SINE QUA NON
(SQN)

This is a history of a Latin phrase that has come to hold deep meaning to me.

My first exposure to it was from the Sci-Fi TV show Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009). It was the 8th episode of the last season.

Battlestar Galactica

Scene Transcription:

Romo Lamkin :

   "Admiral Adama."

Admiral Adama :

   "Mr. Lamkin, what are you doing here?"

Romo Lamkin :

   "Writs of forfeiture... For the ships you're barrowing."

   "The captains want to be absolved of any blame should anything untoward happen."

   "One of the less ennobling consequences of a legal culture."

   "No one wants responsibility."

   ...

   "Lee said you once gave him something, before a mission... A lighter wasn't it?"

Admiral Adama :

   "I belonged to my father. Foolish to think a hunk of metal could keep him safe."

Romo Lamkin :

   "And yet, that's what we do; isn't it? ... Hang onto hope, in every hopelessly

   irrational way that we can."

   ...

   "But not like those poor bastards, giving away their luck, just when they need

   it most... It's like they've given up."

Admiral Adama :

   "If you've never been in combat, you have no idea what they're thinking."

Romo Lamkin :

   "I've always imagined you a realist, Admiral, not one to indulge a vein

   hope at the cost of lives."

   ...

   "But then, everyone has his limits."

   ...

   "Sine Qua Non, as they say."

Admiral Adama :

   "Without which not."

Romo Lamkin :

   "Yes. Those things we deem essential, without which we can't bear living,

   without which life in general losses its specific value... Becomes abstract."

Admiral Adama :

   "You may have a point, counselor."

Romo Lamkin :

   "And while I'm on a role... Tom Zereck may not be an ideal president, but we can do worse."

Admiral Adama :

   "You're right."

   ...

   "There are limits to my realism."

   ...

   "Goodbye counselor."

I decided to get the whole transcription for this scene so that I can make both the definition of the phrase clear, and why it led me to use it the way that I do.

The scene is a climactic moment in the whole series timeline.

From the dialogue, it's clear that "hope" is the fundamental concept that the SQN phase applies to. While hope is a powerful force in the human experience, and in the context depicted in the scene above, a great fit for SQN; I felt there was another (deeper) concept that SQN should be applied to:

Liberty

When I come across aphorisms that have deep impact, my first instinct is to see if it can be modified to apply to liberty. In this case, liberty, certainly qualifies with SQN.

I tend to look for corelated and interdependent meanings in the context of liberty: Truth and Reason rise to this noble plateau.

Thus, the genisis of my signature:

Sine Qua Non

Liberty, Truth, Reason

I find that the complete structure of human prosperity and dignity rest upon this three legged stool. Take away any of those legs and you know what happens...

Now a question for you: What's your SINE QUA NON?

libertarious

Sine Qua Non

Liberty, Truth, Reason