How to Think About Cutting a Sandwich

I was just making a sandwich, and as I sliced it, I thought of this meme:

The train of thought it led me down was silly, but also kind of a perfect case study in how I try to approach knowledge.

1. Diagonally-cut sandwich gives more sandwich. 

On a gut level, this feels right. Not sure why, but it does. If I'm not interested in examining my biases/blindspots, then this is where knowledge stops.

2. Diagonally-cut sandwich gives same amount of sandwich.

Employing logic and rationality, I realize that my gut was obviously wrong. If I feel a sense of superiority to my former self (and those who think like I did), then this is usually where knowledge stops.

3. Diagonally-cut sandwich gives less sandwich.

Thinking more deeply about it, I realize that since the knife removes matter when doing its work (hence crumbs), the sandwich with the longer cut actually has less mass. I realize the truth is counterintuitive (challenging both my intuitive and rational conclusions), like many things in life.

4. Diagonally-cut sandwich gives more sandwich experience.

Digging even deeper, I realize that the objective difference of a few crumbs matters a lot less than my subjective experience of sandwich enjoyment. I ask myself why the diagonally-cut sandwich feels bigger, and I realize that it's because the best part of eating a sandwich is biting into the cleanly-cut middle, where all the ingredients exist in equal proportion, and the bread is perfectly toasted. A diagonally-cut sandwich provides more of that essential sandwich experience. 

5. All of these perspectives are true.

Truth often arises from the synthesis of many perspectives, as well as the acknowledgment that some perspectives are more true given the current context. If the context is a geometry test, use #2. If the context is a physics test, use #3. If the context is enjoying a sandwich, use #1 / #4. If the context is a philosophical sandwich blog post, use #5. 

A small part of me was tempted to relate this to the current Israel-Hamas conflict, but... I'll leave you to make your own sandwich.