Let's do a bit of philosophy 100...
As I search for the 21st century philosopher and the criteria required to bestow that honor to a deserving individual...
In the past, many "philosphers" were scientists...or at least they pursued answers to the question "Why?"
Which is what a scientist does best...
Often, this required a significant level of bravery because their discoveries went counter to the society's beliefs.
Society need answers to "Why?" more than anything else...it can be likened to a child's journey to adulthood...
The pursuit of "Why?" was significantly more important at that point in time to the progression of society than the application of the knowledge...
Past philosophers sought knowledge...yet the essence of philosophy is not on knowledge...but on the application of knowledge to the benefit of society...
To me and to you there is a self-evident conclusion...the 21st century must be focused on "What?"
Perhaps better stated..."So What?" or...
The value proposition of the application of knowledge to society's benefit...
When we enter the realm of "application of fact"...we move from science to engineering...which to me is an interesting thought...
A philosopher is the ultimate social engineer...who takes the discoveries (either made by himself or by others)...collides them with the social needs...controls the collision with ethics and moral concepts.
The ultimate philosopher works in all three worlds...but primarily in the realm of guided application...
Consistency, coherency...and non-contridiction...(The 3-C's)
Those astute in philosophy know that I have stated nothing other than the true meaning of philosophy...
I believe that we have to have this understanding in the forefront of our criteria...in order to find that individual...
It can not be an after-thought...
The 21st century philosopher, in this sense is an engineer...a global engineer...that will take the answers to the many "Whys?" assess their immutability and create a set of recommendations for action that maintain absolute adherence to the "3-C's."
So has the search for the 21st century philosopher been too narrow?
Do I need to expand it beyond "Nobel Laureates" to the engineering world?
...or...
Do we look in the streets among those discerning and "simple" people who apply what they know...make change in the world...or at least the part that matters...
Real impact will not be found in people who call themselves "initiators"...but by those who are "do'ers"
It is easy to sit back and tell others to "what to do"
It is much more difficult to stand up and work anything to its conclusion...
Anyone can start a marathon...fewer can run it to the finish line...
Those are the courageous people and this concept needs to stand as one of the selection criteria...
Perhaps not just for that specific 21st century hero...but for all of us...
Because if that is not an inherent trait...society is destined for degradation...
Addressing Relevant Issues and the Foundational Needs of this Society and the World...in Hope of Leaving it better for our having been here...
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Some Things Change...
There is a thematic line in the movie "Matrix - Revolutions" that resounds...but is often ignored because of its superficial appearance...
It is repeated between Morpheus and Naomi and appears to be a jaded communication between the two related to their past relationship...and its current state...
One of the two says..."Some things never change..."
...and the other responds..."and some things do..."
This concept however goes significantly deeper than that of a relationship, when taken in the perspective of the 21st century philosopher...
Consider that 21st century...in fact every century...(I am not using the time period but referring to eras within the human condition)...as a symphony.
A good symphony has a basic theme...that prevails subtly throughout the entire piece. The beauty of a symphony is found in the variations on the theme...some of those variations are expected and the listener is "elated" by the fact that they predicted the variant...others are totally unexpected...and delight the listener by the surprise!
The 21st century is not unlike a one of the variants within an ongoing human symphony...but just one of the variants...
When we look at this variant...we notice that the tempo has increased...perhaps to a point that the underlying theme nearly disappears...
Despite the fact that that it is imperceptible...it is still there!
"Some things never change...and some things do..."
Finding that theme and it variants...has been the challenge of anthropologist, theologians, psychologists, philosophers...and more...throughout the ages...
It remains the greatest challenge for the 21st century philosopher...
The challenge is however complicated by the tempo and volume of the current existence...
Acuity must be honed and the themes found before the tempo changes and other elements added to create additional variation into the equation by the GREAT CONDUCTOR!
Rest assured that the theme is there...it is just clouded by the pace and shear size of the 21st century orchestra!
The 21st century philosopher should be striving to find the purity of the theme...and cut through the nosie...not rejecting it as meaningless...but identifying it as an artistic addition that enhances the beauty of the symphony...and passes as quickly as the tastes of the 21st century audience...
BRAVO!
"Some things change...and some things never do!"
This submission is short and sweet!
It is repeated between Morpheus and Naomi and appears to be a jaded communication between the two related to their past relationship...and its current state...
One of the two says..."Some things never change..."
...and the other responds..."and some things do..."
This concept however goes significantly deeper than that of a relationship, when taken in the perspective of the 21st century philosopher...
Consider that 21st century...in fact every century...(I am not using the time period but referring to eras within the human condition)...as a symphony.
A good symphony has a basic theme...that prevails subtly throughout the entire piece. The beauty of a symphony is found in the variations on the theme...some of those variations are expected and the listener is "elated" by the fact that they predicted the variant...others are totally unexpected...and delight the listener by the surprise!
The 21st century is not unlike a one of the variants within an ongoing human symphony...but just one of the variants...
When we look at this variant...we notice that the tempo has increased...perhaps to a point that the underlying theme nearly disappears...
Despite the fact that that it is imperceptible...it is still there!
"Some things never change...and some things do..."
Finding that theme and it variants...has been the challenge of anthropologist, theologians, psychologists, philosophers...and more...throughout the ages...
It remains the greatest challenge for the 21st century philosopher...
The challenge is however complicated by the tempo and volume of the current existence...
Acuity must be honed and the themes found before the tempo changes and other elements added to create additional variation into the equation by the GREAT CONDUCTOR!
Rest assured that the theme is there...it is just clouded by the pace and shear size of the 21st century orchestra!
The 21st century philosopher should be striving to find the purity of the theme...and cut through the nosie...not rejecting it as meaningless...but identifying it as an artistic addition that enhances the beauty of the symphony...and passes as quickly as the tastes of the 21st century audience...
BRAVO!
"Some things change...and some things never do!"
This submission is short and sweet!
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Multi-verse and the Right to Philosophize...
I recently received an email that questioned my right and ability to philosophize.
"Who are you to challenge the way things are...?" it said...
"Just what do you know about philosophy anyway...?"
Interesting questions!
There is a long and a short answer to these questions...
I choose the shorter journey and will rely on the reader's ability to draw conclusions...
Let's begin with the most influential high school teacher that I had...
Name withheld...one of the MANY degrees that she held was a PhD in Philosophy...
She took me under her wing and taught me philosophy during my most formative years...philosophy became part of my DNA...
In college...(I have a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies by the way) I studied under many of that times most influential Philosophers...A Hume Advocate...a Hegelian...an Eastern Philosopher whose son has gone on to teach history at a prestigious university...a renowned Logician...I could drop names...but this would only be for my edification...
Although the classes and discussions were enlightening...I found the MANY hours that we spent before and after class...in deep discussion much more formative...
I could tout credentials...but my short answer is...
I had an INTEREST...I cultivated that interest (with the help and guidance of others) into a PASSION...and over the past 30 years...turned it into a TALENT...
The right to philosophize is not a right given by a degree...or by achieving some level of publication...but through the relevance of the questions that they ask and the answers that they obtain...
On that and that alone do I exercise my right to philosophize...
Enough Said!
*********************************
The "multi-verse" has again reared it head! For those who have not pondered the multi-verse...it is simply the concept that every logical and illogical possibility exists in the "sum-total universe." Our existence is simply one variation of all of the "strings" (I use that term loosely) that actually exist.
It is an interesting concept...that makes our existence much less meaningful...we are simply one of an infinite number of mathematical (infinite) possibilities...that are not theoretical...but actual...and just as real...or unreal...
I enjoy this musing...it makes for great conversations at dinner and cocktail parties. But I have little confidence that it would make meaningful and significant differences in science or humanity...WHY?
Because understanding that there are other "existences" does not provide a deeper understanding of our "existence.
The 21st century philosophers and scientists need to maintain focus on deeper understanding and insight into our dimension...
Let those who exist in those other "strings" worry about their "strings!" In fact one possibility it that they do not care about it at all! LOL!
My interest in the multi-verse was peaked when I tried to put it into perspective relative to my concept of a finite "Pi." As I considered the multi-verse, I concluded that we may simply be the place where "Pi" has no end...and then my quest for finite "Pi" is fruitless...on the other hand...we may be the universe that has lost touch with the REAL number system and is destined to flounder in our own stupidity...
OR...
We may be the universe that suddenly becomes enlightened by the inconsistencies of our current mathematics and bring the finite "Pi" into existence!
This is where the multi-verse shines! We do not know...
We can have a fatalistic view of existence...or
We can consider the possibilities...and choose the direction that we want this universe to travel!
Consider that!
Your work and thoughts and efforts...can have universal impacts...that not only effects our own existence...but all of the other existences as well...
Perhaps this universe is significantly more "ethnocentric" than we realize!
Enough Said!
"Who are you to challenge the way things are...?" it said...
"Just what do you know about philosophy anyway...?"
Interesting questions!
There is a long and a short answer to these questions...
I choose the shorter journey and will rely on the reader's ability to draw conclusions...
Let's begin with the most influential high school teacher that I had...
Name withheld...one of the MANY degrees that she held was a PhD in Philosophy...
She took me under her wing and taught me philosophy during my most formative years...philosophy became part of my DNA...
In college...(I have a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies by the way) I studied under many of that times most influential Philosophers...A Hume Advocate...a Hegelian...an Eastern Philosopher whose son has gone on to teach history at a prestigious university...a renowned Logician...I could drop names...but this would only be for my edification...
Although the classes and discussions were enlightening...I found the MANY hours that we spent before and after class...in deep discussion much more formative...
I could tout credentials...but my short answer is...
I had an INTEREST...I cultivated that interest (with the help and guidance of others) into a PASSION...and over the past 30 years...turned it into a TALENT...
The right to philosophize is not a right given by a degree...or by achieving some level of publication...but through the relevance of the questions that they ask and the answers that they obtain...
On that and that alone do I exercise my right to philosophize...
Enough Said!
*********************************
The "multi-verse" has again reared it head! For those who have not pondered the multi-verse...it is simply the concept that every logical and illogical possibility exists in the "sum-total universe." Our existence is simply one variation of all of the "strings" (I use that term loosely) that actually exist.
It is an interesting concept...that makes our existence much less meaningful...we are simply one of an infinite number of mathematical (infinite) possibilities...that are not theoretical...but actual...and just as real...or unreal...
I enjoy this musing...it makes for great conversations at dinner and cocktail parties. But I have little confidence that it would make meaningful and significant differences in science or humanity...WHY?
Because understanding that there are other "existences" does not provide a deeper understanding of our "existence.
The 21st century philosophers and scientists need to maintain focus on deeper understanding and insight into our dimension...
Let those who exist in those other "strings" worry about their "strings!" In fact one possibility it that they do not care about it at all! LOL!
My interest in the multi-verse was peaked when I tried to put it into perspective relative to my concept of a finite "Pi." As I considered the multi-verse, I concluded that we may simply be the place where "Pi" has no end...and then my quest for finite "Pi" is fruitless...on the other hand...we may be the universe that has lost touch with the REAL number system and is destined to flounder in our own stupidity...
OR...
We may be the universe that suddenly becomes enlightened by the inconsistencies of our current mathematics and bring the finite "Pi" into existence!
This is where the multi-verse shines! We do not know...
We can have a fatalistic view of existence...or
We can consider the possibilities...and choose the direction that we want this universe to travel!
Consider that!
Your work and thoughts and efforts...can have universal impacts...that not only effects our own existence...but all of the other existences as well...
Perhaps this universe is significantly more "ethnocentric" than we realize!
Enough Said!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Hidden (or Ignored) Flaw in 21st Century's Social Fabric...
Although I am tempted to devour another piece of "Pi," we'll resist the temptation for the moment and begin a discussion on a much more "elemental" topic...
After we have exhausted this subject we may again be hungry for some more "Pi"!
At some point in every generation..."it finds its cause"...somehow the flaws of its fabric...became evident and its members rose to the occasion and made the necessary changes and often "re-wove" the foundational tenants of its belief system...taking itself to the next level...
Case in point...the 1960's has been called a turbulent decade...why?
...because of the struggle that this generations had in coming to grips with racial inequality...it was attacked from every angle...
yet that generation and its philosophers rose to the need and slowly and systematically repaired the situation...
Now...in fact...racial inequality (in the US) is a passe topic...
...some may argue the opposite...but this argument is now definitional...and not behavioral...
I point to the fact that it is widely held that racial prejudice is WRONG...immoral and unethical...the fabric has changed...there are laws in place to punish those who believe and act differently...
This generation (the 21st century) too has flaws in its fabric...
...the most destructive one is a virus that runs rampant through it...and like a great virus...this one has evolved...it may be the proverbial HIV of humanity's' moral and ethical structure...there may not be a cure!
In its very structure is built an evil self preservation mechanism...
There remains a few that are uninfected (unaffected) by it...and they will readily tell you that this is a devastating disease...
...it is only these people who can see the extent to which this virus is destroying society...
The rest of the world needs to listen...trust and give heed to their opinions...and suggestions for rectification...
The 21st century philosophy needs to address this most basic tenant of society...in order for us to regain our position...and more importantly...shore the foundation upon which we can build a more advanced society...
Have you seen it yet?
Let's take a brief but valuable detour on this journey...to help clear any haze in our mutual understanding...
Even prior to the formal establishment of the American government, an American legal system was established...
The foundation of the system can be succinctly identified with..."Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth...?"
A person's words were considered sacred...and a person held their words (what they said) in the highest regard...
Personal integrity and honesty and full disclosure meant more to an individual that any crime that they could commit!
If the accused person was put on "the stand" and asked if they murdered...it was worse to lie than to admit to the murder...
As a result...a person's right to refuse to answer a question...for fear of self-incrimination was imposed and upheld in the highest courts!
Perjury was a rare occurrence!
The tables have turned...
A person's words are meaningless and hollow...
Precious court and judicial time is wasted building cases...validating honesty...and testing the integrity of the witnesses...WHY?
Because a person is just as capable of lying, as they are to tell the truth...
The flaw in the fabric is our lack of social and individual honesty and integrity...
It has permeated our society to the extent that people make a lot of money...separating fact from fiction...truth from lies! That is sad!
The 21st century demands transparency...
The 21st century and its internet promotes truth...despite its attraction to hype!
Truth and transparency will become the battle cry and probably the determining factor in American politics...
American business and advertising needs to step up to the challenge of truth and transparency...
The American society needs to demand it...live it and expect nothing less...
CEOs can no longer work with hidden agendas...
Perjury has to have significantly more dire consequences than any of the crimes that the convicted is accused!
The moral and ethical fabric of this society is flawed...and we are to blame...
We have ignored "hedging the truth"
We have accepted "white lies"
Our acceptance to those things which were not the truth and anything but the whole truth has set us on a costly path of moral and ethical degradation...
It is not too late to turn this ship...
Enough said!
After we have exhausted this subject we may again be hungry for some more "Pi"!
At some point in every generation..."it finds its cause"...somehow the flaws of its fabric...became evident and its members rose to the occasion and made the necessary changes and often "re-wove" the foundational tenants of its belief system...taking itself to the next level...
Case in point...the 1960's has been called a turbulent decade...why?
...because of the struggle that this generations had in coming to grips with racial inequality...it was attacked from every angle...
yet that generation and its philosophers rose to the need and slowly and systematically repaired the situation...
Now...in fact...racial inequality (in the US) is a passe topic...
...some may argue the opposite...but this argument is now definitional...and not behavioral...
I point to the fact that it is widely held that racial prejudice is WRONG...immoral and unethical...the fabric has changed...there are laws in place to punish those who believe and act differently...
This generation (the 21st century) too has flaws in its fabric...
...the most destructive one is a virus that runs rampant through it...and like a great virus...this one has evolved...it may be the proverbial HIV of humanity's' moral and ethical structure...there may not be a cure!
In its very structure is built an evil self preservation mechanism...
There remains a few that are uninfected (unaffected) by it...and they will readily tell you that this is a devastating disease...
...it is only these people who can see the extent to which this virus is destroying society...
The rest of the world needs to listen...trust and give heed to their opinions...and suggestions for rectification...
The 21st century philosophy needs to address this most basic tenant of society...in order for us to regain our position...and more importantly...shore the foundation upon which we can build a more advanced society...
Have you seen it yet?
Let's take a brief but valuable detour on this journey...to help clear any haze in our mutual understanding...
Even prior to the formal establishment of the American government, an American legal system was established...
The foundation of the system can be succinctly identified with..."Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth...?"
A person's words were considered sacred...and a person held their words (what they said) in the highest regard...
Personal integrity and honesty and full disclosure meant more to an individual that any crime that they could commit!
If the accused person was put on "the stand" and asked if they murdered...it was worse to lie than to admit to the murder...
As a result...a person's right to refuse to answer a question...for fear of self-incrimination was imposed and upheld in the highest courts!
Perjury was a rare occurrence!
The tables have turned...
A person's words are meaningless and hollow...
Precious court and judicial time is wasted building cases...validating honesty...and testing the integrity of the witnesses...WHY?
Because a person is just as capable of lying, as they are to tell the truth...
The flaw in the fabric is our lack of social and individual honesty and integrity...
It has permeated our society to the extent that people make a lot of money...separating fact from fiction...truth from lies! That is sad!
The 21st century demands transparency...
The 21st century and its internet promotes truth...despite its attraction to hype!
Truth and transparency will become the battle cry and probably the determining factor in American politics...
American business and advertising needs to step up to the challenge of truth and transparency...
The American society needs to demand it...live it and expect nothing less...
CEOs can no longer work with hidden agendas...
Perjury has to have significantly more dire consequences than any of the crimes that the convicted is accused!
The moral and ethical fabric of this society is flawed...and we are to blame...
We have ignored "hedging the truth"
We have accepted "white lies"
Our acceptance to those things which were not the truth and anything but the whole truth has set us on a costly path of moral and ethical degradation...
It is not too late to turn this ship...
Enough said!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Another Piece of "Pi"
I think that we have happened upon a topic that is worth pursuing!
I have been inundated with and replying to numerous email responses to the original "pi" blog...
...not since my discussion of the effects that "gravitational lensing" potentially has on the entire science of astronomy and cosmology have I been so challenged...(if you are interested in reviewing those thoughts...let me know and I'll either dig them up or rewrite them) The interesting thing is...if you accept gravitational lensing...then you have admitted that all observational astronomy may be an illusion...and the universe can be created by as few as 5 stars! Everything we see may be simply the same star over and over!
The same issue holds true in mathematics...
But allow me to regress...
The Epicureans (I believe) were known for taking a single concept and building consistent, coherent and non-contradictory epistemological scheme around it. They believed that the world's truths can be found in those 3-C's. They were on to something...but many of the epistemologies although perfect in describing the world were based on an initial flawed concept...(look at how they described retrograde motion of planets...by having them circle (spiral) in their orbits...the basic problem that they had was...that the earth was not at the center of the universe...yet their schema worked perfectly!
People that disagreed with their perfect definitions were labeled heretics...which then carried into this age! (more to come on that subject)
In the previous article...I noted that "pi" should be a finite number...a circle has a definite beginning point and an end point...which happens to be the same...I then theorized that the issue may be in the fact that the "base 10" number system may not be the real, natural number system...
One person wrote that although it was chosen by the Romans specifically base upon commerce...that 10 digits is a natural number...occurring on all of the advanced organisms...(fingers and toes, etc) and I should adhere to my own theory and accept "base 10" as THE natural number system...
I still disagree...10 may be the system...but I have yet to see any organism with all of their digits exactly the same length...I think if that happened...we would call that a "freak of nature!"
My point is...and I wrote this...hold your hand out in front of you...every digit is a different length...perhaps the message is...Base 10 is right...but the distances (values) between each varies...and that is the message that nature is sending us...
On the subject of messages...the current nature of "pi" could be taken as a message that we are close to the truth...but because of its non-repeating nature...not dead-on...we simply accept that it is non-repeating and infinite...rather than questioning the nature (validity) of the system from which it is derived...for that I was called a mathematical heretic!
It takes me back to when a professional astronomer and physicist called me a cosmological heretic...and a staunch Six Sigma practitioner called me a pragmatic rogue...
At first I took offense...then I thought about the company that I joined...and started looking for other valid reasons to be called a heretic!
If the foundational nature of things are not questioned...there will be no progress...
It is the Epicurean dilemma!
Many of our arts and sciences are based on concepts that are close...but not dead on!
Mathematicians should be pursuing a finite and simplistic "pi" There will be nothing sweeter and a dessert that is matched by none...(sorry about the analogy!)
Circles are finite in a planer world...and "pi" should be also...
There is a message to be heard from that number...LISTEN!
Anyone want some more "pi?" I am up for it!
I have been inundated with and replying to numerous email responses to the original "pi" blog...
...not since my discussion of the effects that "gravitational lensing" potentially has on the entire science of astronomy and cosmology have I been so challenged...(if you are interested in reviewing those thoughts...let me know and I'll either dig them up or rewrite them) The interesting thing is...if you accept gravitational lensing...then you have admitted that all observational astronomy may be an illusion...and the universe can be created by as few as 5 stars! Everything we see may be simply the same star over and over!
The same issue holds true in mathematics...
But allow me to regress...
The Epicureans (I believe) were known for taking a single concept and building consistent, coherent and non-contradictory epistemological scheme around it. They believed that the world's truths can be found in those 3-C's. They were on to something...but many of the epistemologies although perfect in describing the world were based on an initial flawed concept...(look at how they described retrograde motion of planets...by having them circle (spiral) in their orbits...the basic problem that they had was...that the earth was not at the center of the universe...yet their schema worked perfectly!
People that disagreed with their perfect definitions were labeled heretics...which then carried into this age! (more to come on that subject)
In the previous article...I noted that "pi" should be a finite number...a circle has a definite beginning point and an end point...which happens to be the same...I then theorized that the issue may be in the fact that the "base 10" number system may not be the real, natural number system...
One person wrote that although it was chosen by the Romans specifically base upon commerce...that 10 digits is a natural number...occurring on all of the advanced organisms...(fingers and toes, etc) and I should adhere to my own theory and accept "base 10" as THE natural number system...
I still disagree...10 may be the system...but I have yet to see any organism with all of their digits exactly the same length...I think if that happened...we would call that a "freak of nature!"
My point is...and I wrote this...hold your hand out in front of you...every digit is a different length...perhaps the message is...Base 10 is right...but the distances (values) between each varies...and that is the message that nature is sending us...
On the subject of messages...the current nature of "pi" could be taken as a message that we are close to the truth...but because of its non-repeating nature...not dead-on...we simply accept that it is non-repeating and infinite...rather than questioning the nature (validity) of the system from which it is derived...for that I was called a mathematical heretic!
It takes me back to when a professional astronomer and physicist called me a cosmological heretic...and a staunch Six Sigma practitioner called me a pragmatic rogue...
At first I took offense...then I thought about the company that I joined...and started looking for other valid reasons to be called a heretic!
If the foundational nature of things are not questioned...there will be no progress...
It is the Epicurean dilemma!
Many of our arts and sciences are based on concepts that are close...but not dead on!
Mathematicians should be pursuing a finite and simplistic "pi" There will be nothing sweeter and a dessert that is matched by none...(sorry about the analogy!)
Circles are finite in a planer world...and "pi" should be also...
There is a message to be heard from that number...LISTEN!
Anyone want some more "pi?" I am up for it!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
"Pi" is NOT an Infinitely Repeating Decimal!
I was reflecting on "pi" and its history and its infinite quality and came upon an interesting thought.
I have always been intrigued with "pi" for some strange reason that I can not rationalize. It may simply be the fact that it is a non-repeating decimal that from a human's perspective is unattainable.
Many years ago. I came upon a simple and compact program that was capable of calculating "pi" in its continuous nature...unrestricted by the computer's limitations. It was interesting. At first the numbers spewed out. (I had it hooked to a printer) Page after page printed out with the non-repeating series of numbers. After a while, it slowed while the calculation struggled to calculate the next digit. In fact, seconds turned to minutes, then into hours, then into days, and weeks...and months...
When I moved from one home to another, I painstakingly created a power source and transfered the computer from one place to another...just so that the computer's work could continue uninterrupted! It was an interesting conversation piece...many of the super computers of the time had calculated the string far beyond what my meager PC did...but I loved hearing the "zip" of the "dot-matrix" printer in the middle of the night and periodically looked at the continuous feed paper...hoping for a new digit...
After a few years, the "conversation piece" died and it quit...and my thoughts went on to other more pressing topics...
In the book "Contact" a message...actually a blueprint for a machine was hidden within "pi." Once decoded, a traveler was able to move across the universe (transcend it) and meet with higher intelligence. That is quite "sci-fi" from my perspective...but there may be a message embedded within "pi" that we humans miss because it is glaring us in the face...
Let's dig deeper into that thought...
As of late, I have been considering the role that human arrogance has played the shape of our scientific understanding of the world around us. It suddenly became apparent that even our number system (base 10) is a form of human arrogance.
We have a binary system and an octal system and a hex system and so on...but all of them are converted into decimal for our own understanding...
We chose the decimal system...it has not chosen us...it is contrived and may very well be at the base of the infinite nature of "pi."
The decimal system is an invention of man...and we have accepted it the structure in which we can accurately describe the world. The decimal system may not be the number system of the universe! As a result we have skewed our perception based upon that which is missed or rejected by the decimal system itself.
I have no answer to this problem...but do want us to consider that in order to make quantum leaps within knowledge...we must change the way that we look at things!
We have limited (restricted) ourselves to the limitations of the decimal system and as long as we describe the world around us in decimal terms...will be limited to this filter. In the decimal world..."pi" is a repeating number...perhaps in the REAL number system of the universe...it is one of the simpliest and pure constants to be had!
It is our arrogance as humans that shape and limit our ability to percieve the world and not the opposite. The universe is open and waiting...to be discovered within its own terms...and its true number system...
I have always been intrigued with "pi" for some strange reason that I can not rationalize. It may simply be the fact that it is a non-repeating decimal that from a human's perspective is unattainable.
Many years ago. I came upon a simple and compact program that was capable of calculating "pi" in its continuous nature...unrestricted by the computer's limitations. It was interesting. At first the numbers spewed out. (I had it hooked to a printer) Page after page printed out with the non-repeating series of numbers. After a while, it slowed while the calculation struggled to calculate the next digit. In fact, seconds turned to minutes, then into hours, then into days, and weeks...and months...
When I moved from one home to another, I painstakingly created a power source and transfered the computer from one place to another...just so that the computer's work could continue uninterrupted! It was an interesting conversation piece...many of the super computers of the time had calculated the string far beyond what my meager PC did...but I loved hearing the "zip" of the "dot-matrix" printer in the middle of the night and periodically looked at the continuous feed paper...hoping for a new digit...
After a few years, the "conversation piece" died and it quit...and my thoughts went on to other more pressing topics...
In the book "Contact" a message...actually a blueprint for a machine was hidden within "pi." Once decoded, a traveler was able to move across the universe (transcend it) and meet with higher intelligence. That is quite "sci-fi" from my perspective...but there may be a message embedded within "pi" that we humans miss because it is glaring us in the face...
Let's dig deeper into that thought...
As of late, I have been considering the role that human arrogance has played the shape of our scientific understanding of the world around us. It suddenly became apparent that even our number system (base 10) is a form of human arrogance.
We have a binary system and an octal system and a hex system and so on...but all of them are converted into decimal for our own understanding...
We chose the decimal system...it has not chosen us...it is contrived and may very well be at the base of the infinite nature of "pi."
The decimal system is an invention of man...and we have accepted it the structure in which we can accurately describe the world. The decimal system may not be the number system of the universe! As a result we have skewed our perception based upon that which is missed or rejected by the decimal system itself.
I have no answer to this problem...but do want us to consider that in order to make quantum leaps within knowledge...we must change the way that we look at things!
We have limited (restricted) ourselves to the limitations of the decimal system and as long as we describe the world around us in decimal terms...will be limited to this filter. In the decimal world..."pi" is a repeating number...perhaps in the REAL number system of the universe...it is one of the simpliest and pure constants to be had!
It is our arrogance as humans that shape and limit our ability to percieve the world and not the opposite. The universe is open and waiting...to be discovered within its own terms...and its true number system...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Philosophy and Political Correctness...
I was listening to a podcast today. A comment made in it was quite interesting...and from my perspective needed further investigation...and thought...
The speaker noted that 96% of the people in the U.S.A. believe in God or in the existence of God. That is an interesting statistic...given the fact that we censor the discussions of God under the excuse of political correctness and relegate the discussions to Sunday mornings and a small group of trusted friends.
I am finding that the true 21st century philosopher can not be restricted by political correctness...
Political Correctness (PC) dulls the edge that the 21st century philosophy needs. Under the guise of hurting people's feelings or insulting them...we hush the critical elements required to face the truth...
That does not mean that the 21st century philosopher has the license to promote prejudice or racism or use it as a tool to put people down.
When I think through PC...it is an attack on our constitutional right to free speech...and we have fallen for it and hush each other when someone talks about political affiliation...or religious beliefs...
Our founding fathers were anything but politically correct...
They faced the facts...it was a time that honor and truth was held in the highest regard! Swearing on the Bible in a court of law meant something...it was their truth...the whole truth and nothing but the truth...It was not up to the courts to decide whether that truth was a fact...but the perception of the majority...the majority guided truth and not some special interest group that was afraid to have its feelings hurt...
How things have changed...
Now a person can sit on a witness stand and lie...and not even face charges for perjury! I believe that anyone lying on a witness stand, should not only be convicted of the crime that they are guilty of...but face a stricter penalty for lying! Consider what that would mean...You are found guilty of murder in the first degree...as a result you face 25 years in a state penitentary...for lying on the stand...you are sentenced to life...with no chance of parole...and I have removed all opportunities for appeal...
Now that puts the value of honesty in a new perspective...
BUT...BUT...what if I hurt someone's feelings? Isn't that a good reason for lying?
There is no excuse for lying...especially Political Correctness...
PC has done as much harm to this society as "Stranger Danger" has done to our children...
"Stranger Danger?"
A nation-wide effort to protect our children from "strangers" who kidnap and rape our youth...the fact of the matter is that strangers are involved in less than 1% of the cases of injury and molestation!
Stranger Danger has provided a cover for acquaintences and family members to operate...that cover is sick and does not give them license...only protective cover...for their demented ways!
Political Correctness is another cover in which truth and growth is being supressed...and just as harmful to our society...perhaps more so...
I must admit that I allowed myself to be "gagged" by political correctness. I took it to an extreme... I was hushed far too often by the fears of retribution...and the chance that I would hurt someone's feelings...or offend them...or even worse...open their eyes to the truth...having them realize the stupidity of their position...
I believe in God! I believe that the Biblical principals are firm and solid...
I have many times veered my discussions away from the talk of God and Jesus because I was afraid of offending someone...
I may offend my Moslem friends who recognize Jesus as an earlier prophet...or my Jewish friends who rejected him...or my athesist friends who sit in a minority...
96% of the USA believes in God in one form or another...let us talk about what He looks like. I bet that we would be quite amazed that He has the same address...in every religion...what a great place to start!
Remember that the things that we have most in common are the differences between us! PC recognizes those differences and treats them as such...
Talk about a segregation effort...
Talk about aparthied...
The people who promote PC are the same who are afraid to face facts in a competitive arena...
It will be those discussions about Him that will clarify and drive to the truth...but they must be out in the open without fear that we are breaking some stupid convention called PC...how foolish!
I have yet to see someone "fined," "taxed," or "improsoned" for being politically incorrect...
Avoiding those fierce conversations, under the guise of PC is wrong...and will accomplish nothing...in fact it makes the chasm between all of us wider...yelling into that canyon will not produce echoes...only whispers from the fearful and intellectually weak. It is the whimps who afraid to face the truth of who they are...and stand with pride, who press for political correctness.
The 21st century philosopher can not be afraid to yell across the chasm...there are others on the opposite side waiting to hear! AND the echos will become music!
Where is he or she?
The world is waiting!
The speaker noted that 96% of the people in the U.S.A. believe in God or in the existence of God. That is an interesting statistic...given the fact that we censor the discussions of God under the excuse of political correctness and relegate the discussions to Sunday mornings and a small group of trusted friends.
I am finding that the true 21st century philosopher can not be restricted by political correctness...
Political Correctness (PC) dulls the edge that the 21st century philosophy needs. Under the guise of hurting people's feelings or insulting them...we hush the critical elements required to face the truth...
That does not mean that the 21st century philosopher has the license to promote prejudice or racism or use it as a tool to put people down.
When I think through PC...it is an attack on our constitutional right to free speech...and we have fallen for it and hush each other when someone talks about political affiliation...or religious beliefs...
Our founding fathers were anything but politically correct...
They faced the facts...it was a time that honor and truth was held in the highest regard! Swearing on the Bible in a court of law meant something...it was their truth...the whole truth and nothing but the truth...It was not up to the courts to decide whether that truth was a fact...but the perception of the majority...the majority guided truth and not some special interest group that was afraid to have its feelings hurt...
How things have changed...
Now a person can sit on a witness stand and lie...and not even face charges for perjury! I believe that anyone lying on a witness stand, should not only be convicted of the crime that they are guilty of...but face a stricter penalty for lying! Consider what that would mean...You are found guilty of murder in the first degree...as a result you face 25 years in a state penitentary...for lying on the stand...you are sentenced to life...with no chance of parole...and I have removed all opportunities for appeal...
Now that puts the value of honesty in a new perspective...
BUT...BUT...what if I hurt someone's feelings? Isn't that a good reason for lying?
There is no excuse for lying...especially Political Correctness...
PC has done as much harm to this society as "Stranger Danger" has done to our children...
"Stranger Danger?"
A nation-wide effort to protect our children from "strangers" who kidnap and rape our youth...the fact of the matter is that strangers are involved in less than 1% of the cases of injury and molestation!
Stranger Danger has provided a cover for acquaintences and family members to operate...that cover is sick and does not give them license...only protective cover...for their demented ways!
Political Correctness is another cover in which truth and growth is being supressed...and just as harmful to our society...perhaps more so...
I must admit that I allowed myself to be "gagged" by political correctness. I took it to an extreme... I was hushed far too often by the fears of retribution...and the chance that I would hurt someone's feelings...or offend them...or even worse...open their eyes to the truth...having them realize the stupidity of their position...
I believe in God! I believe that the Biblical principals are firm and solid...
I have many times veered my discussions away from the talk of God and Jesus because I was afraid of offending someone...
I may offend my Moslem friends who recognize Jesus as an earlier prophet...or my Jewish friends who rejected him...or my athesist friends who sit in a minority...
96% of the USA believes in God in one form or another...let us talk about what He looks like. I bet that we would be quite amazed that He has the same address...in every religion...what a great place to start!
Remember that the things that we have most in common are the differences between us! PC recognizes those differences and treats them as such...
Talk about a segregation effort...
Talk about aparthied...
The people who promote PC are the same who are afraid to face facts in a competitive arena...
It will be those discussions about Him that will clarify and drive to the truth...but they must be out in the open without fear that we are breaking some stupid convention called PC...how foolish!
I have yet to see someone "fined," "taxed," or "improsoned" for being politically incorrect...
Avoiding those fierce conversations, under the guise of PC is wrong...and will accomplish nothing...in fact it makes the chasm between all of us wider...yelling into that canyon will not produce echoes...only whispers from the fearful and intellectually weak. It is the whimps who afraid to face the truth of who they are...and stand with pride, who press for political correctness.
The 21st century philosopher can not be afraid to yell across the chasm...there are others on the opposite side waiting to hear! AND the echos will become music!
Where is he or she?
The world is waiting!
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