” predicament even though warmer latitudes were my home for the greater part of my life. I am a proud father to my formidable Arin and a grateful partner to my incredible Gonny. I find solace outdoors, I draw inspiration from our animal kin, and I am humbled by the misty outlines of soaring mountains and the somber beauty of winter clouds. I write and translate poetry and I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to defining art. Finally, I have a profound faith in the human experiment in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, which has nothing to do with optimism, but with my conviction that the future is never entirely written. Clarity is my strong suit, and when it is hard to find or takes on a dark, unsettling tone, I want to understand why rather than seek artificial comfort. That’s all. To be able to do and cherish all that, I work at a small digital accessibility firm. (Oh yea, my academic background includes a law degree and a master’s in philosophy, though these credentials play only a small role in everything I wish to share with you here).