tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36922822528444894532024-03-16T11:50:22.117-07:00What'sUpWithThatWatts, et al.This is both my personal learning project and my contribution in the struggle to confront the ongoing Republican/ libertarian assault on rational science and constructive learning, as manifested in their malicious strategic Attacks on Science ~ A collection of articles, scientific resources, plus my own essays and indepth critique of various presentations from unidirectional-skeptics ~ Hopefully a resource for the busy, yet discerning, student who's concerned about the health of our Earthcitizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.comBlogger1077125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-7851711295590971122024-02-09T11:41:00.000-08:002024-02-10T10:24:03.640-08:00In Defense of Women, Postcard Activism - Can you help me?<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <i style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet;">Please</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SqFgJ-_11zsat0zoBRknJAUy3igW8olwDNcfVBQ2VKYc15R5ZUZnlhaBgOnp5d78UBuQ7yWo9fLTL1ZNjfailg4Xd8wXUq9ZP1bHxva7mOe0E09H1NPkPGiNzoyWCAGkKV210MaGTzwJENgk0Cu56eWJDzUFpDJCe6X3eRvyAq7vqN80hyphenhyphenhX_g32RILs/s264/IMG_GoFundMe%20logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img alt="GoFundMeLogo" border="0" data-original-height="112" data-original-width="264" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SqFgJ-_11zsat0zoBRknJAUy3igW8olwDNcfVBQ2VKYc15R5ZUZnlhaBgOnp5d78UBuQ7yWo9fLTL1ZNjfailg4Xd8wXUq9ZP1bHxva7mOe0E09H1NPkPGiNzoyWCAGkKV210MaGTzwJENgk0Cu56eWJDzUFpDJCe6X3eRvyAq7vqN80hyphenhyphenhX_g32RILs/w200-h84/IMG_GoFundMe%20logo.png" width="200" /></span></a></div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da" target="_blank">In Defense of Women, Postcard Activism</a></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Can you help?</span></h1><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.02em;"><br /></span></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><i style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSNVsTebLTZPNDZk9cg19Umq8B7Dkkb071R4WdxoEqtWQt4hDUgCkJu5i0P8p0UUP7_Ejfe2_Ycq6KCqZXrlmGc8ynzZ6H8FPtCCnkuGokWWGWOs7l4TtcX0LEW9NlMEKLXXgdgbmZ0oGW5maF0Nqt4LAm6OO7m1naRD4YJl7uasAfQaODSMl_MynF33p/s1198/IMG_InDefenseOfWomen_24-02-01_vertical.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="922" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSNVsTebLTZPNDZk9cg19Umq8B7Dkkb071R4WdxoEqtWQt4hDUgCkJu5i0P8p0UUP7_Ejfe2_Ycq6KCqZXrlmGc8ynzZ6H8FPtCCnkuGokWWGWOs7l4TtcX0LEW9NlMEKLXXgdgbmZ0oGW5maF0Nqt4LAm6OO7m1naRD4YJl7uasAfQaODSMl_MynF33p/w483-h628/IMG_InDefenseOfWomen_24-02-01_vertical.png" width="483" /></a> </div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i><p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">I believe there are too many misinformed individuals out there, and that Democrats need to work harder at gaining and sharing basic solid information and arguments.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">It would help enable the choir to become more persuasive in our regular interactions and discussion with people, friends, & family. After all, if we aren’t changing minds, we are losing.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">I believe that the better we can verbalize the issues, the easier it is to engage and stand up for justice. The better our chances to help evolve people’s thinking on issues that matter.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">I've taken that challenge personally and produced this “In Defense of Women” outline concise enough to fit onto a postcard. No envelope for better visibility and hopefully to encourage sharing. </span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">My dream is that someday our society can learn to acknowledge that it's the mother who, above all others, possesses the situational awareness, along with the moral, ethical, and legal standing to decide the future of the growing fetus within herself. </span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">Thank you, </span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">Peter Miesler</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;">aka citizenschallenge</span></i></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da." target="_blank">Can you help Go-Fund-Me</a></span></i></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></i></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVICEy9xgaL1ZRi8xE0aRXI4ZQ40jA3wmHpxTNp4_wdigQpBPGDwC1HbNDHI7Dy8YSsTiiOR28Z6t7vthIKWE6LjFOYeDQzHRpUsX7MPToPIX7MXlx4us14xvIi92tZrEmhsROCDTPYhd1BKEx9FmtpqBo9-2S9d9p2L1jqnA37tv14DtT68wSp5bh8h2/s432/(small)selfie%20by%20river,%20early%20summer%202023%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="432" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVICEy9xgaL1ZRi8xE0aRXI4ZQ40jA3wmHpxTNp4_wdigQpBPGDwC1HbNDHI7Dy8YSsTiiOR28Z6t7vthIKWE6LjFOYeDQzHRpUsX7MPToPIX7MXlx4us14xvIi92tZrEmhsROCDTPYhd1BKEx9FmtpqBo9-2S9d9p2L1jqnA37tv14DtT68wSp5bh8h2/s320/(small)selfie%20by%20river,%20early%20summer%202023%20.png" width="320" /></a></i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________</span></i></div>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My first printing of 250 postcards has been mailed out:</span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">~100 woman’s rights organizations</span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">~140 select Democratic US Senators and Representatives</span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My second printing of a 1,000 postcards:</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2d6516; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I started with a list of key states, and collected the addresses of all the county Democratic Party Committees that were </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(45, 101, 22); font-weight: 400;">available</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
</span></h1></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Arizona</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Colorado</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Florida</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Maryland</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Iowa</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Missouri</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Nevada </p></span></h1></div></blockquote><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is where my stock of stamps has run out. What can I say, I’m happily </span><span style="font-size: medium;">retired,</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> living in rural Colorado and since I'm a man of modest means and expectations, I</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> have plenty of what I need since</span><span style="font-size: medium;">, but extra cash isn’t on that list.</span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2d6516;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Next month I’ll get another couple hundred stamps and plug away at it.</span></span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2d6516;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2d6516;"><span>Then I got to thinking, why not reach out for a little help. See what happens. <a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da." target="_blank">Can you perhaps Go Fund Me?</a> A twenty here, and a twenty there, will help speed up this process.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #2d6516; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
</span></h1></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">South Dakota</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Missouri</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">Pennsylvania</p></span></h1></div><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><p style="color: #121722; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;">New York</p></span></h1></div></blockquote><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span><p style="color: #121722; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0d6002; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">After those postcards to County Democratic organizations are sent out, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">there'll be appropriate media outlets and authors, then young people's political clubs, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">after that, more politicians, and others that come to mind. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0d6002; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0d6002; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If I could get the help with stamps (0.53@) I’d love to send out a few thousand postcards. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0d6002; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da." target="_blank">Can you help?</a> <span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="color: #0d6002; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p style="color: #0d6002; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: trebuchet; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4_pGvLU-El5v3g41QUYe-sTThyBI8hB7Q1SOzx5gLhHlhwdcwHo2diM2xT1SgNR-ngfcmeM2EYdmx4PrUUrBQFsboqd9GWlrwFPCuuJRrAseeodL9Oco46eAJ4bhqRA6eQ6DcyN2-PAuRNXdkLTOi40MeoIJhwi6Iq5Csk5fEOpqo-4gSgxjdTLSFYi-/s1152/Taking%20a%20walk%20with%20Maddy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="1152" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4_pGvLU-El5v3g41QUYe-sTThyBI8hB7Q1SOzx5gLhHlhwdcwHo2diM2xT1SgNR-ngfcmeM2EYdmx4PrUUrBQFsboqd9GWlrwFPCuuJRrAseeodL9Oco46eAJ4bhqRA6eQ6DcyN2-PAuRNXdkLTOi40MeoIJhwi6Iq5Csk5fEOpqo-4gSgxjdTLSFYi-/w513-h189/Taking%20a%20walk%20with%20Maddy.png" width="513" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: trebuchet;"></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Just in case someone's interested, I’ve added this text version that you can cut and paste, perhaps edit as you see fit, then pass it on yourself.</span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 11px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"></span><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Front Side:</span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 10px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><b></b></span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;">In Defense of Women</span></b></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;">Birth & death are part and parcel of our human condition, they can't be moralized out of existence. A pregnancy is never a guarantee and this isn’t about the fate of the fetus. </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><b>This is about who has the most realistic and moral ‘<i>standing’</i> to make such a fateful decision.</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"> A fetus certainly is human, but its a potentiality, a person in the making, </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>the fetus doesn't take on the mantle of personhood until those first breaths of life-giving air start infusing its lungs and arteries and tissues with oxygen.</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"> <b>In a free society, legally speaking, why doesn't a woman deserve the Right to Her Own Self-Defense - along with Sovereignty Over Her Own Body?</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><b> Why wouldn't a just society clearly acknowledge: </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>“A woman's life is more precious to her existing family, and to society, than an unborn potentiality.”?</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"> Life can force impossible situations upon people, who are we to judge her? Why not some compassion for the most difficult decision in a person’s life.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"> Entrust her with the responsibility of making their own best informed choices about their own pregnancies.</span></b></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"> It is significant that abortion is as old as civilization, even Jewish scripture presents the Abrahamic God's perspective on the crisis in a forgiving humane manner.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 11px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"></span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;">Address Side:</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; min-height: 11px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"></span><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;">If we aren’t changing minds we are losing. </span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Women should be entrusted</b></span><b>, </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>above all others</b></span><b>, with the responsibility of making her own best informed choices about her own pregnancies. </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4px;"><b>In a free society, why won’t we grant women a Right to Self-Defense - along with Sovereignty Over Her Own Body?</b></span><b> </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: small;"><b>Why not recognize that a woman</b>’<b>s life is more precious to her existing family, and to society, than an unborn potentiality?</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: Avenir; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">It's the woman's </span><span style="color: #800180; font-family: Avenir; font-size: small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(128, 1, 128);">responsibility. </span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: Avenir; font-size: small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(128, 1, 128); font-weight: normal;">Allow her to make her own decision.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: Avenir; font-size: small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(128, 1, 128); font-weight: normal;">No one cares as much as she does.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; text-align: justify;"></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="color: #800180;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(128, 1, 128);"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioA56HQXQi1hkAKcL3qdwmLhfbt6Vhyphenhyphen09KJmShb1tUi7pWCrl0gSx8KR4L95vAjtCB8vnga_Y5exOBpLBD8ysbnBrEm5-X8OHwYJElL9fP9VDHfzBjbyx3cK9ghGUaVgTOa9WPWvSb125SqU-bTfufuE91Z0KNSCk6LDjM-pQFccHtuLMs3h8TNseIPBa/s2232/Taking%20a%20walk%20with%20Maddy,.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2232" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioA56HQXQi1hkAKcL3qdwmLhfbt6Vhyphenhyphen09KJmShb1tUi7pWCrl0gSx8KR4L95vAjtCB8vnga_Y5exOBpLBD8ysbnBrEm5-X8OHwYJElL9fP9VDHfzBjbyx3cK9ghGUaVgTOa9WPWvSb125SqU-bTfufuE91Z0KNSCk6LDjM-pQFccHtuLMs3h8TNseIPBa/w543-h127/Taking%20a%20walk%20with%20Maddy,.png" width="543" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>For more on why I'm doing this <a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/11/in-defense-of-women.html" target="_blank">visit this link</a></i></span></span></div><p></p>
<p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: 400;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ </p><p style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14.85px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Do Abortion Bans Violate Jews' Religious Rights?</span></b></p><p style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #022465;"><a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/about/staff.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</span></b></a></span></p><p style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">June 16, 2022 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">(full article is 1200 words of lucid persuasion)</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14.85px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14.85px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #022465;"><a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/about/staff.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><b>Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</b></a></span> is the director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/index.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Hadassah-Brandeis Institute</b></span></a> and director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/research-projects/gcrl/index.html#:~:text=The%20mission%20of%20the%20Project,of%20religious%20and%20cultural%20traditions." style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law</b></span></a> which explores the tension between women’s equality claims and religious laws. Her research focuses on gender and multiculturalism in family law and on the intersection between secular and religious law. She is a co-founder of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/research-projects/gcrl/boston-agunah-taskforce/index.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Boston Agunah Task Force</b></span></a>, devoted to research, education and advocacy for women under Jewish family law.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: start;"></p><blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: 400; text-align: start;"><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“… there is widespread agreement among scholars and rabbinical authorities that a complete prohibition on abortion is inconsistent with Jewish law and tradition. Under Jewish law, an abortion to save the life of the mother is permitted.</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“For this reason, <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/facultyguide/person.html?emplid=5582082465f93a9a0dfd4438912f554a0f5856bc" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</b></span></a>, the Shulamit Reinharz Director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/index.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Hadassah-Brandeis Institute</b></span></a>, argues that extreme anti-abortion laws risk infringing on Jews' religious freedoms. Earlier this week, a Florida synagogue <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-abortion-ban-violates-jews-religious-freedom-lawsuit-says-2022-06-14/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>made this argument</b></span></a> in a suit filed in a state court against Florida's law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. …”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>“Are Jews across denominations arguing that anti-abortion laws infringe on their religious freedoms?</b></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“Yes. It's an argument being put forth by advocates like the <a href="https://www.ncjw.org/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>National Council of Jewish Women</b></span></a>. It holds that since Jewish law supports reproductive rights, abortion restrictions violate Jewish people's right to make choices about their lives in accordance with Jewish law. This position has many strengths. …”</p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: 400;">________________________________________ </p></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdzw5H6o5St2k7MYo1kFY6dpJKg8B7wdMRbDRm6KqqOgWVjuMo7_75R68XIrysP9_z_tb4g0jLIr3FaUgZ_pgZ5JTh3JWsgoEFFN8t14bIBURjfvbhCrtKqZfxegeFM_UU_VkaIzt4UGgMvZ15HLn7_I_2_nE8v2C3CLaJflxdhFdindfG4cj6BnD6JzF/s1152/IMG_postcards%20&%20stamps_24-02-09.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdzw5H6o5St2k7MYo1kFY6dpJKg8B7wdMRbDRm6KqqOgWVjuMo7_75R68XIrysP9_z_tb4g0jLIr3FaUgZ_pgZ5JTh3JWsgoEFFN8t14bIBURjfvbhCrtKqZfxegeFM_UU_VkaIzt4UGgMvZ15HLn7_I_2_nE8v2C3CLaJflxdhFdindfG4cj6BnD6JzF/s320/IMG_postcards%20&%20stamps_24-02-09.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: 400;">morning</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> of February 9th</span></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><i><br /><span style="color: #800180; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -0.02em;"><br /></span></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: #800180; letter-spacing: -0.02em;"><br /></span></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: #800180; letter-spacing: -0.02em;"><br /></span></i></span></h1><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></h1></div><div><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.02em;"><br /></span></i></span></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-87840493500048828772023-12-31T22:21:00.000-08:002024-01-02T11:08:29.016-08:00Diary Dec 31, 2023 - Reflections on this New Year's Eve.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR19APTCFeiUTQp8zrr9HhMUO0y8le8yDwDAZsMRj038mibH_F1qpA4A8XMa3gbuNRlr250MTXNPnPLZ6bamlpFcSr2mjBcPwt9ZTj_7QwyZBEpfbJFEAe7HdwDVEYH-PqgXU1dfnoCMecBzr5rT0pAMmsAgjOKiLPa5A4C4BVZvvtr-RI7thyNHUa-v8/s1140/IMG_Dec.%20heartrock.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1140" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR19APTCFeiUTQp8zrr9HhMUO0y8le8yDwDAZsMRj038mibH_F1qpA4A8XMa3gbuNRlr250MTXNPnPLZ6bamlpFcSr2mjBcPwt9ZTj_7QwyZBEpfbJFEAe7HdwDVEYH-PqgXU1dfnoCMecBzr5rT0pAMmsAgjOKiLPa5A4C4BVZvvtr-RI7thyNHUa-v8/s320/IMG_Dec.%20heartrock.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Saying good-bye to 2023. </p><p>Another year older and still working towards that elusive final draft of my Earth Centrist perspective. I've been spending five years digesting the concept and the evidence behind it, I've written long articles and short bullet points, fielded some push and a lot of handwaving and slammed doors - there's only so many ways to refine something so fundamental and straightforward and that elusive final draft of my Earth Centrist perspective summary, is just around the corner, <i>as they say</i>. </p><p>I have been taking the discussion online at <a href="http://www.centerforinquiry.net/forums" target="_blank">CFI Forum (Center for Inquiry)</a> a small discussion board and have been receiving interesting feedback and pushback. I'm also participating in a college philosophy club. Then, this past July I wrote up a dialogue with a short book, Buddha Science, by Daut.</p><p>It made for a nice contrast to dealing with <a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/p/because-apparently-someone-needs-to.html" target="_blank">Don Hoffman</a>'s ideas, in that I agree with much that Daut wrote, but I do come at it from a very different <i>evolutionary biological bottom up perspective</i> and I enjoyed this excuse to review and try to enunciate my Earth Centrist concept in a more constructive atmosphere.</p><p>Science has learned a great deal about Evolution, our animal biology, and also consciousness across the entire animal kingdom. Philosophers and the general public would do good to lay to rest old brainteasers and to catch up on the significance of current scientific biological evolutionary breakthroughs.</p><p>This Earth Centrist writing project has been dedicated to people who appreciate nature and evolution and scientific understanding about how evolution weaves us together with all other living beings on this planet. </p><p>Which includes a deep appreciation for how our body/brain produces consciousness, as in, the inside reflection of our body communicating with itself (<a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2021/03/solms-demystifies-hard-problem.html" target="_blank">see Dr.Solms</a>) and realizing how that offers keys to better understanding our own endless flesh vs spirit conflicts.</p><p>I'm looking to connect with people for whom a notion such as "Appreciating the Human Mind ~ Physical Reality divide" makes sense and who are unfazed by recognizing themselves as evolved biological thinking creatures, products of Earth's processes. People, who glory in the Pageant of Evolution that created our body and love learning from serious scientific efforts.</p><p>These aren't irrelevant trifles, they are keys to a more straightforward understanding of those dogged questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Why doesn't my body do what I tell it to?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifrO9yr9InsMKwu8sU76yROfqJT5MRKPvuZ_Pd-9pFn5aoXkDs1mEMrZomM9s_w37VAvEUcxbkDUDsQmfZyQg94Sp33WJDE3x-k2A3oHu_znLTsJjY7kKD73LmD_JLt_tW-r_-on1oXeiC0qN8rMNJyDxRwLgm2Cn9-ipUvNter4bWJOBJ2jRQXYL2NY/s1140/IMG_Dec.%20sunset.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="1140" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifrO9yr9InsMKwu8sU76yROfqJT5MRKPvuZ_Pd-9pFn5aoXkDs1mEMrZomM9s_w37VAvEUcxbkDUDsQmfZyQg94Sp33WJDE3x-k2A3oHu_znLTsJjY7kKD73LmD_JLt_tW-r_-on1oXeiC0qN8rMNJyDxRwLgm2Cn9-ipUvNter4bWJOBJ2jRQXYL2NY/w497-h179/IMG_Dec.%20sunset.png" width="497" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 15px; text-indent: -15px;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span></a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">2023 </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(13)</span><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span></a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/11/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">November </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(1)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/11/in-defense-of-women.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">In Defense of Women</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><div style="text-indent: 0px;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">July </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(10) A dialogue with Steve Daut's book, "Buddha Science" </span></div><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/1010-dialogue-with-buddha-science.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">10/10 - Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Conclusio</a>n</li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/910-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">9/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science of the Mind</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/810-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">8/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science of Life</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/710-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">7/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Physical Science</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/610-conversation-with-steve-dauts_22.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">6/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Chaos & Complexity</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/510-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">5/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/410-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">4/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Buddhism</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/310-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">3/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Two fingers pointing at the moon</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/210-conversation-with-steve-dauts.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">2/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - The Elephant</a> </li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/07/110dialogue-with-steve-dauts-buddha.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">1/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Introduction to this <i>study exercise</i> series</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/04/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">April </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(2)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/04/on-abortion-rights-considering.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">On Abortion Rights, considering the fundamentals.</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2023/04/unless-we-are-changing-minds-we-are.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">“Unless we are changing minds we are losing.”</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 15px; text-indent: -15px;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">2022 </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(7)</span><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/10/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">October </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(1)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/10/earth-centrist-students-bibliography.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Earth Centrism - A Student's Bibliographic Resource</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/09/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">September </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(2)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/09/introducing-earth-centrism.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Introducing a new philosophical perspective: Earth Centrism</a></li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/09/dear-democratic-party-callers.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Dear Democratic Party (callers) . . .</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/05/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">May </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(1)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/05/missing-key-to-darwinsdangerousidea.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">The Missing Ingredient in Daniel Dennett's "Darwin Dangerous Idea</a>"</li></ul></li></ul><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/04/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">April </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(1)</span><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/04/important-insights-along-way.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Important Insights Along the Way</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><ul class="hierarchy" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="archivedate expanded" style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.2em;"><a class="toggle" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="zippy toggle-open" style="color: #999999; line-height: 0.6em; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 2px 2px 1px;">▼ </span> </a><a class="post-count-link" href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/02/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">February </a><span class="post-count" dir="ltr">(2)</span></li><ul class="posts" style="border-width: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/02/accused-of-spammimg-by-dnc-politico.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Response to being accused of spamming by DNC politico</a> </li><li style="background: repeat; border-width: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0.25em 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px 0.25em 1.3em;"><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-democratic-party-online-discussion.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">The Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum.</a></li></ul></ul></ul><div style="text-indent: -15px;"><h2 class="date-header" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><br /></span></h2><h2 class="date-header" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><br /></span></h2><h2 class="date-header" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">March 14, 2020</span></span></h2><div class="date-posts" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-indent: 0px;"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><a name="7670503957180071861"></a><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2020/03/earth-centrism-vs-geocentrism-seriously.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Earth Centrism = Geocentrism. Seriously ?</span></a></h3><div><br /></div><div><h2 class="date-header" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">September 1, 2018</span></span></h2><div class="date-posts"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><a name="2263719847826376601"></a><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2018/09/key-to-goulds-nonoverlapping-magisteria.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Missing Key to Stephen Gould’s “Nonoverlapping Magisteria”</span></a></h3></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-10829998800221224262023-11-21T22:26:00.000-08:002024-02-09T11:34:40.056-08:00In Defense of Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">In defense of women, postcard (activism)</span></a></h1><div><h1 class="hrt-mb-0 p-campaign-title" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.02em;">I'm hoping for a </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.64px;">little</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.02em;"> help with postage.</span></i></span></h1></div><p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I'm looking at this from 68 years old, having been blessed with all the stages of life starting as a <a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/ildiko-valeria-miesler-12-20-1925-11-24.html" target="_blank">son</a>, brother, husband, father, step-father, uncle, grandfather, <a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2019/09/diary-912019-life-happens.html" target="_blank">friend</a>, with women being intimately interwoven into every phase of my life (and at every level) - I've lived life's personal dramas, loses and successes. This is my distillation of this facet of my experience - <b>A woman deserves the right to be the jury and judge of her own fate, which by nature includes her fetus. </b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Respecting a woman's right to her own self-defense and sovereignty over her body seems to me the least repugnant of all options. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I made an initial run of a 250 postcards and addressed them to women's rights organizations and key Washington Democrats. I also <a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/in-defense-of-women/10550" target="_blank">starting a thread over at the <b>CFI Forum</b></a> in case anyone out there wants to join the discussion. Now I printed another thousand and around 250 addressed and stamped, and it'll be a few weeks before being able to purchase another couple hundred dollars worth of postcard stamp at .53@. That's why I've decided to see if anyone might be interested in helping with stamps. Should it go well, I'd love to buy more postcards. <a href="https://gofund.me/4d6647da" target="_blank">Can you help?</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g0kikrHCrKnvQ6H8e_HukXY0rws8cH6vjTWj-gUFyDd4qnQr9seHlpVPYm06PLBryZlGPm4shFveW2GQMHetNoGP4evdIO_X3P3OlwGT-FID4j-qwFxB6GPfDbor08EksNDF8RhVLobLpxPE-evHtxlH7-nJT_JWbyyQS7fKj6PGAWWXVTg4bVtkAm0/s1198/IMG_InDefenseOfWomen_24-02-01_vertical.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="922" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g0kikrHCrKnvQ6H8e_HukXY0rws8cH6vjTWj-gUFyDd4qnQr9seHlpVPYm06PLBryZlGPm4shFveW2GQMHetNoGP4evdIO_X3P3OlwGT-FID4j-qwFxB6GPfDbor08EksNDF8RhVLobLpxPE-evHtxlH7-nJT_JWbyyQS7fKj6PGAWWXVTg4bVtkAm0/w473-h616/IMG_InDefenseOfWomen_24-02-01_vertical.png" width="473" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">January 22, 2024</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: trebuchet;"><i>Please</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SqFgJ-_11zsat0zoBRknJAUy3igW8olwDNcfVBQ2VKYc15R5ZUZnlhaBgOnp5d78UBuQ7yWo9fLTL1ZNjfailg4Xd8wXUq9ZP1bHxva7mOe0E09H1NPkPGiNzoyWCAGkKV210MaGTzwJENgk0Cu56eWJDzUFpDJCe6X3eRvyAq7vqN80hyphenhyphenhX_g32RILs/s264/IMG_GoFundMe%20logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img alt="GoFundMeLogo" border="0" data-original-height="112" data-original-width="264" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SqFgJ-_11zsat0zoBRknJAUy3igW8olwDNcfVBQ2VKYc15R5ZUZnlhaBgOnp5d78UBuQ7yWo9fLTL1ZNjfailg4Xd8wXUq9ZP1bHxva7mOe0E09H1NPkPGiNzoyWCAGkKV210MaGTzwJENgk0Cu56eWJDzUFpDJCe6X3eRvyAq7vqN80hyphenhyphenhX_g32RILs/w200-h84/IMG_GoFundMe%20logo.png" width="200" /></span></a></div></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/in-defense-of-women/10550" target="_blank">At CFI</a> I received a good comment worth airing over here:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/in-defense-of-women/10550/5" target="_blank"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: medium;"></span></a></p><blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/in-defense-of-women/10550/5" target="_blank">Lausten</a>: "Just a quick note, the most glaring; your language specifically weighs one life against another, putting the fully grown human first, the one who CAN make a choice. Their language states “all life is sacred” and claims to defend the thing that can’t defend itself. This hits an emotional note.</span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: medium;">It also avoids the discussion of the trade-off. They claim that most abortions are about a woman choosing to not be responsible, or not caring about the consequences of their actions. Truth is, almost all of them are medical decisions, made with a lot of thought, even prayers.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: medium;">Even those that are for healthy fetuses, the decision is about how the future person can be cared for, or IF it can be cared for. If the same pro-life person was also taking actions to care for unwanted, unloved, undernourished children, I’d listen to them, but at the policy level, this isn’t happening. ..."</span></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"></p></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Definitely, perhaps the way to go is to point out this isn’t about the immorality or morality of abortion, nor what name one places on the act. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>This is about the morality of who is making the decision!</b></span></p><blockquote style="border-left: 5px solid var(--primary-300); clear: both; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding: 12px;"><p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">In the end, it’s the mother who possess the greatest moral "holding” in that fetus, and in the end it’s the mothers who carry the scars of a fetus's death. Let it be, outsiders don't have a clue, they aren't God, if you believe in God, let God handle it and stay out of other's private lives, <i>as you want them to stay out of your business</i>.</span></span></b></span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ </p><p style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Do Abortion Bans Violate Jews' Religious Rights?</span></b></p><p style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="color: #022465;"><a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/about/staff.html"><b>Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</b></a></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b> - </b>June 16, 2022 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">(1200 words of lucid persuasion)</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px; min-height: 10px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #022465;"><a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/about/staff.html"><b>Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</b></a></span> is the director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/index.html"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Hadassah-Brandeis Institute</b></span></a> and director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/research-projects/gcrl/index.html#:~:text=The%20mission%20of%20the%20Project,of%20religious%20and%20cultural%20traditions."><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law</b></span></a> which explores the tension between women’s equality claims and religious laws. Her research focuses on gender and multiculturalism in family law and on the intersection between secular and religious law. She is a co-founder of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/research-projects/gcrl/boston-agunah-taskforce/index.html"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Boston Agunah Task Force</b></span></a>, devoted to research, education and advocacy for women under Jewish family law.</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 40.5px; min-height: 10px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“… there is widespread agreement among scholars and rabbinical authorities that a complete prohibition on abortion is inconsistent with Jewish law and tradition. Under Jewish law, an abortion to save the life of the mother is permitted.</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“For this reason, <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/facultyguide/person.html?emplid=5582082465f93a9a0dfd4438912f554a0f5856bc"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Lisa Fishbayn Joffe</b></span></a>, the Shulamit Reinharz Director of the <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/index.html"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>Hadassah-Brandeis Institute</b></span></a>, argues that extreme anti-abortion laws risk infringing on Jews' religious freedoms. Earlier this week, a Florida synagogue <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-abortion-ban-violates-jews-religious-freedom-lawsuit-says-2022-06-14/"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>made this argument</b></span></a> in a suit filed in a state court against Florida's law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. …”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>“Are Jews across denominations arguing that anti-abortion laws infringe on their religious freedoms?</b></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">“Yes. It's an argument being put forth by advocates like the <a href="https://www.ncjw.org/"><span style="color: #022465;"><b>National Council of Jewish Women</b></span></a>. It holds that since Jewish law supports reproductive rights, abortion restrictions violate Jewish people's right to make choices about their lives in accordance with Jewish law. This position has many strengths. …”</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ </p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><p style="text-align: right;"><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-42267383825122383222023-07-25T06:13:00.005-07:002023-12-03T21:12:12.902-08:0010/10 - Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Conclusion (Steve Daut)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKhMkBLvLqMsjvqxHFSOAWBbqKFgfHz9ahV8lu4fqsGAX2sBRBYfOfm6c-DVbAAc_cb_xvW0-nSbXz2b38RPPSjrd4m-XhXnXLxYUGE1koBkBO5CjTk2SN78Fu6EKT5LGQaL6vI7srgSJCll4_uPDLPk3YLjHUSDNDFjcUcy-HurNyFxZtiHQgWPaYH0/s1440/IMG_DAUT_9:1_My%20bow%20and%20view.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="1440" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKhMkBLvLqMsjvqxHFSOAWBbqKFgfHz9ahV8lu4fqsGAX2sBRBYfOfm6c-DVbAAc_cb_xvW0-nSbXz2b38RPPSjrd4m-XhXnXLxYUGE1koBkBO5CjTk2SN78Fu6EKT5LGQaL6vI7srgSJCll4_uPDLPk3YLjHUSDNDFjcUcy-HurNyFxZtiHQgWPaYH0/w498-h84/IMG_DAUT_9:1_My%20bow%20and%20view.png" title="a nice view" width="498" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">_____________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 9, Buddha Science, Conclusion</span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">_____________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">edited Dec 3, 2023</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAKCikQgi2236kglKxkkgLazp5XvsbPGJFT4yFUKz34cKaqkmAxkR5drJqRfon7IT17_bq1JhYeNycFWrvill3a4-SY539oXX8Xk32GXYs4gSyLaVQUY1t5mY6HPdjA2yV0Brj_DXjrPAgLkm8Cmi_xBhCAZWrsFMayWTOGnrUQZqv0lo7DVR4buHXm4/s1440/IMG_DAUT_9:2_Animas%20River.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1440" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAKCikQgi2236kglKxkkgLazp5XvsbPGJFT4yFUKz34cKaqkmAxkR5drJqRfon7IT17_bq1JhYeNycFWrvill3a4-SY539oXX8Xk32GXYs4gSyLaVQUY1t5mY6HPdjA2yV0Brj_DXjrPAgLkm8Cmi_xBhCAZWrsFMayWTOGnrUQZqv0lo7DVR4buHXm4/w450-h274/IMG_DAUT_9:2_Animas%20River.png" title="Animas River tributary" width="450" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 9a, Conclusion, Say again?</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a2 “… The best we have is concepts. <b>The “real” problem is that we get so enamored of our concepts that we begin to believe they are reality.</b> …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I say it differently:<i> Getting lost within one’s mindscape.</i></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a3 “… to refresh your memory, these Buddha Science observations are interconnection, karma, impermanence, and illusion.</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">As we have seen, the idea of interconnection is simply that everything is connected to everything else. …”</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a5 “… Complexity studies involve the idea of emergence, whereby new properties emerge from the complex interaction of many simple processes. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is why taking the time to learn about Evolution is so important, because its insights have direct relevance to your self and how you get along with your self, your body. That is your internal dialogue, and dealing with your world?</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a5 “… Biology tells us that we are collection of part from all over the universe, and that our bodies are the result of eons of evolutionary development. Consciousness itself may be an emergent property resulting from the interconnection of the human (body-)brain, experience, and meant formation. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m uncomfortable with that wording. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Earth’s constituent atoms, and minerals that do come from all over the universe, but then we have some mind boggling mineral evolution, then biology and life, that’s all homegrown, here on Earth. That’s big, and we don’t know of anything in the universe that can hold a candle to this planet Earth. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When are we going to own that - and start feeling a little pride for being a self-aware (<span style="color: #cccccc;"><i>or not</i></span>) inhabitant of this overwhelming Earth with its biosphere and hydrosphere and cryosphere of interwoven always evolving life?</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a7 “Ecology shows us the complex interconnections of organisms with their environment. Not only is the organism dependent on the conditions of the environment, but the condition of the environment itself is inextricably connected to and dependent upon the organism that exist within it. And these system are also dependent on their past, including all the evolutionary changes and interconnections that occurred to give them their current configurations of entices and functions. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nicely said, worth repeating.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a11 “…We build our karma,, for better or worse, by every action we take.”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amen</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a12 “… third major observation, everything is impermanent. Everything is in the process of becoming, … Even the dimensions in which an object exists can change as a flat piece of paper becomes a paper ball.”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Change, expectations, fear of aging, fear of dying, fear of being an illusion. That’s why people need religion, more than they seem to need science. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I need science and observations and experience and fact based learning.</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a13 “…Only process exists. ¶a14 “Yet the very impressions we receive are constrained by our narrow perspective and the limits of our recording apparatus. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seems a very top down, expectation laden, perspective. The fantastical abilities we people possess, were slowly built up from simpler creatures who needed to adapt to ever more complex circumstances. Our human level of consciousness can only be truly appreciated by having some serious understanding of how over-all animal consciousness developed as creatures evolved. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ed Yong wrote a book about creature senses that helps put some of these notions into perspective with the sort of rock solid supporting evidence, only scientists can come up with:</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;">
<ul><li style="color: #20a603; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span color="rgba(16, 16, 16, 0.65)"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59575939"><span style="color: #20a603;"><b>An Immense World</b></span></a></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b> - </b></span><b> </b><span style="background-color: white;"><b>By: </b><a href="https://edyong.me/an-immense-world"><b>Ed Yong</b></a></span></span></li><li style="color: #20a603; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span color="rgba(16, 16, 16, 0.65)"></span><span style="background-color: white;">How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us</span></span></li></ul>
</ul><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a14 “… Our sense organs record only a fraction of the physical world around us, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">the most sophisticated devices we can create have only been able to measure 4% of the phenomena that science tells us must exist</span>. Science can tell us very little about the remain 96% of the universe that is known as dark matter and dark energy. …</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I don’t buy this. We live on Earth, not out in the cosmos, so okay, sure, dark matter/energy is beyond our senses. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How about a more down to Earth perspective, with humans, as physical specimens, working together, and being very formidable animals - even in the wild, even during primitive days. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>We shouldn’t </span><span>downplay human abilities. Heck, it’s what got us here.</span></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶a15 “… (fourth observation) our impressions of the seemingly solid and real world around us are illusory. Our impressions of Reality are at best, highly limited, …”</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Change is real, even if it is ephemeral. I can’t help wondering why people come up with such notions. Change is what physical Reality is! Who are we to decide it’s an illusion because we ourselves can’t make sense out of it? Brings it right back to that <i>self-absorbed attitude</i>. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Change is what time does in the physical realm, nothing escapes that. That’s why it’s so important to live this moment to your best, it’s the journey, not the destination. Tomorrow holds no guarantees, and all that.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 63px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #800180; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yTWnW8t73w"><b><i>Dr.</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b><a href="https://thisviewoflife.com/profile/david-sloan-wilson/"><b><i>David</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sloan_Wilson"><b><i>Sloan</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b><a href="https://davidsloanwilson.world/"><b><i>Wilson</i></b></a><b><i> explains </i></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwrqd_N2Hqg"><b><i>Evolution's relevance to our lives</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a17 “… evolutionary psychology and neurobiology tells us that the very belief in conscious control is an illusion. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s a disappointingly melodramatic over-simplification.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Listen to some pioneering experts on the topic. Spend a lazy rainy day binging on YouTube videos of <a href="http://www.biosynthesis.org/html/antonio_damasio.html">Dr. Antonio</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Damasio">Damasio</a> and <a href="https://chicagoanalysis.org/faculty/mark-solms/">Dr. Mark</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms">Solms</a>' enlightening lectures, that span many years and follow the developments in the field, then revisit this topic.</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… but our understanding of the mind shows us that complete objective may never be possible. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This shouldn't be surprising. Every human, every being, has its own outlook upon the world, how can we expect “objective” or “truth” to exist within that. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Honesty is my gold standard.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_UtooX2VeGQ-P7Bjnb3V8nj0pQ1ihiEvb_1ubBn7kYcpbKUB7YPowM0qVfe5WiYgV3m1l219B-rVwoLAIcF2jdlM2ioRNGUGUI7W0cCYv4B9BKAzbMeMswtPW0YtFN8WXVSm1F6RjsQWw206bHudoPzAjxT3xEPlLSu45UBB8JZJTC1Lbyg-2L5TY-I/s1546/IMG_DAUT_9:3_eastern%20slope%20hogbacks.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1440" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_UtooX2VeGQ-P7Bjnb3V8nj0pQ1ihiEvb_1ubBn7kYcpbKUB7YPowM0qVfe5WiYgV3m1l219B-rVwoLAIcF2jdlM2ioRNGUGUI7W0cCYv4B9BKAzbMeMswtPW0YtFN8WXVSm1F6RjsQWw206bHudoPzAjxT3xEPlLSu45UBB8JZJTC1Lbyg-2L5TY-I/w425-h456/IMG_DAUT_9:3_eastern%20slope%20hogbacks.png" title="Eastern slope hogback" width="425" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 9, Conclusion, Pooling our thoughts</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b1 “So where do we go from here? If our goal is to understand what Reality is, as we stated at the beginning of this book, it may seem like a fool’s errand. …”</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I don’t think it’s a fool’s errand. It begins with a one, two punch. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Appreciating the Human Mind ~ Physical Reality divide, and gathering a better awareness of yourself via an evolutionary understanding of where your consciousness comes from, namely your own body. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Consider your legs and feet, arms and hands, like no other creature, carrying a superb skull. Your body is populated with sensing organs and topped with the most complex organ in all of known creation. Your brain orchestrates the show, that is your body interacting with the world and itself, with consciousness being the internal chatter that you hear and more that you don't hear. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Consciousness is no cosmic gift to Earth, it’s endless generations of biological change in reaction to what was happening here on Earth. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then comes our mind, your thoughts, your me, myself and I, the thing called consciousness, or soul, it is produced by your living biological body/brain, and the better you understand that, the healthier and content you are apt to be. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Consciousness is your Evolutionary heritage. </b>For any creature to function it needed to communicate with itself and also to command its various components to do the correct job, at the correct moments, or it would have never survived to begin with. <b>That’s the bottomline, philosophical pronouncements not withstanding, we have consciousness because we could have never evolved without it! </b></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I mean neuroscientists are filming consciousness in action and it’s still not enough to satisfied philosopher’s impossibly “hard” problem contrivance. For me, that's an example of self-absorbed and expecting Nature to prove itself to us.<b> I prefer pragmatic interpretation of the evidence at hand, while remaining ready to incorporate new information as it becomes available.</b></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b14 “But this is still only the way that we can envision it, because we are limited to concepts in three dimensions … But of course, all this is only a concept.”</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b15 “As I may have mentioned once before, concepts are not Reality. …”</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b19 “ Yes, embracing the whole is complicated, messy, and incomprehensible at time. Yes, in order to see the larger Reality we must see pain and injustice and destruction. We must see the dark side of ourselves in order to see the light. But we will never see Reality by refusing to see any part of it. …</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’d encourage you to read Mr. Daut’s book and his conclusion chapter for yourself, I’ve chosen to side step the most of it here because I want this to remain focused on better conveying my Earth Centrist’s outlook.</span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b20 “In this book I have tried to capture a part of that collective striving toward understanding Reality. I hope that the concepts contained herein provide a reasonable map of two of those fingers - science and Buddhism - in their ongoing quest to point us toward the moon of Reality. I also hope that this book has piqued your interest for further study and provides a starting point for that study.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px; text-align: right;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGgFxCMmjYbwSxa3Ie4jsGeLsWgUHpZoYdHobGfNvOgqRaac0IqsLpAyY6w43ZRix-eWzPGJAA44-FSXRNqtCwTGQ5DQmO_T6cVgI4M4HOxguVFlkp_2U7AjVclXpBlX2oj9KU4xGOR_ZEY5lPab4RlHtYXVxvfpGoD_K92_U3bZtkeXACkSZUDiyatk/s1440/IMG_DAUT_9:4_The%20party's%20over,%20.%20.%20..png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1440" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGgFxCMmjYbwSxa3Ie4jsGeLsWgUHpZoYdHobGfNvOgqRaac0IqsLpAyY6w43ZRix-eWzPGJAA44-FSXRNqtCwTGQ5DQmO_T6cVgI4M4HOxguVFlkp_2U7AjVclXpBlX2oj9KU4xGOR_ZEY5lPab4RlHtYXVxvfpGoD_K92_U3bZtkeXACkSZUDiyatk/w469-h155/IMG_DAUT_9:4_The%20party's%20over,%20.%20.%20..png" title="the party is over the room is empty" width="469" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;">That’s about it Steve, </span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;">I appreciate your hospitality and our occasional email exchanges. Your book has been a wonderful discussion mate. Looking back on my pages, I feel my time was well spent. I do lean in on a couple items, but I also appreciate you were a messenger and those often repeated memes have been disturbed me for a great many years. </span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Thanks for stopping in at the </i><a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/about-the-introduce-yourself-category/11/39"><i>CFI Forum</i></a><i> and starting the ball rolling on this little personal journey. Thank you for writing out these concepts and I thank you for allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with your book. </i></span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact </i><b><i><a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steve Daut</a></i></b><i>.</i></span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPPRJwoiS-iBovGobGXsq07l5ElZZ5mamFe1OgfdtL_gZzK4oJwg2dPr4AjMkFnLQvk0pEAhy70OATv6gvRzX9bzWQoKQ-gYaJoMtnsXTFAre6DdRmusFmqQs1v6xrZMN12niSdOu2EfghejExQhzObgpJ3x3q2twVk5lGs_mmcZ8ntoRa30Fa8k1JKo/s1440/IMG_DAUT_9:5_sea%20shells.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="1440" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPPRJwoiS-iBovGobGXsq07l5ElZZ5mamFe1OgfdtL_gZzK4oJwg2dPr4AjMkFnLQvk0pEAhy70OATv6gvRzX9bzWQoKQ-gYaJoMtnsXTFAre6DdRmusFmqQs1v6xrZMN12niSdOu2EfghejExQhzObgpJ3x3q2twVk5lGs_mmcZ8ntoRa30Fa8k1JKo/w441-h142/IMG_DAUT_9:5_sea%20shells.png" title="sea shells" width="441" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">This has been another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">honing concepts and descriptions.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">Offering food for thought.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i>Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #6b006d; font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i>citizenschallenge at gmail</i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></p><div><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-3191256352531921652023-07-24T11:26:00.021-07:002023-12-03T22:02:17.090-08:009/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science of the Mind (Steve Daut)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdm4uLYgQygYINY15rc_0BB7qD1JCa_Okzm8K3zZbQwz_9GgvjT-PacEeSX9zl9d9odHC5n2UvR55yGszN-GTnSv8Ghs-bfK-6D9HUu7Dvqvwe_qSRWNkSJ1izk4x0RTFDQ4-Vn_u2-RyBjlUwamvaXYs2qskLazUGIyDODp5l7ahhbplQFDqoJGBjEA/s2710/IMG_DAUT_8:1_Kokopeli.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="2710" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdm4uLYgQygYINY15rc_0BB7qD1JCa_Okzm8K3zZbQwz_9GgvjT-PacEeSX9zl9d9odHC5n2UvR55yGszN-GTnSv8Ghs-bfK-6D9HUu7Dvqvwe_qSRWNkSJ1izk4x0RTFDQ4-Vn_u2-RyBjlUwamvaXYs2qskLazUGIyDODp5l7ahhbplQFDqoJGBjEA/w461-h95/IMG_DAUT_8:1_Kokopeli.png" title="Kokopelli" width="461" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_____________________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 8, Buddha Science, Science of the mind</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_____________________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjTVOBx92wMT9bRQCDyZFNFugkrTc-Oc1Ctc-aP85vAucRGkNqXYZS-FXeK8MlhTAoFcTq30Q0QvZdKff9a3tvgT37dRd8P7T-EnxzYK6ea3qs9lG2bB_hY1csZNYSdy264tVmy9HUuxZ3Ib3eVhQRI77lYNNCwCyn_SG3gfT6NNr3t-qcxJg2A0LAyc/s2100/IMG_DAUT_8:2_Stare%20into%2040%20Ape%20Faces.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©James Mollison (www.jamesmollison.com)" border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="2100" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjTVOBx92wMT9bRQCDyZFNFugkrTc-Oc1Ctc-aP85vAucRGkNqXYZS-FXeK8MlhTAoFcTq30Q0QvZdKff9a3tvgT37dRd8P7T-EnxzYK6ea3qs9lG2bB_hY1csZNYSdy264tVmy9HUuxZ3Ib3eVhQRI77lYNNCwCyn_SG3gfT6NNr3t-qcxJg2A0LAyc/w428-h282/IMG_DAUT_8:2_Stare%20into%2040%20Ape%20Faces.png" title="The Atlantic, August 16, 2010 (article by A.C. Madrigal)" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 8a, Science of the mind, </span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">To be or not to be an animal?</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a1 “Ever since Darwin began the evolution revolution, we have struggled to apply or reject “survive of the fittest” to the progress of society . …”</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a2 “The middle way of Buddhism escapes this dilemma by taking the approach that if we see and recognize our true (Buddha) nature we’ll understand that our animal nature does not give us a true picture of Reality. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Think about those words, our “Buddha nature” and our "Animal nature.” What do they actually say about what we are? </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Animal nature sounds like something bestowed upon us. But the fact is, we are evolved biological sensing creatures. Our bodies are animal nature through and through. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Our bodies and brains are much like most other mammalian brains, but <a href="https://www.ukri.org/news/how-humans-develop-larger-brains-than-other-apes/" target="_blank">with a slight twist</a> that made all the difference in the world. Perhaps this is the source of our </span>developed Buddha Nature.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Folds within folds. Rather than simply being aware of our world, we gained the facility to remember, to file away, to recall with increasing efficiency. We enhanced those facilities with effective learning, weaving together memories, calculating into the future and dreaming. Each advance building upon previous achievements. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Until our human/Buddha mind learned to tame, or at least strive to <i>somewhat</i> tame our animal nature.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶ “We’ll see that our thoughts and ideas are merely conceptions, a result of causes and conditions. …”<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fair enough.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a4 “This approach follows from the scientific idea that we can separate ourselves from our objects of study, even if that object is ourselves. … subject and object of study, … or do our minds function at such an unconscious and instinctual level that we can never remove the “log from our own eyes” In order to clearly? If the log is invisible to us, is it still possible to remove ourselves sufficiently to see it in the eyes of others.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Excellent point. Subordinating the Ego making honest understanding the priority. Making the willful choice to evaluate as much information as available. Fact driven outcomes, dealing with the cards where they fall, learning from one’s own mistakes, licking wounds and moving on.</b></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a7 “Buddha Science says that the reason we cling and therefore suffer is that we fail to see the world clearly. We do not see the impermanence of pleasure. …</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It doesn’t work that way for an Earth Centrist, we savor the passage time and rhythms of life. Appreciating that I am the product of millions of generations worth of change, my animal body and the mind it created. A mind capable of imagining deep time and Earth's pageant of Evolution.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A most amazing animal, capable of introspection, learning, memory and recall, one with a mind driven by a body/brain built for mastering the world. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From my perspective the Buddha Nature grew out of countless generations of experience. When a new ability entered our lineage’s repertoire, the ability to stop our impulse to act, to process thoughts first, then act. It was the birth of complex planning and will-power.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms" target="_blank">Dr. Mark Solms</a> explains, we humans may not have <b>Free Will</b>, but, we have evolved a <b>Free Won’t ! </b>That is, slowing down internal time for a moment, taking a few beats; “considering” options and consequences - allowing the feeling that those “considerations” elicit, to dictate one's actions, as opposed to being a slave to reflex action.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a12 “Buddha did not present the eightfold path as a way to perpetuate society but as a way to eliminate suffering in the world. It was not a formula to eliminate physical pain and illness, but <b>to eliminate the sense of dissatisfaction we experience when life does not meet our mental image of what it should be </b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s a good point. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Earlier I shared my idea that “expectations” was perhaps our greatest source of unhappiness.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a13 “What is craving for existence? In general, it is the need to cling to our beliefs in an unchanging and permanent self.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To deeply appreciate what it means to be an evolved biological animal with a body/brain, mind and the product of Earth’s Evolution.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That was an amazing clarifying moment for me, a lot of lingering loose ends regarding philosophical pronouncements and religious lines of thought, pretty well dissolved into a fully coherent understanding, one that pre-modern philosophers couldn't have possibly dreamt of. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Getting used to the impermanence of life is a fundamental part of growing up.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For you the person, life means as much, or as little, as you yourself choose. </span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My choice has been to nurture my curiosity and growing awareness that I was endowed with, and to enjoy this fantastical Earth and her creatures as well as I can during my moment of existence, and it has been a heck of good ride.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a16 “The self that we consciously think of is not only constantly changing and inconsistent, but it represents a mere fraction of the complex processes that drive our actions, thoughts, and beliefs. … </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seems self evident. How else could it be?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Take comfort, if you keep doing the homework, you can’t help but grow.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>… The modular model suggest that, whether we are consciously aware of it or not, we are genetically programmed to prefer actions and hold beliefs in concepts that will help our genes survive. … Buddha Science says: we crave existence.” </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We needed to, or we’d have become someone’s lunch long ago.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>(Next paragraphs get into addiction & recovery. It’s interesting enough, but beyond my scope, so I’m moving on.)</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a29 “In the previous chapters, we began from the scientific perspective of objective measure and looked at how the observation of Buddha Science related to those findings. You may have noticed that so far in this chapter, we have taken the opposite approach. We started from the Four Noble Truths of this Buddha and asked if they were consistent with psychological findings. We have taken this approach for three reasons: … (see page 107) </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a30 “Is there a way to get at this more directly, a way to look at some physical systems to understanding the nature of the brain, mind, and perhaps of consciousness itself? …</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Interesting but beyond</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> my s</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">cope, you need to step up to the likes of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk" target="_blank">Dr. Solms </a>and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA_EJiB_6tk" target="_blank">Dr. Damasia</a> for anything substantively interesting and useful.</span></i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H5b7SZKBl6VqY3bsCUfn6MKc0G2gE_GtfmzRrti25w7VSd__A66cV5QecxdEGgOSH6y1F89Nc3zZMJUamHoxiPRRYTwp5RjSDt3zx_KQRUEnjGssx0IpD2wCcp7cnOiCF0WY7LBpMkS0h1LzGT_N__4oZFtXBXX5IEjkj0dHSFRj4FYrEC6lPPVnzM8/s2544/IMG_DAUT_8:2_lil%20B.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="2544" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H5b7SZKBl6VqY3bsCUfn6MKc0G2gE_GtfmzRrti25w7VSd__A66cV5QecxdEGgOSH6y1F89Nc3zZMJUamHoxiPRRYTwp5RjSDt3zx_KQRUEnjGssx0IpD2wCcp7cnOiCF0WY7LBpMkS0h1LzGT_N__4oZFtXBXX5IEjkj0dHSFRj4FYrEC6lPPVnzM8/w486-h94/IMG_DAUT_8:2_lil%20B.png" title="baby's intent focus" width="486" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 8b, Science of the mind, </span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Brains and minds and self, oh my!</span></b></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Not much for me here, though I can offer links to a few excellent lectures by genuine pioneering experts, take a listen and see how it's consistent with the drift of Daut's story and Earth Centrism</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b1 “First, what do we mean by brain, mind, and consciousness? … the soft nervous tissue… coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity. …”</span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-1etGWVvb8" target="_blank">Consciousness and the Mind Body Connection – Professor Mark Solms </a></b> (March 25, 2022)</span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b2 “Definitions of mind are more variable, … the totality of conscious and unconscious brain processes and activity. …”</span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a5p1_7_Hug" target="_blank">Antonio Damasio on Feelings, Thoughts, and the Evolution of Humanity</a> </b> (April 29, 2019)<b> </b></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LD13O7dkHc" target="_blank">Self comes to mind. A dialogue with Antonio Damasio</a> </b>(October 15, 2014)</span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 8px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b3 “Consciousness is the most problematic of the three, … the property that allows us to be aware of the physical mental activities that we are performing. …”</span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrMZlrtbXUM" target="_blank">What Do Our Brains Do When We're Dreaming?</a> -</b> Mark Solms ( July 22, 2021)</span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b4 “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Wolcott_Sperry">Roger Wolcott Sperry </a>(1969) understood consciousness to be a special kind of property that is itself non-physical, but which emerges from physical systems, such as the brain, once it attains a certain level of activity. … consciousness as an emergent property of the brain.”</span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdug0wAgd4" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Split Brain Research - Biological Psychology - Biological Psychology</a><b> </b>(April 1, 2019)</span> </p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><br /></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b6 “<a href="https://www.alanwallace.org/">B. Allen Wallace</a> has said that the mind itself is an emergent process, though its source my not be purely physical. ..."</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mind’s source is the biology of body/brain interacting with physical Reality, as for the Mind itself, that’s what’s ‘not purely physical,' is it?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">¶b7 “If consciousness is defined as “the self in the act of knowing” as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMrzdk_YnYY" target="_blank">neurologist Antonio Damasio</a> suggests and if “self” is a dynamic, emergent process rather than a static one, permanent thing, then by the time we know what a specific moment of consciousness was, it has already changed. ..."</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As children we are intrigued by the clock’s second hand, never stopping, soon as you call out the time, it moves and a new time comes around, never ending.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There was never a motion picture made that wasn’t a collection of single images, yet </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>when played back over time, </span><span>they tell a coherent changing story. Which is about the only way to tell a story that I know of. </span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How else are our brains going to deal with the constant movement that is life?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b8 “… How do we get from the purely physical processes in the brain to the emergent properties of mind and consciousness?”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b9 “You’ll note that by asking the question in this way, we’re making the assumption that consciousness is somehow related to physical phenomena, rather than as some sort of universal property that exist independent of the physical universe."</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me that’s simple. Consciousness serves a purpose. Out there in the vast reaches of space the only thing unfolding is the cosmic interplay of gravity and physics in motion, no need to think, or decide - physics already dictates everything. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Only where biology springs into existence, is there a chance for life. Only with life is there the need for consciousness.</span></b></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Evolution wouldn’t have made it to first base, without time and creature awareness driving increasing consciousness.</span></b></p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yTWnW8t73w" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Dr.</a> <a href="https://thisviewoflife.com/profile/david-sloan-wilson/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">David</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sloan_Wilson" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sloan</a> <a href="https://davidsloanwilson.world/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wilson</a> explains <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwrqd_N2Hqg" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><u>Evolution's relevance to our lives</u></a>.</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></b></span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b10 “… However, because mental formations are involved, consciousness does not arise purely from the brain either. …”</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4leWJa1PPwM3sCwzoFyvU-z_uaAWWvktmHOR0dAVmgWqScvW0cGmgAeAqwDFc9O1QgJnLO-6A2h90LB2uI4qgX5YtX4TK4Q8beqtWGSmJXKeBQn1Zf_5xnous0MdwfMCAa1qDMUA5MCLnRNidoMVCAsLggq-CeYOuWfVkjlO_9EWy5YN80BW6LESTug/s2184/IMG_DAUT_8:3_Lil%20B%20n%20me,%20June%2018,%202019%20(~6wk)May8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="2184" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4leWJa1PPwM3sCwzoFyvU-z_uaAWWvktmHOR0dAVmgWqScvW0cGmgAeAqwDFc9O1QgJnLO-6A2h90LB2uI4qgX5YtX4TK4Q8beqtWGSmJXKeBQn1Zf_5xnous0MdwfMCAa1qDMUA5MCLnRNidoMVCAsLggq-CeYOuWfVkjlO_9EWy5YN80BW6LESTug/w463-h201/IMG_DAUT_8:3_Lil%20B%20n%20me,%20June%2018,%202019%20(~6wk)May8.png" title="with a pal" width="463" /></a></div><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Consciousness is a choreography between body, brain, interacting with senses, interacting with the environment, and itself, interacting with the situation of the moment, then moving on to the next.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"> “… What we <b>don’t know is whether one gives rise to the other</b>, or if they are related in some other way.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Evolution on Earth is all about complex interwoven web of feedback loops and environments, no one component gives rise to anything. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Isn’t it more likely a matter of time and each playing its role and collectively giving rise to each other, enabling, engaging, cooperating, competing, which drives change?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b11 “One way to study consciousness is to try and create emergent behaviors within computers.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s interesting as mathematical computing challenges, but I’m <i><span style="color: #666666;">(as are increasing numbers of scientists)</span></i> convinced it'll require an evolutionary-biological-genetic-historical approach to understand how evolved creatures found solutions to survival challenges, and it’s this interaction that drove creatures towards ever higher levels of awareness… ultimately arriving at today’s consciousness spectrum within Earth's animal kingdom.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b15 “Another factor that makes the brain different from computers stems from the basic structure of the brain itself. Brain is not a static piece of hardware, but an organic and interconnected cellular structure.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The brain is way more physically connected to our entire body than most folks appreciate. We are, in turn, more inter-connected to our respective environments, than most appreciate. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="color: #666666;">(to our own detriment on both counts)</span></i></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b18 “First of all, we know that there is definitely a link between brain and consciousness. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay, so that’s settled.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b22 “The point is: we have no idea what the physical world actually is, <b>we only know how our bodies can sense it through equipment we have available to us</b>. … (then on to sense the world)”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of my points, exactly.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b31 “… As we suggested before, it is certainly possible that there is something out there called consciousness that exists independent of our brains, and that our brains are merely receptors of that consciousness, like a radio picking up electromagnetic waves from the air. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How? To what Purpose? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Why is such a thing "certainly possible" out there? Please think it through.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where is the transmitter for this consciousness? How does it know what to transmit? For that matter, w</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>hat's to sent it</span><span>? How does that transmission know to coincide and keep up with the flood of varied physical and mental incidents that fill our days. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We need to spend more time really thinking about what consciousness is for. Consciousness is all about processing the experiences of a body to help it get through the day and get on with survival. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How can any cosmic something relate to our complexity? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bodies reacting to the moment, in a real physical world full of unpredictable happenings. A world where an infinite array of consciousness interactions occur every moment, with many of them leading to</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>unanticipated</span><span> cascading consequences with further </span><span>unintended</span><span> consequences and so on. </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b34 “In his book, The "Self-Aware Universe”, physicist Amit Goswami <a href="https://www.scaruffi.com/mind/goswami.html">holds the view</a> that consciousness creates the physical world, and that the universe itself has conscious awareness. … He proposes that the universe exist only in a state of subatomic phenomena which collapses into a particular state once an observer is introduced. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s the stuff of religion and philosophy, not science. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As for just so stories, I have my own imagined creation myth to toss into the collection plate:</span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>It has been written:</i></span> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>"God, having no body, can only know God’s creation via the sensory/processing abilities of God’s creatures. </i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Creation is all about God constantly striving toward ever better awareness.</i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>God kept striving, appreciating every advance, but always wanting more.</i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Then success, only through human eyes and longing and greed could God truly appraise the magnificence of God’s creation. And glory in God's own creation.</i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>We are the Eyes of the Universe.</i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Sadly, God got too absorbed in God’s own self-glorification.</i></span> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>God forgot all about bestowing some wisdom into the hearts and minds of God’s most magnificent creature, these human beings. </i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>It doesn’t have a happy ending. " </i></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But that has nothing to do with facts, or science, it's a fiction like a million others we construct.</span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b36 “Over the millennia, we have developed many tools to help us understand bits and pieces of Reality, tools such as Buddha Science, formal scientific pursuits, philosophical, metaphysical, and religious. The best we can do is try to piece together the understanding gained from these various pursuits, and try to develop a better map, a map that may look a little more like the terrain of Reality than the one we have today.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b37 “In the concluding chapter, we will try to pull together what we have discussed here, and provide some thoughts and speculation about where we may be headed as we knit together these bits and pieces to try and answer the question we posed at the beginning of this book - What is Reality?</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="people being people" border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="1440" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPrCs-hbiFXbQKzAWHRp9V0y3SdYGPx7TAcPQhYGhF5FUgvXmDZmvYY0kVR6XUQmE0W8zEZmjsCjwq4bDkd5HXTB8LS9mADmsRG01nZWZHAqndixzZ-99oB6-zO9hGn6NhHQn3AgAPbmhqTvKbQSJCu2tryidrlNi1U2p0IWWmO83EI55CiDepXKUnlU/w490-h86/IMG_DAUT_8:5_people%20being%20people.png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="490" /></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i></i></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">I appreciate Steve Daut for writing out these concepts and I thank him for allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with his book. </span></i></p>
<blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>Steve Daut</b></a>: </span></i></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"></a></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></i> </p></blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"><i><span style="color: #666666;"></span></i></a></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">______________________________</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-80882486687903780212023-07-24T07:37:00.004-07:002023-07-29T09:40:24.417-07:008/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science of Life (Steve Daut) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVH5aWeyaVuPbdykvkvd96-yYI1mlahtrcuesTGCtpBFxyM1F-yPqluXkPDla9L9MGAEtv9E4-iMu64Yyhm5gxbYUAKEy3oxnx7jDcGng5BEO6_IuAcLsft3rRV14Speq4-kUBCcnrC0ofjDeBiFBz3vWF4kx74sJ9umZZ9jeXc8g6QyGsNaJOkCe3WHY/s2250/IMG_DAUT_7:1_Maddy%20big%20brown%20peepers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="2250" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVH5aWeyaVuPbdykvkvd96-yYI1mlahtrcuesTGCtpBFxyM1F-yPqluXkPDla9L9MGAEtv9E4-iMu64Yyhm5gxbYUAKEy3oxnx7jDcGng5BEO6_IuAcLsft3rRV14Speq4-kUBCcnrC0ofjDeBiFBz3vWF4kx74sJ9umZZ9jeXc8g6QyGsNaJOkCe3WHY/w481-h138/IMG_DAUT_7:1_Maddy%20big%20brown%20peepers.png" width="481" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">_____________________________________</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 7, Buddha Science, Science of Life</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">(edited July 29)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">__________________________________________________</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufogi-ezmsrbxLhu-YwSy0_Sxzookg-BAnWpMvlBB51_VPp2H_xjbqLBCor1J3RNspswsKnkptieeYRFHYJCpR7paRAEIHIM0iioqpXvPPEEsgDqnybcMwXNJE8gzmVtCNlRYqWnGnFmtFAyre8ua_admwNC0xK5d1bvalogqt6dFh5g-bBoow7afmEQ/s2200/IMG_DAUT_7:2%20_Frog%20pass%20my%20way%20-%20computer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="2200" height="52" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufogi-ezmsrbxLhu-YwSy0_Sxzookg-BAnWpMvlBB51_VPp2H_xjbqLBCor1J3RNspswsKnkptieeYRFHYJCpR7paRAEIHIM0iioqpXvPPEEsgDqnybcMwXNJE8gzmVtCNlRYqWnGnFmtFAyre8ua_admwNC0xK5d1bvalogqt6dFh5g-bBoow7afmEQ/w476-h52/IMG_DAUT_7:2%20_Frog%20pass%20my%20way%20-%20computer.png" width="476" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 7a, Science of Life, That’s life, I can’t deny it</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a1 “Let’s begin with the most fundamental question: What is life, exactly? <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ward_(paleontologist)">Peter Ward</a>, “<a href="https://www.washington.edu/news/2005/11/03/life-as-we-do-not-know-it-uw-prof-wants-to-expand-tree-of-life/">Life as We Do Not Know It</a>,” … life is an emergent quality of a complex system, … </p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a2 “Carl Sagan and trying to define life. It’s been impossible. Capacity to change, ¶4 division between living and non-living, …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s a good question, but what do the answers actually offer us regular people in regard to our normal lives?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We live and experience. We know what life is and what death looks like, and what non-living material looks like, and that sometimes the boundaries get momentarily blurry. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then the hair splitting can begin. One could argue, biological life is never “dead” because, for instance, once a person dies, the microbial world takes over with an explosion of life forms that inhabit and consume the carcass, transforming it’s tissue back into constituent living biological elements, that are then reabsorbed into the next life form to come along. There is also time. It can turn living creatures into life-less rock fossils, only to be ground up again, then absorbed and utilized by another living creatures and so on. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still, for regular people why over complicate, or over dramatize? Life has more interesting aspects for wondering about.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a6 “Life in either sense requires balance, a chain of causes and conditions that allow life to emerge and sustain itself. … <b><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01969-y" target="_blank">James Lovelock, Gaia Theory</a></b>, Earth as interconnected complex living organism…”<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a10 “… the pattern of the individual cannot be separated from the broader pattern in the seed…. ¶11 patterns cross not only individual lives, but different life forms as well. … ¶12 individual organisms are constantly changing patterns. …¶13 what about cancer. …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Very true and all of major importance in trying to figure out life on Earth and our own place in the great scheme of things.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG124LlbkmznTPqw7matmLlndBS1yzSOc6PSOToFekhW7ZjfmlSng47VoS3WYB2n6GwrR-hH9iS52C_crTF4dHHHs4oRLpjg-jBN4aURG30ZOrSpT6YAd48hKVDfdAh_YM6lQHm_5GuW7mdXctt1JT22MZy4AJGum5y1ee_pXPr-hv6dX1n0eVGca9rU/s1440/IMG_DAUT_7:3_Rabbit%20wrong%20place,%20Eagle%20right%20time..png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1440" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG124LlbkmznTPqw7matmLlndBS1yzSOc6PSOToFekhW7ZjfmlSng47VoS3WYB2n6GwrR-hH9iS52C_crTF4dHHHs4oRLpjg-jBN4aURG30ZOrSpT6YAd48hKVDfdAh_YM6lQHm_5GuW7mdXctt1JT22MZy4AJGum5y1ee_pXPr-hv6dX1n0eVGca9rU/w466-h154/IMG_DAUT_7:3_Rabbit%20wrong%20place,%20Eagle%20right%20time..png" title="Rabbit, wrong place, Eagle, right time." width="466" /></a></b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">_________________________________________</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 7b, Science of Life, Karma Chamelions</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b1 “Not-self does not deny that there is a consciousness contained within the body, but it says that an autonomous and unchanging self is an illusion. …”</p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: large;">From my Earth Centrist evolution-appreciating-bottom-up perspective, I can’t conceive of the notion of anything being unchanging, let alone an “unchanging self.” </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It goes contrary to all of my experiences and expectations.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b2 “What about life as a whole? Is there some constant, unchanging essence to this universal quality of things we call alive . . .</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Unchanging” is a very tricky concept and leads to disappointment because nothing physical (or mental) is unchanging, principles might be unchanging, but the conditions those principles work on change. So we’re back with the only constant being change.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Poetically, it could be fairly said that life is simply slimly ancient ocean bottom that wanted to do better. Biology used every resource that geology and time has to offer, to explore and exploit possibilities. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Advancing as circumstances allowed, sometimes prospering, sometimes dying back. Change is the one thing, all things, can be sure of.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b5 “So how did all this come about? How did life emerge and evolve? …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s one of the beauties of these days. For the first time in human history we people have an evidence based, rational, harmonic, scientific understanding of Earth’s history, which is our history, with a story that is amazingly internally consistent.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This past century people have witnessed mind boggling advances across the board, unfortunately, none of it has helped us in the “wisdom” department. Here we are 2023 and we seem greedier and more blindly ruthless and thoughtlessly angry than ever.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">We understand human physiology and neurobiology to an astounding degree, including dramatic images of human consciousness processes in real time and a solid appreciation for consciousness being a product of complex biological systems. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Let's better absorb what all that information can telling us. </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b7 “… Parts of our anatomy can be traced directly through ancestral creatures that existed hundreds of millions of years ago. The biological, chemical, and physical interconnection of life can be considered a form of reincarnation. … In fact, as we will see in the next chapter even the Buddha diagnosis of suffering in the world can be explained through the science of evolutionary psychology.</p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(</span><i style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Check out <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms" target="_blank">Dr.</a></b> <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk" target="_blank">Solms</a></b> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Damasio" target="_blank"><b>Dr.</b></a> <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/antonio-damasio/" target="_blank"><b>Damasio</b></a> for more on consciousness from a biological perspective, <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yTWnW8t73w" target="_blank">Dr.</a></b> <b><a href="https://thisviewoflife.com/profile/david-sloan-wilson/" target="_blank">David</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sloan_Wilson" target="_blank">Sloan</a> <a href="https://davidsloanwilson.world" target="_blank">Wilson</a></b> for Evolution's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwrqd_N2Hqg" target="_blank">relevance to our lives</a>.</i></span> </p></blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5m16YrLw_JJDVaaUcQB9WtSaRydjOuRwo2SisT0rKkadzvqwZ4JT0Wm-xYMyYcd1GaWBI9U4S5PSUi7w9_exSzf2-fYC1b5DnPzlGXDaJq0kYzjU1XSuyDF0pMITQ_XeAy6cwUHssivWyhcCrcSYa9vUDC7yulK8rP6J3HM-ryB8EC_sZLHHGU_eIPM/s1440/IMG_DAUT_7:4_turkey%20&%20deer%20in%20the%20lower%20field.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="1440" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5m16YrLw_JJDVaaUcQB9WtSaRydjOuRwo2SisT0rKkadzvqwZ4JT0Wm-xYMyYcd1GaWBI9U4S5PSUi7w9_exSzf2-fYC1b5DnPzlGXDaJq0kYzjU1XSuyDF0pMITQ_XeAy6cwUHssivWyhcCrcSYa9vUDC7yulK8rP6J3HM-ryB8EC_sZLHHGU_eIPM/w474-h86/IMG_DAUT_7:4_turkey%20&%20deer%20in%20the%20lower%20field.png" width="474" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">________________________________________________________</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 7c, Science of Life, Out, standing in the field</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c1 “… Ecology is based on the scientific understanding that organism and their environment are inextricably interconnected. Not only does the environment affect the propagation, life, and distribution of organisms, but also organisms affect each other and their environmental surroundings. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Check.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c2 “Communities are critical to the survival of species and therefore of genes, but as communities impact their surroundings, the surroundings also impact the communities in never ending dynamic. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Check.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c8 “Though human beings, as a species, tend to judge these changes as good or bad for the environment, the environment itself doesn’t “care.” It simply adjusts to find new balance, or changes according to whatever new dynamic presents itself. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Check.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c9 “Humans inject intention into the equation. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c10 “… We evolved a degree of intelligence that allows us to use found objects as tools, to invent new tools, and radically alter our environment in order to raise our own food. …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Check.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c11 “What is intelligence? … composite of definitions:</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 63px;">The ability to learn through experience education, and training.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 63px;">The ability to pose problems, by recognizing there is an issue and forming a problem concept.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 63px;">The ability to solve problems by fashioning a solution to the problem as conceived.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c13 “… emergent behavior, … complexity studies, … However, the confusion may not be in the behavior itself, but in our concept of what intelligent behavior looks like.”</p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c16 “So the paradigm has changed. We have the ability to see and understand the interconnectivity of all living beings and the environment. We have the ability to see that there are far reaching effects of the decisions we make and the actions we take. ¶17, Yet, we persist in competing for resources …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">… and worse.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c18 “to explore these questions, <b>we need to look more closely at the way our minds work</b>, not only through observations of Buddha Science, but also through the lens of psychology and neuroscience. That will lead us into asking about consciousness itself. We will tackle these topics in the next chapter on the science of mind.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Recognizing the Human Mind ~ Physical Reality divide is about as fundamental as it gets. One of its first lessons is that Religion and Science are both products of our human mind, along with art, literature, music, etcetera. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNljfZXqdiTODnICdNzi4wwMnfjdIe5Yq-ai1uUnzBloDA6hKbHlGgbxbzEePmdzOXJ0lE2BK2fPpcZF6y0RN0_ojEwxdpP9j1QAOVXc0mdr5SFlBJXXa24Kw3UBDF9M9f_3e6toZo9oqfdnz5yJL_vBEENPIGklOOQjTgjpOmRLYKH0qVXL40-0A2nw/s1440/IMG_DAUT_7:5_Sandpipers,%20Folly%20Island.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="1440" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNljfZXqdiTODnICdNzi4wwMnfjdIe5Yq-ai1uUnzBloDA6hKbHlGgbxbzEePmdzOXJ0lE2BK2fPpcZF6y0RN0_ojEwxdpP9j1QAOVXc0mdr5SFlBJXXa24Kw3UBDF9M9f_3e6toZo9oqfdnz5yJL_vBEENPIGklOOQjTgjpOmRLYKH0qVXL40-0A2nw/w468-h102/IMG_DAUT_7:5_Sandpipers,%20Folly%20Island.png" title="Sandpipers" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">I appreciate Steve Daut for writing out these concepts and I thank him for allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with his book. </span></i></p>
<blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Steve Daut</a>: </span></i></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"></a></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></i> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk0LlDMOGWPPXouxlMd1qd7onx9bG0TbWIzzX-DTdcTg1aX_SN89IxHM8R77i2e-QwpadL_5rUgu9-V56ypgX-cOlxxxl25Ym4NF3iU20Qs9l46SkXO_6ifDaE6F56l3ZrHQb9Xlm06mrh-D8yoxCUOIAtPVr-oSf4rrIF8MoQBZ-V6F6bLKTY4ssjpU/s1440/IMG_DAUT_7:6_Maddy%20enjoying%20the%20river.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="1440" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk0LlDMOGWPPXouxlMd1qd7onx9bG0TbWIzzX-DTdcTg1aX_SN89IxHM8R77i2e-QwpadL_5rUgu9-V56ypgX-cOlxxxl25Ym4NF3iU20Qs9l46SkXO_6ifDaE6F56l3ZrHQb9Xlm06mrh-D8yoxCUOIAtPVr-oSf4rrIF8MoQBZ-V6F6bLKTY4ssjpU/w496-h68/IMG_DAUT_7:6_Maddy%20enjoying%20the%20river.png" title="Maddy enjoying river" width="496" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">________________________________________________________ </span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-73413994379782950892023-07-23T09:24:00.006-07:002023-07-29T09:18:31.072-07:007/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Physical Science (Steve Daut)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvZWUvd6JEeN8XzK9vHN3mKRaUcktkwpYXXIXxP5xgACBJBxIuDLOI1nxkJHJComyhi4GfV1R-a3ht214mlpP27Dw019rtjIbYUtMXB3xFORurQJwT2WXgp6wJQ1tc-R9IWGb7BE7-bHGDObvb0lkAOMQ4IJVUEFBMJ2WsmG4SLe_QlXfdxR0gJM52QU/s2248/IMG_Daut_6:1_Canyon%20De%20Chelly,%20AZ.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="2248" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvZWUvd6JEeN8XzK9vHN3mKRaUcktkwpYXXIXxP5xgACBJBxIuDLOI1nxkJHJComyhi4GfV1R-a3ht214mlpP27Dw019rtjIbYUtMXB3xFORurQJwT2WXgp6wJQ1tc-R9IWGb7BE7-bHGDObvb0lkAOMQ4IJVUEFBMJ2WsmG4SLe_QlXfdxR0gJM52QU/w566-h145/IMG_Daut_6:1_Canyon%20De%20Chelly,%20AZ.png" title="Canyon De Chelly, AZ" width="566" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 6, Buddha Science, Physical Science</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">(edited July 29)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Over the decades I've lost my enthusiasm for traveling physicist-philosopher speakers, especially the type that soften up their audience with fables about matter being 99.999999999% "nothing" - then go on to claim "human consciousness" is beyond the reach of biologists and neuroscientists and that it requires entertaining</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;"> cosmic sources, then spend endless hours discussing things that are frankly outside the realm of "science" and unprovable one way or another.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;">I prefer keeping to the basics that we can understand reasonably well, while recognizing entertaining speculation for the mythologizing that it is.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZMf7rMjUEZ9XitKpJf5wzJLytkZnWdHBbd79TwqPqzUTU6gHKE5b_r72zoxh3pYbcO7k7C03i8YAEsrc7Ea8ZThx4J2sS0B6GJzmmtoghFfONinj-XuWMLAmu_5IA0sNzUwZU1YnEaG8TNAE9oo-Jn7zZpD0v_c-iuoadnAckAKUCaDPIJLKAk5mQik/s2490/IMG_DAUT_6:%20,White%20House,%20Canyon%20De%20Chelly.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="2490" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZMf7rMjUEZ9XitKpJf5wzJLytkZnWdHBbd79TwqPqzUTU6gHKE5b_r72zoxh3pYbcO7k7C03i8YAEsrc7Ea8ZThx4J2sS0B6GJzmmtoghFfONinj-XuWMLAmu_5IA0sNzUwZU1YnEaG8TNAE9oo-Jn7zZpD0v_c-iuoadnAckAKUCaDPIJLKAk5mQik/w609-h114/IMG_DAUT_6:%20,White%20House,%20Canyon%20De%20Chelly.png" title="Canyon De Chelly, The White House" width="609" /></a></p><p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 6a, Physical Science, It’s all relative</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a1 “… one of the early lessons instructors often teach in basic science courses is that trying to apply common sense to scientific study introduce bias into the results.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a3 “… now it’s time to tackle the other two recent and revolutionary discoveries of science, relativity theory and quantum mechanics, …” </p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a27 “… All of this may contradict common sense, <b>but the problem is not what the world does. It is the concepts we form around it.</b> The universe is the way it is, whether we like it or not. My basic scientific training was correct - let go of common sense. The Buddha would approve. </p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><b><i>Common sense is only the boat that allows us to deal with the day-to-day world. To gain a deeper understanding of the world, we must leave that boat at the shore.</i></b>”</p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">That does sound very romantics, but let’s not forget we live on this shore: four dimensions and bodies that confine us - not in the netherworld of quantum reality and Schrödinger’s Cat. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">A land that only our imagination can visit. Here's an example of what we choose to be present to, limiting us. The details and discrepancies of the quantum world matter very much to the rarified world of experts with their bombs and nuclear accelerators and reactors and what not. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">But there's something resoundingly disingenuously artificial about transforming quantum weirdness - that's happen down at the limits of tiny, where matter and pure energy mingle, (<i>having no bearing on our lives beyond creating the foundation for atoms and molecules and the laws of physics</i>) - into a tool of psychological manipulation. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Sure there's a quantum echo in the fabric of our lives, but it's not enough to justify tricking our modern minds into imagining matter is 99.999999999% nothing; or that </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Schrödinger’s</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"> cat creates some existential crisis for us and our senses,; or that "The End of Reality" is nigh, because some mathematicians' formulas turn to mush, and other such fancies. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">It's taking metaphor too far and blinds us, as the current state of global society and its affairs attests to. </span></span></p><p></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 6b, Physical Science, Buddha meet Shrödinger’s Cat in a Bar</span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvk3_S_wyT-OXs8o8yKO1zmUiO7la5P4Ptls0GxpJV86GCRYs4z88Kn_jfIpm5fumR5ONujlX5uT-SpZ1zgXjpcn6d6s78IRP7-zD5xnUTNsTij3NBVGOxqOHBosXXBI0NowPVhb-WwyPFSzJbs7QEwzJJdPUfIyRHrB1NzF86mFE-xRPnODVNUl374I/s2246/IMG_Daut%206:2_Shro%CC%88dinger%E2%80%99s%20Cat%20in%20a%20Bar.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="2246" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvk3_S_wyT-OXs8o8yKO1zmUiO7la5P4Ptls0GxpJV86GCRYs4z88Kn_jfIpm5fumR5ONujlX5uT-SpZ1zgXjpcn6d6s78IRP7-zD5xnUTNsTij3NBVGOxqOHBosXXBI0NowPVhb-WwyPFSzJbs7QEwzJJdPUfIyRHrB1NzF86mFE-xRPnODVNUl374I/w320-h157/IMG_Daut%206:2_Shro%CC%88dinger%E2%80%99s%20Cat%20in%20a%20Bar.png" title="Shrödinger’s Cat at the Bar" width="320" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b2 “At the broadest level, the world of quantum physics show us two very distinct levels of reality - that of the day-to-day observations where things seem definable and solid, and a reality of undefined potential, where individual things do not exist, and even the ideas of space and time are only illusions*. Once again, this is a realm that we can only try to understand by forming concepts, (that simply allow a glimpse of this reality.)</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… This quantum Reality underlies and is included in everything we know, measure, understand and experience. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Right. At the level of the absolute tiniest of tiny, right at the boundary of matter and free energy. Shouldn’t we expect things to be very strange down there?</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The exact size of objects in the Quantum Realm is unclear, but it's shown that reaching it requires characters to shrink smaller than a proton, which has a <span style="color: #050a1e;">diameter around 1.7/10¹⁵ meters</span>. That's around 10 million times smaller than the smallest virus.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(<a href="https://medium.com/whiteboard-to-infinity/could-the-quantum-realm-exist-1b3e0d6e152d#:~:text=The%20exact%20size%20of%20objects,smaller%20than%20the%20smallest%20virus.">medium.com</a>)</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b3 (Introducing Erwin Schrödinger and early days of physics., … ¶4 Max Planck … ¶5 quantum physics, the mystery of light, ¶6 effect of heat on metal, discovering quantized electrons and photons, waves particles, ¶9 superposition, quantum computers, ¶11 Schrödinger’s Cat makes its dramatic obligatory entrance.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Schrödinger’s Cat consists of a few imaginary atomic particles, there’s never been a cat, <b>and atomic covalence shells are anything but "empty space."</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Scale matters! </b> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quantum Weirdness makes for great mind-experiments and storytelling, but not so much for constructive clarification of our fundamental human questions and condition. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you’re not an expert, it’s all mind candy and putty for your preconceptions.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b12 “… a good description of the Buddhist view of two levels of Reality. Non-dual a state of unlimited and formless potential, is collapsed by our concerns into the dual world that we experience. …“</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b13 “… entanglement… that pairs of particles can act as a system . . .”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b17 “There is no mathematical reason that time needs to only move forward, but probability theory strongly points to a tendency . . .? ¶19 <b>Why does time always move forward? </b> After all the underlying laws of physics work the same forward or backward in time. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, this is an example of what it means to get lost within the mindscape. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s a mathematical challenge, a mental game, nothing more.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From its inception this universe has done nothing but move forward and expand. How could time do any differently then move forward, even if the speed isn’t constant?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Reversing course can only happen once the cosmic pulse totally expends itself and the universe starts imploding. If there's anything to implode. Even then, to say that means time will then be running backwards is a guess, it’s not like the spin of atoms will suddenly reverse. If anything atoms would sort of dissolve and time would end altogether, or?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b22 “… Higgs boson, … gravity waves, … ¶24 Buddha Science, no beginning no end, … Big Bang, … ¶24 Something from nothing, … ¶26 dark matter and energy, …¶27 David Bohm, …”<br />
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<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b28 “Even though the two fingers, science and Buddha Science, may be pointing toward a common view of what our universe is and the basic building blocks that underlie it, we need not go soaring into the universe or shrink down to subatomic size to find mystery. One of the most profound mysteries awaits: that of life itself. Trying to sort out the distinction between matter and energy and mass, time and space is one thing, but how do we understand life? What is life, exactly? How did it come about, and how did it become what it is today? In the next chapter, we will begin pointing our finger toward the mystery we call life.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don’t let my short shrift mislead. This was an interesting chapter that did a good job of covering a lot of bases and it’s worth a focused read. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thing is, with me, I started earnestly learning about this history of physics & quantum philosophy and various lines of arguments during the seventies. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since then geology and biology and astronomy have kept regularly blowing us away and increasing our understanding in amazing ways. But the philosophical physics end of it, feels like it’s been stuck dancing around the same old May Pole.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Instead of debates that are important to understanding ourselves and what we’re doing to our own life support systems, the brainiacs are debating the End of Time and Reality because some complex mathematical formulas break down, meaning they can’t figure out what’s inside the tiniest crevice of the tiniest particle, which isn’t even a particle, it’s a smug of energy spinning at crazy speeds.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All the while we haven’t developed the common sense to recognize and slow down our own self destructive tendencies, nor how to nurture each other, let alone this planet that sustains us, and that we depend on for everything.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">___________________________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">I thank Steve Daut for writing out these concepts and allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with his book. I encourage you to read his complete book.</span></p>
<blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>Steve Daut</b></a>: </span></i></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmgkV1IKiueMQM_NOrJJ0WWxJGKu2Osxj8DyGsg398K8zLYCbTtx5PrIFp1tHbc1PEpdzJpnFtdvsGsaVd6P9Al5JpRYlmQ1i-OnLlU5x41zpgYPCjiBW5QiDKvxzQdOUGv14LQGhhiL65amnpZ70WrXavTG5pQ91pVHNqB3_wxlhkUrlwq06Njtxp6A/s2114/IMG_DAUT_6:4_55%20Million%20year%20discontinuity,%20Canyon%20De%20Chelly%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A 55 million year unconformity, Canyon De Chelly" border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2114" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmgkV1IKiueMQM_NOrJJ0WWxJGKu2Osxj8DyGsg398K8zLYCbTtx5PrIFp1tHbc1PEpdzJpnFtdvsGsaVd6P9Al5JpRYlmQ1i-OnLlU5x41zpgYPCjiBW5QiDKvxzQdOUGv14LQGhhiL65amnpZ70WrXavTG5pQ91pVHNqB3_wxlhkUrlwq06Njtxp6A/w320-h212/IMG_DAUT_6:4_55%20Million%20year%20discontinuity,%20Canyon%20De%20Chelly%20.png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"></a></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></i> </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRXkfSed-fMKqX9d4oDzLT8i7AsTJK6APeXZfGu8ab2ySi2W82RBtrIT9nRQYBPF4cb06mBX1FUhYOxO7f8_nIA47oM2le5rMd43UAP9YHNNhJXFMq83PT9-zpHWM84CkHI1-Z9r1mqOvncVSFBNM1wavI_zpzGvFnEAkxHeLRmDQ9rEdlNWUstRrCyo/s2238/IMG_DAUT_6:5Canyon%20DeChelley_55%20Million%20year%20gap_%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="2238" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRXkfSed-fMKqX9d4oDzLT8i7AsTJK6APeXZfGu8ab2ySi2W82RBtrIT9nRQYBPF4cb06mBX1FUhYOxO7f8_nIA47oM2le5rMd43UAP9YHNNhJXFMq83PT9-zpHWM84CkHI1-Z9r1mqOvncVSFBNM1wavI_zpzGvFnEAkxHeLRmDQ9rEdlNWUstRrCyo/w428-h169/IMG_DAUT_6:5Canyon%20DeChelley_55%20Million%20year%20gap_%232.png" title="A 55 million year unconformity, Canyon De Chelly" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://azgs.arizona.edu/photo/strata-exposed-white-house-ruin-trail-canyon-de-chelly" target="_blank">55 million year discontinuity - Canyon DeChelly</a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"></a></span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-89281712986156617392023-07-22T07:38:00.005-07:002023-07-29T08:45:03.159-07:006/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Chaos & Complexity (Steve Daut)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAMbuQh3B7I4ujPq90aVig0J31rBS9ggTcxIL4CHm_5TyWsO-HNxlPBQ3Rs9dOWnopR_PjMBfTWs60iQeG6_Y47b-NWZKvagbJZI8HQnCCwc3Y74ewxILJMKSKAp2xRqnm7V7khW-JhOX8OBm4Rx_ZcTivJ2Pb5m0kGWWirifAVnL9dY8k2uFNxTbklU/s1440/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:1-sun,%20clouds.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="1440" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAMbuQh3B7I4ujPq90aVig0J31rBS9ggTcxIL4CHm_5TyWsO-HNxlPBQ3Rs9dOWnopR_PjMBfTWs60iQeG6_Y47b-NWZKvagbJZI8HQnCCwc3Y74ewxILJMKSKAp2xRqnm7V7khW-JhOX8OBm4Rx_ZcTivJ2Pb5m0kGWWirifAVnL9dY8k2uFNxTbklU/w549-h60/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:1-sun,%20clouds.png" width="549" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Chapter 5, Buddha Science, Chaos and Complexity</span></b></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-small;">(edited July 29)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">I continue my virtual dialogue with Steve Daut’s written words in “Buddha Science,” chapter 5. As mentioned in the previous introduction I will skim over this chapter because it stands by itself. Background matters and I encourage anyone who finds this interesting to invest in your own copy of <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steve Daut’s book</a> so you can read the rest of the Buddha Science story for yourself. </span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">In this series I’m all about trying to highlight where my Earth Centrist, bottom-up-evolutionary, outlook differs from this summary of some religious/philosophical current thinking. I’m in agreement with the fundamentals he presents and don’t “take issue” with Daut’s book per se. </span></i></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-VejFSnBLuGVsom0FcBLlF-4w6kt1cmkprw1Jx0fUMBq0h5REiaVrCTM2I6QPEKbl4kWIyGeHJX6c0-nE9mgi5emuSYamYQ7m39pT9UZdaUh06WnT-EJZ51hefkXBxa10WPp14qYJKQJQBp3p38WfN-TN1U3F5FCU-0U0ubQJveoGN-fhh7MQcE1VC4/s1440/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:5-early%20morning%20dew.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="1440" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-VejFSnBLuGVsom0FcBLlF-4w6kt1cmkprw1Jx0fUMBq0h5REiaVrCTM2I6QPEKbl4kWIyGeHJX6c0-nE9mgi5emuSYamYQ7m39pT9UZdaUh06WnT-EJZ51hefkXBxa10WPp14qYJKQJQBp3p38WfN-TN1U3F5FCU-0U0ubQJveoGN-fhh7MQcE1VC4/w451-h83/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:5-early%20morning%20dew.png" width="451" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 5a, Chaos and complexity, At the movies</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a4 “… Scientists have found that chaos is virtually everywhere, connecting things in astonishing and unpredictable ways.”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a5 ““But chaos is only the beginning. …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These pages were interesting to read but since I don’t have anything worth adding to this discussion regarding chaos, I won’t try. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayP3Ev3V17LS50ykJJ38WaCqranemwmeLzX3z--cbegC9A7jQQQzMNrn3__9P-0ZKw3QCE03V_K5iLWD9Hj7CBBuyfbsW08ByMFtL6g9zTqkRNKATllodzDoDfAxsveoi5WF3o50tPfh82ROiDQERr68oxPoG6Ufhst2oDlzAcamLIKp7ib6rr7rSRfQ/s1440/;khbj.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="1440" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayP3Ev3V17LS50ykJJ38WaCqranemwmeLzX3z--cbegC9A7jQQQzMNrn3__9P-0ZKw3QCE03V_K5iLWD9Hj7CBBuyfbsW08ByMFtL6g9zTqkRNKATllodzDoDfAxsveoi5WF3o50tPfh82ROiDQERr68oxPoG6Ufhst2oDlzAcamLIKp7ib6rr7rSRfQ/w448-h81/;khbj.png" width="448" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 5b, Chaos and complexity, Movies, schmovies</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">"In fact, as the study of complexity has gained traction, chaos has come to be defined as a very special type of behavior that contributes to the complexity of systems. The study of complexity seeks to understand the functioning of whole systems that have many component parts. It seeks to discover and describe how these parts interact, and how the behavior of he system relates to its parts. These efforts lead to a third subject, emergence."</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> "Emergence is simply the observation that the behavior of a system is more than merely the sum of its parts. … the three general topic of interest in this chapter are <b>chaos</b>, <b>complexity</b> and <b>emergence</b>. …</span>”</blockquote><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b5 “Karma is the Buddha Science moral analog of the butterfly effect. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b9 (Edward Lorenz and pioneering weather modeling work and chaos effect)</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b16 “So the concept of a <b>strange attractor</b> is basically a rigorous way to describe a system that never exactly repeats itself. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b19 “… the Mandelbrot set …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b20 “The very concept of fractals seems like magic. Many systems exhibit patterns that repeat themselves past smaller and smaller scales, which results in many questions about our concept of space and dimension. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b21 “… in other words, the object itself defines the space rather than the space define the object. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b23 “…(the two dimensional sheet that gets crumbled up into a ball, what is it now . . .)</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… The concept of fractal dimensions is another way of looking at the relationship between objects and the space. As a Buddha Scientist would say, these concepts have no meaning from the perspective of non-dual Reality.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is interesting enough, but it’s all part of our imagination. I believe getting to terms with ourselves and the challenges this Earth bound physical life tosses at us requires something more down to Earth, intellectually and viscerally tangible.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Starting with a deeper appreciation for our own biological selves and how we were formed out of this Earth via lots of evolving.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TfLBn6FaEu95uMA3qDbcfdhLkb_Tw8vd9lepSlcNgQN6ptjIFXXbovqZi71-HoB-npuDLoVJ2zjef5Z971vyiMaR5MK8JU9b1JJvOvM89PVg5oZPJ3BSFXERfOP4CFwcOzH8gs5tzrQCxS-C6GJe8u2jDP4CTIntmP3Tu0Rr4FZaWV6ZTj3d0p7cMgA/s1440/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:3-river.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="1440" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TfLBn6FaEu95uMA3qDbcfdhLkb_Tw8vd9lepSlcNgQN6ptjIFXXbovqZi71-HoB-npuDLoVJ2zjef5Z971vyiMaR5MK8JU9b1JJvOvM89PVg5oZPJ3BSFXERfOP4CFwcOzH8gs5tzrQCxS-C6GJe8u2jDP4CTIntmP3Tu0Rr4FZaWV6ZTj3d0p7cMgA/w479-h70/IMG_Daut.Ch_5:3-river.png" width="479" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 5c, Chaos and complexity, </span></b></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Complex but not chaotic</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c2 “Yet the human body functions as an integrated system. All of the various parts work together for the benefit, or failure, of the whole. This is a complex system with some chaotic elements, but it cannot be considered chaotic as a whole. The study of such systems has become the focus across all areas of scientific study, …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">True enough, and the beauty of those hard sciences studies, especially these past couple decades, is that they clearly show a biological route to understanding consciousness, even if details remain shrouded in mystery. No amount of rhetorical logic games, and impossible expectations, changes that bottom line. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">How we ask our questions, limits the usefulness of the answers we receive. </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c3 “… This quality is call emergence, because it emerges as a system reaches certain levels of complexity. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c5 “The property of emergence is a key concept at all scales and systems, up to and including Reality itself. After all, Reality is the ultimate complex system. As a Buddha Scientist might observe, non-duality is the emergent quality of Reality itself.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As an Earth Centrist might observe, human mind is an emergent quality of the biological Reality of our physical body in action. The duality that matters is the one between our minds and physical Reality. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s real, yet as mysterious as the origins and details of electricity.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The duality between matter and living biology is tricky, lost in a maze of manmade constructs. We know a fair amount, but the boundaries get fuzzy, too fuzzy for us, Earth bound, time bound, self-serving human-beings to puzzle out.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c6 “… (consistent) with Buddha Science that the presence of a separate observer and observed is merely a concept, and has no meaning with respect to non-dual Reality.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I can relate to much of what I’m reading in this section, but this “non-dual” Reality doesn’t sit right with me. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The duality between non-living matter and biology is fascinating, but once removed, like quantum weirdness, and not so interesting as biology creating awareness, and with increasing complexity, increasing levels of consciousness springing forth.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;">I know I’m repeating myself, still it bears repeating, the most important and fascinating duality I’m aware of is the divide between Physical Reality and our Human Minds. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c7 “… This leads us again to the two approaches discussed in this book: the empirical observations and inference of the Buddha Science; and empirical observation, conceptualizing, and testing through the scientific method. </p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">So now let’s begin to take a look at some additional areas of scientific inquiry, keeping in mind that the principles of chaos and complexity may apply to any and all of them.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No doubt.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From here it’s on to the slippery slope of the quantum physics landscape.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzqtvFFutEn9H-1I4Qw6obq7FWO0BdtLKt4JOuzMOKYk6eFITxHISWj6ux4KFWaW4rgl1fdj6SPZGrZ2H8R83kYbRnBrBdm5ZkLfJYK_zKoD17Bi68me8fVfZsqLZjRa1Fjk9S2EgEBQQ4h9DhajIvROI_3WMmJntJNpH9UpXvTz7Qstz0l4HevLPUtY/s1152/IMG_DautCh_5:6_Ice%20Chalice,%20go%20figure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1152" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzqtvFFutEn9H-1I4Qw6obq7FWO0BdtLKt4JOuzMOKYk6eFITxHISWj6ux4KFWaW4rgl1fdj6SPZGrZ2H8R83kYbRnBrBdm5ZkLfJYK_zKoD17Bi68me8fVfZsqLZjRa1Fjk9S2EgEBQQ4h9DhajIvROI_3WMmJntJNpH9UpXvTz7Qstz0l4HevLPUtY/w402-h186/IMG_DautCh_5:6_Ice%20Chalice,%20go%20figure.png" width="402" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: medium;">_______________________________________________</span></b></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #666666;">I thank Steve Daut for writing out these concepts and allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with his book. I encourage you to read his complete book.</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact <b style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><u>Steve Daut</u></a>.</b></span></i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBd3TVtVlEbpIwk0PIBGg5Xak0u7rrzz5Am30coO7KZNJCUaJNZMW-wYUiyR11dYoYchPCV5Zle0m0zH8HS_K6GGkhVMzhPe2SfzbAy7c0Js6Y8cV66Wn26FzwnFUZRvl6XQTwSHcES8w9ql3Wd6A1sz3oglhYG3qKhetGj1B6E4JT94g8unGDUKKQaA/s2360/IMG_DautCh_5:6_Ice%20Chalice.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="2360" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBd3TVtVlEbpIwk0PIBGg5Xak0u7rrzz5Am30coO7KZNJCUaJNZMW-wYUiyR11dYoYchPCV5Zle0m0zH8HS_K6GGkhVMzhPe2SfzbAy7c0Js6Y8cV66Wn26FzwnFUZRvl6XQTwSHcES8w9ql3Wd6A1sz3oglhYG3qKhetGj1B6E4JT94g8unGDUKKQaA/w497-h113/IMG_DautCh_5:6_Ice%20Chalice.png" width="497" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"></a></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></i></p><p><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"></a></span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-19271279215437490042023-07-19T23:16:00.011-07:002023-07-29T08:38:12.644-07:005/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Science ( Steve Daut)
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-38JVydOZmZsI9MDaxv_erjZZGkc1Em_O-L4gar1bSwd1z2Ju3_pCdm0sP7Tojy03rcL8YmbFgRL5TDYUUwsNFwpom1vRJ4yb8-077AgmcyiTjr1Nsjl0_qcMKBp5wmPPNiYJsb0L9uIxTNnaykUCgUuccv6vl74CblUX9Cc8PWvoiY49-Brf6owY4Q/s2304/IMG-BsCh4:1_Hollyhocks.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citienschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="2304" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-38JVydOZmZsI9MDaxv_erjZZGkc1Em_O-L4gar1bSwd1z2Ju3_pCdm0sP7Tojy03rcL8YmbFgRL5TDYUUwsNFwpom1vRJ4yb8-077AgmcyiTjr1Nsjl0_qcMKBp5wmPPNiYJsb0L9uIxTNnaykUCgUuccv6vl74CblUX9Cc8PWvoiY49-Brf6owY4Q/w568-h72/IMG-BsCh4:1_Hollyhocks.png" title="Hollyhocks" width="568" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></span></span></div><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 4, Buddha Science, Science</span></b></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">(Edited July 29, 2023)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span>I’m engaged in a virtual dialogue with Steve Daut’s written words in “Buddha Science” because I want to better understand where my Earth Centrist, bottom-up-evolutionary outlook differs from his summary of *Buddha Science*. I am in agreement with the fundamentals he presents and I don’t take issue with the book. Instead, I'm all about using this opportunity as a worksheet that might help me do a better job.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span>I bring it up because the next chapters are interesting in their own right, however I’m going to skim over much of them because anything I add would be superfluous.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGEvKTe2R-Y4LQNBt6FCP4jnbD_RJj7SKrdBr0AVZbFeDsNd4KjXJZ2q4dWL2iIu-1RUjaLNXoXfq7Y1NtyD1wnW-csEyQ9LT-4LMkZtHWNcPAG8eiL5cMAxMuDyvrq-jQ9tEdJywXD3p_iws33ZA6krV1vOYWwYU10avD6USEID_bk1ZzcxETXWAazo/s1152/IMG-BsCh4:2_Bearded%20Tulips%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="1152" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGEvKTe2R-Y4LQNBt6FCP4jnbD_RJj7SKrdBr0AVZbFeDsNd4KjXJZ2q4dWL2iIu-1RUjaLNXoXfq7Y1NtyD1wnW-csEyQ9LT-4LMkZtHWNcPAG8eiL5cMAxMuDyvrq-jQ9tEdJywXD3p_iws33ZA6krV1vOYWwYU10avD6USEID_bk1ZzcxETXWAazo/w502-h158/IMG-BsCh4:2_Bearded%20Tulips%20.png" title="Beared Tulip" width="502" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></div><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 4a, Science, Another way of seeing</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a1 “… (Science) the second finger pointing to the moon of Reality . . . First assumption: we can learn general rules by looking at specific phenomena. … Second assumption: we can separate Reality into smaller chunks and test those chunks from the “outside” without affecting results. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a2 “… the heart of the scientific method, can be outlined as follows:<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></li><blockquote><li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;">Make an observation</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Ask a question about it</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Conduct research to find out if others have provided answers</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Form a concept (hypothesis) to explain it</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Design and conduct an experiment to test the concept</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Analyze the results</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>If the results do not match your expectations. Come up with another concept to test</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>If the results do match expectations, try more tests to prove or disprove the concept</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>If tests continue to support the concept, accept it as true</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Any time new tests disprove the concept, modify or reject it and begin testing again.”</li></blockquote>
</ul>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a3 “… science relies on inductive reasoning to develop general rules to describe Reality. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This will be a short chapter, I'll share quotes worth highlighting in this time when more and more seem confused about science itself.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a4 “The idea that concepts can be disproven by testing can be called falsifiability, (popularized by) Karl Popper. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a5 “This is a major departure from Buddha Science, which states that everything that exists now, and everything that ever was, is interconnected. Therefore, everything is so complexly related that it is impossible to completely understand, intellectually how it all fits together. Inherently, says Buddha Science we observe this truth, but our minds get in the way by trying to form a concept around it. This is pretty much the opposite approach to that of science and its reliance on concepts to discover Reality through inductive reasoning.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a6 “… Reductionist science says that Reality can be conceptually understood by studying the pieces and building upon the findings to ultimately combine them into an accurate but useful, map. Holism, on the other hand, say you must try to understand the big picture first and this will tell you how the pieces fit together. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m a believer in the scientific method of inquiry and debate. As for this “reductionism” vs. “holism,” it seems to me, science, (<i><span style="color: #444444;">and personal understanding</span></i>), requires a certain balance of both.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm79CY1J-NayrkDj96ADesCco31uHudpHEMQkRDLYPenByIyJJGUEvPWJnLBqccYAGUqsY6IYbgR29ujM_uiEWtzfF5rSRTJ3M50WfAX1V87RWHzkojm6NfaCXDYmfewS9JuZN1myM7aXY-ALTSHtNX2AR5KSrO-1z3CAGjWKMp4vkRrYKj_SQWUGImE/s1152/IMG-BcCh4:3_Lupine%20leaves.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="1152" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm79CY1J-NayrkDj96ADesCco31uHudpHEMQkRDLYPenByIyJJGUEvPWJnLBqccYAGUqsY6IYbgR29ujM_uiEWtzfF5rSRTJ3M50WfAX1V87RWHzkojm6NfaCXDYmfewS9JuZN1myM7aXY-ALTSHtNX2AR5KSrO-1z3CAGjWKMp4vkRrYKj_SQWUGImE/w555-h73/IMG-BcCh4:3_Lupine%20leaves.png" title="Lupine leaves" width="555" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 4b, Science, Assembling the pieces</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b3 “… A key part of the scientific method, however, is to make certain that we don’t confuse our concepts or models with Reality. …” <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a consumer of science news, and lectures, I notice some discussions where speakers come across as though nature needs to prove itself to us. Others talk as though they are establishing thee <i>truth</i> about their subject. As opposed to reporting on the evidence at hand, with a <i>state of the science</i> interpretation, which will be superseded by further evidence, in due time.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The sin is getting lost within one’s mindscape, it's closely related to the map v. territory problem. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Intellectually, we need to be able to step outside of our skin now and then.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b7 “… In this way, the goal of science is to progressively correct and refine its conclusions and to come closer and closer to describing Reality in a way that can be understood and described and therefore is useful.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I think that’s well said, as is the following</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b9 “So here is (Daut’s) list of assumptions that are the basis of discovering Reality through scientific method:</p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></li><blockquote><li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;">There really is a world external to us that exists, with or without us to observe it.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Reality is rational and orderly, and follows rules that we can discover and describe.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>We can measure things objectively, i.e. we can step outside of what we are measuring and measure it without affecting it or Reality itself.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Pure science and logic will drive the process of discovery, so that any findings contrary to the established assumptions will be greeted with objectivity, embraced, and thoroughly investigate.</li></blockquote>
</ul>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b10 “The first assumption, that there is a world “out there,” is based on the dualistic concept that there is an “us” and a “not us” - i.e. “not us” is the rest of Reality</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s exactly what I’m talking about, though I enunciate it differently. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is Physical Reality, the stuff of matter and biology, the stuff that scientists (and the rest of us) can readily observe and measure. Then there are our thoughts, our consciousness, that thing that springs from within our living biological human organism. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The meta-physics of our Reality, our Human Mind, the home of all we know and think and talk to ourselves and others about.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Upon that meta-physical substrata, we people have built the structures that are our gods and religions, also literature, music, commerce, science, all of it springs from our mind’s musings. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gaining a deep, fact based appreciation for the biological evolutionary origins of our human mindscape offers a whole new light upon your struggles with yourself and our human condition in general. Unfortunately, it can’t be bottled and sold. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each of us needs to be driven by our own curiosity and do the homework for our selves.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b11 “The second assumption, that Reality is rational and orderly, is ingrained in traditional science, and most specifically in the Newtonian view of the universe as perfectly functioning clockwork, fully deterministic and predictable if we could only gain enough knowledge to know all the governing laws.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Worth adding, the rules of Physical Reality have also been taught and ingrained into the fiber of our bodies via hundreds of millions of years worth of encoding survival strategies in our DNA, strategies to meet the challenges of an ever changing body and Earth, whose fundamental rules don’t change, though who’s biosphere certainly does. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b12 “… the third assumption, that everything follows the rules. This is from the inductive method …</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b13 “The fourth assumption is closely related to the first. Can we really measure things objectively without affecting the results?</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This has wider implications. Can we observe or interact with anything and not affect it? </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or, in another light, in the real world, consciousness is not purely observation, rather it’s also interactive, even transactional.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b14 “Fifth assumption … does the scientific community have the ability and will to follow the methodology that it has set for itself.</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b16 “Sixth assumption … mathematics effectively describes Reality.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have friends who have reduced life down to mathematics, it doesn’t make sense to me. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I look around and see a living world of interactions that can be described with math, but will never be explainable by math. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Let alone be experienced by math, that requires a living body with passion and interacting with the living moment.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b18 “The next chapters of this book are organized around these various branches of science. We have divided the discussion into four broad categories:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></li><blockquote><li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;">Chaos and complexity, which includes considerations and principles that can be applied to all of the other categories.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Physical sciences, primarily relativity and quantum physics.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Life sciences, which include studies such as biology and genetics.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Science of the mind, primarily including psychology, neurology, and consciousness studies.</li></blockquote>
</ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Couldn’t help but notice that Evolution doesn’t make the grade as a <i>branch of study.</i> It indicates how insignificant Evolution is within our general self-absorbed <i>mental frame of reference</i>. I believe that’s a crying shame that hobbles human imagination, and problem solving, to our own everlasting detriment, witness our society; current biosphere; and trajectories.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: medium;">Please check out the work of Dr. <a href="https://thisviewoflife.com/profile/david-sloan-wilson/"><b>David</b></a><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><b> </b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sloan_Wilson"><span style="color: black;"><b>Sloan</b></span></a><b> </b><a href="https://davidsloanwilson.world/"><span style="color: black;"><b>Wilson</b></span></a> for insights into why Evolution is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsOIiW_Ec4c"><span style="color: black;">relevant to our lives and spirit</span></a>.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXAiCDqYtqfCrtZAP9UEmkUdDRyr3C-xpwaaDAvTUZzwp8rmNUg-d-sZ1n6EaPRLE0y42MRN4MhZp1Nvu85Qrc7q9lsGh6Zd37lDH8ewSG9YaDEYYK_UR2EjP0ch7pyOtAmuTheFgFTItWLxwatoe3dx3iXbkhX1nb2bqk1z9v-9Qnm16Rp1VoDsE0gk/s1152/IMG_BcCh4:4_Cherry%20Blossom.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="1152" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXAiCDqYtqfCrtZAP9UEmkUdDRyr3C-xpwaaDAvTUZzwp8rmNUg-d-sZ1n6EaPRLE0y42MRN4MhZp1Nvu85Qrc7q9lsGh6Zd37lDH8ewSG9YaDEYYK_UR2EjP0ch7pyOtAmuTheFgFTItWLxwatoe3dx3iXbkhX1nb2bqk1z9v-9Qnm16Rp1VoDsE0gk/w575-h105/IMG_BcCh4:4_Cherry%20Blossom.png" width="575" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; text-align: left;">I appreciate Steve Daut for writing out these concepts and I thank him for allowing me to share them in this virtual discussion with his book. If you find his writing interesting, I encourage you to buy a copy of his book, it's worth the read. </span></div><p></p><blockquote>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Buddha Science, ©2016, email <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steve Daut</a> - </span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIfuXkKMmezPaWUnGFbl85kbJ47Kg8o9rc76WjvysjcBufH5JMCWBHGUIigIAKFegMOa2AeNxuSzCdRzpof9C21IQ1_WgILKDr21csddI6_0lNV_88g2SB2B09teMQeEwz5LtX8NK4F1MgMqX9P7OAXfDQ1DJMixrAYRfI1qVpZTXdIN4VT7vhbYXWcA/s1152/IMG-BsCh4:5_Lupine.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="1152" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIfuXkKMmezPaWUnGFbl85kbJ47Kg8o9rc76WjvysjcBufH5JMCWBHGUIigIAKFegMOa2AeNxuSzCdRzpof9C21IQ1_WgILKDr21csddI6_0lNV_88g2SB2B09teMQeEwz5LtX8NK4F1MgMqX9P7OAXfDQ1DJMixrAYRfI1qVpZTXdIN4VT7vhbYXWcA/w578-h103/IMG-BsCh4:5_Lupine.png" width="578" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another <i>Cc's Student's Workbook</i>, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions,</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">offering food for thought...</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></span></i> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-49598423824805450952023-07-19T06:21:00.007-07:002023-07-29T12:35:41.344-07:004/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Buddhism (Steve Daut)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(12, 97, 171); color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 3, Buddhism</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILGR0oY_mjNICgGOJPbZ-R1uLv1Fc5_Tp44NzAEMmrXL3LAaoVY12TJ85CD-sEM9k6yfmtqn2GQ0o_tZG3Xn_5Ut7BNYwPRlLYJcQ6Og4iAY4OcanvR3HXb-I1RSrIqZwtZnBuJEe_-TjdNoJs5nI_NFijtvXuqO73MYc7u5ZfXeig_UaM5S6HZ-A-lo/s2488/IMG_3:1_666%20heading%20towards%20Canyon%20Lands.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="2488" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILGR0oY_mjNICgGOJPbZ-R1uLv1Fc5_Tp44NzAEMmrXL3LAaoVY12TJ85CD-sEM9k6yfmtqn2GQ0o_tZG3Xn_5Ut7BNYwPRlLYJcQ6Og4iAY4OcanvR3HXb-I1RSrIqZwtZnBuJEe_-TjdNoJs5nI_NFijtvXuqO73MYc7u5ZfXeig_UaM5S6HZ-A-lo/w488-h81/IMG_3:1_666%20heading%20towards%20Canyon%20Lands.png" width="488" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;"><i>Is there anybody out there?</i></span></div></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 3a, Buddhism, Buddha Science</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: xx-small;"><b></b>(edited July 28)</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a1 “… (Buddhism’s) four noble truths can be stated as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Life is unsatisfying, and causes suffering and anxiety.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>We suffer because all things are impermanent, yet we crave pleasant things and push away unpleasant things.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>We can escape the suffering.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Outlines a path that leads to escape from suffering.</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I’m sharing these “Noble truths of Buddhism’ for a point of reference, with the single observation that reading it, I can’t help but notice that it reflects the same </span><span>self-absorbed</span><span> </span><span> human outlook, that is the hallmark of the “Abrahamic mindset” that I sometimes pick on. </span><span> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This exercise is all about me trying to convey an Earth Centrist, evolutionary bottom-up perspective on our human conundrums, which requires the ability to think <i>outside of oneself</i>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In any event, I can only tell this story from my perspective, and though I’m rather ordinary, with 68 years I’ve come to appreciate I was blessed in circumstance, body, health, mind and heart - so mine was never a search for the solution to human pain, I was simply busy trying to make sense of the wonder of the creation I found myself embedded within. <span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although writing those lines, I now recall my adolescent “<a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/weltschmerz">weltschmerz</a>” was quite intense. But, once I got out of high school and got on with living my life, things got too crowded for that sort of self-indulgence.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a2 Siddhartha Gautama, … came to thoroughly understand “the human problem, its origins, its ramifications, and its solution. The four noble truths are a simulation of this understanding and how to achieve it. Enlightenment is simply, “<b>seeing things as they are</b> rather than as we wish or believe them to be. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was fortunate (<span style="color: grey;"><i>though I didn’t always appreciate it at the time</i></span>), coming from a lower income family, my dad always worked, mom at home raising us, and we always had enough, a home, food, clothing, etc. With secular parents who loved us and loved introducing us to the wonders of our world, and frugality, while doing a good job of shielding us from the ugly. In my formative years there was no dealing with serious pain, betrayal or hopelessness, it was simply never part of our childhood so it didn’t weigh down my thoughts and spirit the way it does those people who don’t get lucky and who experience deprivation, abuse and nasty attitudes their young years. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Meaning that my internal dialogue, my observations, thoughts, inquiries were free to be self indulgent: Who am I? Who are these people around me? Why does the landscape look and change as it does? Where did I come from? Why doesn’t my mind control my body’s impulses? What’s evolution all about? What’s growing old all about? Who is God? Why is Earth so fantastically special? Fun interesting stuff like that. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a4 “This empirical aspect of Buddhism is best summed up in these words that the Good Reads website has attributed to the Buddha:</p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. </li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. </li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teacher sand elders. </li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down from many generations." <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This resonates with my own practice and aspiration.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;">“But after observation and analysis when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amen.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a6 “Buddhist tradition describes three types of “facts” and the method used to qualify them as factual:</p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Direct perception, known through the five senses.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Hidden facts, known by reliable inference.</li>
<li style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Extremely hidden facts, known by reliable testimony.</li>
</ul>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">… (these are) empirical observations."</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a7 “… <b>the first work of a Buddhist is to see things as they are</b>, without the distorting influence of concepts - thoughts, expectations or ideas. … For most, it’s a gradual process, an incremental series of changes in perception and of the way they relate to the world. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Along with the occasional epiphany when disparate facts and ideas fall together into a new insight that forever changes one’s perspective and the way one relates to oneself, others, and the world.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I easily accept that I never see things “as they are” - I see things “as I perceive them,” and my perception isn’t always accurate. That's a critically important distinction worth understanding. The challenge is to perceive as critically and completely as possible, this requires striving to be cognizant of one’s own biases and limitations. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As Daut goes on to explain, we need to do our own homework, each must figure out these lessons for themself. I’m 68 and it’s only in the past few years that the final pieces of the puzzle have come together for me. Which is why I know it takes effort and why I’m trying to explain myself to others. I believe this under-represented perspective could be helpful to some.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a9 “It is not that people who have achieved some level of enlightenment never form concepts, but they are fully aware that these mental formations are not Reality. </p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">The mental impression of Reality is never Reality itself. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s important. Though I have a more straightforward suggestion for that message.: </span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Our mind is the product of our living body/brain with its multiple sensing systems. We perceive Reality through our particular filters, body and brain, then are left with our impressions of Reality. </i></span></p></blockquote>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How could it be any different? </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That said, the biological matter and function of your body/brain is part of physical Reality and it produces your Mind, which in turn, is our <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphysical" target="_blank">meta-physical</a> Reality. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seems to me that’s the Duality we should be meditating on and coming to terms with.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a11 “… a Buddha makes their observations from the “inside,” (instead of) from the “outside” and is therefor subjective. … Traditional science, on the other hand, says that we can observe aspects of Reality from the “outside,” so we can make unbiased, objective observations.”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a12 “… from the perspective of <i>Buddha Science</i>, we live life from the inside, and the challenge is to avoid getting so enmeshed in this perspective that we cling to it as if it’s Reality itself. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m not sure what happened there, what I know is that when I think of the inside, it’s about my body, it’s biology, my blood and genes studded with innovations that go back millions, hundreds of millions of years, and more.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My consciousness grows out of my body.<b> That is, my “Mind” is the inside reflection of my body communicating with itself and dealing with the world out there. </b></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">There is the outward material manifestation of my body, and there is <i>its</i> inside awareness of itself. That’s where the meta-physical wonder that is our thoughts in action, or more descriptively our mindscape is to be found - via biology, not philosophy. How we process those facts becomes </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;">philosophy.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a14 “… how do we distinguish between <b>observation</b> and simply <b>personal conclusions</b>? … the distinction goes something like this: our senses record information, which is converted into perceptions by our mind, and then the intellect converts these perceptions into concepts or idea. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As an Earth Centrist I process all that quite differently. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Observation” is a recording of information, but it’s our entire body that’s reacting to that information before moving to brain and thought. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Your conscious mind is busy trying to make sense of what is happening, </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">while your body is taking care of the heavy lifting (<span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><i>fight or flight, flirt or fade away, etc.</i></span>) - </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and then your mind relays that story back to yourself, </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as mind develops its action plan for explaining what has just been experienced, </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and is being done by the body in response. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then we move on to the next moment. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>{Interesting side thought: </i></span></p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“We humans don’t have free will, we have free “won’t”.” </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7WF5gzPG1k"><span style="color: #073a6c;"><b><i>Dr. Mark Solms</i></b></span></a><i>}</i></span></p></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶a15 “… Chaos Theory … This is also one way to think about the two levels of reality - ultimate Reality as the attractor, which is the broad shape of Reality that is timeless and unchanging, and the smaller patterns of reality that we see at the day to day level, which constantly change and flow. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Poetically that sounds nice and there may be timeless <i>principles</i>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still, there’s nothing unchanging about the entire universe that we have ever been able to observe with our instruments, or our hearts for that matter. Change and time moving forward is about the only unchanging <i>thing</i> we do know about life and Reality. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s the point in pretending it away?</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4ParA7Lx85sBdDoT4na-anwGz9oUWlJnSr3lQGxlmLBuq5x7xrIEmSdW0v1dLt48JbQpiPdt5smx4oHqc8rr0JdBoEnjmOb9hu2B8_beh-4qzM_NB_o2X-0_BLnIg53QmsKNRnV_9atGiRL6c3tAXHqvS1L_zFLfEk2jXawkxVRpv5baD9D_4UArelE/s2218/IMG_3:2_666%20south%20of%20Ship%20Rock.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="2218" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4ParA7Lx85sBdDoT4na-anwGz9oUWlJnSr3lQGxlmLBuq5x7xrIEmSdW0v1dLt48JbQpiPdt5smx4oHqc8rr0JdBoEnjmOb9hu2B8_beh-4qzM_NB_o2X-0_BLnIg53QmsKNRnV_9atGiRL6c3tAXHqvS1L_zFLfEk2jXawkxVRpv5baD9D_4UArelE/w543-h110/IMG_3:2_666%20south%20of%20Ship%20Rock.png" width="543" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 3b, Buddhism, What Buddha Science Sees</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b1 “… but at the ultimate, non-dual level, time has no meaning.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What of it? At the ultimate level, nothing has meaning. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What are we reaching for?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m concerned with the way our human minds process information in the here and now.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Why question Time? How does the question advance anything constructive?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m sorry, I have a tough time seeing these suggestions that “time has no meaning” as anything other than frivolous self-indulgent intellectual entertainment. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is nothing this side of esoteric physics equations (math) that doesn’t move forward with time, from the oscillations of atomic particles, to the waves crashing on the coast, to the blood pumping through our bodies and every dang thing in-between. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Is their intellectual object to remove all benchmarks to Reality? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Seriously, what does the fascination with wishing away time, or change, say about our own minds and </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><i>What We Choose To Be Present To</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, while </span>avoiding the actually physical Reality unfolding in front of us</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">?</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“ … The observations we will be discussing are <b>interconnection, karma, impermanence, and illusion</b>.”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b2 “The observation of interconnection says simply that everything is connected to everything else. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Daut spends a few pages exploring interconnectedness and Karma and its worth the read. Since, I don’t have anything to add, I’ll keep my Earth Centrist’s project moving forward and breeze through the next few pages. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">If you find any of these snippets worthy, consider reading the complete book, Buddha Science, it’s interesting and deserves your time.</span></i></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b12 “The second observation to discuss is karma. Although karma is often associated with the idea of rebirth into multiple lifetimes, the actual Pali word simply means action, work or deed. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b18 “… the third observation of <i>Buddha Science</i>, everything is in the process of becoming, and this process never ends. …</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b23 “What about the soul - is there some intangible, immaterial essence of self that persists forever after the body dies? If this soul is not dependent on physical being then it couldn’t have been created when you are born.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our soul is the product of consciousness; and consciousness is a product of our physical body getting on with the act of living. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s not: “<span style="text-decoration: underline;">I think, therefore I am</span>!” In our real world here on Earth, it’s entirely a matter of <b>“<span style="text-decoration: underline;">I am, therefore I think!</span>”</b> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">An easy metaphor for the mystery of biology creating consciousness, (mind & soul) - is a metal coil and a magnet creating electricity. Transient, unique onto itself, and it disappears when the dynamo stops spinning, and scientists remain baffled by it. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b24 “The fourth observation of <i>Buddha Science</i> is that <b>the world we think we experience is an illusion.</b> …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What makes it an illusion? That it’s transient? Why that?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To me it makes much more sense to realize that all creatures create <b>ongoing impressions </b>of the information that relates to their particular being. Then they do their best with what their senses collect. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For a fascinating, even revolutionary, expose’ on the story of Earth’s creatures sensing their way through Reality, read: <span style="font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">“<a href="https://edyong.me/an-immense-world"><b>Ed Yong’s, An Immense World</b></a><b>, <i>sensing the reality around us.</i></b>”</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b25 “The ultimate expression of this conventional view is that we, as individuals are somehow separate from Reality. …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sounds about right and I think it’s a shame. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I believe there’s another down to Earth & constructive approach to all this confusion and angst.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… But our efforts at reconnection will not succeed because we never lost the connection. There is no connection to lose, because we are an integral part of Reality itself. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sure, why not, it’s plenty true that our bodies never lost connection with Earth.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The problem is, that our modern human mindscapes most certainly have lost touch with those connections to ancestors and Earth. That’s what desperately needs rediscovering.</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶b26 “… The point that <i>Buddha Science</i> says, if we cling to our belief that we are somehow separate from the rest of Reality, we will never escape the suffering that we create through this clinging. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amen. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although in our modern society I think it’s become more a problem of the <i>delusion of our expectations</i>. That is, for the <i>haves</i>. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>have-nots</i> . . . <i>I can’t go there</i> . . . for them, today’s problem is total loss of hope, with no place to run, no redemption in sight, only increasing horrors in the here and now, as a crowded modern global society continues ignoring the challenges that are starting to boil over.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysu5LJdw2yRaO7yqTVKuDOPSNWZ3JvAJ2IhbTgJMxTDiDVgYJSUlRrrcQ_hsKaD6OVmImMW1Ynv9F7OmNAodQZGAUHtJW0SQdvk0M7PihMgTGPChC95SMoeSBt-id__P6Um_N1Ii_ab0_L7in9B0KFleY3mnLL594jMii4GupSsjwiWVSzXbWtTe7mXo/s2396/IMG_3:3_north,%20Highway%20191%20Arizona.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="2396" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysu5LJdw2yRaO7yqTVKuDOPSNWZ3JvAJ2IhbTgJMxTDiDVgYJSUlRrrcQ_hsKaD6OVmImMW1Ynv9F7OmNAodQZGAUHtJW0SQdvk0M7PihMgTGPChC95SMoeSBt-id__P6Um_N1Ii_ab0_L7in9B0KFleY3mnLL594jMii4GupSsjwiWVSzXbWtTe7mXo/w520-h127/IMG_3:3_north,%20Highway%20191%20Arizona.png" width="520" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 3c, Buddhism, A way of seeing</span></i></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c1 “The Buddha Science line of inquiry can be summarized as practices that result in a perspective with two parts. These are the practices of developing mindfulness and acting without intention. The resulting perspectives will be called awakening and equanimity. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay, still it should be clear both of these parts reside within our Mindscape, as opposed to the physical world of matter, biology and the laws of nature.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c3 “Meditation is the primary method … goal is to train the mind to recognize when concepts are forming in the mind and then let go of them in order to free the mind so that unbiased observation of reality can take place … Psychology Today describes mindfulness:</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;">“<b>Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present.</b> When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by mindfulness mean living in the moment and awakening to the experience.” </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Great point, great strategy, great goal, meaningful to achievement. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Something I’ve found worth pursuing is a <i>mindfulness time</i> spent exploring the interior of my own biological body. We have enough amazingly accurate information and imaging of our interior body and brain in all its glory. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those images are mental tools for building one’s own interior awareness of our own living body, while inhabiting it, while allowing your imagination to explore it. Talk about a spiritual experience, it can be pretty cool!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No woo, simply a deep awareness of your own body, the one your Self inhabits, until death do you part, in all its mind-bending glory. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s not simple, but it is a fascinating journey of discovery into the most mind expanding topic on Earth, the human experience. A journey with occasional blasts of enlightenment that will blow away a life time of misplaced dogma. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The beauty is that a thorough understanding of serious scientific evidence is what provides the backbone I need to trust these musings that have lead me to my Earth Centrist perspective.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c4 “… the experience of waking up isn’t simply an internal experience, it is a way of interacting with the world. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As are all the next steps you take. Be a self aware filament in Earth’s Evolutionary Pageant.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Me, myself and I am, today, the cumulative total of all my experiences and all my days that came before. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">My biological body is the sum total of hundreds of millions of years worth of biological research and development with real time testing, modifications, and production. And like new car models every year, every generation was busy changing and improving - while the eons kept racing along.</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c5 “The next practice to discuss is acting without intention. …”</p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5O7HEPic8wqKXegxE6nq4Qi4plLGvAPu2-e7GjlA_526HKkeNLVFvvNr5oFcoYkQh17YhUVm18BZpknpQv_7rVfFVej9MV6SyspI8QeuEak7334XOsAASJDjLJbUQx0k5TkJF2ni0XEVU2u0XRGgs0NwoBni5TTC_YV4HfMV43yhg8Fiq6bqeXNK0jHQ/s1152/IMG_3:aWorked%20agate.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Worked stone implement" border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1152" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5O7HEPic8wqKXegxE6nq4Qi4plLGvAPu2-e7GjlA_526HKkeNLVFvvNr5oFcoYkQh17YhUVm18BZpknpQv_7rVfFVej9MV6SyspI8QeuEak7334XOsAASJDjLJbUQx0k5TkJF2ni0XEVU2u0XRGgs0NwoBni5TTC_YV4HfMV43yhg8Fiq6bqeXNK0jHQ/w320-h169/IMG_3:aWorked%20agate.png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="320" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Allow me some rambling since Daut’s writing has me reminiscing on younger days when I took religious claims and philosophical mind games more seriously.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">When “<i>Mindfulness and living in the moment without intention</i>” was within reach as I lived my vagabond years, hitchhiking and taking the moments as they came. Often living without intention. Well, okay, I found that’s impossible, so I settled for minimal intention. Giving others the benefit of doubt, going along with the flow - to a point. Without intention, does not mean, without situational awareness or self-preservation reflexes. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Putting myself on the line, going with the flow, a simple striving to live and absorb as much of the moments as I could. While staying clear of trouble, because: Coyote is always waiting. { hat-tip to <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote_Waits">Hillerman</a> ;-) </i>}. Rule one, don’t look for trouble, rule two, learn your lessons from it, when you find it. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I was living the age-old birth-right of every curious young person who wasn’t satisfied staying at home, who needed to find out what was <i>out there</i>. To “find the world” and make a place in it. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Unbeknownst to the sincere innocent youth throughout the ages - but, as we soon learn - there's an ever-present danger in the world, it is full of predators and parasites. Often, not “bad” people, simply self-serving, opportunistic, too self-absorbed to be aware of others as anything more than “things.” Fortunately, there are a lot more good people and we learn to respect and trust and do, and thus gain respect and trust. Or not. By our deeds do we proceed. Karma.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Great times! Got to better understand myself, and others, in a day when people weren’t as scared, angry and unhinged as these days. We were still more open to each other’s humanity and I was fortunately to experience society's last great hurrah, <i>before our short-sightedness started catching up with us for real, and our self-made future slammed all it's doors of opportunity to the dreams of youth.</i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I was young and healthy and polite and liked to take it as it came, having the space to be alone and go my introspective way and strive for a thing American Indians spoke about as: <i>Walking with grace</i><i style="font-style: normal;">. </i>I’ve touched it on occasion. It feels like a meaningful holy sacrament, and the memory is never lost. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I’ve drunk in the pure joy and the mediative splendor of walking down empty freeways with nothing but wide open western landscape for as far as the eye could behold, or a sky full of stars at night. Making a nest for sleeping, then waking up to the glory of the warming rays of the sunrise. Watching the world wake up, then getting on the road again. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Soaking in the place and the specialness of my moment. There were times I’d just walk for a while, seeing landscapes up close with time to stare, smelling it, touching it, savoring the experience. No matter where you go, there you are! </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71); color: #741b47;"> But it wasn't all lonely roads, plenty of jobs and socializing that kept things </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71); color: #741b47;">'real'</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71); color: #741b47;">.</span><span style="color: #741b47;"> Still, at some point, it was always time to stick out that thumb again, and the show would move on down the road. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Well, except when we drive down into Silverton July ’79, that turned out differently. Didn’t totally stop my traveling, but it gave me a new home, first one since leaving Yosemite. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Nowadays, I’m settled down and blessed to be living across the mountains in the mythical “banana belt’ on 40 rural acres with a ‘river’ running through it. A few thickets of trees, meadows on the ancient river bottom, sage-piñon mesa land on the top side, mountains off to the north (Silverton just yonder), then there's desert land and more mountains stretching off to the distant southwestern horizon. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;">I seldom walk my dog, usually it’s a matter of her walking me, as she follows her nose, I follow her. Through thick’n thin ( </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Occasionally it’s helped to know how to crawl with my toes, knees straight and locked, forearms being forepaws, thermo Carhartt coveralls making it okay, maybe even fun, different view of life from down there, that’s for sure.</span></i><span style="color: #741b47; font-style: normal;">)</span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;">. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">So these days, my Maddy dog, provides splendid opportunities for living in the moment, without intent and finding what we find. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Once I found a spot a few hundred yards from our cabin with a couple worked stone "tools" and flakes. Nothing fancy, just a couple guys messing around back when. It was a nice overview, under a couple old trees, overlooking the riparian strip that passed below us, a few hundred yards distant. </span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Suddenly I was there, sitting with them, checking out their rock chipping, them looking over the same, but unspoiled landscape, with tons more familiarity and insight than I can dream of.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Time melts away in those moments sitting on the same spot ancestors did hundreds of years ago (in this particular spot - up to thousands of years throughout the greater 4-Corners area). The hands that touched those rocks had the same human curiosity, same pride in their own intelligence, same hopes and need to gossip while working, or sitting and watching. Love and thankfulness and passions flowed through these others, right on this same spot many generations ago.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">We gain something from having an appreciation for Earth and our Deep Time history, with its staccato beat of reality altering epochs, one building upon the previous. <b>I am</b> <b>a self-aware filament in Earth’s pageant of Evolution</b>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I remember another moment when time melted away, walking down the middle of our nearly dried up ‘river”, looking at rocks, their various types and shapes, then finding one. A curious rock that simply fit right into my hand, like it belonged there. I’m without a thought, it comfortably snuggled into my fingers to find a perfect resting points for a firm finger grasp, and a sharp edge. Before a conscious thought, I found myself lightly testing the sharp edge against my forearm, then on a piece of bark, later on I sliced into a piece of meat and it did well. I wonder about of the inspiration that sort of serendipity triggered in early humans.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">At the moment I felt a visceral kinship with some ancient person and the way they must have experienced Earth teaching the attentive receptive mind. Lessons that were always there, but that lacked someone to recognize them. With the learning curve that is evolution, suddenly there we were, able to recognize, then appreciate what was being looked at. When inspiration resulted in whole new worlds opening up to us.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Another wonderful ah-ha moment, Canyonlands, walking up to, then staring mesmerized at an awesome old well weathered formation of limestone layers that had evolved into layers of limestone blocks, stacked pretty as a mason could have laid. In a burst of daydreaming, I can imagine some long ago ancient ah-ha moment. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71);">A formation that was probably already known for generations as a landmark. T</span>hen one day a <span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71);">primitive</span> person once again stopped to stare at it. Perhaps someone who'd known the rocks since playing on them as a child, perhaps parents even shared myths about the exposure. On this day, </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;">a lone niggling something blossomed into that human's imagination and came to the surface.</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;">An idea formed into a plan with a purpose, and the resources handy, and Mother Nature <span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71);">having</span> transmitted an unspoken challenge to excite those humans into embracing a new idea. By and by, rocks became building material and homes were being built, and humanity experienced another quantum leap.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue;">We’ve been in this cabin some twelve years now, longer than any other patch of land I’ve lived on before. <span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71);">Being</span> fully retired now,</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I’ve been able to better watch this same 40 acres going through its seasons, to watch weather and plants and wildlife patterns through our day to days and season by seasons, then year by years. </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Past six, seven some years with my Maddy dog acting as my guide. Multiple times during the day, night. No two long walks are the same, no two years alike. My ever increasing awareness of the scope of the constant subtle transforming surprises me, though it shouldn’t, yet it does. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">Daut’s next paragraphs are good, but outside of my purview. This is about me pointing out where I believe my Earth Centrist, bottom-up Evolutionary perspective offers a fresh constructive lens worth considering. The above was about me sharing a bit of my background, and perhaps a hint at why all this fascinates me so much that I have this need to share it. </span></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 76.5px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PiJdydpW_6RZ5ILc_H1v9aDKb4RTskhG9MNeaoBZNWIaWBQtdYs74wBJg7ZjVmQMlPPO3KLdZGSSYJwP6rnLfr-FZDDGXSQkVBIyJ47vtJJgn96Cumks81yYL5g0kinZmrzrRCwLXHhTFIePZTUVSM2KV039fM3_FPMcKpV87sBBjPCnCI8PXsJIdRo/s1440/IMG_3:*_worked%20stone%20tools.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="1440" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PiJdydpW_6RZ5ILc_H1v9aDKb4RTskhG9MNeaoBZNWIaWBQtdYs74wBJg7ZjVmQMlPPO3KLdZGSSYJwP6rnLfr-FZDDGXSQkVBIyJ47vtJJgn96Cumks81yYL5g0kinZmrzrRCwLXHhTFIePZTUVSM2KV039fM3_FPMcKpV87sBBjPCnCI8PXsJIdRo/w425-h141/IMG_3:*_worked%20stone%20tools.png" title="Worked stone implements" width="425" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c5 “If the practitioner can learn how to see (their) leaning, (they) can separate emotion from observation, so the bias can be detected and (their) observations become more accurate. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I believe, better clarity can be achieved by starting with the fundamental <i>recognition of the Physical Reality ~ Human Mind divide</i>, and then, working out from there.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c6 “This approach towards observation follows from the discussion regarding two levels of reality. In the non-dual view that is ultimate Reality, there is no subject or object, so the only way to get a glimpse of this Reality is to see through a larger perspective.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This brings us right back to appreciating the <i>Physical Reality ~ Human Mind divide </i>benchmark.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Deeply, personally, viscerally appreciating that our mind inhabits a biological body that was hundreds of millions of years in the making. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beyond that, absorbing that our mind is the inside reflection of our body communicating with itself, while dealing with its physical being and the environment and circumstance it finds itself in. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The experience of your own mind struggling with your own body’s impulses highlights why a deeper understanding of your body, and it’s historic origins might be</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">important for personal wellbeing, along with coming to terms with what life dishes out for you, for us</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c13 “This concludes our brief overview of <i>Buddha Science</i>. Now we turn to an overview of science, the second finger that we will examine in our quest to point toward the moon of Reality.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of Steve Daut’s tasks is to succinctly describe a <i>Buddha Science</i> path and I think he does a good job of it. I skip over many details because that isn’t my particular focus, I’m in a different discussion with his book, striving to portray my Earth Centrist’s perspective. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgoElrDV4jH7mdAQ6ZUhksy0v8pjfcEmVJG2zqVcC3SB1Ar49bP177M90WLHMEN-xLgahOnh5jMqXmx9zte8O400IsntM9dYBGKACzWzBf87BcxBXvLOm8ysgOq5F1msSPSFNhf2M2S67vRykcVQmeO0R8l14ynSz3aHKhtDknlNV8HIiGT1xadaB7VQ/s1440/IMG_3:5_Highway%20160,%20Arizona.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1440" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgoElrDV4jH7mdAQ6ZUhksy0v8pjfcEmVJG2zqVcC3SB1Ar49bP177M90WLHMEN-xLgahOnh5jMqXmx9zte8O400IsntM9dYBGKACzWzBf87BcxBXvLOm8ysgOq5F1msSPSFNhf2M2S67vRykcVQmeO0R8l14ynSz3aHKhtDknlNV8HIiGT1xadaB7VQ/w375-h195/IMG_3:5_Highway%20160,%20Arizona.png" width="375" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><span style="color: #444444; font-size: medium;"><i>If you’ve been finding this interesting and curious about what I skipped over, consider getting a copy of Buddha Science, ©2016, so you can read the rest of Steve's story. Contact, <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steve Daut</a></i></span></blockquote><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">______________________________________________________________</span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-43714759193479327102023-07-17T20:43:00.010-07:002023-07-29T12:23:55.849-07:003/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Two fingers pointing at the moon (Steve Daut)<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A conversation with Steve Daut’s Buddha Science, Chapter 2, Two Fingers </span></b></h3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTsUsvOW0_hmYeZhKepWmvM9G764eN5sZi_18S6P3Q67DRwX25v-b7Zaa1NB8-0daC55WZOB8U4kTv104QIA3dRmN7-046u2q91xR_gDt7vqBZGVTlZ_pEB_Q5Z0wOawOxHaG9uImy5BKn0fmfobPj5Sly-iHtGVDHpxSbpMbxMVKO16gCdT6Vuee81Q/s1310/IMG_Moon%231.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Moon over Atlanta Ocean" border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="908" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTsUsvOW0_hmYeZhKepWmvM9G764eN5sZi_18S6P3Q67DRwX25v-b7Zaa1NB8-0daC55WZOB8U4kTv104QIA3dRmN7-046u2q91xR_gDt7vqBZGVTlZ_pEB_Q5Z0wOawOxHaG9uImy5BKn0fmfobPj5Sly-iHtGVDHpxSbpMbxMVKO16gCdT6Vuee81Q/w222-h320/IMG_Moon%231.png" title="©citizenschallenge 2023" width="222" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Food for thought.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;"><i>Is there anybody out there?</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: trebuchet;"><i>(edited July 28, 2023)</i></span></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 2a, Two Fingers, Pointing at the moon</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a1 “… We (humans) suffer from the tendency to form concepts that may or may not have anything to do with the words, or intent of the speaker (or author). … Perhaps this just gives us unlimited number of opportunities for subtle and complicated miscommunication. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No doubt. It's a reason why I think the quest for “Truth” is a self deception. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">People tend to seek their own truth and everyone is the center of their own world. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a6 “Are objects real, or are they just transient event that mark a convergence of smaller events that we call atoms? Since every language is constrained by a particular viewpoint, is it even possible to describe reality with language? …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Transient doesn’t mean illusion. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Why the need to second guess the transient nature of everything? What other option is there for nature? </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Existence flows down the river of time. It is what it is. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Enjoy your transient moment and appreciate being an aware participant in Earth’s pageant of evolution, while you can.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a7 “… The Buddha was concerned with the causes of suffering in the world, which he viewed as attachment to our mistaken view of reality. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Attachments ~ Expectations</i>, seem like two sides of the same coin.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My particular journey has been a pursuit of clarity and minimizing my expectations of others and the world, because that's how it was. Finding value within. Striving to take nothing for granted and remaining supple enough to weather the changes as they come.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶a8 “… As the Buddha taught, everyone must learn the <b>truth</b> for themselves, … Our focus here is about the methods that science and Buddha Science use to acquire knowledge about reality, rather than the reasons for seeking this knowledge.”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This harmonizes with me, though I am leery of the concept <span style="color: #666666;">(<i>or is it conceit</i>)</span> of “truth.” </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me a most fundamental reality for us, is that, I am not alone, like it or not, we are connected to the people around us and beyond. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On this Earth we are joined by an unimaginable number of beings all having their own needs and points of view. How does the concept of “truth” fit into this melange of society, geology, biology and life? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Truth is always relative. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, the best I can hope for is “Honesty,” as in honestly observing, experiencing, and conveying facts and feelings.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzKh46KkpPXzH28NRIrl9wIPVGO9VwayvOCszDMQsSlsDOsHqkKAmyZJZxryu_ldtgR2W1GqipEXS4H_mo6vEgS2-a8VlzFAvubq6Ecm8WIUUrI9RuPHQVDtkffo-xOzhgJGcb1S70cTpPgp7jzp8rpdynMbmrcF4iJd3reMvOWW0klI-8gz1wQ_EUJI/s2070/IMG_Moon%232%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2023" border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="2070" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzKh46KkpPXzH28NRIrl9wIPVGO9VwayvOCszDMQsSlsDOsHqkKAmyZJZxryu_ldtgR2W1GqipEXS4H_mo6vEgS2-a8VlzFAvubq6Ecm8WIUUrI9RuPHQVDtkffo-xOzhgJGcb1S70cTpPgp7jzp8rpdynMbmrcF4iJd3reMvOWW0klI-8gz1wQ_EUJI/w434-h212/IMG_Moon%232%20.png" title="Moon & Venus" width="434" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 2b, Two Fingers, Walking the paths</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b1 “Let’s begin with science. In general, science begins with inductive reasoning as a method to try and understand how things work. This method is a function of the thinking mind, direct observation, measurement, trending. … According to deductive reasoning, I can logically assume that …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’ll add that, science is a set of rules based on the unspoken understanding that, we need each other to keep ourselves honest. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These rules make honesty and accuracy the gold standard and strive to remove ego driven bias from its deliberations as much as possible.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b3 “Although Buddha Science also starts with observation, it has a much different view of the concepts. It says that concepts get in the way of actually seeing and experiencing the world around us. The methods employed by Buddha Science are therefore designed to clear out all of the noise, thoughts, distractions, and details to achieve silence necessary to experience things as they are. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In other words, to help discipline the realm of our mindscape.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b4 “Another way to think about the difference between formal science and Buddha Science is to suggest that formal science deals with objective phenomena that can be proven (or disproven) and measured by experimentation and Buddha Science is focused on aspects of reality that can only be felt and understood at the subjective level, but still can be rigorously explored and tested by disciplined mental training. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Mental training” our mind holds all we know and experience. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b9 “In fact, mathematically you can never know everything there is to know about a circle because of her pesky little child, pi. Because of pi, if you know the circle’s circumference, or area, or radius, you can’t use any of those to exactly calculate the other two. Here we have the most universal shape, the most natural, comfortable and seemingly simple share we know, and it is mysterious. So is pi irrational, or simply unknowable?"</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sorry, from down here at ground-level, that looks like a contrived philosophical mind game. I know extreme accuracy has its purpose. But, in dealing with our lives, the human side of things, how is it going to help inform us about ourselves and how we perceive the world and deal with challenges?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I don’t understand the point of impossible expectations of exactitude in a dynamic reality, mystifying unavoidable human/natural limits seems silly to me.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b10 “… trees are 99.99999999999% empty space …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s looking through the lens of an inaccurate solar system atomic model and a great example of how we deceive ourselves with the way we enunciate our thoughts. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Electrons are not tiny balls of energy, they spin unimaginably fast, their energy is smeared out into energetic clouds. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thing is, there’s nothing “empty” about the space within an atom’s electron valence shells. <span style="color: #666666;"> <span>(<i>That unfortunate trope, "emptiness of atoms," ergo, matter is empty, has spawned a great deal of intellectual mischief</i>)</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶b12 “… formal science and Buddha Science generally share the perspective that reality encompasses some elements that are tangible and measurable, and others that are mysterious and cannot be perfectly known or understood. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Through my Earth Centrist eyes, what “Reality encompasses” is simpler to define: </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Physical Reality </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and Human Consciousness, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that is our living mind. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where all our thoughts, dreams and mysteries reside.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 4.5px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp0IipcFmJOjHfxuzlrIvs57UuVu_hcStBfTU6F-sl2Y8aPuajo9R91IpifBBIyXBJKF97ge6-C7gCoa441JSaFvFK2weOIJAP59tSTq0nifk7vmFyEJvg5Na1lwepnb--FV69OuLN5FLuWbmsRCQ2ipgaI54b9N8SflYs7Z8p0MfKu_hs1fw9Q4zvQ8/s2222/IMG_Moon%233.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Moon & Venus" border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="2222" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp0IipcFmJOjHfxuzlrIvs57UuVu_hcStBfTU6F-sl2Y8aPuajo9R91IpifBBIyXBJKF97ge6-C7gCoa441JSaFvFK2weOIJAP59tSTq0nifk7vmFyEJvg5Na1lwepnb--FV69OuLN5FLuWbmsRCQ2ipgaI54b9N8SflYs7Z8p0MfKu_hs1fw9Q4zvQ8/w320-h195/IMG_Moon%233.png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">_______________________________________________</b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 2c, Two Fingers, Two realities</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c1 “Buddha Science explains this conundrum with the perception that there are two levels of reality: the dualistic reality of our day-to-day experience, and the ultimate non-dual reality that cannot be fully understood. When we use the term dualistic, we simply mean dividing things into “this” and “that” …”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;">I believe a more succinct description of the dualistic nature starts with recognizing the profound divide between physical reality and our mind. After that, “this” and “that” gets much easier to reconcile.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Try imagining this physical biological organism we inhabit during our lives,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">a creature's act of living is what drives the biological dynamo of consciousness - that is, generating our sense of self, of me, myself, & I, and everything else we know. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Why? Because any organism and body needs to communicate and command itself, along with monitor, </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">and process</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;"> sensory inputs, and orchestrate responses.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c2 “Since non-dual reality cannot be divided, it cannot be measured, compared, or tested the way we measure and test our day-to-day reality. …</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s a good description of our mind full of thoughts.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c3 “… there are two reasons for this inability to describe non-dual reality, first… reality is larger than any concept. …”</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c4 “… “Second reason we can’t express non-dual reality … with the limitations of our language. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The biology of our bodies is a physical reality. Our bodies need to be able to communicate with themselves, it’s a basic organism/creature imperative for survival.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All we know, is perceived and processed through our physical body; followed by further processing in the brain; before being broadcast as ideas running through our mind and body; while giving out instructions to every nook’n cranny of our bodies.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶ “… But the contradiction is not an inherent property of reality; it is due to the limitation of the language we have available to describe it. After all, our language allows for self-reference that can lead to paradox. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A point worth keeping in mind.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c8 “According to Buddha Science, non-dual reality can’t be adequately described, but it can be experienced … being “in the zone” … no separation between them and the flow of experience. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Being in-the-zone is the product of disciple and training bodily reflexes and internal communication and learning to shut down our constant upper-level conscious chatter, thus allowing our body’s complex systems to focus on accomplishing the task at hand without interference.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c13 “Even though these various views of non-dual reality are very different from each other, they all point to a reality that is larger and different from the one we experience day-to-day. … as soon as we </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c20 “… in the broadest sense non-duality can be understood as indivisible Reality. …”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I look at this from a much more biological Evolutionary perspective. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I believe the actual duality that deserves much more attention is the duality between a creature’s thoughts (mind) and body (physical reality). </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After all, consciousness* is the inside reflection of a biological body getting on with the job of living, it’s a self-consistent necessity that every organism must achieve, if it’s going to thrive. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It also explains so much about the constant tensions and struggles between our flesh & spirit that challenge all of us humans, each in our own way. This kind of awareness opens up strategies for constructively taming the beasts within us.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rest of the categorizations and explanations and variations discussed in these paragraphs belong within the realm of “Mind.” How we think about things and process incoming information, while integrating all of it with past information, etc..</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the other side of that is geology, biology, physiology, physical matter. It’s organized life that spark’s awareness, and creatures, and consciousness, and the meta-physical realm of our thoughts in all their majesty. Therein lies the duality of my Reality.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: right;"><span><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>*</b></span><span style="color: #666666;">(key thought: Consciousness is a spectrum.)</span></span></i></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c22 “… Reality cannot be divided, except in our minds, … According to the Buddhist principle of “dependent origination,” even matter and mind are co-dependent. Reality is non-dual.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span>¶c25 “… We view our world through a lens of duality , and we come to believe in separate beings and phenomena occupying an objective universe. But if non-dual reality is indivisible, these divisions are artificial no matter how real they seem … Separate, independent beings and phenomena cannot exist. The disconnect between these two levels of reality is the basis for our existential sugaring, and Buddha Science has developed certain principles to help us understand both the levels of reality and the relationship between them. Now we let’s take a closer look at these principles.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I don’t think it needs to be this convoluted. Reality can’t be divided by our minds because there’s nothing to divide it into.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>See <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms" target="_blank">Dr.</a></b> <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk" target="_blank">Solms</a></b> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Damasio" target="_blank"><b>Dr.</b></a> <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/antonio-damasio/" target="_blank"><b>Damasio</b></a> for more on consciousness from a biological perspective, <b><a href="https://thisviewoflife.com/profile/david-sloan-wilson/" target="_blank">David</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sloan_Wilson" target="_blank">Sloan</a> <a href="https://davidsloanwilson.world" target="_blank">Wilson</a></b> for Evolution's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwrqd_N2Hqg" target="_blank">relevance to our lives</a>.</i></span></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i></span><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1slp8v3kRlaS0-6p96He1KCz54pUqujDzpj7pHtYKGzJyl_0fanF0NZHuO-RfTJs6zmuSKAMbKlg3Wr4s_5gbp-Hqh2YdNpjXhr7nVruED9lUoStezT_CRCobO83rFDJA1FMSuKxfkBRas92Vhr_scdKRsdrSHQ6JXb-DL8-W3dWJqYeWBHmug21Bka4/s1722/IMG_Moon%234.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2023" border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="1722" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1slp8v3kRlaS0-6p96He1KCz54pUqujDzpj7pHtYKGzJyl_0fanF0NZHuO-RfTJs6zmuSKAMbKlg3Wr4s_5gbp-Hqh2YdNpjXhr7nVruED9lUoStezT_CRCobO83rFDJA1FMSuKxfkBRas92Vhr_scdKRsdrSHQ6JXb-DL8-W3dWJqYeWBHmug21Bka4/w470-h379/IMG_Moon%234.png" title="Moon and Venus" width="470" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">I thank Steve Daut for the thoughtful intellectual vehicle he’s provided for my own adventure.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">I encourage you to read his complete book.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">Buddha Science, ©2016, Steve Daut - For a copy: <a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com">mail@stevedaut.com</a></span></i></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-61704018529314603642023-07-16T15:51:00.016-07:002023-07-30T17:48:11.858-07:002/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - The Elephant (Steve Daut)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjot999kQDqqzMcUN3CiM-NgoDfiZSbAQ-BrwKHOonB0rx3W5JNKETxPD8mP9GmEP9pSCapgrvrswrCMeaVw9G1TCMXU60Ah2LxjTHfdaiA68rjd1quX_mVR9EKJ6H47TKskCiPsmtQq7qcfw0e0k5MVDFYTyVuST-mEOa41g-s96LZZmcSJuI0Ow9IyjA/s2236/IMG_Colorado%20Rocky%20Mtn.%20Oct%202021.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="2236" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjot999kQDqqzMcUN3CiM-NgoDfiZSbAQ-BrwKHOonB0rx3W5JNKETxPD8mP9GmEP9pSCapgrvrswrCMeaVw9G1TCMXU60Ah2LxjTHfdaiA68rjd1quX_mVR9EKJ6H47TKskCiPsmtQq7qcfw0e0k5MVDFYTyVuST-mEOa41g-s96LZZmcSJuI0Ow9IyjA/w489-h148/IMG_Colorado%20Rocky%20Mtn.%20Oct%202021.png" title="Rocky Mountain, 2023" width="489" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>Chapter 1, Buddha Science, The Elephant</b></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(edited </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">July 27)</span></span></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b>_______________________________________________</b></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Chapter 1a, Desperately Seeking Reality</h2>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶1 “What is Reality?” </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would respond that our <i>human reality</i> can most succinctly be defined as <i>Physical Reality. That is atomic matter, biology, and the rules they abide by, including our biological body/brain. Beyond that, all there is, is our Human Mind, which our physical body produces and through which we perceive our body and the world, and our gods for that matter.</i></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“Can we ever cut through the haze . . .”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It would help to realize the haze is a product of our own imaginations. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tackling that challenge begins with finding an answer to the, “Who are you?”, question.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Only after coming to terms with the “me, myself & I” mystery does the “Reality” question start opening up.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶3 “Why have we looked so hard in so many ways for so many years?”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because we are <i>curious mammals extraordinaire</i> with a profoundly inquisitive introspective active mind driven by biological imperatives that trace back to the dawn of time.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶4 “I’m convinced that it’s not where we look, but how we are looking. In looking we cling to (our) certain(ties), to the idea that we can find ultimate answers.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not just how we are looking but also what are our expectations, as in searching for ultimate Truth. This world is too big to take it all in and each creature can only observe from our unique center.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶6 “… But the approach we take to answering the question, and even the language we use to talk about reality affects the answers so much that we can’t even see the insight provided through other approaches.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My point exactly, I speak of the Abrahamic mindset, self absorbed, convinced the Earth and her resources are here for us to consume as fast as possible. That attitude renders us blind to how our framing of the basic questions hobble our understanding and behavior.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“Is reality purely physical?”<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Physical Reality is atoms, molecules, biology the stuff that can be observed and measured and all the laws they abide by. Earth’s Biology produces life and creatures with ever increasing levels of awareness; mind; consciousness; eventually arriving at a self-consciousness producing human mind.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Consciousness, mind is the meta-physical product of a living organism needing to communicate with itself. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I believe it could be stated that a biological creature producing mind is no more mysterious than a coil of wire and a magnet in motion producing electricity. There too, experts still can’t adequately answer, what is electricity, nor exactly how it works. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But philosophers don’t marvel at that, why the double standard?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… we all seem to fall into the trap of thinking that if you don’t see things the way I do, you must be wrong. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me suggest it’s more a matter of how far one strives to see. Do we want to limit ourselves to our own mindscape and the comfort of our ego, or do we strive to consider what’s beyond those bounds?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mind<span style="color: #666666;">(scape)</span> divide, it seems to me a foundational concept, a benchmark to help us recognize and respect our consciousness and the disconnect we feel with the “real” world, and that too many feel with their own bodies.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶7 “… Each man is too busy clinging to the details of his particular experience to try and find the similarities with what the others are experiencing. If they’d quit arguing, shed their fixed concepts, and try to discover the larger truth that their collective experience is pointing toward, they might be able to piece together a clearer concept of what the elephant actually looks like.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We’re stuck with ourselves and need to do our learning for ourselves, through good faith curiosity and doing the homework. Not ‘each person’ clings to their routines, some seek knowledge that goes beyond themselves and the circumstance they were born into.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My twenties, thirties found me busy collecting experiences and miles. I did a good deal of hitchhiking, thumb out and pointing down the road, with no idea who was going to give me a ride or what was next, sometime with a destination, sometimes not. The day was an act of meditation in the <i>now</i> moment, striving to absorb the scene and experience.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wasn’t trying to figure out what the elephant looked like, I was simply sampling the experience as well as I could. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I figured eventually an increasingly accurate impression will develop of itself, I wasn’t in a hurry, too busy enjoying youth and keeping up with work. Attentive to the moment. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Turns out it was a good approach that produced results, such as a personal clarity founded in experience rather than simply convictions and story telling. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDKDCwCj3iEHb9Diw6R7Ynekhos02LwrPgIw8XqYvqWUGM2j1kXZyZrC-FM47NsWVF8NR76-KriLNqdiSGGvJqw_oQxLyfcrjvNuc3W-dQhHkaGo6mvenM32E8ZdHuHN3NS088FEJCSsBK6m1w3oLbAyT3XrBxLnCx6r42knAfx4VZf5cIca-7pdjlg/s2230/IMG_Colorado%20snow%20capped%20mtns..png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rockie Mountains" border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="2230" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDKDCwCj3iEHb9Diw6R7Ynekhos02LwrPgIw8XqYvqWUGM2j1kXZyZrC-FM47NsWVF8NR76-KriLNqdiSGGvJqw_oQxLyfcrjvNuc3W-dQhHkaGo6mvenM32E8ZdHuHN3NS088FEJCSsBK6m1w3oLbAyT3XrBxLnCx6r42knAfx4VZf5cIca-7pdjlg/w580-h109/IMG_Colorado%20snow%20capped%20mtns..png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="580" /></a></div><p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">_______________________________________________</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chapter 1b, Planet Silorian</b></div></b></h2>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>¶b1 “Let’s imagine a world existing in a golden age . . .”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let’s not. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With apologies, analogy has its purpose, to some extent, after that it’s diminishing returns that I can’t do anything with it. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So I won’t try.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Vhp6trc0yG1FkTHGYPuhh2UDH38n59xWOCVeft2kiwFtXD84AXo5KO2ANp8p3c-qz8UTt1qHMLASv3kDt6a13dURTqV6vdbdlY6OktzIc9dBqqb3eoBFhXJ3WUW8TM4h9nSRkARPVHEILEekJDx-O0sHZcAxpze1RikPxeOtTDi05jnMnf-86YdloAc/s2212/IMG_Maddy's%20been%20this%20way.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="2212" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Vhp6trc0yG1FkTHGYPuhh2UDH38n59xWOCVeft2kiwFtXD84AXo5KO2ANp8p3c-qz8UTt1qHMLASv3kDt6a13dURTqV6vdbdlY6OktzIc9dBqqb3eoBFhXJ3WUW8TM4h9nSRkARPVHEILEekJDx-O0sHZcAxpze1RikPxeOtTDi05jnMnf-86YdloAc/w574-h100/IMG_Maddy's%20been%20this%20way.png" width="574" /></a></div><p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">_______________________________________________</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chapter 1c, The Boundaries We Build</b></div></b></h2>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>¶c1 “The buddha said that if we can recognize our true nature, we can escape the suffering that comes from feeling separate from the world around us.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Through my modern USA lens, I don’t think it’s so much about escaping suffering as it is <b>escaping expectations</b> and the <b>disappointments</b>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>¶c3 “We want to know where we fit and how it all fits together, so we close out ideas that threaten our comfortable understanding.”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hopefully not everyone is like that.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What happened to thinking “honorably”? P</span><span style="font-size: medium;">ersonal character and the will to practice honest introspection. Believing that learning is more important than facade and salving of one’s ego? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or, is one seeking truthful information and honest understanding - even if it forces one to face up to one’s own failings and need for improvement?</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Can I accept new valid information that exposes my errors, then face and over-come the humiliation of having failed and absorb those mistakes in order to learn their lessons, then move on, better informed than before? That is the honest intellectual’s challenge.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c5 “At it’s heart, science is an approach, a way of investigating observations …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">True enough, at it's heart: </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">S<i>cience is a set of rules based on an unspoken understanding that, we need each other, to keep ourselves honest. </i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Honesty is science’s supreme rule! Evidence driven conclusions, with the rules formulated in a way to exclude human ego, and passion driven biases, from its evidence gathering and deliberations as much as possible. </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyone, from anywhere on this global can learn the rules and the language of their field, work hard and contribute to the community of experts.</span></i></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><i>“</i>In this book, we want to explore the findings of science to see what they can tell us about the nature of reality, but still remain open to the limitations of the scientific method. </p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><i>“For our discussion we will break the subject down into chaos and complexity, physical science, science of life, and science of the mind.”</i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This configuration confused me. Because, at its roots we are dealing with a <i>Physical Reality ~ Human mind divide</i>. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s an essential first-base lesson and it becomes a benchmark that opens new vistas that we’ve been blind to.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Among the cascading consequences of such an appreciation is realizing how all we experience, all we see, hear, feel, taste, smell, sense, travels through our physical biological body/brain, which in turn produces our mind (consciousness) and that everything you know, science, religion, God, heaven, hell, art, music, all of it unfolds within our own minds, or more descriptively, our Mindscape. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c7 “Mysticism is a belief that union with the absolute (i.e., God) can be attained through contemplation and self-surrender. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me Mysticism is all about striving to walk with grace and to focus on trying to <i>Touch the Earth</i>. Or when it’s really grooving, to <i>touch</i> our evolving Earth, that is, to taste deep-time and recognize that I am an aware filament in the pageant of Earth’s Evolution, my moment is fleeting, but it is mine, and it is here, and it is good. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To feel at home in the world is big.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In that spirit, self-surrender makes sense, to know your self from the inside out, then as a part of the “<i>All</i>”. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c8 “… We’re more interested in Buddhist observations about the nature of the world and of perceptible reality. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Perceptible” - “our perception” is a key concept that doesn’t get repeated enough. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We humans, as all creatures, perceive the sliver of the reality we are embedded within. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The physical reality that made us doesn’t shape-shift! </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>How we perceive it</b>, that’s all over the map - because it is absolutely bound up with the unique body you happen to inhabit and the mood you are in and feedback you’re receiving from the environment and circumstances, etc., etc..</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c11 “… the message of this book is connection. …”</p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Speaking of connecting, there’s nothing like a thorough understanding of your body's e</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">volution</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: medium;">, (<i><span style="color: #444444;">in context with other creatures' evolution, their environment, our Earth's biosphere</span></i>), to infuse one with a sense of connection and awe.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c12 “… Religion and metaphysics exist in the realms of thought and belief. This is tricky when we’re trying to understand something about Reality as a whole, because if we’re not going to limit reality to the physical, then thoughts and beliefs also exist as part of reality. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It doesn’t need to be this tricky. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It clarifies that the only “meta-physics" in our lives is the mind that our body/brain creates. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">The purpose of excluding the thought process of metaphysics and the beliefs of religion from our discussion is simply to limit the conversation relatively manageable set of topics.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But our thought process is the central key to all this. Grasping that your consciousness is a product of your body interacting with the environment & circumstance, and your consciousness is the source of all your ideas. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Isn't that the <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/metaphysics/">definition of meta-physical</a>?</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c13 “What do we mean by religion? … In other words, religion is based on the <b>belief that the rules of reality were created by something outside of reality.</b>”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… As long as you can accept the concept of an open reality, there is no inconsistency between a belief in the existence of God and the findings of science. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've tried imagining this Open Reality, but it's not working.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What would visualizing an “Open Reality” concept actually achieve for us? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It seems to hinge on semantics rather than the observable world we live in.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… science is purely an attempt to describe a closed reality based on what we can observe and infer from those observations . . .”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fair enough, after all science’s specific remit is to study physical reality. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Honestly observe, accurately measure, repeatability, strive to minimize ego driven biases in pursuit of understanding, honest constructive debates.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c14 “… God may well exist, by whatever name you wish to use, but such discussions are well <b>beyond the scope of this book.</b> …” </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course our gods exist. They exist in our minds and hearts.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thinking about Evolution offers an interesting idea for a satisfying non-cosmic story for our Gods. </span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It starts with considering the awareness of life, living organisms from the first cells and then eukaryotes and the increasing complexity of creatures that followed. Consciousness striving to do better, eventually evolving into humans with an introspective learning mind that could image God, and fill that imagined god with substance. </span></p></blockquote>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶c15 “Metaphysics, on the other hand, is a search for the rules of reality that can be deduced, but not tested in an experimental context. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Meaning, metaphysics is susceptible to human ego, human vanity, human envy, human avarice, human insecurity, human vengeance lust and human manipulation. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Without objective benchmarks rational examination and assessment are impossible.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… It shares with science the attempt to describe Reality but <b>the basis for description is conception</b> rather than observations. … As such, it’s an intellectual pursuit, one that relies purely on ideas and logic …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Which is why it belongs within the realm of our mindscape - as opposed to the physical realm of matter and the laws of physics.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBaDBF00PBvopWMJQkd7wokyXCwc3WfwXmGS9RaL_JYxXlMJN28BcOwZJUK9z3-ztuu6oeniqKkpwBjUre-Bz_3k06kSbFbAo569skm_-HPw4loNPQltZraUAEJC57jNX2Lm0YKodZJyR-Z2IK6sZcuGAWJWnRfDQke1rKQcuxn0k6y1A4YUyZwhvmHk/s2168/IMG_Rockies%20%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="2168" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBaDBF00PBvopWMJQkd7wokyXCwc3WfwXmGS9RaL_JYxXlMJN28BcOwZJUK9z3-ztuu6oeniqKkpwBjUre-Bz_3k06kSbFbAo569skm_-HPw4loNPQltZraUAEJC57jNX2Lm0YKodZJyR-Z2IK6sZcuGAWJWnRfDQke1rKQcuxn0k6y1A4YUyZwhvmHk/w560-h102/IMG_Rockies%20%232.png" width="560" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">_______________________________________________</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chapter 1d, Can’t we all just get along?</b></div></b></h2>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d1 “… so let’s try to define what we do want to talk about. … Many principles that we will be discussing here are not limited to science or Buddhism. Writings on non-duality can be found in many traditions. … Philosophical discourse regarding the nature of reality continued with the Pythagoreans, Plato, and Aristotle, and the conversation continues today.”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d3 “A key focus of this book is empirical knowledge, which deals with what we perceive rather than the ideas we form about things. In other words, empirical rather than conceptions. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet, empirical knowledge must be perceived and processed via the concepts we form. Perhaps a more useful starting point for this discussion would be first getting clear on : </span></p>
<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 13.5px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Recognizing and appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide.</span></b></p></blockquote>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">…For now, let’s just say that perceptions are about observations, and conceptions are about ideas.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">True enough, as far as it goes.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… So while religion seeks to find meaning beyond our reality and metaphysics explores conception of reality, empirical observations provide perceptions of reality based on direct examination of what our senses tell us.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There’s something missing here. Perceptions are limited by the sensing and processing abilities (& inabilities) of the receiving person, creature, or instrument. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d4 “… Buddhism (science) principles include direct perception and inference rooted in empirical perception. …”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d6 “… in this book we’ll be exporting the parallels between Buddha Science and formal science. … focusing on similarities, … interested with where the two approaches agree rather than where they differ. …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And me? I’m going to use Steve Daut’s well considered outline of this very human intellectual spiritual challenge to help me better explain what Earth Centrism is all about. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’ve read through Buddha Science a couple times and find much to agree with and respect. My intention isn’t to dispute or challenge - it’s a matter of looking at it from my deep-time, down to Earth lens, as opposed to the traditional human-centric lens.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d9 “… Matt Flickstein (The Mediator’s Atlas) focuses one different views of reality. He writes: “Truth is one. However, there are two approaches to realizing this truth: via <i>affirma</i> the positive approach, and via <i>negativa, the negative approach.</i> …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These are paths of mental disciplines. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not to be overlooked, is the mental discipline of, <b><i>what shall I be present to?</i></b></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d11 “The scientific path follows positive action to develop concepts and tests in an effort to pry reality loose from hiding. The path of Buddha Science, on the other hand, is based on silent listening, clearing the mind to allow Reality to speak for itself. The main premise of this book is that the approach doesn’t matter to reality.”</p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">“… Reality is the same, no matter what approach you take …”</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I like that, it echos a key lesson within, “Appreciating the Human Mind ~ Physical Reality divide.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d12 “… Discoveries in quantum physics were driving scientists to take another look at the connection between science and mysticism, … (Dr. Frijof Capra, The Tao of Physics, 1975) … boundary between mysticism and science … began to fall. …</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m proud to say <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Physics" target="_blank">Capra’s book</a> was a travel companion for a while, way back in my on-the-road days, as was Robert Pirsig's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance" target="_blank">Art of Motorcycle Maintenance</a>, good companions for a young thoughtful tramp. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quantum weirdness and other lessons from the realm of the very tiniest of tiny, right up against the threshold between matter and energy itself. Fun stuff, it probably helped inspire me to start reading up on biographies of those early physics pioneers, trying to learn about them and the physics they were uncovering. Admittedly, I'm handicapped by my lack of complex math skills, still the mind's eye can follow the fundamentals fairly well.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As for quantum physics, bizarre behavior is to be expected. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still, I’ve come to realize imaginative storytelling can’t scale up from quantum weirdness examples, up to our macroscopic human realm. Sure, quantum behavior is deep within the fabric of our reality, still it’s nothing but a background hummm for our own day to days. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We should be focusing all that philosophical time & treasure on our middle-ground day to day physical reality. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We're so busy staring into clouds, we've forgotten all about understanding and caring about the living biosphere we depend on for everything. </b></span></p>
<p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;">¶d13 “… the goal of journey is not the fingers pointing - it is the moon. …”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZT0vyXzScBcx4hJsGBBLhvDqYcqwe9FTAIjavq41w7sUdvJKePr8EpnePePlKIEWPdvE52-5-XtRDt1e2LP-Nwd-NAmA4tIIxKYC_ONzS6ly2tygko5k1318uzWCLaxf1y-OhO4ycfO60E3SDHpqC9NYo6uHTiish85gXmwbmWs_Uwo4O1uOhU7kLn8/s2124/IMG_Sunset,%20Oct%202021.png" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="2124" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZT0vyXzScBcx4hJsGBBLhvDqYcqwe9FTAIjavq41w7sUdvJKePr8EpnePePlKIEWPdvE52-5-XtRDt1e2LP-Nwd-NAmA4tIIxKYC_ONzS6ly2tygko5k1318uzWCLaxf1y-OhO4ycfO60E3SDHpqC9NYo6uHTiish85gXmwbmWs_Uwo4O1uOhU7kLn8/w573-h116/IMG_Sunset,%20Oct%202021.png" width="573" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0c61ab; font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">I thank Steve Daut for the thoughtful intellectual vehicle he’s provided for my journey of discovery.</span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">I encourage you to read his complete book.</span></i> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;">Buddha Science, ©2016, For a copy contact <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steve Daut</a>: </span></i></p></blockquote><p> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"></a></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></span></i> <span style="text-align: right;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mail@stevedaut.com"></a></span></i></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; min-height: 16px;"><b></b><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-82169086205228925782023-07-15T10:24:00.006-07:002023-07-26T18:27:26.728-07:001/10 Dialogue with "Buddha Science" - Introduction to this series<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-FqCy8ioybOT479BJEquFzj6QwvB4B2RgrARepAoaDumQXxTaiBZzOfE-GTfTEzYnHfApirC-6kXczZiZoyOXE99-ydTmhqhzmkWSx2WKsSlVkfdEwtbUGci4astLGWDeTMp5V3VSXBtEqH4Gk0QmoADb6sDXman2K64rv9gQtaOUkLAj78UGi9wzlE/s1440/IMG_Buddha%20Science%20cover,%20Daut.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1440" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-FqCy8ioybOT479BJEquFzj6QwvB4B2RgrARepAoaDumQXxTaiBZzOfE-GTfTEzYnHfApirC-6kXczZiZoyOXE99-ydTmhqhzmkWSx2WKsSlVkfdEwtbUGci4astLGWDeTMp5V3VSXBtEqH4Gk0QmoADb6sDXman2K64rv9gQtaOUkLAj78UGi9wzlE/s320/IMG_Buddha%20Science%20cover,%20Daut.png" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">—————————————————————————</span></b></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Introduction to a dialogue with Steve Daut’s Buddha Science.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">—————————————————————————</span></b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ri61FWG0-ogpjQKWSFGdp6v6eChyaXHq9rDWNEDe8-sTL4bOeVDncyVqJbrNtJbJodTa_ef8ILs2URhAZz_m_mQngwL7Te4dP9ASKXKf_cl8BYSjXESRQjkqzlkS7eD9ZYg7isL_W4v8L79AP-0RFLn02Cfpp5opoBIJsiJmno97eEV76nrpCyKDf7M/s2234/Sunset%20&%20horizon,%20Sleeping%20Ute.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2022" border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="2234" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ri61FWG0-ogpjQKWSFGdp6v6eChyaXHq9rDWNEDe8-sTL4bOeVDncyVqJbrNtJbJodTa_ef8ILs2URhAZz_m_mQngwL7Te4dP9ASKXKf_cl8BYSjXESRQjkqzlkS7eD9ZYg7isL_W4v8L79AP-0RFLn02Cfpp5opoBIJsiJmno97eEV76nrpCyKDf7M/w511-h129/Sunset%20&%20horizon,%20Sleeping%20Ute.png" title="Sunset & horizon" width="511" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I want to begin with a little personal background to offer some context for why I'm having this virtual dialogue with the words and ideas in a book.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I was born in 1955 in the midst of the greatest leap in geological and biological scientific understanding humanity has ever experienced. One ageless mystery after another was being exposed and explained with descriptions of rational natural physical processes, from biology, to geology, to astronomy, and everything in between.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Thankfully I was born to a couple of secular, intelligent and engaged parents who allowed me to ponder the “deep questions” that fascinated me, free of the god-fearing browbeating that shut down so many other curious young souls.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Before I ever learned about religion or philosophy I was already enthralled by the deep questions: Who am I? Why am I? What am I? Why doesn’t my mind have control over the impulses inside of me? How did this world come into existence? Trying to imagine the universe and infinity, and being allowed the freedom to wonder about the mystery of this God people were talking about. I was also encouraged to think about living things, and wonder at the Evolution that unfolded on this singular planet.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">About five years ago, in a burst of epiphany, I arrived at a succinct and fundamental distillation of our human existence, namely<a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2018/09/key-to-gould-nonoverlapping-magisteria.html"> Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mind divide</a>. In the past five years that kernel of insight has continued resonating, leading to cascading insights as new appreciations keep sprouting from that seed of understanding. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I also came to realize “Earth Centrist” describes my outlook better than any other label.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Internally, the past few years have provided a wonderful feeling of mysteries resolved and the peace of having <i>arrived at a solid foundational understanding, after a lifetime of proactive learning and seeking. </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Externally, in sharing this evolving perspective, I’ve been surprised and frustrated at how difficult it is for others to grasp what seems to me straight-forward, if not self-evident.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Recently, Steve Daut’s Buddha Science was introduced to me, I was curious, though I wound up purchasing it more out of courtesy than expectations. To my surprise Daut’s narrative and facts were clearly enunciated and his writing was solid, none of the flights-of-fancy or other red flags that turn me off. He does a wonderful job of describing a lot of current spiritual/philosophical thinking, and he kept it grounded, and he kept me turning the pages. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The book offered my Earth Centrist perspective a wonderful virtual discussion mate for contrasting my outlook against. That is, Earth Centrism v. the traditional religious/philosophical dualistic rut that permeates much of today’s thinking. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">There’s very little about the facts of Steve’s story that I’d want to dispute. My thinking is embedded in the same matrix of facts that he’s working with, but for whatever twist of fate, I’ve managed to step outside of myself - to recognize and absorb the reality of “deep-time,” this planet Earth, her pageant of Evolution, from one step beyond our self-absorbed, self-serving, hubristic, human fixations.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I’ve been in contact with Steve Daut and he’s given me his permission to use Buddha Science as my workbook and I thank him. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Since I’m focusing on highlighting my particular Earth Centrist perspective, I skip long, yet interesting sections of Daut’s book, where my comments would be superfluous. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I encourage you to purchase a copy of Daut’s Buddha Science, it’s a short (130 pages, 232 endnote citations) simple read and his complete telling is worth thinking about. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What follows isn’t a critique, so much as a comparison of perspectives, a dialogue between me and a book. Me being an Earth Centrist, viewing the world through a Evolution respecting, bottom-up lens. Beyond that it’s simply another exercise in trying to define some simple concepts regarding Earth Centrism.</span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBU76kmvQbXg2rK2k9a6PoSOBfABTXFycDOlX6HB40jhhNc0V_DQ_I5sOduL47MjmdBU8IwJv1F5K_Q3U9t1YMemKv7NsharjtzV1UAfQYRwrnickj7jEDCNHe7ES5Iexq4m7KHlMxmYTnFROMQb9RQiMfy8T3_Shmz7nm43d3MWyjTG9FCExlcWCgSg/s2236/Early%20evening%20sky,%20cloud,%20moonrise,%20horse%20barn.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2022" border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="2236" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBU76kmvQbXg2rK2k9a6PoSOBfABTXFycDOlX6HB40jhhNc0V_DQ_I5sOduL47MjmdBU8IwJv1F5K_Q3U9t1YMemKv7NsharjtzV1UAfQYRwrnickj7jEDCNHe7ES5Iexq4m7KHlMxmYTnFROMQb9RQiMfy8T3_Shmz7nm43d3MWyjTG9FCExlcWCgSg/w550-h162/Early%20evening%20sky,%20cloud,%20moonrise,%20horse%20barn.png" title="Early evening sky, cloud, moonrise, horse barn" width="550" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Buddha Science</b></span><b> by Steve Daut</b></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;">©2016 - ISBN 978-1-943290-15-4</p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;">For a copy email <a href="mailto:mail@stevedaut.com" target="_blank">Steven Daut</a></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">This is another Cc's Student's Workbook, of sorts, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">meaning a little repetition is to be expected, </span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">honing concepts and descriptions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet;">Offering food for thought.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 13.2px;">Is there anybody out there?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #800180; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></span></i> </p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-86427852542134999952023-04-24T08:38:00.003-07:002023-04-24T15:57:40.280-07:00 On Abortion Rights, considering the fundamentals.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNkp_dbArie35NRHdhsPp-DgYbAfEVcLi4dXUNo-ogzG_fTwqZ7_ER5P6T_vUWeoNQ5S_5wPZH6udX7jv0C6dK2nauN8F3cYnOVnRsDecAmB3kjrkJCcfwC7llXOhxXlqQurxeSRXSyLjLXM5RNcmB3HIgP6TqGOEw-RnUi5rSFNedqfydn76k1tM/s1296/IMG_Li'l%20B%20holding%20Napa's%20hands.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="holding hands" border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1296" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNkp_dbArie35NRHdhsPp-DgYbAfEVcLi4dXUNo-ogzG_fTwqZ7_ER5P6T_vUWeoNQ5S_5wPZH6udX7jv0C6dK2nauN8F3cYnOVnRsDecAmB3kjrkJCcfwC7llXOhxXlqQurxeSRXSyLjLXM5RNcmB3HIgP6TqGOEw-RnUi5rSFNedqfydn76k1tM/w320-h165/IMG_Li'l%20B%20holding%20Napa's%20hands.png" title="©citizenschallenge" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">I want to start with the greatest truth humanity has achieved, we are born out of Earth’s processes. It’s a truth born out of our increasing understanding of human history going back into the dimmest reaches of Earth’s deep time. Beginning with geology, then biology joined in, then complex biology, then living sensing creatures that created environments and ecology in an ever changing world. Folds within folds of cumulative harmonic complexity flowing down the cascade of time, rushing into a future inhabited by humans. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">Birth and death is our lot. It has always been part and parcel of our human condition. It can’t be moralized out of existence by idealistic extremists who believe “God” is personally speaking with them.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">Pregnancy is never a guarantee. A fetus is a seed, a being, a human potentiality. Spontaneous natural abortions, miscarriages happen. <b>A fetus may be a human, but it doesn’t take on the mantle of personhood until those first breaths of life-giving air are infusing its lungs and pumping through its arteries and veins.</b></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">It should be significant that the fact of practicing abortions is older than civilizations, with <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/jewish-experience/social-justice/2022/june/abortion-judaism-joffe.html" target="_blank">Jewish scripture going into details on the topic</a>, explaining why within particular circumstance abortion is a sad inevitability and that it is okay in the eyes of their God. (God never promised us a rose garden!)</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Beyond that, in a free society, legally speaking, why doesn’t a woman deserve the Right to Self-Defense along with Sovereignty Over Her Own Body?</span></b></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">Pregnancy is a difficult gauntlet, always will be, there will be deaths. Those deaths aren’t confined to unborn beings, all too often the mother is also at mortal risk.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">When push comes to shove, a just law would clearly acknowledge that a woman’s life is more precious to her existing family and society than an unborn potentiality.</span></b></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">Another factor all too often forgotten is that facing an abortion situation is nothing any woman (or young girl & her family) ever wants, life thrusts the situation upon her, and it is foremost she, herself, who must continue carrying the consequences of her choices, as others lose interest with the passage of time.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">Another unspoken matter is that most often she’s also acting with the best interest of the unborn life within her at heart. The fetus inside of her will always matter more to herself, than to any moralizing bystanders. <b>Women should be entrusted above all others, with the responsibility of making their own best informed choices about their own pregnancies.</b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNbQK_MaNy9h1lpqHO_mfzYVYKZ3yNe1fojC4yBaVLC6uGfU6_6FCK8HwQOY4GuroAlpSufHvjW6kISseePuAMm7Ks3MOjSwKxpoZ3M-qBSn2LaNozAe6fb1T1YaNADKHcgM_BzwjiGiU6VOoPkL3e8jd-Ueo7aQ5hx9kuUlS-eZRgfoFc1K7XfZF/s1328/Moonlight%20over%20the%20Atlantic%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Atlantic Moon" border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNbQK_MaNy9h1lpqHO_mfzYVYKZ3yNe1fojC4yBaVLC6uGfU6_6FCK8HwQOY4GuroAlpSufHvjW6kISseePuAMm7Ks3MOjSwKxpoZ3M-qBSn2LaNozAe6fb1T1YaNADKHcgM_BzwjiGiU6VOoPkL3e8jd-Ueo7aQ5hx9kuUlS-eZRgfoFc1K7XfZF/w130-h320/Moonlight%20over%20the%20Atlantic%20copy.jpeg" title="©citizenschallenge" width="130" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-88427979720096796702023-04-18T20:56:00.002-07:002023-04-19T14:20:24.272-07:00 “Unless we are changing minds we are losing.”<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjflcEdCU9v4SF5zNAHIxFRr_XiFbBV2wOXtl39xOfzuiTMdspFIb36_FSilqWYdjLeVabiU8eX8bVLLJF3-kBUiNKw4KaibXh4UYHBajpEfviIJkef3L2a8X03iUU8L8soglbL2rlZguq_6rgDhWJpkYNS1Kjtvk8RmJIXz2K3bw1dwx2F6Hqjwm/s2008/IMG_Face%20rock,%20Maddy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="2008" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjflcEdCU9v4SF5zNAHIxFRr_XiFbBV2wOXtl39xOfzuiTMdspFIb36_FSilqWYdjLeVabiU8eX8bVLLJF3-kBUiNKw4KaibXh4UYHBajpEfviIJkef3L2a8X03iUU8L8soglbL2rlZguq_6rgDhWJpkYNS1Kjtvk8RmJIXz2K3bw1dwx2F6Hqjwm/s320/IMG_Face%20rock,%20Maddy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Over at <a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/unless-we-are-changing-minds-we-are-losing/10218" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">CenterForInquire discussion forum</a> I've found myself using the line, <span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Unless we are changing minds we are losing,” often enough that it's received a little push back. Since it's a nice summary of where I'm at currently I want to repost my thoughts over here. </span></i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>"Unless We Are Changing Minds We Are Losing"</b></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">What does that even mean?</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Basically, it’s an observation of the obvious.</span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;">Unless we are enticing people to reevaluate their own assumptions, we are going to continue propagating the same escalating mistakes, leading to yet more of the destruction humans are so famous for.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">For the most part people haven’t a clue what’s going on in the greater world around them, it simply doesn’t matter to them. That state of mind needs to change before any constructive changes are possible.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">A desire for fact based understanding that’s rational enough to accept new data, recognize and own mistakes, and to learn from those mistakes.</span></p><hr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top: 1px solid var(--primary-low); box-sizing: content-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">My personal litany would look something like this, of course others have their own perspective, and theoretically in the end we balance each other out, at least in a healthy pluralistic society it would look like that.</span></p><blockquote style="border-left: 5px solid var(--primary-low); caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); clear: both; color: #333333; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding: 12px;"><p style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><blockquote><p style="margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A deeper appreciation for the seasons and flow of Earth’s deep time and our evolutionary roots.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The need for a deep down profound appreciation for the Human Mindscape ~ Physical Reality divide, and its cascading implications.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A deeper appreciation of the fact that we are evolved biological animals, kin to all other creatures that ever lived upon this planet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fact that it’s Earth that created us,<br />and we who create our gods.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Challenge Jesus the “Savior” with the appreciation for Jesus the prophet (and life coach).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Enrich our imaginations with the appreciation that the Bible is a creation of our own human drama, processed through our own hearts, minds, & souls.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Enunciate a woman’s Right to Self Defense, and sovereignty over her own body.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Acknowledge that sad truth that, when push comes to shove, a woman’s life is more important than the unborn Potential Person forming within her.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A living fetus, that is a human potentiality, takes on the mantel of personhood during its first breaths of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Abortion and earlier infanticide are sad but unavoidable facts of human history.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Seriously confronting our climate & resources problems requires an internal appreciation that we must learn to accept doing with less.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We can’t fool mother nature. </span></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; margin-bottom: 0px;"></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">But that’s me, what about others? Here’s where my suggestion for a<br /><a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/the-democratic-party-online-discussion-forum-why-not/8989" style="cursor: pointer; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none;">Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum.</a> comes into play. <span style="aspect-ratio: 20 / 20; height: 20px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 20px;"><img alt=":wink:" class="emoji" height="20" loading="lazy" src="https://emoji.discourse-cdn.com/twitter/wink.png?v=12" style="aspect-ratio: 20 / 20; border-style: none; height: 20px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 20px;" title=":wink:" width="20" /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately seems like less and less people are into discussing ideas, so there’s that.</span></em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">I did notice today that some poll finally showed trump’s 35% diehards has cracked, and slipped to 25% - that’s big & promising, if true, that’s why it’s double important for Democrats to try doubly hard to engage with right wing citizens who’ve been fed way too much KoolAid.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Their state of mind literally is the product of strategic brainwashing and we ought to try confronting that with a certain degree of compassion. Even as some of their ideas are absolutely reprehensible and objectionable and destructive.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15.008px;">=================================</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/search?q=Democratic+Party+Online+Discussion+Forum" style="background-color: white; color: #771100; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum</a></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15.008px;">==================================</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Comment to the above</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">L.</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I think the lists of beliefs are out there.</p></blockquote><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">It’s not about the lists, it’s about people actually discussing them.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">L.</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I don’t like political platforms for the reason that it can appear I support the whole platform because I voted for one person. That’s why I emphasize getting to know people who think differently, and growing some mutual respect, then listening can begin, and change can happen.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><br /></p></blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">We can’t ignore that the political system rules our lives on many levels, because it isn’t perfect or neat enough for polite company is a poor excuse to abandon and ignore it.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">I’m all for all the nice discussion groups you can form, nothing wrong with that, except that it simply isn’t enough.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Heck the formula is as simple and straight forward as making compost*, nothing has changed in ages: </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A healthy democracy demands an informed and engaged electorate.</span></b></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://Democratic%20Party%20Online%20Discussion%20Forum.">The Democratic Party needs to grow</a></span><span style="background-color: white;"> cohesion within the Democratic Party, every bit as much as it needs to figure out how to reach out and better explain themselves. That's why I think a Democratic Party Discussion Forum would be a great place to inform, network, build ideas, reengage the grassroots roots and so on. </span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/search?q=discussion+forum" target="_blank">Democratic Party Discussion Forum - think about it.</a></span></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">=======================================================================</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(~40%green, ~40%brown, ~20%food stuff - keep moist, aerate)</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnQn6yHldsGZvCzjJYQWL3gtun16cPBg6rEg8ec0E4Z18eh4V4d2QJYcCCgEXHNC23mQH8gbsGK7qDdc6WJrwKdw3fSclafn3yKB54Jpq7Xe4yqN7PkwiSowmIc1PzhePdxS0JBEF4XrmW1RuPR--OOP16QlO4_GsLyxnn5HQr_j36yIff4Wrjh8V/s1440/IMG_1st%20compost%20heap,%20July%202022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1440" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnQn6yHldsGZvCzjJYQWL3gtun16cPBg6rEg8ec0E4Z18eh4V4d2QJYcCCgEXHNC23mQH8gbsGK7qDdc6WJrwKdw3fSclafn3yKB54Jpq7Xe4yqN7PkwiSowmIc1PzhePdxS0JBEF4XrmW1RuPR--OOP16QlO4_GsLyxnn5HQr_j36yIff4Wrjh8V/s320/IMG_1st%20compost%20heap,%20July%202022.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.008px;">Says the proud owner of a beautiful compost harvest.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.008px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNEa14JLEzE_0E1qIBykzW1PHIP1RcqM72XoHG84ZRbFYhf2aPibzuoMq-nADXnY3Y0nSbccYorDhbVJi4b1KrG2_8FfVHQ5fCVvWgs1cBaafrkStO3kF1GfF_my3enViBg9272uIJeSU2BB9uhHNt1_bZq3K2M3W8dxl6Eh6o9lDaagq7qT3XmKa/s1508/IMG_First%20compost%20harvest%20-%20April%208,%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="1116" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNEa14JLEzE_0E1qIBykzW1PHIP1RcqM72XoHG84ZRbFYhf2aPibzuoMq-nADXnY3Y0nSbccYorDhbVJi4b1KrG2_8FfVHQ5fCVvWgs1cBaafrkStO3kF1GfF_my3enViBg9272uIJeSU2BB9uhHNt1_bZq3K2M3W8dxl6Eh6o9lDaagq7qT3XmKa/s320/IMG_First%20compost%20harvest%20-%20April%208,%202023.png" width="237" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 15.008px;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px;"></p><div class="lightbox-wrapper" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline-block; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; outline: 0px;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="meta" style="align-items: center; background: var(--primary); bottom: 0px; color: var(--secondary); cursor: pointer; display: flex; font-weight: bold; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; transition: opacity 0.2s ease 0s; width: 390px;"><a class="lightbox" data-download-href="/uploads/short-url/mNJwriFk4ymw1QgrCrz63LijiyN.jpeg?dl=1" href="https://global.discourse-cdn.com/business5/uploads/centerforinquiry/original/3X/9/f/9fcf0d240049c5d438fb3db4c2df972950dd811d.jpeg" title="image"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="fa d-icon d-icon-far-image svg-icon"><use href="#far-image"></use></svg></a><span class="filename" style="margin: 6px 0px 6px 6px; 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cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.165, 0.84, 0.44, 1) 0s;" title="image">1440×1384 548 KB</a></span></div></div><p><span face="Lato, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 15.008px;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="lightbox-wrapper" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline-block; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; outline: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a class="lightbox" data-download-href="/uploads/short-url/gJIaHVCQC86lvhbKyIquZuSe2VT.jpeg?dl=1" href="https://global.discourse-cdn.com/business5/uploads/centerforinquiry/original/3X/7/5/754d9fbf29b7c8b0c2c3f6e39a88fc3da165177d.jpeg" style="color: var(--tertiary); cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.165, 0.84, 0.44, 1) 0s;" title="image"><div class="meta" style="align-items: center; background: var(--primary); bottom: 0px; color: var(--secondary); display: flex; font-weight: bold; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.2s ease 0s; width: 370px;"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="fa d-icon d-icon-far-image svg-icon"><use href="#far-image"></use></svg><span class="filename" style="margin: 6px 6px 6px 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">image</span><span class="informations" color="var(--secondary-high)" style="flex-grow: 3; flex-shrink: 0; font-size: var(--font-0); margin: 6px; outline: 0px; padding-right: 20px; text-align: center;">1116×1508 464 KB</span></div></a></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-54756620523908802502022-10-20T09:13:00.014-07:002023-02-26T12:03:50.216-08:00Earth Centrism - A Student's Bibliographic Resource - (2/2)<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Appreciating Earth’s Evolutionary Pageant and Our Animal Nature</b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyduI_NeeQYFBVC3d3Kqn2BaMLtNyuKDpqXr70lZfCOXMhkRQr5WE767aZd-GX-AJNtCeHcW0PVOMdSDb1my0FYxFwtmF4bJ7spiIN-EtZWoJ2G0mrP3yjqUEvUvrpEyyvqabQ1_eaYDaHpR8INjGuhwufPDfLPiuhGcKpwi8ydLaLE1On3gFZMwd/s1152/biblio%20%231_dbl%20Rainbow%20-%20Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2022 Citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="1152" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyduI_NeeQYFBVC3d3Kqn2BaMLtNyuKDpqXr70lZfCOXMhkRQr5WE767aZd-GX-AJNtCeHcW0PVOMdSDb1my0FYxFwtmF4bJ7spiIN-EtZWoJ2G0mrP3yjqUEvUvrpEyyvqabQ1_eaYDaHpR8INjGuhwufPDfLPiuhGcKpwi8ydLaLE1On3gFZMwd/w567-h115/biblio%20%231_dbl%20Rainbow%20-%20Cc.png" width="567" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">The previous post is my summary of an “<a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/09/intro-earth-centrism-explained.html" target="_blank">Earth Centrist</a>” outlook on life and our human condition, a perspective that acknowledges Earth as our fundamental touchstone with reality. </span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">This Earth Centrist's perspective can’t be attained by reading a description of it - unless it already resonates within you thanks to your own previous inquiry and inclination. That's because e</span><span style="background-color: white;">ach of us must engage in our own learning effort. </span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">That is, living your moment and doing the homework and drawing your own conclusions from the evidence you’ve been able to gather. Your deeper understanding emerges out of your own efforts. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">Since I’m no scholar, I’ve done my learning by way of some wonderful science communicators, mostly real scientists giving lectures via YouTube along with writing articles and books, with a few talented writers and science documentarians in the mix. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">I’ve put together a bibliographic list of my favorites, and of course, it's geared to the intelligent high schooler or early college student, and for other informed enthusiasts such as myself. It follows a natural progression from matter forming followed by mineral evolution & our planet evolving a <i>"global heat and moisture distribution engine,"</i> to geology and biology combining forces, on to the mysteries of complex dynamic living creatures. Then on to the greatest show on Earth with life's collective <i>consciousness spectrum</i>. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Since my bandwidth is limited by my crowded day to days filled with other obligations, I'm sure I’m missing many awesome gems. </span><i><span style="background-color: white;">So please do share should you believe you know of some presentations worth adding to this collection.</span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><span><i><span style="background-color: white;">Featuring: <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_M._Carroll" target="_blank">Sean Carrol</a>, <a href="https://rmpbs.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/nvfb-sci-earthspace/wgbh-nova-earth-from-space-full-length-broadcast/" target="_blank">NOVA/NASA</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hazen" target="_blank">Robert Hazen</a>,</span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span style="background-color: white;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/RARohde/status/1131224330241806337" target="_blank">Robert Rohde</a>, </span></i><i><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Alley" target="_blank">Richard Alley</a>, <a href="https://nick-lane.net" target="_blank">Nick Lane</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Quammen" target="_blank">David Qualmen</a>, </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Woese" target="_blank">Carl Woese</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Margulis" target="_blank">Lynn Margulis</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC441171/" target="_blank">Tsutomu Wantanabe</a></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">, <a href="https://www.deeptimeinstitute.org/team" target="_blank">Angela Hessler</a>,</span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svante_Pääbo" target="_blank">Svante Pääbo</a>,</span></i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vD4p8rQAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">Mark Solms</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dIsPKr0AAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">Antonio Damasio</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Greenfield,_Baroness_Greenfield" target="_blank">Susan Greenfield</a>,</span></i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Al-Khalili" target="_blank">Jim Al-Khalili</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; text-align: left;">. Finishing with introductions to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough" target="_blank">David Attenborough</a>’s incomparable tour of the evolution of </span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; text-align: left;">Earth’s living creatures:</span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; text-align: left;"> "<a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu/education/teaching-resources/life-science/early-life-earth-animal-origins" target="_blank">Life on Earth</a>", and <a href="https://scholar.google.co.nz/citations?user=58qBK98AAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">James L. Sadd</a>’s wonderful introduction to the fundamentals of geology: "<a href="https://dbpedia.org/page/Earth_Revealed:_Introductory_Geology" target="_blank">Earth Revealed</a>."</span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; text-align: left;">_________________</span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; text-align: left;"><i></i></span></span></span></p><blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d;"><i>I've found my first addition to this list in an </i></span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana;"><i>amazing lecture by </i></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(29, 29, 29); color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/mike-levin-on-electrifying-insights-into-how-bodies-form/" target="_blank">Mike Levin</a>: <u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cu-g4LgnWs" target="_blank">"</a></u></i><u style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cu-g4LgnWs" target="_blank"><span>Non-neural, developmental bio-electricity as a precursor for cognition"</span></a></u><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 29, 29); color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana;"> it adds a new dimension of insights into the evolution of consciousness and mind, that fits right into my overall theme of Earth's pageant of evolution.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another must addition to this list, was written by professor and <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/history/people/staff_index/poskett/" target="_blank">historian of science and technology</a> <a href="https://www.poskett.com/index.html" target="_blank">James Poskett</a>: "<a href="https://www.harvard.com/book/horizons/" target="_blank">Horizons: The Origins of </a><a href="https://www.harvard.com/book/horizons/" target="_blank">Modern Science</a>. In it</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"> Poskett "<i>recasts the history of science, uncovering the vital contributions of scientists the world over to what is truly a global story.</i>" The first couple chapters are down right thrilling, with the book then settling into an enthralling exposition of facts and enlightening surprises. A must read, if the history of human curiosity and development of science is your <i>thing</i>.</span></blockquote></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(29, 29, 29); color: #1d1d1d;"></i></span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i style="font-family: verdana;"></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJItiyLMdHPsBmYKfKN7Wy1cPo7H-l9C9QluBOYC_lAs4bQhGrNbhzvr4WakCpBi8sRSRxyP3rp4qOcCL3RnIC9YpA3fD72yEFwfcKVshrml3OsnAhMNCDKsMjNhRDqeCt9EfLwa3bJ65jWByQ3dfaM5oIBHo3cc4rKUObnkSzVDwiZV8wDO4DEm7O/s720/biblio%232-Abajo%20Mountains-Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="© 2022 Citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="720" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJItiyLMdHPsBmYKfKN7Wy1cPo7H-l9C9QluBOYC_lAs4bQhGrNbhzvr4WakCpBi8sRSRxyP3rp4qOcCL3RnIC9YpA3fD72yEFwfcKVshrml3OsnAhMNCDKsMjNhRDqeCt9EfLwa3bJ65jWByQ3dfaM5oIBHo3cc4rKUObnkSzVDwiZV8wDO4DEm7O/w569-h82/biblio%232-Abajo%20Mountains-Cc.png" width="569" /></a></i></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: center;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Mysteries of Modern Physics by Sean Carroll</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DarwinCollegeLectureSeries">Darwin College Lecture Series</a></span> (January 29, 2020<span style="color: black;">)</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=rBpR0LBsUfM</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Sean Carroll series: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/seancarroll">Sean Carroll </a></span>(March 19, 2020)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI09kat_GeI&list=PLrxfgDEc2NxZJcWcrxH3jyjUUrJlnoyzX"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI09kat_GeI&list=PLrxfgDEc2NxZJcWcrxH3jyjUUrJlnoyzX<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/earths-heat-moisture-engine.html" style="font-weight: bold;">Earth From Space - NOVA / NASA</a><b> </b>(February, 2013)</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/NaturalWorld">Natural World</a></span> (July 15, 2014)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU0GhTmZhrs"><span>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU0GhTmZhrs<span style="font-size: x-small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 58.5px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 58.5px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">The groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. Produced in extensive consultation with NASA scientists, NOVA takes data from earth-observing satellites and transforms it into dazzling visual sequences, each one exposing the intricate and surprising web of forces that sustains life on earth.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Evolution of Minerals on Earth</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hazen"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Robert Hazen </b><span style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hazen.carnegiescience.edu/research/mineral-evolution"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://hazen.carnegiescience.edu/research/mineral-evolution<span style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 58.5px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Mineral evolution posits that the mineralogy of terrestrial planets and moons evolves as a consequence of varied physical, chemical, and biological processes that lead to the formation of new mineral species. The novelty of mineral evolution is epitomized by the new questions it raises about the history of mineralogy. ...</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 58.5px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">We concluded that the first mineral was diamond—pure carbon condensed from the expanding atmospheres of energetic stars. Approximately a dozen “ur-minerals,” including nitrides, carbides, oxides, and silicates, condensed as micro-crystals at temperatures greater than 1500°C. The central question of mineral evolution is thus how a dozen phases with 10 essential elements were transformed to the >5000 minerals with 72 essential elements we see today. …</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 58.5px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">… A principal conclusion of mineral evolution is that sequential stages of mineral evolution arise from three primary mechanisms: (1) the progressive separation and concentration of the elements from their original relatively uniform distribution in the presolar nebula; (2) the increase in range of intensive variables such as pressure, temperature, and the activities of H2O, CO2, and O2; and (3) the generation of far-from-equilibrium conditions by living systems. The sequential evolution of Earth’s mineralogy from chondritic simplicity to Phanerozoic complexity introduces the dimension of geologic time to mineralogy and thus provides a dynamic alternate approach to framing, and to teaching, the mineral sciences. …</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The Emergence of Life on Earth - Robert Hazen</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/uctvseminars">UCTVSeminars</a></span> (Mar 15, 2012)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1fRfV_TTAo</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b></b><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The Story of Earth: How Life and Rocks Co-Evolved</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Robert Hazen, Carnegie Science (July 29, 2014)</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08EaPC0zetw"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08EaPC0zetw<span style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Mineral Evolution and Ecology and the Co-evolution of Life and Rocks</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Robert Hazen, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SimonsFoundation">Simons Foundation</a> (March 11, 2015)</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuteon-8Wt4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuteon-8Wt4</a></span> </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF AN EVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM OF MINERALOGY</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Carnegie Science, The Deep Carbon Project, <a href="https://hazen.carnegiescience.edu"><b>Robert Hazen</b></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hazen.carnegiescience.edu/research/evolutionary-system-mineralogy"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://hazen.carnegiescience.edu/research/evolutionary-system-mineralogy<span style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><a href="https://www.wwnorton.co.uk/books/9780393609431-symphony-in-c"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Symphony in C: Carbon & the Evolution of (Almost) Everything</span></i></b></a></p>
<p style="color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Principal Investigator and Executive Director of the <a href="https://deepcarbon.net/about/about-dco">Deep Carbon Observatory</a>, Robert M. Hazen, has crafted a delightful exploration of carbon.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">W.W. Norton & Company, June 2019</span></p>
<p style="color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Hazen, both a scientist and musician, uses his knowledge of musical compositions as a muse to explain the complexities of carbon and why it is so important to life on Earth. <i>Symphony in C</i> in segmented into four movements, each of which explores carbon’s multi-faceted characteristics, as epitomized by the classical elements of the ancients—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. </span></p>
<p style="color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">The Deep Carbon Project - <a href="https://deepcarbon.net/dco/deep-carbon-science"><span style="color: #139ce9;">Ninety percent of Earth’s carbon</span></a> resides inside the planet, yet we are only just beginning to understand the many ways deep carbon impacts the oceans, atmosphere, and life at the surface.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">The Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) is a <a href="https://deepcarbon.net/about/people">global community of more than 1000 scientists</a> on a ten-year quest to understand the quantities, movements, forms, and origins of carbon in Earth.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p><p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>“Earth’s Carbon Cycle” </b><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">- <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Rohde" target="_blank">Robert Rohde PhD</a></span></span></p><p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM_o4kmB27Qa-jvh1gaZKUw">Robert Rohde</a></span> - May 22, 2019</span></p><p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVsD9CiokY" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVsD9CiokY</a></span></p><p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>"The Biggest Control Knob: Carbon Dioxide in Earth's Climate History"</b><b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Alley" target="_blank"><i>R. Alley</i></a></b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DanMoutal">Dan Moutal</a></span> (December 10, 2012)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RffPSrRpq_g"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RffPSrRpq_g<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Richard Alley - 4.6 Billion Years of Earth’s Climate History: The Role of CO2</b><b> </b><b> </b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/theNASciences">National Academy of Sciences</a></span> (June 1, 2015)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujkcTZZlikg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujkcTZZlikg</a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxcURUYSsTNYtjRfPYP4noXAe3DKedqb6d8Dr7o8idgvXKYyimezZLQOOw61ankjMlzhn45XCcDxpF4zSyJMD7ZzGefx9DWhQSZ0vBSjif6K6nVsKXcH_W10oK3ZRj67wTwIFTGUFmQ7QVZj9h2CcNulc4826sFxY-TLJGgVntpMKPbsf1dvFgi6o/s1152/biblio%233-LaPlata%20Mountains-Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="1152" height="79" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxcURUYSsTNYtjRfPYP4noXAe3DKedqb6d8Dr7o8idgvXKYyimezZLQOOw61ankjMlzhn45XCcDxpF4zSyJMD7ZzGefx9DWhQSZ0vBSjif6K6nVsKXcH_W10oK3ZRj67wTwIFTGUFmQ7QVZj9h2CcNulc4826sFxY-TLJGgVntpMKPbsf1dvFgi6o/w557-h79/biblio%233-LaPlata%20Mountains-Cc.png" width="557" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #23344a;">Origins and</span><b style="color: #23344a;"> </b><a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Vital-Question/"><b><span style="color: black;">The Vital Question</span></b></a></span></p><p style="color: #23344a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life</span></p><p style="color: #23344a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">by <a href="https://wwnorton.com/author/LANENICK/nicklane"><b>Nick Lane</b></a><b> </b>(2015)</span></p><p style="color: #186c6d; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Origin of the eukaryotic cell</span></b></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MoleCluesTV">MoleCluesTV</a></span><b> </b> (June 27, 2017)</span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaXhkZoOOYc"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaXhkZoOOYc<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">How Energy Flow Shapes The Evolution of Life</span></b></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/GreshamCollege">Gresham College</a></span> (February 14, 2018)</span></p><p style="color: #186c6d; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXeozqH5auQ"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXeozqH5auQ<span style="color: #186c6d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="color: #186c6d; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Energy and Matter at the Origin of Life</span></b></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/CambridgeSciSoc">Cambridge SciSoc </a></span>(November 23, 2021)</span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubUtYFv9YWE"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubUtYFv9YWE<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">How the Krebs cycle powers life and death</span></b></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRoyalInstitution">The Royal Institution</a></span> (August 4, 2022)</span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBiIDwBOqQA"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBiIDwBOqQA<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Mindscape 198 | Nick Lane on Powering Biology</span></b></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/seancarroll">Sean Carroll</a></span> (May 23, 2022)</span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IZ_CVu2M68"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IZ_CVu2M68<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Tangled-Tree/David-Quammen/9781476776637"><b>The Tangled Tree</b><span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">A Radical New History of Life</span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">By <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/David-Quammen/701806">David Quammen</a>, Simon & Schuster (2018)</span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">In the mid-1970s, scientists began using DNA sequences to reexamine the history of all life. Perhaps the most startling discovery to come out of this new field—the study of life’s diversity and relatedness at the molecular level—is horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or the movement of genes across species lines. It turns out that HGT has been widespread and important; we now know that roughly eight percent of the human genome arrived sideways by viral infection—a type of HGT.<br />
<br />
In The Tangled Tree, “the grandest tale in biology….<b>David Quammen</b> presents the science—and the scientists involved—with patience, candor, and flair” (Nature). We learn about the major players, such as <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/people/archaea"><b>Carl Woese</b></a><b>,</b> the most important little-known biologist of the twentieth century; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Margulis"><b>Lynn Margulis</b></a>, the notorious maverick whose wild ideas about “mosaic” creatures proved to be true; and <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/kjm1952/3/4/3_4_193/_pdf"><b>Tsutomu Wantanabe</b></a>, who discovered that the scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a direct result of horizontal gene transfer, bringing the deep study of genome histories to bear on a global crisis in public health.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</b><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><b> (IGB)</b></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/people/archaea"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.igb.illinois.edu/people/archaea<span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/493610a"><b>Carl Woese. (1928–2012) Nature, a remembrance.</b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/carl-woese/"><b>The Man Who Rewrote the Tree of Life</b></a></span><b style="font-size: small;"> - </b><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/author/carrie-arnold/" style="font-size: small;">Carrie Arnold </a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, April 30, 2014</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b>Carl Woese</b> may be the greatest scientist you've never heard of. A physicist-turned-microbiologist, he studied the molecules of life—nucleic acids—but his ambitions were hardly microscopic. He created a new family tree of all life on Earth. </span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_______</span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com"><b>Lynn Margulis (1938–2011) Nature, a remembrance</b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #9495a8; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #191a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://phys.org/news/2017-11-symbiosis-cell-evolution-lynn-margulis.html"><b>Symbiosis and cell evolution: Lynn Margulis and the origin of eukaryotes</b><span style="color: #191a2a; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">by Antonio Lazcano, <a href="https://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a><i>, November 23, 2017</i></span></p>
<p style="color: #191a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">American biologist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Margulis"><span style="color: #3767e9;">Lynn Margulis</span></a> (1938-2011) devoted most of her professional life to demonstrate that it is in fact a pervasive mechanism uniting what would otherwise would appear as isolated biological species and lineages. Starting with her seminal assay, <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022519367900793?via%3Dihub"><span style="color: #3767e9;">"On the origin of mitosing cells,"</span></a> published in the <i>Journal of Theoretical Biology</i> in 1967 (authored as Lynn Sagan), her lifelong work on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryote#Origin_of_eukaryotes"><span style="color: #3767e9;">eukaryogenesis</span></a> and the role of symbiosis in evolution stands as a valid and authoritative contribution to science.</span></p>
<p style="color: #191a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Lynn Margulis and the endosymbiont hypothesis: 50 years later</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #191a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.molbiolcell.org/journal/mboc">Molecular Biology of the Cell</a>, <a href="https://www.molbiolcell.org/toc/mboc/28/10">Vol. 28, No. 10</a>, Retrospective</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/mbc.e16-07-0509">https://www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/mbc.e16-07-0509</a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #6d160a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">EDGE.org - <a href="https://www.edge.org/conversations">Conversation </a><span style="color: black;"> : <a href="https://www.edge.org/conversations/topic/LIFE"><span style="color: #6d160a;">Life</span></a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.edge.org/conversation/lynn_margulis-lynn-margulis-1938-2011-gaia-is-a-tough-bitch"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Lynn Margulis 1938-2011 "Gaia Is A Tough Bitch"</b><span style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b></b><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/author/lynn-margulis-3050/"><b>MIT Press, Books by Lynn Margulis</b><span style="font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Lynn Margulis (1938–2011) was Distinguished Professor of Botany at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. An evolutionary theorist and biologist, science author, and educator, Margulis was the modern originator of the symbiotic theory of cell evolution. Once considered heresy, her ideas are now part of the microbiological revolution.</span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_______</span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/infectious-drug-resistance/"><b>Infectious Drug Resistance</b><span style="color: #141414; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #141414; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">By <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/tsutomu-watanabe/"><b>Tsutomu Watanabe</b></a>, Scientific American, December 1, 1967</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Bacteria can suddenly become resistant to several antibacterial drugs. The resistance is transferred from one strain to another by an "episome" that carries the genes for multiple resistance.</span></p>
<p style="color: #191919; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px; min-height: 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #191919; font-family: STIXGeneral; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC441171/">INFECTIVE HEREDITY OF MULTIPLE DRUG RESISTANCE IN BACTERIA<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191919; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #2b5a99; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Watanabe%20T%5BAuthor%5D">Tsutomu Watanabe</a> </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #2b5a99; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bacteriol Rev. 1963 Mar; 27(1): 87–115.</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #2b5a99; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 108px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1128%2Fbr.27.1.87-115.1963"><span style="color: #2b5a99;">10.1128/br.27.1.87-115.1963</span></a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #2b5a99; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px; min-height: 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0f0f0f; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/18/archives/resistant-bacteria-pose-a-new-danger-industry-threatened.html"><b><i>Resistant Bacteria Pose A New Danger</i></b><span style="color: #0f0f0f; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i></i></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #292929; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">The New York Times, Oct. 18, 1970, Section E, Page 8</span></p>
<p style="color: #292929; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 90px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">“Dr. Tsutomu Watanabe, of Tokyo's Keio University School of Medicine, and a pioneer in the area of drug‐resistant bacteria, is one of the scientists who felt there might be real danger.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Evolution Matters: David Quammen and Carl Zimmer</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HarvardMuseumofNaturalHistory">Harvard Museum of Natural History</a></span> (May 22, 2019)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj48265qsRQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj48265qsRQ<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></a></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76-UrjjSyVRwMXRqrTAfQvbrNFiSHLQKMwPMBUbs7esSCo2jJSdBVy4LZO6yJlUy0g6zKx00h3zHoiS2qEYIXx9AIblXG6_tDWb5qnhxEW-irGl2nsY9_69_Tc8QsGY132jyS6__iQRDh2UScRqyWRb_39IJ-r4ESDF-pOIrhVQdR0LmdPn8J00JS/s1152/biblio%235_laPlatas%20in%20rain%20-%20Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="1152" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76-UrjjSyVRwMXRqrTAfQvbrNFiSHLQKMwPMBUbs7esSCo2jJSdBVy4LZO6yJlUy0g6zKx00h3zHoiS2qEYIXx9AIblXG6_tDWb5qnhxEW-irGl2nsY9_69_Tc8QsGY132jyS6__iQRDh2UScRqyWRb_39IJ-r4ESDF-pOIrhVQdR0LmdPn8J00JS/w562-h66/biblio%235_laPlatas%20in%20rain%20-%20Cc.png" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Nobel prize: </b><a href="https://theconversation.com/nobel-prize-svante-paabos-ancient-dna-discoveries-offer-clues-as-to-what-makes-us-human-191805"><b>Svante Pääbo’s ancient DNA discoveries offer clues as to what makes us human</b></a></span></p><p style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/love-dalen-1210234">Love Dalén</a></span> & <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anders-gotherstrom-1383672">Anders Götherström</a>, TheConversation.com, October 3, 2022</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Archaic Genomics -</b><a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/genetics/staff/paabo/"><b>Dr. Svante Pääbo</b></a></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/genometv">National Human Genome Research Institute</a></span> (Apr 2, 2014)</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7VdRKQuAa8"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7VdRKQuAa8<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">A Neanderthal Perspective on Human Origins with Svante Pääbo - 2018</span></b></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/uctv">University of California Television (UCTV)</a></span> (October 20, 2018)</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1R8yrEGAgw"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1R8yrEGAgw</span></a></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Dr. Svante Pääbo</b></span><b> - An Ancient DNA View of Human Origins</b></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/JapanPrize">JapanPrize</a></span> (April 17, 2022)</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNpE7MUfxsc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNpE7MUfxsc</a></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 25, 26); color: #18191a; font-size: small; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">_________</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 25, 26); color: #18191a; font-size: small; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://chicagoanalysis.org/faculty/mark-solms/"><b>Mark Solms PhD is a psychoanalyst and neuropsychologist.</b><span style="color: #262626; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute & …</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b>Affiliations:</b><br />
Dr. Solms holds the position of Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (Departments of Psychology and Neurology) and is the President of the South African Psychoanalytical Association. He is also Research Chair of the International Psychoanalytical Association.</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Solms founded the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society in 2000 and was a Founding Editor (with Ed Nersessian) of the journal <i>Neuropsychoanalysis.</i> He is Director of the Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuropsychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute, a Trustee of the Neuropsychoanalysis Fund in London, and Director of the Neuropsychoanalysis Trust in Cape Town.</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Solms’ Introductory Lectures in Psychoanalysis can be viewed <a href="https://mark-solms-in-lock-down.teachable.com/"><span style="color: #ec4c39;">here</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">I’ve written three posts focused on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms">Dr. Mark Solms</a>, so I’ll include those:</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(6.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/solms-demystifies-hard-problem-of.html"><span style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Dr. Mark Solms demystifies Chalmers' "Hard Problem" of Consciousness.</b></span></a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(6.02) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/other-side-of-marksolms-phd.html"><span style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>The Other Side of Mark Solms PhD, farmer, vintner, humanitarian.</b></span></a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(6.03) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/mark-solms-students-resource.html"><span style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Students’ Resource: A representative cross-section of Dr. Mark Solms' scientific publications.</b></span></a></span></span></p>
<p style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vD4p8rQAAAAJ&hl=en"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Google Scholar, Mark Solms</b><span style="color: #620901; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #620901; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 54px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/552818.Mark_Solms"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Books by Mark Solms</b><span style="color: #620901; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Mark Solms, PhD: The Animal Within Us</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHVN1WzLY7qGhuik2TLTjIg">St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute/The Schiele Clinic</a></span> (October 28, 2015)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfqVIG9bejU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfqVIG9bejU</a></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Mark Solms: A New Approach to the Hard Problem of Consciousness</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTgtRQRQqUKvlbVtCPH-kng">NERV Online</a></span> (Jul 29, 2020)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlkAQYERcQ"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlkAQYERcQ<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The Source of Consciousness - with Mark Solms</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRoyalInstitution">The Royal Institution</a></span> (March 4, 2021)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">What Do Our Brains Do When We're Dreaming?- with Mark Solms</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRoyalInstitution">The Royal Institution</a></span> (Jul 22, 2021<span style="color: black;">)</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrMZlrtbXUM"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrMZlrtbXUM<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Consciousness and the Mind Body Connection – Professor Mark Solms</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeekendUniversity">The Weekend University</a></span> (March 25, 2022<span style="color: black;">)</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-1etGWVvb8"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-1etGWVvb8<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #191e22; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/books/review/Block-t.html"><b>Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain </b><span style="color: #191e22; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #2a6c44; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191e22;">by <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Antonio%20Damasio%22;jsessionid=6AB497B285B56002B88674D491441764.prodny_store02-atgap04?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall"><span style="color: #2a6c44;"><b>Antonio Damasio</b></span></a></span> (2012)</span></p>
<p style="color: #2a6c44; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The Whispering Mind: The Enduring Conundrum of Consciousness </span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/WorldScienceFestival">World Science Festival</a></span> (January 24, 2014)</span></p>
<p style="color: #2a6c44; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7RL__ZgdEw"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7RL__ZgdEw<span style="color: #2a6c44; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #2a6c44; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MicrosoftResearch">Microsoft Research</a></span> (September 7, 2016)</span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvwM6EINGZA"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvwM6EINGZA<span style="color: #040404; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b>Antonio Damasio & Dan Siegel - Mind, Consciousness, the Body, and Relationships</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="color: #0000e9; text-decoration: underline;">BrainMind Summit</span> (April 7, 2020)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85zFp0bYe1Y</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 19px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="color: #0000e9; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Antonio Damasio</b></span><b>, "Feeling & Knowing: Making Minds Conscious”</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Harvard Science Book Talks and Research Lectures</span><span style="color: #050505;"> (Jan 28, 2022)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrVJflJLooc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrVJflJLooc</a></span></p><p style="color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 25, 26); color: #18191a; font-size: small; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">_________</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 19px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>The Neuroscience of Consciousness - </b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Greenfield,_Baroness_Greenfield"><b>Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE</b></a></span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #040404; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/UniversityofMelbourne">The University of Melbourne</a></span><span style="background-color: white;">,</span> (November 28, 2012)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_ZTNmkIiBc</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_sJQypK53ry9VPT1DujLEA8AgjTlhUBqtQcEoghT4FWhyGEeT0SM6ZxrNbEgzwRJ1GatDL_zGd-Pw2Oq4IzgGWenr7NUfmx2LgcDKNZBjDAdbrZd60gczlQVpR1uEFZOJnxuoQ3vb1rzXgMZCu8TO9Mf-CA4kMuaoeTzaBxZh056wauSP_8BZmwg/s1152/%20biblio%237-my%20kinetic%20arch%202011.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="1152" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_sJQypK53ry9VPT1DujLEA8AgjTlhUBqtQcEoghT4FWhyGEeT0SM6ZxrNbEgzwRJ1GatDL_zGd-Pw2Oq4IzgGWenr7NUfmx2LgcDKNZBjDAdbrZd60gczlQVpR1uEFZOJnxuoQ3vb1rzXgMZCu8TO9Mf-CA4kMuaoeTzaBxZh056wauSP_8BZmwg/w546-h110/%20biblio%237-my%20kinetic%20arch%202011.png" width="546" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/305233/the-house-of-wisdom-by-jim-al-khalili/"><b>The House of Wisdom</b><span style="font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">How Arabic science saved ancient knowledge and gave us the renaissance</span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">By <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/155910/jim-al-khalili">Jim Al-Khalili</a> (2012)</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://archive.org/about/"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>About the Internet Archive</b><span style="color: #212121;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 63px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, people with print disabilities, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge.</span></p>
<p style="color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 63px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">We began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use. Like newspapers, the content published on the web was ephemeral - but unlike newspapers, no one was saving it. Today we have 25+ years of web history accessible through the <a href="https://archive.org/web/"><span style="color: #3a46ff;">Wayback Machine</span></a> and we work with 950+ library and other partners through our <a href="https://archive-it.org/"><span style="color: #3a46ff;">Archive-It</span></a> program to identify important web pages.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #000099; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b>Memories, an appreciation of science </b><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">(March 13, 2015)</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2015/03/an-appreciation-of-science.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2015/03/an-appreciation-of-science.html</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">_________</span></p>
<p style="color: #212121; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">The following focuses on our global climate engine, a key to making our planet livable to begin with:</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">January 6, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{1} Our Global Heat and Moisture Distribution Engine</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/earths-heat-moisture-engine.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/earths-heat-moisture-engine.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">January 9, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{2} Co-evolution of Minerals and Life | Dr Robert Hazen</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/2-coevolution-of-minerals-and-life.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/2-coevolution-of-minerals-and-life.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">January 14, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{3} Evolution of Carbon and our biosphere - Professor Hazen focuses on the element Carbon</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/3-evolution-carbon-biosphere-hazen.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/3-evolution-carbon-biosphere-hazen.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">January 23, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{4} Evolution-Considering Deep Time and a Couple Big Breaks</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/4-evolution-deeptime-moon-geomagnetic.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/01/4-evolution-deeptime-moon-geomagnetic.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">February 6, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{5a} The Most Beautiful Graph on Earth - A. Hessler</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #757575; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/most-beautiful-graph-on-earth.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/most-beautiful-graph-on-earth.html<span style="color: #757575; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">February 7, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{5b} Earth's Earliest Climate - By Angela Hessler</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #2b97ff; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/earths-earliest-climate-by-hessler.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/earths-earliest-climate-by-hessler.html<span style="color: #2b97ff; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">February 14, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{6} Evolution of Earth's Atmosphere - easy version</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/6-evolution-earths-atmosphere-easy.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/6-evolution-earths-atmosphere-easy.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #000099; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">February 18, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{7} Our Global Heat and Moisture Distribution Engine, visualized</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/7-global-heat-moisture-distribution.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/7-global-heat-moisture-distribution.html<span style="color: #1e74ad; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #000099; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">February 19, 2016</span></p>
<p style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">{8} Atmospheric Insulation Explained - appreciating our climate engine</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #1e74ad; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/8-atmospheric-insulation-explained.html"><span style="font-family: times;">http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2016/02/8-atmospheric-insulation-explained.html</span></a></span></p><p style="color: #000099; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #000099; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #000099; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VLJtI2jk_8LqNr7OiSF15qx3OpJOS2k52tWv7oDN-CmRiceXlICVUARiqffV7oHBvHqPPCoFN05OupyuYXh3gdxcUf4F1rGYEl4T5YdOIKwVvJcKSz6PrITfJLAlMnR1UhpB-UX_UwNstinl2l4c1ZT0wmeK84KQdp_INsE1JD9UPN-t4s3jsB8c/s1152/biblio%237-Rainbow:horse%20barn-Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="1152" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VLJtI2jk_8LqNr7OiSF15qx3OpJOS2k52tWv7oDN-CmRiceXlICVUARiqffV7oHBvHqPPCoFN05OupyuYXh3gdxcUf4F1rGYEl4T5YdOIKwVvJcKSz6PrITfJLAlMnR1UhpB-UX_UwNstinl2l4c1ZT0wmeK84KQdp_INsE1JD9UPN-t4s3jsB8c/w545-h162/biblio%237-Rainbow:horse%20barn-Cc.png" width="545" /></a></div><br /><p style="color: #000099; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Earth_(TV_series)" style="text-align: justify;">Life on Earth: A Natural History by David Attenborough</a></span></b></p><blockquote>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">According to WIKI: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Earth_(TV_series)"><b>Life on Earth: A Natural History by David Attenborough</b></a> is a British television <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history"><span style="color: #092f9d;">natural history</span></a> series made by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC"><span style="color: #092f9d;">BBC</span></a> in association with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Bros._Television"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Warner Bros. Television</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiner_E._Moritz"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Reiner Moritz Productions</span></a>. It was transmitted in the UK from 16 January 1979.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">During the course of the series presenter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough"><span style="color: #092f9d;">David Attenborough</span></a>, following the format established by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Clark"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Kenneth Clark</span></a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilisation_(TV_series)"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><i>Civilisation</i></span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Bronowski"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Jacob Bronowski</span></a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ascent_of_Man"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><i>The Ascent of Man</i></span></a> (both series which he designed and produced as director of BBC2), travels the globe in order to trace the story of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution"><span style="color: #092f9d;">evolution</span></a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life"><span style="color: #092f9d;">life</span></a> on the planet. Like the earlier series, it was divided into 13 programmes (each of around 55 minutes' duration). The executive producer was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Parsons"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Christopher Parsons</span></a> and the music was composed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Williams_(composer)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Edward Williams</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">Highly acclaimed, it is the first in Attenborough's <i>Life</i> series of programmes and was followed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Living_Planet"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><i>The Living Planet</i></span></a> (1984). It established Attenborough as not only the foremost television naturalist, but also an iconic figure in British cultural life.</span></p></blockquote><p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 72px; text-align: justify;"></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Episodes</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">1) ”The Infinite Variety”<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">January 16, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The episode begins in the South American rainforest whose rich variety of life forms is used to illustrate the sheer number of different <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species"><span style="color: #092f9d;">species</span></a>. Since many are dependent on others for food or means of reproduction, David Attenborough argues that they could not all have appeared at once. He sets out to discover which came first, and the reasons for such diversity. He starts by explaining the theories of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Charles Darwin</span></a> and the process of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selection"><span style="color: #092f9d;">natural selection</span></a>, using the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_tortoise"><span style="color: #092f9d;">giant tortoises</span></a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal%C3%A1pagos_Islands"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Galápagos Islands</span></a> (where Darwin voyaged on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Beagle"><span style="color: #092f9d;">HMS <i>Beagle</i></span></a>) as an example. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Fossils</span></a> provide evidence of the earliest life, and Attenborough travels a vertical mile into the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Grand Canyon</span></a> in search of them. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">By the time he reaches the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Colorado River</span></a> bed, the geological <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratum"><span style="color: #092f9d;">strata</span></a> are 2,000 million years old—yet there are no fossils. However, the "right rocks" are found on the shores of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Superior"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Lake Superior</span></a> in Canada, where wafer-thin slices of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint"><span style="color: #092f9d;">flint</span></a>, called chert, reveal filaments of primitive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae"><span style="color: #092f9d;">algae</span></a>. Also, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-organism"><span style="color: #092f9d;">micro-organisms</span></a> that flourish at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Park"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Yellowstone Park</span></a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Wyoming</span></a> appear to be identical to the Earth's oldest fossils. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The evolution of single-celled creatures, from simple <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanophyte"><span style="color: #092f9d;">cyanophytes</span></a> to more complex <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciliate"><span style="color: #092f9d;">ciliates</span></a>, and then from multi-celled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_sponge"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sponges</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish"><span style="color: #092f9d;">jellyfish</span></a> to the many variations of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral"><span style="color: #092f9d;">coral</span></a> and its associated <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyp_(zoology)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">polyps</span></a>, is discussed in detail. The fossilised remains of jellyfish are shown within the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flinders_Ranges"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Flinders Ranges</span></a> of Australia, and are estimated to be 652 million years old.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#2) "Building Bodies”<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: small; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">January 23, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The next programme explores the various sea-living <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invertebrate"><span style="color: #092f9d;">invertebrates</span></a>. In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Morocco</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limestone"><span style="color: #092f9d;">limestones</span></a> are 600 million years old, and contain many invertebrate fossils. They fall broadly into three categories: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_shell"><span style="color: #092f9d;">shells</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crinoid"><span style="color: #092f9d;">crinoids</span></a> and segmented shells. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The evolution of shelled creatures is demonstrated with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatworm"><span style="color: #092f9d;">flatworm</span></a>, which eventually changed its body shape when burrowing became a necessity for either food or safety. It then evolved shielded tentacles and the casings eventually enveloped the entire body: these creatures are the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachiopod"><span style="color: #092f9d;">brachiopods</span></a>. The most successful shelled animals are the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mollusc"><span style="color: #092f9d;">molluscs</span></a>, of which there are some 80,000 different species. Some are single-shelled such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowrie"><span style="color: #092f9d;">cowrie</span></a>, while others are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bivalve"><span style="color: #092f9d;">bivalves</span></a> that include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scallop"><span style="color: #092f9d;">scallop</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_clam"><span style="color: #092f9d;">giant clam</span></a>. One species that has remained unchanged for millions of years is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautilus"><span style="color: #092f9d;">nautilus</span></a>: it features flotation chambers within its shell, which in turn formed the basis for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonite"><span style="color: #092f9d;">ammonites</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Crinoids are illustrated by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lily"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sea lilies</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish"><span style="color: #092f9d;">starfish</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_urchin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sea urchins</span></a> on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Great Barrier Reef</span></a>. Segmented worms developed to enable sustained burrowing, and well-preserved fossils are found in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Rocky Mountains</span></a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia"><span style="color: #092f9d;">British Columbia</span></a>. These developed into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilobite"><span style="color: #092f9d;">trilobites</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crustacean"><span style="color: #092f9d;">crustaceans</span></a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_crab"><span style="color: #092f9d;">horseshoe crab</span></a> is shown nesting in vast numbers on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Bay"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Delaware Bay</span></a>. While the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab"><span style="color: #092f9d;">robber crab</span></a> breeds in the sea, it is in all other respects a land animal and Attenborough uses it to exemplify the next evolutionary step.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #42474b;">#3) </span>"The First Forests"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">January 30, 1979</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: small; white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This installment examines the earliest land vegetation and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect"><span style="color: #092f9d;">insects</span></a>. The first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant"><span style="color: #092f9d;">plants</span></a>, being devoid of stems, mainly comprised <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss"><span style="color: #092f9d;">mosses</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverwort"><span style="color: #092f9d;">liverworts</span></a>. Using both <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_reproduction"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sexual</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexual_reproduction"><span style="color: #092f9d;">asexual</span></a> methods of reproduction, they proliferated. Descended from segmented sea creatures, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millipede"><span style="color: #092f9d;">millipedes</span></a> were among the first to take advantage of such a habitat and were quickly followed by other species. Without water to carry <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovum"><span style="color: #092f9d;">eggs</span></a>, bodily contact between the sexes was now necessary. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This was problematical for some hunters, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider"><span style="color: #092f9d;">spiders</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion"><span style="color: #092f9d;">scorpions</span></a>, who developed courtship rituals to ensure that the female didn't eat the male. Over time, the plants' cell walls strengthened and they grew taller. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern">Ferns</a></span> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsetail"><span style="color: #092f9d;">horsetails</span></a> were among the first such species. Insects then evolved wings to avoid climbing and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly"><span style="color: #092f9d;">dragonfly</span></a> (which once had a wingspan of 60 centimetres) is one of the most successful. The elaborate wingbeats of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damselfly"><span style="color: #092f9d;">damselfly</span></a> are shown slowed down 120 times. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Some plants, like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycad"><span style="color: #092f9d;">cycad</span></a> enlisted the insects to transport <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pollen</span></a>, while others, like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer"><span style="color: #092f9d;">conifer</span></a>, spread <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore"><span style="color: #092f9d;">spores</span></a>. Over a third of forests contain conifers and the giant <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoiadendron_giganteum"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sequoia</span></a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California"><span style="color: #092f9d;">California</span></a> is the largest living organism of any kind: it grows to a height of 112 metres. The conifer secretes <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">resin</span></a> to repair its trunk, and this survives as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber"><span style="color: #092f9d;">amber</span></a>. Within it, insect specimens have been found that are 200 million years old. In fact, at this time, every insect known today was already in existence.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#4) "The Swarming Hordes"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">6 February 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This episode details the relationship between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower"><span style="color: #092f9d;">flowers</span></a> and insects. There are some one million classified species of insect, and two or three times as many that are yet to be labelled. Around 300 million years ago, plants began to enlist insects to help with their reproduction, and they did so with flowers. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Although the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia"><span style="color: #092f9d;">magnolia</span></a>, for instance, contains male and female cells, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pollination</span></a> from another plant is preferable as it ensures greater variation and thus evolution. Flowers advertise themselves by either scent or display. Some evolved to produce sweet-smelling <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar"><span style="color: #092f9d;">nectar</span></a> and in turn, several insects developed their mouth parts into feeding tubes in order to reach it. However, to ensure that pollination occurs, some species—such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchid"><span style="color: #092f9d;">orchid</span></a>—have highly complicated mechanisms that must be negotiated first. Others, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca"><span style="color: #092f9d;">yucca</span></a> and its visiting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moth"><span style="color: #092f9d;">moths</span></a>, are dependent on one another. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Hunters, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis"><span style="color: #092f9d;">mantis</span></a>, are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflage"><span style="color: #092f9d;">camouflaged</span></a> to match the flowers and leaves visited by their prey. Since an insect's skin is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">chitinous</span></a>, it has to shed it periodically in order to grow, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar"><span style="color: #092f9d;">caterpillar</span></a>, its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysalis"><span style="color: #092f9d;">chrysalis</span></a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoon_(silk)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">cocoon</span></a> and resulting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly"><span style="color: #092f9d;">butterfly</span></a> or moth is one of the more complex examples. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termite"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Termites</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant"><span style="color: #092f9d;">ants</span></a> and some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee"><span style="color: #092f9d;">bees</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasp"><span style="color: #092f9d;">wasps</span></a> overcame any limitations of size by grouping together and forming <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superorganism"><span style="color: #092f9d;">superorganisms</span></a>. The green tree ants of south-east Asia are shown to display the most extraordinary co-operation when building their nests.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#5) "Conquest of the Waters"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> February 13, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This program looks at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_fish"><span style="color: #092f9d;">evolution of fish</span></a>. They have developed a multitude of shapes, sizes and methods of propulsion and navigation. The sea squirt, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelet"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lancelet</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamprey"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lamprey</span></a> are given as examples of the earliest, simplest types. Then, about 400 million years ago, the first backboned fish appeared. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimberley_region_of_Western_Australia"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Kimberley Ranges</span></a> of Western Australia are, in fact, the remnants of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef"><span style="color: #092f9d;">coral reef</span></a> and the ancient seabed. There, Attenborough discovers fossils of the earliest fish to have developed jaws. These evolved into two shapes of creature with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartilage"><span style="color: #092f9d;">cartilaginous</span></a> skeletons: wide ones (like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batoidea"><span style="color: #092f9d;">rays</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skate_(fish)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">skates</span></a>) and long ones (like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sharks</span></a>). However, it is the fully boned species that were most successful, and spread from the oceans to rivers and lakes. To adapt to these environments, they had by now acquired <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill"><span style="color: #092f9d;">gills</span></a> for breathing, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_line"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lateral line</span></a> to detect movement and a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_bladder"><span style="color: #092f9d;">swim bladder</span></a> to aid buoyancy. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Coral reefs contain the greatest variety of species, many of which are conspicuously coloured to ward off predators or attract mates. Their habitat, with its many hiding places within easy reach, allows them to remain so visible. However, the open ocean offers no such refuge, so there is safety in numbers—both hunters and hunted swim in shoals and have streamlined bodies for pursuit or escape. Most species that live below the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocline"><span style="color: #092f9d;">thermocline</span></a>, in the freezing depths of the ocean, have never been filmed, and these are largely represented by still photographs.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#6) "Invasion of the Land"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 20, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The next installment describes the move from water to land. The fish that did so may have been forced to because of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drought"><span style="color: #092f9d;">drought</span></a>, or chose to in search of food. Either way, they eventually evolved into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibian"><span style="color: #092f9d;">amphibians</span></a>. Such creatures needed two things: limbs for mobility and lungs to breathe. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coelacanth"><span style="color: #092f9d;">coelacanth</span></a> is shown as a fish with bony fins that could have developed into legs, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungfish"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lungfish</span></a> is able to absorb gaseous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen"><span style="color: #092f9d;">oxygen</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">However, evidence of an animal that possessed both is presented in the 450-million-year-old fossilised remains of a fish called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusthenopteron"><span style="color: #092f9d;">eusthenopteron</span></a>. Three groups of amphibians are explored. The caecilians have abandoned legs altogether to aid burrowing, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt"><span style="color: #092f9d;">newts</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamander"><span style="color: #092f9d;">salamanders</span></a> need to return to the water to allow their skins to breathe, but it is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog"><span style="color: #092f9d;">frogs</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad"><span style="color: #092f9d;">toads</span></a> that have been the most successful. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Attenborough handles a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_frog"><span style="color: #092f9d;">goliath frog</span></a>, the largest of the species, to demonstrate its characteristics. Their webbed feet form parachutes that turn them into "dazzling athletes", and some can leap over 15 metres—100 times their body length. In addition, their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_sac"><span style="color: #092f9d;">vocal sacs</span></a> ensure that mating calls can be heard from up to a mile away. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog">Poison dart frogs</a></span> deter predators by means of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venom"><span style="color: #092f9d;">venom</span></a>, and one such example could kill a human. Various methods of breeding are examined, including laying eggs in rivers, depositing them in other damp habitats for safety or, as with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Brazilian</span></a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surinam_toad"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pipa</span></a>, embedding them within the skin of the parent itself.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#7) ”Victors of the Dry Land"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 27, 1979</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: small; white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This episode is devoted to the evolution of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptile"><span style="color: #092f9d;">reptiles</span></a>. They are not as restricted as their amphibian ancestors, since they can survive in the hottest climates. The reason is their scaly, practically watertight skin. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_(zoology)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">scales</span></a> protect the body from wear and tear and in the case of some species of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizard"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lizard</span></a>, such as the Australian thorny devil, serve to protect from attack. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The horned <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguana"><span style="color: #092f9d;">iguana</span></a> from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean"><span style="color: #092f9d;">West Indies</span></a> is also one of the most heavily armoured. The skin is rich in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigment"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pigment</span></a> cells, which provide effective means of camouflage, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon"><span style="color: #092f9d;">chameleon</span></a> is a well-known example. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Temperature</span></a> control is important to reptiles: they cannot generate body heat internally or sweat to keep cool. Therefore, they rely on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sun</span></a> and areas of shade. The reptiles were the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebrate"><span style="color: #092f9d;">vertebrates</span></a> for whom internal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertilisation"><span style="color: #092f9d;">fertilisation</span></a> was essential, so they developed the watertight egg, which hatches fully formed young. The age of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur"><span style="color: #092f9d;">dinosaurs</span></a> is explored, and Attenborough surmises that it may have been <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_(general_concept)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">climate change</span></a> that led to their abrupt demise. Those that survived were water-dwellers, and the bull <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_crocodile"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Nile crocodile</span></a> is the largest reptile alive today. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake">Snakes</a></span> evolved when burrowing lizards lost their legs but returned above ground. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boidae"><span style="color: #092f9d;">boa</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitis_arietans"><span style="color: #092f9d;">puff adder</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_cerastes"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sidewinder</span></a> demonstrate methods of locomotion, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasypeltis_scabra"><span style="color: #092f9d;">egg-eating snake</span></a> has an extreme example of a hinged jaw, and the lethal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_atrox"><span style="color: #092f9d;">diamondback rattlesnake</span></a> is described as the most efficient at despatching its prey.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#8) "Lords of the Air"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 6, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This program focuses on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird"><span style="color: #092f9d;">birds</span></a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather"><span style="color: #092f9d;">feather</span></a> is key to everything that is crucial about a bird: it is both its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerofoil"><span style="color: #092f9d;">aerofoil</span></a> and its insulator. The earliest feathers were found on a fossilised <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeopteryx"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><i>Archaeopteryx</i></span></a> skeleton in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavaria"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Bavaria</span></a>. However, it had claws on its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing"><span style="color: #092f9d;">wings</span></a> and there is only one species alive today that does so: the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoatzin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">hoatzin</span></a>, whose chicks possess them for about a week or so. Nevertheless, it serves to illustrate the probable movement of its ancestor. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">It may have taken to the trees to avoid predators, and over time, its bony, reptilian tail was replaced by feathers and its heavy jaw evolved into a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">keratin</span></a> beak. Beaks come in a variety of shapes depending on a bird's feeding habits: examples given include the pouched bill of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pelican</span></a>, the hooked beak of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulture"><span style="color: #092f9d;">vulture</span></a> and the elongated mouth of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird"><span style="color: #092f9d;">hummingbird</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Attenborough hails the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tern"><span style="color: #092f9d;">tern</span></a> as one of the most graceful flyers and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albatross"><span style="color: #092f9d;">albatross</span></a> as a skilled glider. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_(bird)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">swift</span></a> is shown as one of the fastest: it can fly at 170 km/h. Birds communicate through display and/or song, and the elaborate courtship rituals of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea"><span style="color: #092f9d;">New Guinea</span></a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds-of-paradise"><span style="color: #092f9d;">birds-of-paradise</span></a> are shown. All birds lay eggs, and the range of different nesting sites and parenting skills is explored. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Finally, Attenborough visits <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Gibraltar</span></a> to observe <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_migration"><span style="color: #092f9d;">migratory</span></a> birds. These rely on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal"><span style="color: #092f9d;">thermals</span></a> when flying overland and use height to conserve energy when crossing oceans. It is estimated that some 5,000 million southbound birds cross the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Mediterranean Sea</span></a> each autumn.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#9) "The Rise of the Mammals"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 13, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This installment is the first of several to concentrate on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal"><span style="color: #092f9d;">mammals</span></a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus"><span style="color: #092f9d;">platypus</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echidna"><span style="color: #092f9d;">echidna</span></a> are the only mammals that lay eggs (in much the same manner of reptiles), and it is from such animals that others in the group evolved. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Since mammals have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warm_blood"><span style="color: #092f9d;">warm blood</span></a> and most have dense <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur"><span style="color: #092f9d;">fur</span></a>, they can hunt at night when temperatures drop. It is for this reason that they became more successful than their reptile ancestors, who needed to heat themselves externally. Much of the program is devoted to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsupial"><span style="color: #092f9d;">marsupials</span></a> (whose young are partially formed at birth) of which fossils have been found in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americas"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Americas</span></a> dating back 60 million years. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">However, because of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift"><span style="color: #092f9d;">continental drift</span></a>, this kind of mammal flourished in Australia. Examples shown include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoll"><span style="color: #092f9d;">quoll</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_devil"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Tasmanian devil</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala"><span style="color: #092f9d;">koala</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wombat"><span style="color: #092f9d;">wombat</span></a> and the largest marsupial, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_kangaroo"><span style="color: #092f9d;">red kangaroo</span></a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine"><span style="color: #092f9d;">thylacine</span></a> was similar to a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf"><span style="color: #092f9d;">wolf</span></a> but is now thought to be extinct. In 1969, bones of creatures such as a 3-metre-tall <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo"><span style="color: #092f9d;">kangaroo</span></a> and a ferocious <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsupial_lion"><span style="color: #092f9d;">marsupial lion</span></a> were found in a cave in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naracoorte,_South_Australia"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Naracoorte</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Australia"><span style="color: #092f9d;">South Australia</span></a>. The reason for these animals' extinction is, once again, thought to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_(general_concept)"><span style="color: #092f9d;">climate change</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Finally, Attenborough describes the most prolific mammals—those that originated in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hemisphere"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Northern Hemisphere</span></a> and give birth to fully formed young. He states, "The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placenta"><span style="color: #092f9d;">placenta</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womb"><span style="color: #092f9d;">womb</span></a> between them provide a degree of safety and a continuity of sustenance which is unparalleled in the animal world.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#10) ”Theme and Variations"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 20, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This episode continues the study of mammals, and particularly those whose young gestate inside their bodies. Attenborough asks why these have become so varied and tries to discover the common theme that links them. Examples of primitive mammals that are still alive today include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treeshrew"><span style="color: #092f9d;">treeshrew</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desman"><span style="color: #092f9d;">desman</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star-nosed_mole"><span style="color: #092f9d;">star-nosed mole</span></a>. Insect eaters vary enormously from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aardvark"><span style="color: #092f9d;">aardvark</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_anteater"><span style="color: #092f9d;">giant anteater</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangolin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">pangolin</span></a> to those to which much of this programme is devoted: the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat"><span style="color: #092f9d;">bats</span></a>, of which there are nearly 1,000 different species. These took to flying at night, and it is possible that they evolved from treeshrews that jumped from tree to tree, in much the same way as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_squirrel"><span style="color: #092f9d;">flying squirrel</span></a>. Most bats use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonar"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sonar</span></a> to hunt and navigate, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasound"><span style="color: #092f9d;">ultrasound</span></a> to communicate. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">However, some of their prey, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopidae"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lacewing</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctiidae"><span style="color: #092f9d;">tiger moth</span></a>, have developed techniques to confuse and evade them. Aquatic mammals superseded sea-going reptiles such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiosaur"><span style="color: #092f9d;">plesiosaur</span></a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale"><span style="color: #092f9d;">whales</span></a>' immense size is related to the retention of body heat. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The dinosaurs' growth was limited by the strength of their bones but the whales only rely on water to support their weight, and so have been able to grow into the world's largest animals. Some of those shown include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_whale"><span style="color: #092f9d;">humpbacks</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal"><span style="color: #092f9d;">narwhals</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orca"><span style="color: #092f9d;">killer whales</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin"><span style="color: #092f9d;">dolphins</span></a>. The latter use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation"><span style="color: #092f9d;">echolocation</span></a> in much the same way as bats, and Attenborough observes one finding objects in the water even after it has been blindfolded.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#11) ”The Hunters and Hunted"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 27, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">This program surveys mammal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivore"><span style="color: #092f9d;">herbivores</span></a> and their predators. The herbivores began to populate the forests when the dinosaurs disappeared, and many took to gathering food at night. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">To prepare for winter, some store it in vast quantities, some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation"><span style="color: #092f9d;">hibernate</span></a> and others make do as best they can. However, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore"><span style="color: #092f9d;">carnivores</span></a> joined them, and when a drying climate triggered the spread of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae"><span style="color: #092f9d;">grass</span></a>, they followed their prey out on to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain"><span style="color: #092f9d;">plains</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Grass is not easily digestible and most animals that eat it have to regurgitate it and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cud"><span style="color: #092f9d;">chew the cud</span></a>. Out in the open, the leaf-eaters had to develop means of protection. A few species turned into burrowers: examples include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_mole-rat"><span style="color: #092f9d;">blind mole-rat</span></a>, which is completely underground, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_dog"><span style="color: #092f9d;">prairie dog</span></a>, which is not. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara"><span style="color: #092f9d;">capybara</span></a>—the largest rodent—spends much of its time in the water. Those that evolved long legs and hooves, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra"><span style="color: #092f9d;">zebra</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impala"><span style="color: #092f9d;">impala</span></a>, seek safety in speed, while larger creatures, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros"><span style="color: #092f9d;">rhinoceros</span></a>, rely on their armoured hides. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant"><span style="color: #092f9d;">elephant</span></a> is the world's largest land animal and is virtually invulnerable. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Cheetahs</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lions</span></a> are attracted by those that herd in large numbers, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildebeest"><span style="color: #092f9d;">wildebeest</span></a>. The cheetah uses its considerable speed while the heavier lion is a social predator, mostly using co-operation and stealth to capture its victims, and its methods are explored in detail. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Meanwhile, a pack hunter, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyena"><span style="color: #092f9d;">hyena</span></a>, has immense stamina and will eventually wear down its quarry, easing the kill.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">#12) “Life in the Trees"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">April 3, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The penultimate installment investigates the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate"><span style="color: #092f9d;">primates</span></a>, whose defining characteristics are forward-facing eyes for judging distance, and gripping hands with which to grasp branches, manipulate food and groom one another. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The program begins in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Madagascar</span></a>, home to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemur"><span style="color: #092f9d;">lemurs</span></a>, of which there are some 20 different types. Two examples are the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sifaka"><span style="color: #092f9d;">sifaka</span></a>, which is a specialized jumper, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indri"><span style="color: #092f9d;">indri</span></a>, which has a well-developed voice. Away from Madagascar, the only lemur relatives to have survived are nocturnal, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galago"><span style="color: #092f9d;">bushbaby</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potto"><span style="color: #092f9d;">potto</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loris"><span style="color: #092f9d;">loris</span></a>. The others were supplanted by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey"><span style="color: #092f9d;">monkeys</span></a> and a primitive species that still exists is the smallest, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmoset"><span style="color: #092f9d;">marmoset</span></a>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">However, Attenborough selects the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel_monkey"><span style="color: #092f9d;">squirrel monkey</span></a> as being typical of the group. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howler_monkey"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Howler monkeys</span></a> demonstrate why they are so named—their chorus is said to the loudest of any mammal—and their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehensile_tail"><span style="color: #092f9d;">prehensile tails</span></a> illustrate their agility. However, such tails are not characteristic of monkeys that inhabit Africa and many of them, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorocebus"><span style="color: #092f9d;">vervets</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baboon"><span style="color: #092f9d;">baboons</span></a>, are just as happy on the ground. Others have moved elsewhere, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaque"><span style="color: #092f9d;">macaques</span></a> of Koshima in Japan have learned to wash their food before eating. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Most <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape"><span style="color: #092f9d;">apes</span></a> have taken to swinging from trees, and their feet are just as versatile as their hands. They include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutan"><span style="color: #092f9d;">orangutan</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbon"><span style="color: #092f9d;">gibbon</span></a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_chimpanzee"><span style="color: #092f9d;">chimpanzee</span></a> and the primate with whom Attenborough has arguably his most famous encounter, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_gorilla"><span style="color: #092f9d;">mountain gorilla</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><b>#13) ”The Compulsive Communicators"</b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: small; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">April 10, 1979</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The final episode deals with the evolution of the most widespread and dominant species on Earth: humans. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The story begins in Africa, where, some 10 million years ago, apes descended from the trees and ventured out into the open grasslands in search of food. They slowly adapted to the habitat and grew in size. Their acute sense of vision led to them standing erect to spot predators, leaving their hands free to bear weapons. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">In addition, the primitive apemen (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropopithecus"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Anthropopithecus</span></a>) also had stones that were chipped into cutting tools. Slowly, they grew taller and more upright, and their stone implements became ever more elaborate. Furthermore, animal hunting expeditions required a degree of co-operation to achieve a successful outcome. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Therefore, Attenborough argues, such foresight, teamwork and planning must have meant some skill at communication. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_erectus"><span style="color: #092f9d;"><i>Homo erectus</i></span></a> gradually spread from Africa and reached Europe some 800,000 years ago, where a drop in temperature led to him inhabiting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave"><span style="color: #092f9d;">caves</span></a>. Such creatures evolved further and learned to use flint for weapons, animal skins for clothing, and fire for warmth and preparing food. Their brains became fully formed and, using the walls of their caves as a canvas, they painted and eventually learned to write. <i>Homo sapiens</i> had arrived. </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">However, Attenborough warns, just because humans have achieved so much in such a comparatively short period of time, it may not mean that they will be around forever.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5.2px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">1997 Revision</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">A shortened series, using the footage and commentary from the original, was aired in 1997, edited down to three episodes: </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">early life forms, plants, insects, and amphibians in the first; </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">fish, birds and reptiles in the second; </span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">and mammals in the third.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 72px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">A hardback book, <i>Life on Earth</i> by David Attenborough, was published in 1979 and became a worldwide <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestseller"><span style="color: #092f9d;">bestseller</span></a>. Its cover image of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Panamanian</span></a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-eyed_tree_frog"><span style="color: #092f9d;">red-eyed tree frog</span></a>, was taken by Attenborough himself,<span style="color: #092f9d; font-size: 6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><sup>[5]</sup></span> became an instantly recognizable emblem of the series. It is currently out of print.</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">Available at <a href="https://www.biblio.com/life-on-earth-a-natural-by-attenborough-david/work/70885">Biblio.com</a>, <a href="https://www.librarything.com/work/132179">LibraryThing.com</a>, <a href="https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/LIFE-EARTH-Natural-History-David-Attenborough/30334607571/bd">abebook.com</a></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 31.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 31.5px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSb33s0g7MZxScIeS8uAWNIxq28YD23t7DnWKGC3Qpdrs8JO-Iu51QIN0aJNPYp4QpXviQ8U_IkXovjAj0Q8nRlePeU51K50Yd_jzZMpHyh5Y4J0aPjkMShS9T7ym0zva7t-s4VeFuvGWbb6II-Up4oHkUnpPO7e0KexMSPe8M7HFJQAxXb0Pbdz3R/s1152/biblio%237_geology-%20Cc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="1152" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSb33s0g7MZxScIeS8uAWNIxq28YD23t7DnWKGC3Qpdrs8JO-Iu51QIN0aJNPYp4QpXviQ8U_IkXovjAj0Q8nRlePeU51K50Yd_jzZMpHyh5Y4J0aPjkMShS9T7ym0zva7t-s4VeFuvGWbb6II-Up4oHkUnpPO7e0KexMSPe8M7HFJQAxXb0Pbdz3R/w544-h95/biblio%237_geology-%20Cc.png" width="544" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 28.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7.2px 72px; text-align: justify;"><b><i style="background-color: white;">Earth Revealed: Introductory Geology</i></b></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 28.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7.2px 72px; text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white;">Professor James L. Sadd</i></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Earth Revealed: Introductory Geology</i></b>, originally titled <b><i>Earth Revealed</i></b>, is a 26-part video instructional series covering the processes and properties of the physical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Earth</span></a>, with particular attention given to the scientific theories underlying <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology"><span style="color: #092f9d;">geological</span></a> principles. The telecourse was produced by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intelecom_Learning&action=edit&redlink=1"><span style="color: #a90003;">Intelecom</span></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Southern_California_Consortium&action=edit&redlink=1"><span style="color: #a90003;">Southern California Consortium</span></a>, was funded by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annenberg_Foundation"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Annenberg/CPB Project</span></a>, and first aired on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Broadcasting_Service"><span style="color: #092f9d;">PBS</span></a> in 1992 with the title <i>Earth Revealed</i>. All 26 episodes are hosted by Dr. James L. Sadd, professor of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_science"><span style="color: #092f9d;">environmental science</span></a> at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occidental_College"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Occidental College</span></a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles,_California"><span style="color: #092f9d;">Los Angeles</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California"><span style="color: #092f9d;">California</span></a>. (</span><span style="background-color: white;">Wikipedia)</span></p>
<p style="color: #21445b; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #21445b; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>ANNENBERG FOUNDATION learner series: </b><b style="color: #253f50;">Earth Revealed</b></span></p>
<p style="color: #253f50; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #354064;">A video instructional series on geology for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 26 half-hour video programs.</i></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">This series shows the physical processes and human activities that shape our planet. From earthquakes and volcanoes to the creation of sea-floor crusts and shifting river courses, <i>Earth Revealed</i> offers stunning visuals that explain plate tectonics and other geologic concepts and principles. Follow geologists in the field as they explore the primal forces of the Earth. This series can also be used as a resource for teacher professional development.</span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Programs</span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><b style="background-color: white;">Module I: Introduction (February 17–24, 1992)</b></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/1-down-to-earth/"><b>1 Down to Earth</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Surface conditions of the planets Venus and Mars are compared with those of Earth, and scenes of Earth's living landscapes lead into a discussion of how unique Earth truly is. Major topics addressed in the series, including plate tectonics, natural resources, seismology, and erosion, are introduced in this program.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/2-the-restless-planet/"><b>2 The Restless Planet</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Early Greek astronomers believed that Earth was the center of the universe. However, this notion changed dramatically over time, especially after the invention of the telescope. This program traces the development of astronomical theory with discussions of the discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. Unique characteristics of Earth are also discussed.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><b style="background-color: white;">Module II: Plate Tectonics: The Unifying Model (March 2, 1992-April 13, 1992)</b></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/earths-interior/"><b>3 Earth’s Interior</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Oil wells do more than just produce oil — they serve as windows to Earth's interior. This program introduces the topic of geophysics, exploring methods of studying what lies beneath Earth's surface. Geophysicists use seismic wave studies, variations in temperature, magnetic fields, gravity, and computer simulations to create models of deep structures.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/4-the-sea-floor/"><b>4 The Sea Floor</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The mysteries of the ocean floor lie hidden under enormous pressure and total darkness. This program looks at the research submersibles and indirect methods used to study the bottom of the sea, providing a glimpse of volcanic activity, formations such as the continental shelf and mid-ocean ridges, and life forms that thrive at extreme depths.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/5-the-birth-of-a-theory/"><b>5 The Birth of a Theory</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">In the 1960s, earth scientists developed the theory of plate tectonics. This program traces the development of plate tectonics, beginning with the contributions and methods of geologist Alfred Wegener. Sea-floor spreading, continental drift, paleomagnetism, and the primordial supercontinent Pangaea are some of the topics covered.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/6-plate-dynamics/"><b>6 Plate Dynamics</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">This program examines the movement and interaction of tectonic plates, which account for a vast array of geologic formations and phenomena — from California's San Andreas Fault to the Rift Valley of eastern Africa. The program covers convergent boundaries, subduction, hotspots, and the debate over what drives plate motion.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/7-mountain-building/"><b>7 Mountain Building</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">This program erodes the myth of the mountain as a solid, permanent structure. Animations are used to illustrate the process of orogeny (mountain building) through accretion and erosion, as well as the role of plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and how different types of rock are formed in the course of mountain building.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/8-earths-structures/"><b>8 Earth’s Structures</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A visit to the Grand Canyon lays the foundation for this exploration of rock layers and deformation. The program covers sedimentation, major structures, the methods used to examine them, and how petroleum may be trapped inside them. It also looks at tectonic force and the different types of stress involved in the formation of geologic structures.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/9-earthquakes/"><b>9 Earthquakes</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Showing actual footage of earthquakes and their aftermath, this program discusses the forces that fuel these massive events. Faults, waves, and the transfer of energy from the epicenter are explained, and histories of the seismograph and Richter scale are presented. The program also describes devices being developed to study — and eventually predict — earthquakes.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><b style="background-color: white;">Module III: Geologic Time and Life (April 20–27, 1992)</b></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/10-geologic-time/"><b>10 Geologic Time</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">To illustrate the immensity of geologic time, the entire span of Earth's existence is compressed down to a year. The timeline of major geologic events is superimposed onto the year for a condensed view of Earth's evolution. A relationship between this timeline and that of life on Earth is established, with fossils and radiocarbon dating playing a major role in the discovery.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/11-evolution-through-time/"><b>11 Evolution Through Time</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The fossil record reveals much about the diversity and development of species. This program examines the traces left by early plants, animals, and single-celled organisms and follows the progression of life forms over time. Connections are drawn between atmospheric gases, climate change, rock formation, biological functions, and mass extinctions.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #18191a; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><b style="background-color: white;">Module IV: The Rock Cycle (May 4, 1992-June 15, 1992)</b></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/12-minerals-the-materials-of-earth/"><b>12 Minerals: The Materials of Earth</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Minerals have been indispensable to human civilization. This program looks at the variety of minerals, their atomic and crystalline structures, and their physical properties such as hardness and luster. Petrologists' methods of sectioning rocks are shown, and gems, precious metals, ore excavation, and the value of silicates are discussed.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/13-volcanism/"><b>13 Volcanism</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Volcanoes provide clues about what is going on inside Earth. Animations illustrate volcanic processes and how plate boundaries are related to volcanism. The program also surveys the various types of eruptions, craters, cones and vents, lava domes, magma, and volcanic rock. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens serves as one example.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/14-intrusive-igneous-rocks/"><b>14 Intrusive Igneous Rocks</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Most magma does not extrude onto Earth's surface but cools slowly deep inside Earth. This magma seeps into crevices in existing rock to form intrusive igneous rocks. Experts provide a graphic illustration of this process and explain the types and textures of rocks such as granite, obsidian, and quartz. Once again, plate tectonics is shown to be involved in the process.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/15-weathering-and-soils/"><b>15 Weathering and Soils</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Cleopatra's Needle obelisk in New York City's Central Park is severely weathered after only 75 years, whereas the dry climate of Egypt has preserved similar structures in that country for millennia. This program shows how weather, climate, chemicals, temperature, and type of substrate factor into rock and soil erosion. Environmental connections are also considered.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/16-mass-wasting/"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">16 Mass Wasting</span></b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Anyone undertaking a building project must understand mass wasting — the downslope movement of earth under the influence of gravity. Various factors in mass wasting, including the rock's effective strength and pore spaces, are discussed, as are different types of mass wasting such as creep, slump, and landslides. Images of an actual landslide illustrate the phenomenon.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/17-sedimentary-rocks-the-key-to-past-environments/"><b>17 Sedimentary Rocks: The Key to Past Environments</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">This program returns to the Grand Canyon: its exposed layers of sedimentary rock allow scientists to peer into the geologic past. The movement of sediment and its deposition are covered, and the processes of lithification, compaction, and cementation that produce sedimentary rocks are explained. Organic components of rock are also discussed.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/18-metamorphic-rocks/"><b>18 Metamorphic Rocks</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The weight of a mountain creates enough pressure to recrystallize rock, thus creating metamorphic rocks. This program outlines the recrystallization process and the types of rock it can create — from claystone and slate to schist and garnet-bearing gneiss. The relationship of metamorphic rock to plate tectonics is also covered.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/19-running-water-i-rivers-erosion-and-deposition/"><b>19 Running Water I: Rivers, Erosion and Deposition</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Rivers are the most common land feature on Earth and play a vital role in the sculpting of land. This program shows landscapes formed by rivers, the various types of rivers, the basic parts of a river, and how characteristics of rivers — their slope, channel, and discharge — erode and build the surrounding terrain. Aspects of flooding are also discussed.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><b style="background-color: white;">20 Running Water II: Landscape Evolution</b></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Colorado River is a powerful geologic agent — powerful enough to have carved the Grand Canyon. This program focuses on how such carving takes place over time, looking at erosion and deposition processes as they relate to river characteristics and type of rock. The evolution of rivers is covered, along with efforts to prevent harmful consequences to humans.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/21-groundwater/"><b>21 Groundwater</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Approximately three-quarters of Earth's surface is covered by water. But most fresh water comes from underground. Topics of this program include aquifers, rock porosity and permeability, artesian wells, the water table, cave formation, sinkholes, and how groundwater may become contaminated.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/22-wind-dust-and-deserts/"><b>22 Wind, Dust and Deserts</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Land in arid climates is shaped in particular ways. This program shows how deserts are defined by infrequent precipitation and how desertification relates to proximity to the equator, proximity to mountains, and ultimately plate tectonics. Images of landscapes illustrate how wind creates features such as dunes, playas, blow-outs, and even oases.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/23-glaciers/"><b>23 Glaciers</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Many of the world's most beautiful landscapes were made by glaciers. This program shows how, explaining glacial formation, structure, movement, and methods of gouging and accumulating earth. The program provides images of glaciers and glacial landforms such as moraines, and discusses how study of glaciers may help us understand ice ages and the greenhouse effect.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/24-waves-beaches-and-coasts/"><b>24 Waves, Beaches and Coasts</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">This program shows the dynamic interaction of two geologic agents: rocky landmasses and the energy of the ocean. Aspects of waves — their types, parts, movement, and impact on the shore — are illustrated. The program also covers shoreline characteristics, currents, sea barriers, tides, and how the greenhouse effect could impact sea level and coastal lands.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/25-living-with-earth-part-i/"><b>25 Living With Earth, Part I</b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Scenes of San Francisco before the Loma Prieta earthquake introduce this program addressing how humans are learning to cope with earthquakes. Various groups and agencies are studying the San Andreas Fault and the damage caused along its path to better understand how earthquakes ravage the land. Methods of studying earthquakes are reviewed.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.learner.org/series/earth-revealed/26-living-with-earth-part-ii/"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">26 Living With Earth, Part II</span></b><span style="color: #354064; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Since the nineteenth century, humans have turned to the Earth for energy sources to fuel their industry. This program discusses where oil comes from, how it is extracted, and how it is converted into energy. The effects of oil drilling and the burning of fossil fuels are also addressed, and the potential of alternative energy sources is considered.</span></p>
<p style="color: #325d7a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #21445b; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://learner.org/"><b>ANNENBERG LEARNER</b><span style="color: #21445b; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white;">K-12 educators, students, and lifelong learners may access Annenberg Learner resources for free at <a href="https://learner.org/"><span style="color: #325d7a;"><b>Learner.org</b></span></a><b>.</b> Please sign up for the Annenberg Learner newsletter for the latest information about Learner programming and availability, as they are subject to change.</span></p>
<p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Contact Us: <b><a href="mailto:info@learner.org">info@learner.org</a></b></span></p><p style="color: #354064; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 72px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinz0GZTrdro5nhrTnBFtdO3X8fk26M-jjHLpHlSN4WI6WW6ynFaalqjMQrWyKUkIgtEuhjjrR_yqO2FIkyUnxBbhdyhdLJiy3gUK2TtnwktG4U1et0ZkEnjSb5wWnlk5n9hkqakJFPd7dW8JTFqFBuW119XkiPsZTb4mmIetAcjHrwzfaBq5vtx-N0/s1930/biblio%238-river%20-%20cottonwood%20trees%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1930" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinz0GZTrdro5nhrTnBFtdO3X8fk26M-jjHLpHlSN4WI6WW6ynFaalqjMQrWyKUkIgtEuhjjrR_yqO2FIkyUnxBbhdyhdLJiy3gUK2TtnwktG4U1et0ZkEnjSb5wWnlk5n9hkqakJFPd7dW8JTFqFBuW119XkiPsZTb4mmIetAcjHrwzfaBq5vtx-N0/w485-h323/biblio%238-river%20-%20cottonwood%20trees%20copy.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Cu-g4LgnWs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Oct 11, 2021</p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Levin_(biologist)" target="_blank"><b>Michael Levin PhD</b></a></p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://allencenter.tufts.edu/our-team/michael-levin/" target="_blank"><b>Director of the Allen Discovery Center - Tufts University</b></a></p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Plenary Talk by Michael Levin on <b>"Non-neural, developmental bio-electricity as a precursor for cognition: Evolution, synthetic organisms, and biomedicine" </b>at the Virtual Miniature Brain Machinery Retreat, September 16, 2021.</p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the <a href="https://minibrain.beckman.illinois.edu" target="_blank"><b>Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology</b></a>. This video was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant 1735252. </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b><a href="https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/mike-levin-on-electrifying-insights-into-how-bodies-form/" target="_blank">WYSS Institute Harvard</a></b></span></span> </p></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">______________________________</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a broader list of the books I've listened to & read, and that I'd recommend to any interested student of Earth & life & yourself:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Deep History of Ourselves: The for billion year story of how we got conscious brains</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joseph LeDoux</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Vital Question: Energy, evolution, an the origins of complex life</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nick Lane</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Oxygen: The molecule that made the world</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nick Lane</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Symphony in C: Carbon and the evolution of (almost) everything</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Robert M. Hazen</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Tangled Tree: A radical new history of life</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">David Quammen</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the making of planet, life, and you</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sean B. Carroll</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks: Tales of important geological puzzles and the people who solved them</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Donald R. Prothero</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Origins: How Earth’s history shaped human history</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Lewis Dartnell</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dawn Of Everything: A new history of humanity</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">David Graeber & David Wengrow</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Metazoa: Animal lie and the birth of the mind</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Peter Godfrey-Smith</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The House of Wisdom: How Arabic science saved ancient knowledge and gave us the renaissance</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jim Al-Khalil</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Horizons: The global origins of modern science</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">James Poskett</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Life’s Ratchet: How molecular machines extract order from chaos</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Peter M. Hoffman</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Life’s Engines: How microbes made Earth habitable</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul G. Falkowski</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Universe Within: Discovering the common history of rocks, planets, and people</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Neil Shubin</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">—————————————-</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the source of consciousness</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mark Solms</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Self Comes to Mind</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Antonio Damasio</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Consciousness Explained</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Daniel C. Dennett</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To Explain the World: The discovery of modern science</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Steven Weinberg</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Life Unfolding: How the human body creates itself</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jamie A. Davies</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Life Ascending: The ten great inventions of evolution</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nick Lane</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Cro-Magnon: How the Ice Age gave birth to the first modern humans</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Brian Fagan</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sapiens: A brief history of humankind</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Yuval Noah Harari</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Story of Western Science: From the writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Susan Wise Bauer</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Darwin</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">On the Origin of Species</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Darwin</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Lost in Math: How beauty leads physics astray</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sabine Hossenfelder</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What Is Life?: With mind and matter and autobiographical sketches</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Erwin Schrödinger, forward Roger Penrose </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Invention of Science: A new history of the scientific revolution</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">David Wootton</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The War on Science: Who’s waging it, why it matters, what we can do about it</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Shawn Lawrence Otto</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What is Life?: How chemistry becomes biology</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Addy Pross</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">First Life: Discovering the connections between stars, cells and how life began</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">David Deamer</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the birth of modern geology</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Simon Winchester</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silent Spring</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rachel Carson</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Voyage of the Beagle</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Darwin</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">————————————-</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Light Ages: The surprising story of medieval science</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seb Falk</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Intimate Bond: How animals shaped human history</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Brian Fagan</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Salt: A world history</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mark Kurlansky</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paper: Paging through history</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mark Kurlansky</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Rise of Yeast: How the sugar fungus shaped civilization</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nicholas P. Money</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Earth Moved: On the remarkable achievements of Earthworms</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Amy Steward</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Napoleon’s Buttons: 17 molecules that changed history</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Penny LeCouteur, Jay Burreson</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Elixir: A history of water and humankind</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Brian Fagan</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">—————————————————-</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Log from the Sea of Cortez</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">John Steinbeck</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darwin’s Dangerous Idea</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Daniel C. Dennet</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sense and Goodness Without God: A defense of metaphysical naturalism</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Richard Carrier</p><p></p></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Libre Franklin", "Helvetica Neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-11127410999855559182022-09-30T19:42:00.040-07:002022-10-23T16:10:15.009-07:00Introducing a new philosophical perspective: Earth Centrism (1/2)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> <i style="letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: center;">Inviting Intelligent Critique & Constructive Challenges:</i></span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Introducing a New Philosophical Perspective.</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Peter Miesler, September 2022 (<a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/10/earth-centrist-student-resource.html" target="_blank">the bibliography 2/2</a>)</span></p>
<p style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Founded on a life time of learning through the findings of scientists.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Earth Centrism</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Because Earth is our ultimate touchstone with reality and ourselves<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">.</span></b></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYXR3fsKaO0NRgz9KdeDVOIiQsZdTKDGd8uo99yyO6zYQZ8zt4qnx6-cIAHpgLtHfYvUjnOUdCGqssEdPaNRn8gW8JH5_0PNr92G0ApMH31qnTAQa0MgCb-0wq3DtOzVzJ4UOQ5GVG640oH-x5qyCQWP_eVR-sA3iNoyuVuAyixXx7znRx9QYeudiMg/s1312/IMG_Sep30-BLOG-stone%20tool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="1312" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYXR3fsKaO0NRgz9KdeDVOIiQsZdTKDGd8uo99yyO6zYQZ8zt4qnx6-cIAHpgLtHfYvUjnOUdCGqssEdPaNRn8gW8JH5_0PNr92G0ApMH31qnTAQa0MgCb-0wq3DtOzVzJ4UOQ5GVG640oH-x5qyCQWP_eVR-sA3iNoyuVuAyixXx7znRx9QYeudiMg/s320/IMG_Sep30-BLOG-stone%20tool.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><blockquote><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This insight leads to a realization that, for this complex living Earth that we experience, to exist at all, is proof positive that our Earth evolved down one particular pathway, no matter what we people imagine one way or the other.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Ours is to figure it out and appreciate - not to presume to define it!</b></span></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">We appreciate that we are evolved biological creatures born of Earth’s processes, as expressed through its singular Evolutionary Pageant.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">We appreciate the profound divide between physical reality, <i>that is matter, biology, laws of nature</i>, on the one hand, and on the other, our thoughts unfolding within our amazing minds, <span style="color: #3b3b3b;">(<i>or more descriptively, within the realm of our “human mindscape"</i>)</span>. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">We appreciate that fundamentally, awareness and life’s “consciousness spectrum” started over a couple billion years ago with the invention, then prospering, of the unbelievably complex organization of Eukaryote cells <span style="color: #3b3b3b;">(<i>some suggest guided by microtubules</i>)</span>. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">Consider that in due time these cells created colonies of cells that demonstrated a sense of place and order and purpose or the organism would have dissolved into a chaotic blob. Increasingly complex creatures depended, at every step, on increasing awareness, sensing, data processing, physical systems growth & maintenance, internal communication along with improving and refining manipulatory abilities. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">By and by, along came one particular clade the eutherians, small nocturnal insect eaters who gave birth to the class of mammalian animals, which begat the primates, which begat hominids, which begat our modern humankind species. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">Every stage required new refinements and developments within the complex <b>sensing/body/brain</b> system and the <b>mind</b> they collectively produce - refinements that are dependent on previous refinements and lessons. Your Being is the sum total of all the days of Evolution that went into producing the human form you possess and live through, while your mind reflects the sum total of all the days you’ve lived and experienced.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;">I believe a genuine understanding of oneself starts with the realization that we are an evolved biological sensing creature, and that our consciousness is <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/mark-solms-students-resource.html"><span style="color: black;">fundamentally the inside reflection</span></a> of your body/brain dealing with itself and the <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/solms-demystifies-hard-problem-of.html">environment/circumstance</a> it is embedded within. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;">This understanding leads to another inevitable realization, namely that, our “Gods” are in truth creations of our minds, tailored by our self-serving egos. </span><i style="letter-spacing: -0.20000000298023224px;">Which is okay, if one doesn’t take their God, or themselves, too seriously.<b> </b></i></p></blockquote><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><b></b></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I Am, therefore I Think”</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-Tw57yurUnfNc6RQVIGQf1IVKHj75gzmQV55QYc1qfo5zGHHJJ7ne4TKnQOpMfBapX9hdReLaljpuL_xhii6unZwacK1HYH69A2clNT8zDm0mVpRoOEAyEn1omVANoNrWHaCBBuMLYG4oX3vLos0HAAOKUt0U3G4jYh-gfLRBmKk-jb1mW6hyummQA/s1486/IMG-Sep30-first.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1486" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-Tw57yurUnfNc6RQVIGQf1IVKHj75gzmQV55QYc1qfo5zGHHJJ7ne4TKnQOpMfBapX9hdReLaljpuL_xhii6unZwacK1HYH69A2clNT8zDm0mVpRoOEAyEn1omVANoNrWHaCBBuMLYG4oX3vLos0HAAOKUt0U3G4jYh-gfLRBmKk-jb1mW6hyummQA/s320/IMG-Sep30-first.png" width="320" /></a><b></b></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">It’s been four years since first writing about my reflections upon a small epiphany I experienced. An insight which left a profound appreciation for the “Human Mindscape ~ Physical Reality divide” through a deep-time evolutionary perspective. My essay describing it is titled: "<a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2018/09/key-to-goulds-nonoverlapping-magisteria.html">The Missing Key to Stephen Gould’s “Nonoverlapping Magisteria,”</a> and has been followed by some <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/search?q=Stephen+Gould">revisions</a>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span>Then I started reading Donald Hoffman’s “Case Against Reality: why evolution hide the truth from our eyes,” and found it a prime example of </span>modern self-delusion and getting lost within a mindscape still shackled by Abrahamic thinking, (<span><i>self-serving, </i></span><i>self-certain,</i><i> quick to simplistic assumptions, with its echos of dualism and so on</i>). His insults towards Earth Sciences was a challenge I couldn’t turn away from and two years ago I posted the <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/case-for-reality.html"> first installment</a> of <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/11/preview-cc-hoffman-caseagainstreality.html">Prof Donald Hoffman Playing Basketball In Zero-Gravity - the prelude</a>, with my final being, <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/11/preview-cc-hoffman-caseagainstreality.html">A Preview of Cc's "Hoffman playing Basketball in zero-gravity" a critical review of his "Case Against Reality,”</a> last November.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span>My</span> intellectual adventure has continued, with Daniel Dennett (<i>someone I could at least take seriously</i>) via his interesting book, “Consciousness Explained.” But that only drove me to Descartes and his “<a href="https://grattoncourses.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/rene-descartes-discourse-on-method-and-meditations-on-first-philosophy-4th-ed-hackett-pub-co-1998.pdf">Discourse on Method</a>” which turned out way more fascinating than I’d expected. </span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Though that still can’t hide the fact that Descartes lived during science's infancy*. Descartes was an accomplished mathematician and familiar with optics, but beyond that he knew nothing of astronomy, physics, or light, or biology, his inaccurate human physiological knowledge didn’t rise much above that of an intelligent, inquisitive butcher's.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">In his defense, all Descartes had was his mind! 1600s learned texts were still more opinion based on various dogmas and wishful thinking, then evidence and facts to build upon. Once he read enough to recognize that, he deliberately focused on his mind to the exclusion of all the mucho blah blah of his day. </span></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span><span>The thing to appreciate is that today we have authoritative trustable knowledge flooding in at us from every direction. Not perfect, but there’s a process for separating the chaff from the grain, and the demand for Honesty and Truthfulness remains a prime cornerstone of science in a way that doesn’t seem to exist in the general society anymore.</span><span> </span></span><span style="color: #0d0d0d; text-align: justify;">Individually all we need to do, is the homework & learning that </span><span style="color: #0d0d0d; text-align: justify;">comes with it, if we want to understand 'why & how' for ourselves. </span></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span>Seems to me younger people should be skeptical of our historical philosophical intellectual heroes, after all, look at the mess they helped set into motion. Too much time spent on echo's of religious argument</span>s and genius egos busy striving to out-do each other. Then that easy disregard for Earth's<a href="https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth107/node/1506" target="_blank"> natural balance sheets</a> of systems & processes, that incidentally are what's sustained us all these millennia of <a href="https://resources.saylor.org/wwwresources/archived/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/HIST101-1.2-OriginsofCiv-FINAL1.pdf" target="_blank">climate optimum</a>, and long before. </span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span>Our collective disregard for accepting the concepts of conserving, nurturing, making things last, not to be so gluttonous and obsessed with so many empty bells and whistles that the Hollywood dream machine keeps churning out for us. Working together with Earth's natural system, nurturing</span><span>,</span><span> rather than relentless extraction and destruction.</span></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Why not take <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Earth_(TV_series)" target="_blank">Earth's Evolution</a> seriously and do the homework to learn about what makes her tick?</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Isn’t it time we recognize a new difficult really is steamrolling at us? We need real ideas and ways of seeing the world around us, because tomorrow keeps coming, and staying fixated on the rearview mirror is not the way to survive. The old truths failed your future, don't be afraid of moving on.</span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><span>As we continue into our future, catastrophe's will happen more frequently, but so does the morning after. Many of us</span></span><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><span> keep getting through it, survive and wake to face the new day. Now, more than ever, we need to</span></span><span><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"> take into account the need for honesty, fairplay, goodwill, cooperation and striving to better understand</span></span><span><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"> this Earth and her global heat and moisture distribution engine that we depend on for everything.</span></span></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">But now I digress into motivations for not walking away from this frustrating intellectual/political adventure of mine.</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Thank you for your time and interest,</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Peter Miesler</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">Citizenschallenge at gmail</span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;">October 8, 2022</span></p></blockquote><p> </p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjMOMFh2DfY7t9Y0Q6k7fpJdKsQ8WivmXHHgS7SuY3kZQyQ-RsWAH3YTmWEcaSw7fNPCgnv6aNQiYzsajlkx3crS4cPugk1BHM-f3vQMG0GZEUQUxJUAJwVvjgrlCZDEg7lTk7fm-4rMFQEQ0e8DuqLQX-yec7dXJxAmPlBgFQ9omTdAGFF0rbiFODg/s1454/IMG-Sep30-final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="1078" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjMOMFh2DfY7t9Y0Q6k7fpJdKsQ8WivmXHHgS7SuY3kZQyQ-RsWAH3YTmWEcaSw7fNPCgnv6aNQiYzsajlkx3crS4cPugk1BHM-f3vQMG0GZEUQUxJUAJwVvjgrlCZDEg7lTk7fm-4rMFQEQ0e8DuqLQX-yec7dXJxAmPlBgFQ9omTdAGFF0rbiFODg/s320/IMG-Sep30-final.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><p style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><blockquote><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">* I feel uncomfortable about those couple sentences since my over simplification could imply I imagine science starting in the Renaissance, when it fact science has fascinating roots that are more wide spread and deeper than we ever learned in school. </span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">That's why I feel compelled to suggest Jim Al Khalili's wonderful book: </span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 36px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>"The House of Wisdom, How the Arabic science saved ancient knowledge and gave us the Renaissance." </b>(2012)</span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/house-wisdom">New York Journal of Books</a></span> provides an interesting overview of the book. </span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/50502092/Al_Khalili_Jim_The_House_of_Wisdom_How_Arabic_Science">Academia.edu</a></span> offers a PDF. </span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">There’s also this informative talk Al Khalili gave in 2013.</span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HumanistsUK">Humanists UK</a>, posted at YouTube, April 16, 2014</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjvoWeqMA6I"><b>The Forgotten Legacy of Arabic Science</b></a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="color: #741b47;">British Humanist Association Holyoake Lecture 2013 presented by theoretical physicist and president of the British Humanist Association, Professor Jim Al-Khalili.</span></p></blockquote><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-32549574825161902682022-09-13T13:32:00.003-07:002022-09-13T14:14:40.002-07:00Dear Democratic Party (callers) . . .<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times; text-align: left;">In response to the flood of Democratic Party donation pitches I receive and since I don't have money for all of them, I want to tell what I do have to offer. Need a dynamic researcher, drop me a line. Here's an introduction along with some relevant links.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Times; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">Democrats need more than cash! The DNC need to better inform and engage their grassroots base, that means using every resource available, and that should include starting a <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2022/02/democratic-party-online-discussion-forum.html" target="_blank">Online Democratic Party Discussion Forum</a> where people can share their ideas and network, educate, nurture enthusiasm, engage your base. If we aren't changing minds we are losing. <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Times; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/search?q=14+verses" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">"Considering our dysfunctional public dialogue, in 14 verses."</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/search?q=Democratic+Party+Online+Discussion+Forum" target="_blank">Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14.8px 40.5px;">Googling, “Why are Democrats losing voters?” reveals that voters who care are feeling so disenfranchised by the Democratic Party that they are turning off in droves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW-qpzXxekAmJQitwF0CrOMnQQlb7iCFrbMRsCITJnPbdx1f_tIRLxbAXdElQyEuXZjZDQtP7qwvJY-6iHBuyP78FgpeJcTWcZaGFNQg6drtUN6Tvn19qTAz9cHbQh54S0GNeb22Z-rF1sDwGJk78lUtptAywh_GCBax6qUgLzXvc_ujpcq5nGBEi/s1454/IMG_Voting%20hand.dot%20gov.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="1454" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW-qpzXxekAmJQitwF0CrOMnQQlb7iCFrbMRsCITJnPbdx1f_tIRLxbAXdElQyEuXZjZDQtP7qwvJY-6iHBuyP78FgpeJcTWcZaGFNQg6drtUN6Tvn19qTAz9cHbQh54S0GNeb22Z-rF1sDwGJk78lUtptAywh_GCBax6qUgLzXvc_ujpcq5nGBEi/w552-h80/IMG_Voting%20hand.dot%20gov.png" width="552" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">This, during a year that should have every Democracy loving American energized and looking for how they can best <a href="https://www.usa.gov/voting"><span style="color: #620901;">participate in the coming election</span></a>, it’s frightening.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">After all, more than anything this election will be about the future of open and fair elections in the USA. Beyond that, it’s going to be a national referendum between the importance of honesty and truth in America’s public dialogue vs. a descent into anger driven anarchy. No exaggeration, simply pay attention to how the Republican Party has been engaging in every imaginable dirty trick to stymie future election participation and voting legitimacy.<span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">Successful politicians require strong, informed, proactive support at their backs if they are to lead, yet the DNC seems to be doing little to nurture that sort of buy-in from their grassroots. Why?<span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><b>The DNC’s disregard towards rank and file concerns is reflected in the constant bombardment of DNC’s boilerplate donation pitches, as though donating money was all We The People are good for. I understand the need to fundraise, but what about making us feel like active participants through straight talk, informing us of challenges, calling for feedback, being responsive, nurturing engagement.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">The DNC should earn its money by informing and engaging constituents in a way that makes sense to us and connects with our lives. Creating relevance, encourages enthusiasm, produces participation.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><b>Why not use the internet? Why not create a quality internet platform for having constructive political dialogue? By Democrats for Democrats!</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><b>The Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum. </b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(continued)</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Give America’s untapped concerned citizens a place to go for sharing their own stories, ideas, concerns, questions, challenges.<p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">The Forum would be public, though I think it would be appropriate to limit commenting and posting privileges to registered Democrats. It would require a short set of clearly spelled out guidelines. Participants would need to sign up and agree to abide by the forum’s rules and standards. Moderators would be of critical importance to the DNC’s Discussion Forum’s success - fair, consistent, with a flair for humor, touch of empathy, and an instinct for constructive resolution and steering dialogue back <i>on point</i>.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;">I’ve been participating at “<a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/"><span style="color: #620901;">forum.CenterForInquiry.org</span></a>" for many years and they provide an excellent example of how such a Forum could be organized and operated. CFI is small, a Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum could serve as a nucleus for some serious community building and it would grow as Democrats across the country discovered a place to speak out, hear new voices, to learn and to network within the Democratic Party organization.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><b>Politically interested citizens have few opportunities for connecting with others, provide us with a trustworthy adult discussion platform for constructive dialogue among concerned individuals, I can't think of a better way to rapidly increase awareness, and reinvigorate a disillusioned Democratic grassroots.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px 40.5px;"><b>After all, for all its faults the Democratic Party is all we have! We need to focus on fixing it, rather than abandoning what little remaining political muscle <i>we the people</i> have.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e3f10; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e00fd; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><i>If the idea makes sense to you, please help spread the suggestion. </i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e00fd; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><i>You are welcome and encouraged copy and share.</i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e00fd; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e00fd; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><i>As it happens, today I also sent a message to Braver Angels, </i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1e00fd; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><i>so I might as well share this:</i></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I write under "citizenschallenge" and I've been a climate science/evolution advocate since graduating high school in 1973. Have gone to several Colorado State Dem Conventions. I've wondered long and hard about why Democrats and liberal rationalist types keep losing against faith based personalities <i>(who are dependent on lies and hate mongering and blind repetition to make their message stick).</i> So, I’ve dug deeper than issues.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I believe I have much to offer to some organization - please see for yourself and take a moment to look at my various blogs, especially my more recent writings. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Does any of it resonate with you. Can you use me? Send me an email.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com"><b>Citizenschallenge.blogspot.com</b></a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://WhatsUpWithThatWatts.blogspot.com"><b>WhatsUpWithThatWatts.blogspot.com</b></a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://ConfrontingScienceContrarians.blogspot.com"><b>ConfrontingScienceContrarians.blogspot.com</b></a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In particular:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/search?q=14+verses">"Considering our dysfunctional public dialogue, in 14 verses."</a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More recently:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I believe liberal types tend to be adrift in our god-is-dead, post religion age. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">They haven't figured out how a sober scientific world view can be reconciled with the human need for spiritual connection. I've found the answer is to be found in a deep appreciation for our Earth's evolution and coming to terms with the fact that we are fundamentally: Evolved Biological Creatures. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/06/philosophical-perspective-earth-centrism.html">An Alternative Philosophical Perspective - “Earth Centrism”</a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><a href="http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/06/reality-human-mindscape-divide-2-5.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide</span></a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><a href="http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/06/an-element-of-evolution.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Being an element in Earth’s Pageant of Evolution</span></a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><a href="http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/06/its-not-body-mind-problem-its-ego-god.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s not a “Body-Mind problem” it’s an “Ego-God problem”</span></a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">April 27, 2021</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 31.5px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/search?q=all+hands+on+deck">Diary, "INDIVISIBLE" webinar & networking. All hands on deck, they say. What do I have to offer?</a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">My Elevator Pitch:</span></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px;"></p><blockquote><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">We The People have a moral ethical right - along with a pragmatic need - to learn what scientists have learned about this planet's biosphere and climate engine without constant dishonest crossfire. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">We should not tolerate serious scientists always being drown out by amoral, dishonest and frankly ignorant arguments - that an astoundingly ruthless PR factory repeats over and over again, without ever learning a damned thing from the evidence in front of us.</span><span style="font-size: 11px;"> </span></span></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">I'm also looking for folks to reach out to me - have me do some research and writing, help this effort achieve a greater audience - an editor, agent, interested other. Someone who gets what I've been trying to do here and thinks it deserves a bit of help.</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i>If you've read some of my articles and are curious,</i><i> w</i></span><i><span style="color: #444444;">hy not offer me a reasonable two or three thousand word writing </span></i><i><span style="color: #444444;">challenge</span></i><i><span style="color: #444444;">?</span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">Thank you for your time.</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">Peter Miesler</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">aka citizenschallenge (at gmail)</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-15246522542722750192022-05-27T08:42:00.004-07:002022-05-27T08:43:14.084-07:00The Missing Ingredient in Daniel Dennett's "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">A couple months back I wrote Dr. Daniel Dennett hoping for a response, but to no avail. So, I've rewritten the letter and have resent it and I figured I might as well post it over here, to see if any other deep thinker might want to give it a shot.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUvGLq5dv0hiiXK-UusyAJRfLJvXlgQRu4QggZrijSDp5_WPRyD19XmEFQvaHkrM6fvb9McEb259jxA2TBZJmugZxogVwOWe6QK42u7Tei7yHvCkjHv_6FUnKysq4OPiYBjjURkp_GvRzNly2rHHIdzMw93lEOYQw9f0PSaMUYS4PAjx3oexbgpP3rg/s1008/IMG_Sky%20and%20country%20lane,%20Dennett%20post,%20May%202022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="1008" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUvGLq5dv0hiiXK-UusyAJRfLJvXlgQRu4QggZrijSDp5_WPRyD19XmEFQvaHkrM6fvb9McEb259jxA2TBZJmugZxogVwOWe6QK42u7Tei7yHvCkjHv_6FUnKysq4OPiYBjjURkp_GvRzNly2rHHIdzMw93lEOYQw9f0PSaMUYS4PAjx3oexbgpP3rg/w475-h123/IMG_Sky%20and%20country%20lane,%20Dennett%20post,%20May%202022.png" width="475" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Dear Dr. Daniel Dennett, (<i>& others it may interest</i>),</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">I read your “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea” a couple decades back. These past few months I’ve been revisiting it. It’s a beautiful tour of the evolution of scientific thought regarding Evolution. One I completely embrace and I commend you for all those helpful citations. Even after a quarter century the book is worth recommending to young students of Evolution because of how well it documents the evolving ideas and arguments up to that point. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">The only problem is that you left out a crucial ingredient early in your introduction that I’d like to ask about. You were transitioning from earlier religious thought into evolving scientific thought and the rest of your story. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">I have to wonder why didn’t you stop a moment to review the most fundamental fact of our human condition? <b> A reality that cuts straight to the heart of both our so-called "Hard Problem of Consciousness" and the Origin of God question - namely the “Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide”?</b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">What’s so special about having an appreciation for the “Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide”? Well, for one, it leads to an inevitable understanding that our very existence is proof that our Universe and Earth unfolded down one, internally consistent cascade, and only one. No matter what we self-absorbed human creatures are capable of imagining. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaYrcIuTbSLFKWzv8GYgBYn15kZ_TjORemTarMbhL_e1hS7Ms7NAsWsIGSHW5R7hxGKbby58U_6EkhH9OnuPJNxpScF6M55ljYQImFPt8Pmm08Xhi8WWlLWFR-dwH6ZognoF3wXr-50eT60x6Hf_fuExapo0cI0y8hQPWxzZqtEdrfG3TALOQanw7Hw/s1440/IMG_country%20lane,%20for%20Dennett%20post_may2022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="1440" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaYrcIuTbSLFKWzv8GYgBYn15kZ_TjORemTarMbhL_e1hS7Ms7NAsWsIGSHW5R7hxGKbby58U_6EkhH9OnuPJNxpScF6M55ljYQImFPt8Pmm08Xhi8WWlLWFR-dwH6ZognoF3wXr-50eT60x6Hf_fuExapo0cI0y8hQPWxzZqtEdrfG3TALOQanw7Hw/w461-h106/IMG_country%20lane,%20for%20Dennett%20post_may2022.png" width="461" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #274e13;">For me, it also brought into focus that Earth herself is my touchstone with reality. This in turn, led to a deep down realization that Earth’s biological processes created creatures and eventually humans along with our human mind. </span><i><span style="color: #93c47d;">(This is undisputed by science and rational humans - correct?)</span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">From there it becomes self-evident that our Gods are created from within our own minds and bodies, driven by biological, evolutionary and cultural experiences, the ebb and flow of life. Each one of our Gods tailored to our own particular personality and circumstance. Ignoring that, leaves us without a benchmark for sorting out our thoughts, as <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/case-for-reality.html">Donald Hoffman’s "Case Against Reality" flailing</a> exemplifies. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">The notion of Evolution is given much lip service, but it seems to me that it seldom rises above a post card superficiality. To recap:</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Science seeks to objectively learn about our physical world, but we should still recognize all our understanding is embedded within and constrained by our minds. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Religion is all about the human mindscape itself, with its wonderful struggles, fears, spiritual undercurrents, needs and stories we create to give our live’s meaning and make it worth living, or at least bearable. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">What’s the point? </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Religions, Science, political beliefs, heaven, hell, math, art, even God they are all products of the human mindscape, generations of imaginings built upon previous generations of imaginings, all the way down.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">That's not to say they are the same thing, they are not! Though I think they're both equally valid human endeavors, still one must recognize they are fundamentally qualitatively different.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Religion deals with the inside of our minds, hearts and souls, Science strives to objectively understand the physical world beyond all that, doing its best to factor out human ego from the deliberations.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Dr. Dennett, I realize you are an extremely busy man with a thousand demands upon your time. Still I’m hoping you might take the above seriously enough to offer some critique or feedback.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Sincerely,</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia;">Citizenschallenge</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-675707958003214922022-04-11T17:12:00.027-07:002022-05-04T17:37:48.775-07:00Important Insights Along the Way<p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">Nearing my 67th birthday, <span face="Lato, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px;">I decided to collect some of the fundamental concepts of Earth and living that I've picked up along the way, and I'd like to share. Here goes.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Pc2iQLSkiEF4syZY4mjxwJwiMrJ_lXlp_3OiLWRZ3gKobFLuMqUuyjKPu6736MEBrXFB_2roOJqDqbHyzRO_hn799LY2vPtDyjOT8wMr-fs2WkvptbgmErfF4I5KnS_6s-LOwPzy1q1aIJGHF1AjzkbgGBYdfq1BVydDoWw-mI1N1wB-k435lEy/s2354/Pana-FourCorners-%202021-11-28%20at%208.58.18%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge, 2021" border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="2354" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Pc2iQLSkiEF4syZY4mjxwJwiMrJ_lXlp_3OiLWRZ3gKobFLuMqUuyjKPu6736MEBrXFB_2roOJqDqbHyzRO_hn799LY2vPtDyjOT8wMr-fs2WkvptbgmErfF4I5KnS_6s-LOwPzy1q1aIJGHF1AjzkbgGBYdfq1BVydDoWw-mI1N1wB-k435lEy/w502-h105/Pana-FourCorners-%202021-11-28%20at%208.58.18%20PM.png" title="Four Corners area, USA, a panorama" width="502" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul style="background-color: #f9f9f9; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008000373840332px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: start;"><li><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">Appreciating the Human Mindscape ~ Physical Reality divide</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">I am a self-aware introspective element in the Pageant of Evolution</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">We create our Gods from within ourselves</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">We cannot understand an organism, or system for that matter, without understanding its environment</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">Consciousness is the inside reflection of our body, interacting with itself, along with the environment and circumstance it's embedded within</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">An appreciation for Deep Time, billions of years worth, and Earth, the dance of geology & biology unfolding one day at a time, and that it produced me, along with many other wonders</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">There is no Body-Mind Problem, it is in actuality an Ego-God Problem</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">My body has taken better care of me, than I have of it</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">Consciousness is the product of Earth's biology, of interacting, of living, when we die, consciousness ceases, all that awaits us is the deep dark eternal sleep from which none awake, and it is good</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">Yes, it is good, live your blessed moment while you have it to live</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">Our after-life unfolds within the hearts and minds of others, and it is good</span></li>
<li style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7;">We need each other to keep ourselves honest.</span></li></ul></li><li><p><br /></p></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPomM2KEQd7paXbtSXO7pGthffqLvuBI5dW773YJX_1cN7bqNA7m89IuuzETNVtsJa9vurg3DZEESCh0fFrgfRd6mAGNy5psGoynv656SzZxn_B6vMgQhUQNK7d69ztMv9AxAPRzWchD07uQfz2gWs21O9TWfRV5Cl4ta34_8v6qEs4SFk5Q6KGqCJ/s1152/IMG_Clouds%20(wide%20body)%2021-09-05.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="1152" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPomM2KEQd7paXbtSXO7pGthffqLvuBI5dW773YJX_1cN7bqNA7m89IuuzETNVtsJa9vurg3DZEESCh0fFrgfRd6mAGNy5psGoynv656SzZxn_B6vMgQhUQNK7d69ztMv9AxAPRzWchD07uQfz2gWs21O9TWfRV5Cl4ta34_8v6qEs4SFk5Q6KGqCJ/w540-h68/IMG_Clouds%20(wide%20body)%2021-09-05.png" title="Clouds over the midlands, September 2021" width="540" /></a></div><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><i>What am I missing, any suggestions?</i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">Who am I you may ask.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhQNOvBfFEoL-A_4HRiaBHKMX1IQUvLLtE5TEPDrqzLvrHfK8PqTthzWjwZboDDBPo9HwkDPzeoPvefYLSUZJERAS84qmOZSYClMgndDKKn9dmQVlHhVXyVcBcUhrMC4ZbggD8G6qeFIeFJRf42M30wOjTOe5y6p2AzoMrJG4V2xMQYjnloS8L1bG/s288/IMG_Selfie%20at%20home,%2022-04-11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="288" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhQNOvBfFEoL-A_4HRiaBHKMX1IQUvLLtE5TEPDrqzLvrHfK8PqTthzWjwZboDDBPo9HwkDPzeoPvefYLSUZJERAS84qmOZSYClMgndDKKn9dmQVlHhVXyVcBcUhrMC4ZbggD8G6qeFIeFJRf42M30wOjTOe5y6p2AzoMrJG4V2xMQYjnloS8L1bG/w200-h163/IMG_Selfie%20at%20home,%2022-04-11.png" title="selfie from my 'puter, 2021" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><i>An <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/03/earth-centrism-vs-geocentrism-seriously.html" target="_blank">Earth Centrist</a></i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><i>Best Wishes, Cc</i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 15.008000373840332px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-7742969083655639492022-02-26T04:09:00.011-08:002022-02-26T16:20:45.472-08:00Response to being accused of SPAMMING by DNC politico.<p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">After a long evening of emailing Democratic Party officials I received a rather haughty missive from a Democratic politico. He demanded that I take his name off of “my” mailing list and to stop sending him my “SPAM”. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">Seriously, a single 500 word appeal and supporting reasoning, sent to my Democratic Party during this Democratic Caucus season, this Democrat official calls SPAM ! ? ?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">This morning I woke up with the supreme irony dancing in my head: What about the daily bombardment of uninvited boilerplate donation demands, that the DNC sends us from every corner of our nation? What makes that okay? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">But a citizen isn’t supposed to even attempt to communicate a simple idea that he’s hoping catches on with the folks who can make a difference and see it realized? Whatever happened to public discourse?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">No wonder Democrat politicians have become better at losing than winning - what else is to be expected when the DNC so resents hearing from your constituents. <b>Although I should add I’ve also received a few thumbs up responses, so that’s heartening.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">For what it’s worth, “my” mailing list is a simply culling from your public state Democratic Party websites, and a single concise letter is not SPAM!</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: verdana;">Dear DNC, if you aren’t changing minds, you are losing!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">========================================================================</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 36px;"><b>Democratic Platform 2022:</b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 36px;"><b>Create a </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum</b></span><b> for reinvigorating constructive political dialogue, by Democrats, for Democrats. Help your Democratic grassroots network and get informed, thus enabling and nurturing a reengagement with our political process. </b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><b><i>For your consideration: </i></b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i>A Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum.<span></span></i></b></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">Googling, “Why are Democrats losing voters?” reveals that voters who care are feeling so disenfranchised by the Democratic Party that they are turning off in droves. </p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>This, during a year that should have every Democracy loving American energized and looking for how they can best participate in the coming election, it’s frightening.</b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>After all, more than anything this election will be about the future of open and fair elections in the USA. Beyond that, it’s going to be a national referendum between the importance of honesty and truth in America’s public dialogue vs. a descent into anger driven anarchy. </b>No exaggeration, simply pay attention to how the Republican Party has been engaging in every imaginable dirty trick to stymie future election participation and voting legitimacy.<span></span></p><p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">Successful politicians require strong, informed, proactive support at their backs if they are to lead, yet the DNC seems to be doing little to nurture that sort of buy-in from their grassroots. Why?</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">The DNC’s disregard towards rank and file concerns is reflected in the constant bombardment of boilerplate donation pitches, as though money was all We The People are good for. I understand the need to fundraise, but what about making us feel like active participants through straight talk, informing us of challenges, calling for feedback, being responsive, nurturing engagement.</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">The DNC should earn its money by informing and engaging constituents in a way that makes sense to us and connects with our lives. Creating relevance, encourages enthusiasm, produces participation.</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px;">Why not use the internet? Why not create a quality internet platform for having constructive political dialogue, by Democrats, for Democrats?</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><b>The Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum. </b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>Give America’s untapped concerned Democrats a place to go for sharing their own stories, ideas, concerns, questions, challenges.</b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>The Forum would be public, though only registered Democrats could sign-on to comment and start threads. It would require a set of clearly spelled out guidelines. Participants would need to sign up and agree to abide by the forum’s rules and standards. Moderators would be of critical importance to the DNC’s Discussion Forum’s success - fair, consistent, with a flair for humor, touch of empathy, and an instinct for constructive resolution and steering dialogue back <i>on point</i>.</b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">I’ve been participating at “<a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org">forum.CenterForInquiry.org</a>" for many years and they provide an excellent example of how such a Forum could be organized and operated. CFI is small, a Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum could serve as a nucleus for some serious community building and it would grow as Democrats across the country discovered a place to speak out, hear new voices, to learn and to network within the Democratic Party organization.</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">Politically interested working citizens have few opportunities for connecting with others, provide us with a trustworthy adult discussion platform for constructive dialogue among concerned Democrats, I can't think of a better way to rapidly increase awareness, and reinvigorate a disillusioned Democratic grassroots.</p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b>After all, for all its faults the Democratic Party is all we have! We need to focus on fixing it, rather than abandoning what little remaining political muscle <i>We The People</i> have.</b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></p>
<p style="color: rgba(76, 76, 76, 0.79); font-family: Charter; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><b>As you can imagine, I liked this other response much more:</b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 16px;"></span></p><blockquote style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ok. Peter. I hear you. And I concur with much of what you said here. </span> </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Especially dislike how the DNC uses surveys, which aren't really surveys at all, they are just a ploy to ask for money. </span> </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">It's disheartening that they have taken that page from republicans. So how do I start one of these forums?</span></blockquote><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>Thanks for acknowledging my email. In truth, I don't have a clue what the next step would/should be. </i></span></p><p></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>I'm a politically impotent working man living in rural Colorado, with a good idea.</i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>About all I'm good for is emailing this to as many Democratic Party officials as I can (using their respective state websites), and hoping that others like the idea. Only with growing popular momentum will it have a chance. </i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>If it becomes a reality I think it could be a PR game changer - an avenue for politically motivated, but isolated citizens, to finally connect and become a more cohesive grassroots force.</i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>Next step is that others believe it's a good idea and worth turning into a reality and then lobbying for it. </i></span><i style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/forums&source=gmail&ust=1646007241033000&usg=AOvVaw3weVLTNROOtN9cnvzKurJK" href="http://www.centerforinquiry.net/forums" target="_blank">A Forum such as CFI</a> takes a good deal of work and expertise, but it's doable if there's a real will, and it comes with quite the payback potential.</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>Thank you for your interest,</i></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p style="color: rgba(76, 76, 76, 0.79); font-family: Charter; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><i>Peter Miesler</i></span></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-59793729860899762262022-02-10T22:30:00.010-08:002022-02-10T22:38:31.450-08:00 The Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum.<p><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Googling, “Why are Democrats losing voters?” reveals that voters who care are feeling so disenfranchised by the Democratic Party that they are turning off in droves.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0z2a6O0dh7D0i617hZC2e1nvRrcfDC6PFwtQU14o_aInZ-763XYu4_E3XR5qlkEkAXzyT-Gp0haO2fCDt-XoqF34Jb1udcblGmpFKL-RqDrPNIMG1WHqEoXYfgkBcaVCIcQhTN_mzo40gZ7fwzG8DhBClvCJydQYKAeAGdx88eaFSMeAN9KJphDAz=s1454" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="1454" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0z2a6O0dh7D0i617hZC2e1nvRrcfDC6PFwtQU14o_aInZ-763XYu4_E3XR5qlkEkAXzyT-Gp0haO2fCDt-XoqF34Jb1udcblGmpFKL-RqDrPNIMG1WHqEoXYfgkBcaVCIcQhTN_mzo40gZ7fwzG8DhBClvCJydQYKAeAGdx88eaFSMeAN9KJphDAz=w508-h73" width="508" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">This, during a year that should have every Democracy loving American energized and looking for how they can best <a href="https://www.usa.gov/voting" target="_blank">participate in the coming election</a>, it’s frightening.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">After all, more than anything this election will be about the future of open and fair elections in the USA. Beyond that, it’s going to be a national referendum between the importance of honesty and truth in America’s public dialogue vs. a descent into anger driven anarchy. No exaggeration, simply pay attention to how the Republican Party has been engaging in every imaginable dirty trick to stymie future election participation and voting legitimacy.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Successful politicians require strong, informed, proactive support at their backs if they are to lead, yet the DNC seems to be doing little to nurture that sort of buy-in from their grassroots. Why?</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>The DNC’s disregard towards rank and file concerns is reflected in the constant bombardment of DNC’s boilerplate donation pitches, as though donating money was all We The People are good for. I understand the need to fundraise, but what about making us feel like active participants through straight talk, informing us of challenges, calling for feedback, being responsive, nurturing engagement.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The DNC should earn its money by informing and engaging constituents in a way that makes sense to us and connects with our lives. Creating relevance, encourages enthusiasm, produces participation.</span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLHmBaFYTxIOEArlSPULPqayLry334sgknfmWXlSkzamFuWELnkA_uafJgrI3AOKms9zuTagPvFj5n9gR0mUa8aSRjOGOfAz9RdTz6Nk_f78JHRNAdzLs2IXG4_WaL-FrK2llSaFwVnMt4-mKJ225H_Xx59TEHirQ2TpIRv7eDegowL7RRl3XZgGzz=s1158" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="1158" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLHmBaFYTxIOEArlSPULPqayLry334sgknfmWXlSkzamFuWELnkA_uafJgrI3AOKms9zuTagPvFj5n9gR0mUa8aSRjOGOfAz9RdTz6Nk_f78JHRNAdzLs2IXG4_WaL-FrK2llSaFwVnMt4-mKJ225H_Xx59TEHirQ2TpIRv7eDegowL7RRl3XZgGzz=w464-h131" width="464" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Why not use the internet? Why not create a quality internet platform for having constructive political dialogue? By Democrats for Democrats!</b><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>The Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum. </b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Give America’s untapped concerned citizens a place to go for sharing their own stories, ideas, concerns, questions, challenges.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The Forum would be public, though I think it would be appropriate to limit commenting and posting privileges to registered Democrats. It would require a short set of clearly spelled out guidelines. Participants would need to sign up and agree to abide by the forum’s rules and standards. Moderators would be of critical importance to the DNC’s Discussion Forum’s success - fair, consistent, with a flair for humor, touch of empathy, and an instinct for constructive resolution and steering dialogue back <i>on point</i>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">I’ve been participating at “<a href="https://forum.centerforinquiry.org">forum.CenterForInquiry.org</a>" for many years and they provide an excellent example of how such a Forum could be organized and operated. CFI is small, a Democratic Party Online Discussion Forum could serve as a nucleus for some serious community building and it would grow as Democrats across the country discovered a place to speak out, hear new voices, to learn and to network within the Democratic Party organization.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Politically interested citizens have few opportunities for connecting with others, provide us with a trustworthy adult discussion platform for constructive dialogue among concerned individuals, I can't think of a better way to rapidly increase awareness, and reinvigorate a disillusioned Democratic grassroots.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>After all, for all its faults the Democratic Party is all we have! We need to focus on fixing it, rather than abandoning what little remaining political muscle <i>we the people</i> have.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">If the idea makes sense to you, please help spread the suggestion. You are welcome and encouraged copy and share.</span></i></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-26783069156092688422021-12-01T05:49:00.042-08:002021-12-21T17:47:08.415-08:00A preview of Cc's "Hoffman playing Basketball in zero-gravity" a critical review of his "Case Against Reality"<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">I've put together this 9 page preview of my <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/case-for-reality.html" target="_blank">"Hoffman playing basketball in zero-gravity"</a> critique in order to send a hard copy to scientists and others who's work I've featured during this project, maybe even get a little feedback. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">I'm sharing because during the year I worked on this project my homework has evolved into a rich student resource, with copious links, references and insights for the young critical thinker writing a paper or report. Especially those that want to dig into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_D._Hoffman" target="_blank">Donald Hoffman</a>'s Case Against Reality, for themselves, this is a goldmine. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">That's also</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29); color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29); color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">why I'm</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"> taking the opportunity to post this online and send hard copies</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"> to some others. You see, I'm trying to find out if this resonates with anyone out there in the world beyond my rural Colorado cabin. If the following does resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Serious feedback, critique, suggestions, networking is invited. </span></span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you for your time, </span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peter Miesler (<i>aka Citizenschallenge</i>)</span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">citizenschallenge at gmail</span></p><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0mJhZtNE55nBOQiy71EPi38Huqit-WFSXp11sm4QIE3SZDv7V2yCmm8aT_JywmRJpplfz0ujsl3Q-qdRklTJfw2u-G-AXfNFy5WAHvJXyVwpicgk7yaQwAzjeghGa11r3Mz22cREvPc/s171/Me.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0mJhZtNE55nBOQiy71EPi38Huqit-WFSXp11sm4QIE3SZDv7V2yCmm8aT_JywmRJpplfz0ujsl3Q-qdRklTJfw2u-G-AXfNFy5WAHvJXyVwpicgk7yaQwAzjeghGa11r3Mz22cREvPc/s16000/Me.heic" title="Peter Miesler" /></a></div><p style="color: #2d6516; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; letter-spacing: -0.20000000298023224px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b style="font-family: Avenir; letter-spacing: 1.6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;">A preview of Cc’s “Hoffman playing basketball in zerogravity”</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: Avenir; letter-spacing: 1.6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;">a critical review of “The Case Against Reality”</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #6e0032; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #4e0202; letter-spacing: 1.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>(5.01) With a s</b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 1.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>ummary, explaining why I've pursued this project. </b></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFZ_fForX0jVpLeg1Q2gqfDn-KhvnL7J5kgwaE7ggcZlkSJqy9qkdy4lhcoBG5IGn0S2kDO3oPMskyrNpNsic0NFI0HS9z3ogr27zP-hIpjgxzdXRsN51mOlW-A7Ct1lnIfptgXvKgUY/s1296/IMG-CAR-BANNER+POST_21-01-27.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2020, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1296" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFZ_fForX0jVpLeg1Q2gqfDn-KhvnL7J5kgwaE7ggcZlkSJqy9qkdy4lhcoBG5IGn0S2kDO3oPMskyrNpNsic0NFI0HS9z3ogr27zP-hIpjgxzdXRsN51mOlW-A7Ct1lnIfptgXvKgUY/w451-h186/IMG-CAR-BANNER+POST_21-01-27.png" title="The book, Case Against Reality" width="451" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">These days science is under multiple attacks, much of it built upon malicious, deliberately fabricated falsehoods concocted by ruthless special self-interests, with bottomless bank accounts and control of screaming social media machines. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But some is self-inflicted because in these modern times ‘provocative' gets more adulation than simple learning and constructively building upon understood fundamentals and exercising critical thinking skills.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">An excellent example of this malaise is Donald Hoffman’s “<span style="color: #0000e9; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Case Against Reality, why evolution hid the truth from our eyes</b></span>,” with its insistence that science needs meta-physical thinking to comprehend human consciousness. The book’s content, suggested to me, plain old Abrahamic dualism wrapped up in scientific pretense. This has gotten me to wondering about how much of modern thinking, such as Chalmers’ “Hard Problem” of consciousness is intractable simply because they are still trapped within a bubble of Abrahamic inspired dualistic mindset, with its unrealistic divisions, impossible expectations</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, along with its superlative self-centeredness.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My project, <span style="color: #0000e9; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Hoffman Playing Basketball in Zero-gravity Review</b></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"> </span>is intended to identify the book's red flags and to offer solid critique, backed by information and sources that will provide students with the facts they need to see through Hoffman’s smokescreen for themselves.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Food for thought you could say. I'm specifically targeting those curious students already concerned with American’s descent into delusional anti-science thinking, students who are hungry for ideas on how to constructively confront today’s rising tide of belligerent willful ignorance. <span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My goal is sharing my paper trail, a bibliography, along with a virtual debate. The complete online version is easily skimmed, with copious references and links to relevant resources. I’m hoping it can help others better prepare for the nitty gritty of their own projects. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b1d3f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I wish you well, Peter Miesler, aka Citizenschallenge.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: center; text-indent: -4.5px;"><span style="color: #0a2850; font-size: small; text-align: left;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I've been challenged with the question: "Why am I so ‘obsessed’ with Hoffman’s Case Against Reality?"</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">Why did I spent over a half year, listening to it, reading it, and thinking about it, then nearly another half year and thousands of words dissecting Donald Hoffman’s book, The Case Against Reality, why evolution hid the truth from our eyes? </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It’s a fair enough question and I’ll tell you why, </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* It started with Donald Hoffman <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-community-10a.html"><b>boasting that he’s doing serious solid science</b></a><i> </i>that is relevant to our daily lives. When all he’s doing is sophisticated mathematical games, computer modeling, philosophizing, wrapped in just-so storytelling. None of it deserves being called serious science. [1.02-C.A.R.-Ch10a]</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* Getting further into the book, I found my<i> down to Earth</i> sensibilities and my respect for physical sciences increasingly offended by <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/hoffman-zerogravity-community-10c.html"><b>this man’s glib disregard for natural facts </b></a>as scientists have refined them over time. [1.04-C.A.R.-Ch10c]</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* His <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/09/case-against-reality-zerogravity.html"><b>dismissal of physical sciences</b></a> and the physicalist paradigm were as laughable, as they were irritatingly disingenuous. [1.14-C.A.R.-Appendix]</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* His notion that<a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-reality-3.html"><b><i> the perceiver composes the perceived</i></b></a>, is childish. [1.07-C.A.R.-Ch3]</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 54px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">After all, doesn’t light need to reflect off an object before we can perceive it? The perceiver composes an impression of the perceived. How does Hoffman justify such <i>gross distortions of physical fact</i>? [<a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-illusory-5.html"><b>1.09-C.A.R.-Ch5</b></a>]</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">His constant reliance on <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/objects-of-consciousness-paul-mealing.html"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><b>computer analogies to answer questions</b></span></a> - is reminiscent of an evangelical’s dependence on interpreting their own Bible to make their case, such debate tactics are not acceptable for a scientist. [4.02-C.A.R.-Mealing]</span></li>
<li style="color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><span style="background-color: white;">His constant <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-polychromy-8.html"><b><i>conflation of Objective Reality and Physical Reality</i></b></a>, needs a spotlight. [1.12-C.A.R.-Ch8] </span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 54px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Objective” being a product of our minds doing their best to keep subjective human biases out of their observation and learning process. Thus, science’s dependence on process and measurements; physical evidence and repeatability; facts at hand driving understanding with a community of experts always looking over each other’s shoulders; constructively learning from mistakes; along with a demand for honesty at all levels of the process!</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* His tendency to imply that <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-illusory-5.html"><b>Evolution has agency</b></a> reveals a limited appreciation for actual “wet” evolution unfolding one day at a time, over the course of deep time. [1.09-C.A.R.-Ch5] </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* In fact, turns out the only thing Hoffman knows about Evolution is Evolutionary Game Theory. He's never studied actual Evolution. Realizing that, made Hoffman’s <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-scrutiny-9.html"><b>simplistic sweeping pronouncements</b></a> regarding Evolution that much more galling. [1.13-C.A.R.-Ch9] </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.1px;">* Then, his <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-gravity-6.html"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><b>quantum level rhetorical fancy dancing</b></span></a> that disingenuously projects conclusions from atom smasher experiments into our macroscopic day to day reality, was like listening to nails being scrapped across a chalkboard. [1.10-C.A.R.-Ch6] </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* Hoffman joins the chorus of talking head<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">$</span>, proclaiming “<a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-virtuality-7.html"><b>Space-time and Reality is Doomed</b></a>,” with a deeper awareness beckoning, one step beyond. How do they figure that reality is doomed? Basically because their latest and greatest math breaks down, leaving them with no other conclusion. [1.11-C.A.R.-Ch7] </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Page 2 of 9</i></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;">Then to fill in this contrived void, Donald’s imaginative storytelling comes to the rescue with Hoffmanian Conscious Agents that zip around interpreting reality for us, because the reality we think we are seeing, isn’t really there, says Professor Hoffman. He assures us that <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/2-hoffman-objects-of-consciousness.html"><b>he has the math to “prove” it</b></a>. [2.03-OofC.2/4] </span></li>
<li style="color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Over all, I found Hoffman’s writing to be a type specimen of falling so in love with one’s own ideas, that one gets </span><span style="background-color: white; text-decoration: underline;"><i>trapped within their own Mindscape</i></span><span style="background-color: white;">, and loses touch with physical reality. Which I reckon is fine for fiction and the what-if world of philosophizing, but it’s not science. It’s an insult to intelligence and <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-beauty-2.html"><b>centuries worth of learning</b></a> via global communities of scientists, competitive experts looking over each other’s shoulders, who created today’s scientific understanding, <i>and offensive to me</i>. [1.06-C.A.R.-Ch2] </span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">For me, Hoffman’s sort of <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-sensory-4.html"><b>delusional parlor games</b></a> aren’t fun anymore. <b>Times on this planet are ever more difficult, thanks exactly to that sort of mass acceptance of frivolous flights of fantasy that blind people to the actual evolving biophysical reality surrounding us.</b> [1.08-C.A.R.-Ch4] </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Additionally, Hoffman provided me with <i>an excellent vehicle</i> for wrestling with and further developing my own notions. That is, a more <i>down to Earth</i>,</b> (<i>built upon a foundation of nature's facts</i>)<b>, physical reality respecting, </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/10/diary-is-anybody-out-there-what-is.html"><b>Earth Centrist philosophy</b></a><b>. </b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;">With so many complaints, I sound like a big grump, but the thing is, I can rationally and factually support my complaints.</span> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 9px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">That’s why it was important for me to challenge myself with thoroughly dissecting Hoffman’s book from start to finish. I needed to verify and document the perceived deceptions that I found so disturbing from the first time I listened to the book, through to my last reading. I’ve now stated my case and provided detailed red flags, specific arguments, evidence, along with further resources, in a fairly organized manner - ready for review and response. Being <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/closing-out-2020-defending-physical.html" target="_blank">a non-academic</a> I know this project leaves plenty of room for improvement, but I’ll leave that to others with a stronger background. </span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0a2850; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I invite debate, but even more importantly, <b>I want to offer this as a s<i>tudent resource regarding the topic of <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2018/05/14-observations-re-2018-public-dialogue.html" target="_blank">rhetorical deception</a>,</i> for those with whom these concerns resonate.</b> <b><i>I hope that it might be helpful to some sharp activists and students of political deception. Students interested in better understanding, and confronting, the liars’ rhetorical tricks of the trade.</i></b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbisUwRBM2QiilLqTlJi33OuFW0kLfybiqKlYncNpgDZP61v8Fv6Q1mVTvyQ7l_ZbONUm2bnDWGC1NOsUWNu8T2hSRY5QZhayywqWv1M0Md7ejC9lajLHv8HGwEjf6Yx65mxBvIVPcwo/s1440/IMG_TurkeyTracks.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1440" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbisUwRBM2QiilLqTlJi33OuFW0kLfybiqKlYncNpgDZP61v8Fv6Q1mVTvyQ7l_ZbONUm2bnDWGC1NOsUWNu8T2hSRY5QZhayywqWv1M0Md7ejC9lajLHv8HGwEjf6Yx65mxBvIVPcwo/w408-h231/IMG_TurkeyTracks.png" title="local turkey tracks" width="408" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/09/case-against-reality-zerogravity.html">(1.01) Prof Donald Hoffman Playing Basketball In Zero-Gravity - the prelude to his case against reality.</a></b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/09/case-against-reality-zerogravity.html"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If Donald Hoffman had categorized his book “<a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393254693"><span style="color: #85140f;">The Case Against Reality</span></a>: Why Evolution Hid The Truth From Our Eyes” as new age literature, metaphysical intellectual entertainment, I’d have no complaints. It’s his insistence on passing it off as a serious scientific effort that begs a frank detailed response. Even if I’m only a thoughtful spectator and no academic.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Science is a set of rules and an attitude for observing and striving to understand our physical world, it’s about atoms and molecules, all they create, including biology and our planet’s biosphere, along with the rules all of it follows. Science strives for objectivity, it demands facts and rejects ego driven flights of fancy and deception.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All of us view the world through our own unique perspective, which of course is the product of genes, upbringing, environment, cumulative learning and experiences that produce inevitable biases in how we perceive the same bits of information. Admittedly, there’s an ocean of difference between the professor and myself<span style="color: #18191a;">.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donald David Hoffman (12/29/55) is a cognitive psychologist and popular science author. He is a Professor in the Dept of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, with joint appointments in the Dept of Philosophy, the Dept of Logic and Philosophy of Science, and the School of Computer Science.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hoffman studies consciousness, visual perception and evolutionary psychology using mathematical models and psychophysical experiments. His research subjects include facial attractiveness, the recognition of shape, the perception of motion and color, the evolution of perception, and the mind-body problem. (wiki)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Me, I’m on the outside looking in on academia. Born the same year as Hoffman, mine was a skilled working-man’s life, with a youthful passion for traveling and life long passion for learning about Earth’s story through science, personal observation, thinking, discussing, reading quality popular publications and books, documentaries, visiting libraries, museums, then the internet and always pondering the fundamental questions, comparing stories and facts presented (and omitted) while fitting together pieces of the puzzle. I’ve been astounded at all science has been learning and sharing. For me it’s been more enthralling than pro sports, Hollywood, shopping, or the rest of today’s distractions. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In particular, I’ve been impressed that even with all the unexpected surprises over these decades, there remains an underlying harmony and consistency that’s amazing. Our understanding has been like an image coming into better focus as more pixels of information are gathered. Seems like proof enough that we’ve developed a reasonably accurate understanding of reality, even if some mysteries and surprises remain. We shouldn’t glibly turn our backs on all we've learned. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">To hear someone of Hoffman’s stature simply dismiss it all and populate</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">our day to day reality with imagined icons replacing material stuff; reduce Evolution to a computer interface & game theory analogies; topped off with “conscious agents” zinging around like so many photons. It’s mystifying, disconcerting, crazy-making, and a hell of a challenge for me to get to work on enunciating a more down to Earth perspective on the evolution of perceiving the reality we are embedded within.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hoffman begins his book with a quote from a founding father of science,</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #830041; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH writes: I think that tastes, odors, colors, and so on . . . reside in consciousness. Hence if the living creature were removed, all these qualities would be wiped away and annihilated. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">What I find curious is that was penned a life time before people started understanding the light spectrum, hundreds of years before we started understanding biochemistry and learning about the molecular structures that make up odors and tastes. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Today, we physically understand what creates different tastes, smells and other sensations. We observe how living creatures, receive and perceive those sense signals in bewildering detail. Pretending that away is foolish.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Page 3 of 9</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's true that how we ultimately perceive those signals within our <b>minds</b>, remains shrouded in mystery, even as scientists keep learning more details about our <b>brain</b>. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But, all that is a perception question - it in no way negates the fact that we understand physically, molecularly, what creates those different tastes, smells and other sensations. There’s no mystery, it is material stuff that can be measured, described and replicated.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.21); color: #830041; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH asks: “Why do our senses exist to reveal the truth?” (¶2)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That's not scientific, it's a leading question intent on setting the stage for storytelling. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Evolution doesn’t care about truth. “Truth” is a lawyer’s conception that does not translate into the ways and means of our Earth’s living biosphere or the lives of its creatures.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Senses were honed through experimentation, attrition and experience over eons to better collect incoming information from the environment, process it through neurons and brains into information the mind could use to guide its body’s actions as appropriate in light of immediate real world situations and challenges. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Doing the best one can with what one has, is a better approximation for what’s needed in an ever changing, fast moving, complex reality, where shear luck also plays a role. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.18); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “Why are our eyes, and all our senses, reliable guides? … the real world we assume consists of… objects in space and time. They exist even if no living creature observes them. Our senses are simply a window on this objective reality.” (¶2)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Notice how DH morphs the “real world” of “objects in space and time” into “objective reality,” he does this throughout the book without examining just what his “objective reality” is all about.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 36px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donald Hoffman: “These (scientific) hunches are wrong.” (¶4)</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><b>As they say in the movies: “Hoffman, them are fighting words.”</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH (goes on to explain): “It’s that the very language of objects in space and time is simply the wrong language to describe objective reality. This is not a hunch. It is a theorem of evolution by natural selection that wallops our hunches.” (¶4)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here again Hoffman points to ‘objective reality’ - but objectivity, or the lack thereof, is a product that unfolds within our minds, it is a conscious property, not a physical one. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #830041; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “It is a theorem of evolution by natural selection that wallops our hunches.” (¶4)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Look at that, Hoffman declares victory by presenting his theorem as though that settled it. Theorems are manmade concoctions that require assumptions and judgement calls to be made, including unaddressed limits to their applicability.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #830041; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “This is what evolution has done. It has endowed us with senses that hide the truth and display the simple icons we need to survive long enough to raise offspring. Space as you perceive it when you look around, is just your desktop - a 3D desktop.” (¶8)</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #830041; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“… I explain why evolution hid objective reality and endowed us instead with an interface of objects in space and time.” (¶13)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This sounds mighty close to dancing with some sort of Intelligent Design notions. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Why write off the experiences of the full range of Earth and medical sciences these past few hundred years, with their increasingly sophisticated observation equipment that consistently produce surprises, yet those surprises just as consistently make sense in hindsight as we learn things we didn’t know before. All pointing to an overall harmonious and accurate (if incomplete) understanding of the physical reality our minds are embedded within. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All of that Hoffman theatrically dismisses as a ‘hunch,’ that’s entertainment, not science, or rational thinking.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.2); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “Together, we will explore how this counter intuitive idea dovetails with discoveries in physics that are equally counter intuitive.” (¶13)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here, Hoffman refers to his explorations of the quantum realm at the very divide between physical matter and energy. The reality of single atoms and smaller, in a world where </span><span style="font-size: 9px;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #1e00fd;"><a href="https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=660">~5,000,000,000,000 atoms</a> </span>can dance on the head of a pin.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hoffman never justifies projecting experimental conclusions from that realm of physics at its absolute tiniest, up into our human macroscopic reality of measurable solid substances and organisms with lives unfolding within an inescapable space and time. But he certainly does it.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.19); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “If our senses hide reality behind an interface, then what is that reality? I don’t know. But in chapter 10 we explore the idea that conscious experiences are fundamental…” (¶26)</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.19); color: #520001; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DH: “Perhaps the universe itself is a massive social network of conscious agents that experiment, decide and act. . . . Instead, matter and spacetime arise from consciousness - as a perpetual interface” (¶27)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By confusing physical reality with our perception of reality, Hoffman ends up with a muddle that’s of no use in our pragmatic real day to day world, but it makes for a beguiling story that seems to sell well in a Hollywood world. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A critique of Donald Hoffman’s <b>“Case Against Reality - Why Evolution Hide The Truth From Our Eyes”</b> provides a framework to better enunciate a more down to Earth understanding of our human condition and to explore the profound divide between our mind and the physical reality that created us and that we exist within. The reality that simply IS.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 13.5px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px 13.5px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Page 4 of 9</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKFvHgQKesNkHbn8-SHr9EfsbPu8PWxMuw07O2ElPUE7x5nTeHFH_Hu6Wj5Ew0PWRZb6itzLU3L07rUN54O1mCxiiK_PUOceF9MVZFw293eH7nSs_iNmFvjAXavh6zVGMo67c9REDMdA/s1440/IMG_Maddy%252C+lower+road_May+2019.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1440" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKFvHgQKesNkHbn8-SHr9EfsbPu8PWxMuw07O2ElPUE7x5nTeHFH_Hu6Wj5Ew0PWRZb6itzLU3L07rUN54O1mCxiiK_PUOceF9MVZFw293eH7nSs_iNmFvjAXavh6zVGMo67c9REDMdA/w434-h161/IMG_Maddy%252C+lower+road_May+2019.png" title="Walking Maddy" width="434" /></a></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 2.9px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Donald Hoffman Playing Basketball in Zero-Gravity</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.4px;"><b>A critical review of “The Case Against Reality: <i>Why Evolution Hid The Truth From Our Eyes”</i> </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4px;"><b></b></span><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Student’s Resource</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Table of Contents</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This preview includes the highlighted chapters.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>1) A chapter by chapter dissection of Hoffman’s book “The Case Against Reality”</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.19); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>* </b>(1.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/09/case-against-reality-zerogravity.html"><b>The Prelude, Prof Donald Hoffman Playing Basketball In Zero-Gravity</b></a></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.02) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-community-10a.html">Chapter 10a, Community: Network of Conscious Agents (1/3)</a></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.03) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-community-10b.html">Chapter 10b, Community: Network of Conscious Agents (2/3)</a></span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.04) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/hoffman-zerogravity-community-10c.html">Chapter 10c, Community: Network of Hoffmanian Conscious Agents (3/3)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.05) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-mystery-1.html">Chapter 1, Mystery: The Scalpel That Split Consciousness</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.06) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-beauty-2.html">Chapter 2, Beauty: Siren of the Gene</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.07) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-reality-3.html">Chapter 3, Reality: Capers of the Unseen Sun</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.08) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-sensory-4.html">Chapter 4, Sensory: Fitness beats Truth</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.09) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-illusory-5.html">Chapter 5, Illusory: The Bluff of the Desktop</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.10) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-gravity-6.html">Chapter 6, Gravity: Spacetime is Doomed</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.11) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/10/hoffman-zerogravity-virtuality-7.html">Chapter 7, Virtuality: Inflating a Holoworld</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.12) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-polychromy-8.html">Chapter 8, Polychromy: Mutations of an Interface</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.13) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/11/hoffman-zerogravity-scrutiny-9.html">Chapter 9, Scrutiny: You Get What You Need, in Both Life and Business</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1.14) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/09/case-against-reality-zerogravity.html">Appendix, Precisely: The Right to Be (Foolish)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 67.5px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>2) A closer look at Hoffmanian “Objects of Consciousness”</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2d0004; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 67.5px;"><span style="color: #1b0044; font-size: x-small;"><b>Hoffman/Prakash’s </b><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00577/full"><span style="color: #2d0004;"><b>Objects of Consciousness</b></span></a><b>, </b><a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00577"><span style="color: #4f4f4f;"><b>Objections and Replies</b></span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1b0044; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Frontiers in Psychology - June 17, 2014</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(2.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/44-hoffman-objects-of-consciousness.html"><b>4/4_Hoffman, Objects of Consciousness, (conclusion)</b></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(2.02) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/1-hoffman-objects-of-consciousness.html">1/4_Hoffman, Objects of Consciousness, questions + replies (1-12)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(2.03) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/2-hoffman-objects-of-consciousness.html">2/4_Hoffman, Objects of Consciousness, questions + replies (13-17)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(2.04) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/34hoffman-objects-of-consciousness.html">3/4_Hoffman, Objects of Consciousness, questions + replies (18-21)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>3) Student Resource - Ten Learned Responses</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.19); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #262626;"><b>* </b></span>(3.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/diary-hoffman-responses.html"><b>Diary - But, wait! There's more. Ten Learned Responses.</b></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(3.01.1) <b> </b><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13423-015-0931-3"><b>“Probing the interface theory of perception: Reply to commentaries,</b></a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 67.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Donald D. Hoffman, Manish Singh & Chetan Prakash" </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 94.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Abstract: We propose that selection favors nonveridical perceptions that are tuned to fitness. … We thus expected that some commentators would reject our proposal and provide counterarguments that could stimulate a productive debate. … (HSP)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.02) </span><span style="color: #620901;"><b>Barton Anderson</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/fitness-in-theories-perception-anderson.html">Where does fitness fit in theories of perception?</a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.03) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Jonathan Cohen</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/perceptual-veridicality-interface.html">Perceptual representation, veridicality, and the interface theory of perception.</a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.04) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Shimon Edelman</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/edelman-varieties-perceptual-truth.html">Varieties of perceptual truth and their possible evolutionary roots</a>. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.05) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Jacob Feldman</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/jacob-feldman-bayesian-inference-and.html">Bayesian inference and “truth”: a comment on Hoffman, Singh, Prakash.</a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.06) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Chris Fields</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/fields-interface-theory-perception.html">Reverse engineering the world: a commentary on Hoffman, Singh, Prakash, ITP</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.07) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Jan Koenderink</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/koenderink-esse-est-percipi-verum.html">Esse est Percipi & Verum est Factum. </a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.08) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Rainer Mausfeld</b></span><b> - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/rainer-mausfeld-truth-no-explanatory.html">Notions such as “truth” or “correspondence to the objective world”</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.09) </span><b>Brian P. McLaughlin and E. J. Green</b><span style="color: #161616;"><b> </b>- <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/mclaughlin-green-icons-v-sensedata.html"><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Are icons sense data? </b></span></a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.10) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Zygmunt Pizlo</b></span><b> -</b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/pizlo-philosophizing-no-substitute-for.html"> Philosophizing cannot substitute for experimentation: comment on Hoffman, Singh & Prakash.</a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(3.11) </span><span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Matthew Schlesinger</b></span><span style="color: #350016;"><b> </b></span><b>- </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/schlesinger-interface-theory-of.html">Interface theory of perception leaves me hungry for more. </a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>4) Student Resource - Background information</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.01) <span style="color: #85140f;"><b>Rainer Mausfeld</b></span>: <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/rainer-mausfeld-truth-no-explanatory.html">‘Truth’ has no role in explanatory accounts of perception</a>.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.02) <span style="color: #620901;"><b>Paul Mealing</b></span>: <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/objects-of-consciousness-paul-mealing.html">considers Hoffman's "Objects of Consciousness.”</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.03) <span style="color: #620901;"><b>The Case For Reality</b></span>: <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-case-for-reality-re-hoffman.html">Because Apparently Someone Needs to Make One</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.04) <span style="color: #620901;"><b>Sabine Hossenfelder</b></span>: <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/sabine-hossenfelder-defense-scientific.html">in Defense of Scientific Realism and Physical Reality</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.05) <span style="color: #620901;"><b>"Emergence"</b></span> - <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2020/12/emergence-students-homework-resource.html">A Handy Summary and Resources</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.06) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/student-resource-physical-origins-of.html"><b>Physical Origins of Mind: </b></a><b>Dr. Siegel</b>, <b>Allen Institute Brain Science, Tononi, Koch</b><span style="color: #0b170a;">.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.07) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/why-trust-frontiers-psychology.html"><b>Can you trust Frontiers in Psychology research papers?</b></a> Student Resource</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.08) <span style="color: #620901;"><b>Critical Thinking Skills</b></span> - <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/critical-thinking-skills-student.html">In Defense of Reality - A Student Resource</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(4.09) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/philosophia-love-of-wisdom-student.html"> Philo+Sophia - Love of Wisdom</a> - A Student Resource</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4e0202; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.2); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>5) Summary of my critique</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.2); color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/diary-why-so-obsessed-with-hoffman.html">* (5.01) Explaining why I've pursued this project.<span style="color: #620901; font-size: x-small;"></span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>6) Dr. Mark Solms deftly demystifies Chalmers’ “<i>Hard Problem</i>” of Consciousness</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="color: #4e0202; font-size: x-small;">(6.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/solms-demystifies-hard-problem-of.html"><span style="color: #620901;">Dr. Mark Solms demystifies Chalmers' "Hard Problem" of Consciousness.</span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="color: #4e0202; font-size: x-small;">(6.02) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/other-side-of-marksolms-phd.html"><span style="color: #620901;">The Other Side of Mark Solms PhD, professor, Freud scholar, farmer, vintner, humanitarian.</span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="color: #4e0202; font-size: x-small;">(6.03) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/mark-solms-students-resource.html"><span style="color: #620901;">Students’ Resource: A representative cross-section of Dr. Mark Solms' scientific publications.</span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.21); font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px;"><b>7) Distilling my 66 years worth of wondering at this magnificent pageant unfolding around me:</b></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* <span style="color: #4e0202;">(7.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/what-is-earth-centrism.html"><span style="color: #620901;"><b>An Alternative Philosophical Perspective - “Earth Centrism”</b></span></a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #0b170a;"><b>* </b></span><span style="color: #4e0202;">(7.02) </span><span style="color: #0b170a;"> <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/physical-reality-human-mindscape-divide.html"><span style="color: #620901;"><b>Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide</b></span></a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #0b170a;">* </span><span style="color: #4e0202;">(7.03) </span><span style="color: #0b170a;"> <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/an-element-earths-pageant-of-evolution.html"><span style="color: #620901;"><b>Being an element in Earth’s Pageant of Evolution</b></span></a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #830041; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #0b170a;">* </span><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #4e0202;">(7.04) </span><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #0b170a;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/05/no-bodymindproblem-its-egogodproblem.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18); color: #0b170a;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18);">It’s not a “</span><b style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18);">Body-Mind problem</b><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18);">” it’s an “</span><b style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18);">Ego-God problem</b><span style="background-color: rgba(122, 255, 62, 0.18);">.</span>”</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #830041; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 36px; min-height: 10px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #830041; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"></p><blockquote style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; widows: auto;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #830041; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="color: #1a6038; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i></i></span></b></span></span></p></blockquote></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #830041; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; orphans: auto; widows: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i>Note regarding the following, quotes, links and bibliographic references have been deleted from these pages to save space. For the complete student reference and guide visit: <a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/p/because-apparently-someone-needs-to.html" target="_blank">A Case For Reality</a>.</i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">Page 5 of 9</i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNt0e28IpgCcEnXkLBahFOmmIWOUThbS2vJ6BDgAqqOQqu70Yf05QVvsWQzvPtHsroSGpMh_nrM9UAkN2RUu4lpBD4kPtxMBNG51ARv1Ks9mM8MuvUToi5z9UFOmmXWIzdlCbmlMop4Q/s2090/IMG%252Cyard+art%252C+vista.nov+2021.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="2090" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNt0e28IpgCcEnXkLBahFOmmIWOUThbS2vJ6BDgAqqOQqu70Yf05QVvsWQzvPtHsroSGpMh_nrM9UAkN2RUu4lpBD4kPtxMBNG51ARv1Ks9mM8MuvUToi5z9UFOmmXWIzdlCbmlMop4Q/w467-h156/IMG%252Cyard+art%252C+vista.nov+2021.png" title="There's no place like home." width="467" /></a></div></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 4.7px; text-decoration: underline;"><i>Public notice to W.W.Norton Co & Donald Hoffman:</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d6101; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donald Hoffman Playing Basketball in Zero-Gravity, a critical review:</span></i></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393254693"><b><i>The Case Against Reality</i></b></a></span><span style="color: #0d6101;"><b><i> : </i></b></span><b><i>Why Evolution Hid The Truth From Our Eyes</i></b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Donald Hoffman ~ Published August, 2019 ~ Publisher: W.W. Norton Company - ISBN13: 9780393254693 - © all rights reserved</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px; min-height: 9px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I hereby claim FairUse on the grounds that Donald Hoffman’s “The Case Against Reality” is part of an ongoing public dialogue which Hoffman explicitly encourages others to join. He invited critique and I accept his challenge. </span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px; min-height: 9px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I intend to be a witness for a fact based DeepTime, Evolutionary perspective on our “human mind” -“physical reality” interface. </span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px; min-height: 9px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">To do Hoffman’s arguments justice I’m compelled to reprint quite a few of them as I go through his book and I appreciate both W.W. Norton Company and Donald Hoffman’s understanding, and I hope for their consent.</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 9px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sincerely,</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peter Miesler, aka citizenschallenge</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 67.5px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">email: citizenschallenge gmail com</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 2.9px; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 2.9px; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: arial;"><br /></i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDQ_Vfi-PbxLQKn9s-DMbfMU-p15965tmx3PWj95OWneX1YzrAaKllm7sb4UEPise2xX3EgqVsmPWCDaw-xmB2Sld3KyAcm4vlkaTrqgwTLFqbr6glMMqle1xnnVIz5mz16b6hvNsk6c/s1440/IMG_Sleeping+Ute%252C+Hay+Bales%252C+Tower.png" style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDQ_Vfi-PbxLQKn9s-DMbfMU-p15965tmx3PWj95OWneX1YzrAaKllm7sb4UEPise2xX3EgqVsmPWCDaw-xmB2Sld3KyAcm4vlkaTrqgwTLFqbr6glMMqle1xnnVIz5mz16b6hvNsk6c/w462-h240/IMG_Sleeping+Ute%252C+Hay+Bales%252C+Tower.png" title="Sleeping Ute, harvest time" width="462" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: normal;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px; text-decoration: underline;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 2.4px; text-decoration: underline;"><b>(3.01) Diary - But, wait! There’s more. Hoffman's responses.</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 27px; text-align: center; text-indent: -27px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Probing the interface theory of perception, ten responses</span></b></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 6px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I thought I was finished with the review portion of my "Hoffman playing basketball in zero-gravity” project.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Then I sent Professor Hoffman an email asking if he’d responded to <span style="color: #85140f; text-decoration: underline;">Dr. Mausfeld’s paper</span><span style="color: #105003;"> </span>and he was kind enough to send me a link to more than I had bargained for: <span style="color: #105003;">“</span><span style="color: #85140f; text-decoration: underline;">Probing the interface theory of perception: Reply to commentaries” Hoffman, Singh, Prakash</span><span style="color: #105003;">, </span>September 30, 2015. It's their response to a collection of 10 expert comments further exploring Hoffman, Singh & Prakash's<span style="color: #105003;"> </span><span style="color: #85140f; text-decoration: underline;">Interface Theory of Perception</span><span style="color: #105003;"> (</span>ITP<span style="color: #105003;">).</span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I’ve spent the past few hours with </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Barton Anderson's critique</b></span><b> and it’s surprisingly interesting, edifying and humbling. It makes me want to repeat that I’m no scholar and don’t presume to be one. </b> What I am is a guy who’s spent my days paying attention to my life, the natural world around me and the lessons Earth scientists have discovered and distilled for general consumption. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I believe much of our disconnect from our Earth’s life sustaining biosphere comes from missing a subtle but crucial appreciation for the <b>“Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide.”</b> With too many falling in love with the beauty & ingenuity of their own ideas and losing sight of the physical reality we are actually embedded within every moment of our existence.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">I believe an explicit appreciation for Earth, as our touchstone with reality, is a necessary prerequisite for truly understanding our selves.</span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><b>“</b></span><b>Probing the interface theory of perception: Reply to commentaries</b><span style="color: #262626;"><b> </b></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 27px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donald D. Hoffman, Manish Singh & Chetan Prakash" </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Charter; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px 27px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Psychonomic Bulletin & Review</span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><b>. </b></span><span style="color: #262626;">volume 22, pages</span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">1551–1576(2015)</span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Abstract</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We propose that selection favors nonveridical perceptions that are tuned to fitness. Current textbooks assert, to the contrary, that perception is useful because, in the normal case, it is veridical. Intuition, both lay and expert, clearly sides with the textbooks. We thus expected that some commentators would reject our proposal and provide counterarguments that could stimulate a productive debate. … (HSP)</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 72px; min-height: 9px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #85140f; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The details on these 10 chapter reviews can be found at, </i><a href="http://ConfrontingScienceContrarians.blogspot.com"><i>ConfrontingScienceContrarians.blogspot.com</i></a></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/fitness-in-theories-perception-anderson.html" target="_blank">(3.02) Barton Anderson</a></b></span>: Where does fitness fit in theories of perception?</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/perceptual-veridicality-interface.html" target="_blank">(3.03) Jonathan Cohen</a></b></span>: Perceptual representation, veridicality, and the interface theory of perception</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/edelman-varieties-perceptual-truth.html" target="_blank">(3.04) Shimon Edelman</a></b></span>: Varieties of perceptual truth and their possible evolutionary roots. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/jacob-feldman-bayesian-inference-and.html" target="_blank">(3.05) Jacob Feldman</a></b></span>: Bayesian inference and “truth”: a comment on Hoffman, Singh, and Prakash. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/fields-interface-theory-perception.html" target="_blank">(3.06) Chris Fields</a></b></span>: Reverse engineering the world: a commentary on Hoffman, Singh, and Prakash, “The interface theory of perception”. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/koenderink-esse-est-percipi-verum.html" target="_blank">(3.07) Jan Koenderink</a></b></span>: Esse est Percipi & Verum est Factum. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/01/rainer-mausfeld-truth-no-explanatory.html" target="_blank">(3.08) Rainer Mausfeld</a></b></span>: Notions such as “truth” or “correspondence to the objective world” play no role in explanatory accounts of perception. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/mclaughlin-green-icons-v-sensedata.html" target="_blank">(3.09) Brian P. McLaughlin and E. J. Green</a></b></span>: Are icons sense data? </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/pizlo-philosophizing-no-substitute-for.html" target="_blank">(3.10) Zygmunt Pizlo</a></b></span>: Philosophizing cannot substitute for experimentation: comment on Hoffman, Singh & Prakash. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px 112.5px; text-indent: -54px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/02/schlesinger-interface-theory-of.html" target="_blank">(3.11) Matthew Schlesinger</a></b></span>: The interface theory of perception leaves me hungry for more.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">Page 6 of 9</i></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gbJMV7iD_fG3-IwgShRKHitT5FpFf3vJw_EcB0rMzjgwPQ9SDNdAi34Xa88ohm2C5BhZBTJHokgRITuNk129b_5kl6VKrb9gz9rqNgbEe5rsvE39HB6x5QB2PBFLAx5FkOZ0-oIK-ic/s1440/IMG_%2527My%2527+HorseBarn%252C+May+2019.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="1440" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gbJMV7iD_fG3-IwgShRKHitT5FpFf3vJw_EcB0rMzjgwPQ9SDNdAi34Xa88ohm2C5BhZBTJHokgRITuNk129b_5kl6VKrb9gz9rqNgbEe5rsvE39HB6x5QB2PBFLAx5FkOZ0-oIK-ic/w464-h159/IMG_%2527My%2527+HorseBarn%252C+May+2019.png" title="'my' horse barn" width="464" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 27px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">After finishing all of these Hoffman reviews, YouTube did me the favor of suggesting a lecture by <a href="https://www.ipu-berlin.de/fileadmin/profile/curriculum-vitae/solms-cv.pdf" target="_blank">Professor Mark Solms</a> a <a href="https://chicagoanalysis.org/faculty/mark-solms/" target="_blank">neuropsychoanalysis</a>. </span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 27px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">Solms’ talk was a revelation. I spent the next two days binging on all the talks by Solms that I could find. Amazingly, they don’t get repetitive as so often happens, he’s always covering some new ground and there’s <a href="https://www.mooc-list.com/instructor/mark-solms?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7oyNBhDiARIsADtGRZYl9PtwQ9qjylvG6j9-XEpnLpdqIXVZAGHSoNpoSjrXwdLsp2qJzqkaAr_nEALw_wcB" target="_blank">so much to absorb</a>, and there weren't any red flags. Instead my early gut feelings about my consciousness being a part of this body I exist within were vindicated with more information than I could absorb.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px 27px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">It was like arriving at an oasis after a treacherous withering desert ordeal and being handed a pitcher of cool clean water and nourishment. Finally, someone that made sense and though he doesn’t actually discuss evolution much, it’s obvious that he has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfqVIG9bejU" target="_blank">bottom up Evolutionary</a> <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393542011" target="_blank">understanding of consciousness</a>. As opposed to Hoffman’s fascination with Hollywood/Madison Avenue’s top down perspective on our human consciousness. And, Solms is <a href="https://www.therapyroute.com/article/an-interview-with-mark-solms-by-j-choder-goldman" target="_blank">full</a> of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/10/books/other-freud-wild-one-new-translation-aims-free-master-his-disciples-obsessions.html" target="_blank">surprises</a>!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><b>What’s the bottomline?<i> Relax</i>, we don’t need any metaphysical life-jackets. </b></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Fundamentally, it’s turning out that our mind and consciousness is the inside reflection of our body/brain interacting with its dynamic environment. </b></span><b style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71); color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Consciousness is an interaction, not a thing!</b><span style="caret-color: rgb(116, 27, 71); color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"> </span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"> It’s simple, if mind-blowing, yet explainable and understandable. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">The “Hard Problem” turns out to be the </span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">human Ego vs. God </i><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><b>issue, </b>which I've come to see as a hangover from our collective </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px;">Abrahamic world views, but I'll save that for the final chapters of this preview</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px; text-indent: 40.5px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-small;"><b>6) Dr. Mark Solms deftly demystifies Chalmers’ “</b><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hidden-spring/202012/why-weve-failed-solve-the-hard-problem-consciousness"><span><b>Hard Problem</b></span></a><b>” of Consciousness</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 85.5px; text-indent: 4.5px;"><span style="color: #4e0202; font-size: x-small;">(6.01) <a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/solms-demystifies-hard-problem-of.html"><span style="color: #620901; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">Dr. Mark Solms demystifies Chalmers' "Hard Problem" of Consciousness.</span></a></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 85.5px; text-indent: 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4e0202;">(6.02</span><span style="color: #620901;">) </span><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/03/other-side-of-marksolms-phd.html"><span style="color: #800180;">The Other Side of Mark Solms PhD, doctor, professor, Freud translator, farmer, vintner, humanitarian.</span></a></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 85.5px; text-indent: 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">(6.03) </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.apple.com">Students’ Resource: A representative cross-section of Dr. Mark Solms' scientific publications.</a></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #620901; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1px 94.5px; min-height: 11px; text-align: center; text-indent: 4.5px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px; text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zi169J-j5ZpEHpDjxw-_2dRRcY5PopfgxTsCrd-sxdQz3ky4EJxEABu5DWz73BkTFhMOClCuUHbpsOdS1brJB3ZJBw6bZNDbAETC8CRrxyP-HkTjtovdp1_8mXDOPWkIB-WlF9qDVDc/s2162/IMG_Kokopelli+in+the+lower+field_June+2019.png" style="font-family: Arial; letter-spacing: 2.4000000953674316px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2162" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zi169J-j5ZpEHpDjxw-_2dRRcY5PopfgxTsCrd-sxdQz3ky4EJxEABu5DWz73BkTFhMOClCuUHbpsOdS1brJB3ZJBw6bZNDbAETC8CRrxyP-HkTjtovdp1_8mXDOPWkIB-WlF9qDVDc/w462-h231/IMG_Kokopelli+in+the+lower+field_June+2019.png" title="Springtime 2021 & Kokopelli" width="462" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/what-is-earth-centrism.html"><b>(7.01) An Alternative Philosophical Perspective - “Earth Centrism”</b></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">What is “Earth Centrism”?</span></p>
<p style="color: #1e3f10; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Earth Centrist’s perspective acknowledges Earth, her material constituents and physical processes, unfolding one day at a time, as our fundamental touchstone with reality. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>We acknowledge Earth and glory in understanding her pageant of Evolution and appreciating how that pageant is reflected within our own bodies. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We glory in the physical fact that humans were created out of Earth's evolving biosphere. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Science shows us that we belong to the nurturing mammalian branch of one of Earth’s amazing animal kingdoms. Yet, it’s undeniable that something quite unique happened around six million years ago when certain apes took a wild improbable evolutionary turn.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By and by, besides the marvel of our two hands, we developed two feet and legs, that could stand tall and run for hours, combined with keen eyes and a growing brain that learned rapidly and remembered. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">During this period our brain physically morphed in some significant ways that enabled it to host a profound leap in cognitive information processing, storage and retrieval ability. On the outside hominids learned to make tools, hunt, fish, and select plants, plus they mastered fire for cooking and better living.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">On the inside our brains were growing and benefiting from the new super nourishment of cooked food while human curiosity and adventures started filling and stretching our Mindscapes with experiences, questions, and knowledge beyond anything the "natural" physical Earth ever knew.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2018/09/key-to-gould-nonoverlapping-magisteria.html">By Mindscape</a></span>, I mean the product of all that our body/brain perceives and processes, which of course, evolutionarily speaking, was dependent on our brain’s hardware keeping pace with and driving the ever increasing volume of information and thoughts.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">While the human mind and spirit seem ineffable mysteries, they are also of tremendous consequence and real-world physical power. They drove our growing ability to study and manipulate our world; to communicate and record our experiences; and to formulate explanations for a world full of</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span> </span>mysteries, threats, challenges and wonders.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">People learned to think and gossip and paint pictures upon the canvas of cave walls, and even better, upon the canvas of each other’s imaginations. We’ve been adding to our mind’s awareness and complexity ever since.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Of course, while all this was going on our extraordinary<b> </b>human mind was also beginning to wonder about the ‘Why’ of the world it observed and the difficult, fragile, short lives we were allotted. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">In seeking comfort and answers to unknowable questions it seems inevitable that Gods would inhabit our Mindscape. I suspect inspired by buried memories of being coddled within mom’s protective loving bosom those first couple years of life.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">No doubt these “Gods” enabled further successes, though not through super-natural interventions, rather through their ability to form, conform, reform & transform the Mindscapes of the people beginning to congregate. Thus, combining pragmatic civil societal needs with universally felt, but keenly personal questions, fears, and dreams. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">During the middle ages tribal stories, accepted ancient doctrines, and religious “truths” were no longer enough to satisfy our Mindscape’s growing desire for ever better understanding and power over our destinies and the biosphere that sustains us. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The human mind took another tremendous leap forward in awareness with the Intellectual Enlightenment and the birth of <b>serious disciplined scientific study</b>. Science’s success was dazzling in its ability to learn about, control and manipulate Earth’s physical resources and to transform entire environments.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.1px;">Science was so successful that today most believe we are the masters of our world and too many have fallen into the hubristic trap of believing our ever fertile Mindscape is reality itself. But now I’m digressing, back on point, in summary,</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Earth Centrism</i></b><i>, is a perspective on our human condition that’s based on the understanding that Earth is our fundamental touchstone with Physical Reality and that we are creatures made through Earth’s own natural processes.</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Earth Centrism</i></b><i> comes from appreciating the “Human Mindscape ~ Physical Reality divide.” It also helps in getting a handle on how the paternalistic Abrahamic traditions, with their self-serving attitudes towards other peoples, creatures, landscapes and resources imposed a simplistic dualistic default that has blinded humanity to a clear understanding of this planet, it’s processes, deep-time and how it created us. </i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">Page 7 of 9</i></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 45px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: -0.1px;">The Mind/Brain conundrum and the Hard Problem of Consciousness are rooted in ancient religious and philosophical dualistic arguments, contrivances of our minds, dressed up in modern language. As though reality </i><span style="color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(13, 76, 7); letter-spacing: -0.10000000149011612px;"><i>needs to </i></span></span></span><span style="color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(13, 76, 7); letter-spacing: -0.10000000149011612px;"><i>prove itself to us.</i></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Earth Centrism</i></b><i> is founded on the understanding that scientific study of the material world is our best window into understanding our own lives within physical reality. </i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><i>Because Science is, at its core, a set of rules for observing and recording and learning about our natural world that strives as much as possible to eliminate human ego driven biases from its deliberations.</i></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Science</i></b><i> is founded on an unspoken understanding that we need each other to keep ourselves honest. It’s a community of educated, competitive, skeptical, experts who are constantly looking over each other’s shoulders.</i><b><i> With fidelity to honesty being science’s Golden Rule.</i></b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I also contend that </i><b><i>science offers spiritual/mystical challenges, experiences and resolutions</i></b><i>, well beyond anything offered by the traditions of our self-made, ego straddled, religions with their tunnel vision and that ingrained resentment towards Earth and learning. </i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 31.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><b><i>Earth Centrism</i></b><i> is a personal emergent appreciation. When the sum total of all those insights one has collected from a life time of wonder and learning come together into a tapestry, a pageant of life and circumstance that is harmonious and graspable. </i></span><i>When understanding and increasing awareness blossoms into a visceral connection that infuses one’s body and outlook upon life with the simple reality of being a transient element in Earth’s evolution.</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0d4c07; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px 45px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Along with that comes a grounded feeling.</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i> </i></span><i>A deep inside awareness that, I have arrived. I am a child of Earth, and it is beautiful, and this moment is mine.</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px 18px; text-align: center; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; letter-spacing: normal; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px 18px; text-align: center; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkt1JwnPiuUv1C9NZosVy-TUDD-RgsLvD431_zSUlaWQCG6nd7JrkSaOrjv5pTe8jNUfQLQEdAS1jjdaomxzeRjd6M8XNqwCWVehTl_QmfHaez8SokHq5KWbwHPGyZdJ05FJ4kOoouysk/s2360/IMG_old+road+north-June+2019.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©2021, citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="2360" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkt1JwnPiuUv1C9NZosVy-TUDD-RgsLvD431_zSUlaWQCG6nd7JrkSaOrjv5pTe8jNUfQLQEdAS1jjdaomxzeRjd6M8XNqwCWVehTl_QmfHaez8SokHq5KWbwHPGyZdJ05FJ4kOoouysk/w478-h131/IMG_old+road+north-June+2019.png" title="the upper twenty" width="478" /></a></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #0e1f06; font-family: Verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px 18px; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px 18px; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.8px; text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/physical-reality-human-mindscape-divide.html">(7.02) Appreciating the Physical Reality ~ Human Mindscape divide</a></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 11px 18px; text-align: center; text-indent: -18px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/White-Matter-Fibers-HCP-Dataset-side-view-720x594.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org" border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="720" height="165" src="http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/White-Matter-Fibers-HCP-Dataset-side-view-720x594.jpg" title="http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org/gallery/" target="_blank">HumanConnectomeProject.org</a></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I can't figure out, why isn’t it self-evident that consciousness and mind can’t be understood by studying modern people in these modern times? It requires an evolutionary perspective of the natural, biological forces at work. </span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">First producing simple creatures that eventually evolved into complex creatures, with branches that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZv8VyIQ7YU" target="_blank">eventually evolved into Homo</a> during the last minute+ of Evolution’s 24 hours of Creation, only then into Homo sapiens </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">a mere 3, 4 seconds ago. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">How does one ponder the human brain and mind without wondering about all the time before Homo? We evolved out of the mammalian class of animals. Think about it, the breast-feeding body plan with a lifestyle built around nurturing their young, developing families and even communities. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 54px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Physical Reality</b> is the physical world of atoms, molecules, universal laws of physics, biology and Earth’s laws of nature. It is Earth’s dance between geology and biology and time and Earth's evolving creatures. F<i>or this discussion, one in particular, one that learned to contemplate the universe along with its own short life and its coming death.</i></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 54px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Human Mindscape</b> is all that goes on inside of our minds. The landscape of our thoughts and desires and impulses and those various voices and personalities who inhabit our thoughts and Being. The ineffable ideas that our hands can turn into physical reality and change our planet. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The <i>me, myself and I</i>, and all that unfolds within the thoughts just beyond the biological sparks and chemical cascades unfolding within our physical bodies and brains as they navigate their environments.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The evolutionary biologist and historian of science Stephen J. Gould wrote an essay in<span style="color: #1e3f10;"> <a href="http://www.blc.arizona.edu/courses/schaffer/449/Gould%20Nonoverlapping%20Magisteria.htm"><span style="color: #85140f;">1997, “Non-overlapping Magisteria”</span></a> </span>in an attempt to address the tension between scientific truths and religious truths.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">His solution was the notion of “Non-overlapping Magisteria” (<a href="https://hettingern.people.cofc.edu/Philosophy_of_Religion/Gould_Nonoverlapping_Magisteria.htm" target="_blank">NOMA</a>) which delineated two teaching “authorities” (magisterium), the “magisteria of science” and the “magisteria of religion.” It wasn’t his original idea, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-overlapping_magisteria"><span style="color: #85140f;">rather a continuation</span></a><span style="color: #1e3f10;"> </span>of a centuries old dialogue between scientists and the Catholic Church that I won’t get into.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In any event, Gould concluded there should be no conflict because each realm had its’ own domain of “teaching authority.” Since these “magisteria” do not overlap, they cannot contradict each other and should be able to exist in mutual respect.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">When it first came out, I loved the essay because of my own struggling intellectual spiritual journey which was embedded within gathering and learning from sober scientific knowledge about this Earth and her story, while dealing with the spiritual aspect of ‘touching Earth’ and having experienced ‘God’s breath’ against my back, so to speak.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gould’s idea was interesting and it gained a lot of attention and lively discussion, but in the end seems to have offered little to either side. For myself, the criticisms made sense and my enthusiasm faded away. Still, the conflict kept echoing like an unresolved challenge as I increasingly engaged faith-shackled contrarians towards climate science and evolution</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="color: #666666;">(then it was reinvigorated by my adventures through Prof. Hoffman's mindscape.) </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">These days I see that Gould’s missing key was appreciating our human mind ~ reality divide and how that distorted our thinking.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.4px;">In the years since I’ve kept learning more about Earth’s amazing evolution and geophysics and also <b>the scientific process itself</b>. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 36px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">A process that’s basically a set of rules for gathering and assessing our observations in an honest, open and disciplined manner, that all who understand science can participate in and trust because it is a community of skeptical experts who are always looking over each other’s shoulders. It’s also predicated on the notion that fidelity to honesty and truth matters.</span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Too many celebrity talkers have become so infatuated with the wonderful ideas their genius creates, that they lose sight of the actually physical reality they are trying to render. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Science</b> seeks to objectively learn about our physical world, but we ought to still recognize all our understanding is embedded within and constrained by our mindscape. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Religion</b> is all about the human mindscape itself, with its wonderful struggles, fears, spiritual undercurrents, needs and stories we create to give our live’s meaning and make it worth living, or at least bearable. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">What’s the point? </span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">Religions, science, same as political beliefs, heaven, hell, art, music, even God they are all products of the human mindscape, generations of imaginings built upon previous generations of imaginings, all the way down.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That's not to say they are the same thing, they are not! Though I think they're both valid human endeavors, but fundamentally qualitatively different.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><b>Religion</b> deals with the inside of our minds, hearts and souls, <b>Science</b> does its best to objectively understand the physical world beyond all that, doing its best to eliminate ego and bias from its deliberations.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 36px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">Page 8 of 9</i></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4yUMvih-3JQmysXUhBzFeg5kwlwxfVVwghlb6fyo9qtz4dUThfUpLegnoXTMrCdmpR5zNr_wWbE-fab_r8YVOP8Ezl0P-KdeClH5K53D3S6aOsmMuvYFFsHQBeZpbg5SUclrF8tyEB8/s1152/hands%252C+me%2527n+lil+B+-+.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="1152" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4yUMvih-3JQmysXUhBzFeg5kwlwxfVVwghlb6fyo9qtz4dUThfUpLegnoXTMrCdmpR5zNr_wWbE-fab_r8YVOP8Ezl0P-KdeClH5K53D3S6aOsmMuvYFFsHQBeZpbg5SUclrF8tyEB8/w430-h184/hands%252C+me%2527n+lil+B+-+.png" width="430" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.6px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 2.3px; text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/04/an-element-earths-pageant-of-evolution.html">(7.03) Being an element in Earth’s Pageant of Evolution</a></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 2.3px; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Although I’m a family man, with my share of friends, along with being community-minded, there’s a part of me that rarely fully connects with people, leaving me with an impression of being on the outside looking in and trying to make sense of the self-destructive impulses that have been driving us people towards a disastrous future.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Over the decades I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out what it was that made my fundamental outlook and instincts so foreign to the general mindset. It’s only recently, with the hindsight of 65 (now 66) years, and coming off of this “<a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/case-for-reality.html">Hoffman Playing Basketball in Zero-gravity project</a>” with all it’s side trips and then discovering the light at the end of the tunnel with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Solms">Dr. Mark Solms</a> enunciating the outlines of <a href="https://chicagoanalysis.org/faculty/mark-solms/">Neuropsychoanalysis</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">and a rational approach to understanding our minds unfolding within our bodies. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A body of work which convincingly demystifies Chalmers’ “Hard Problem” (and all the distracting intellectual mischief that’s given rise to) and points the way to a rational biological understanding of consciousness. <b>Neuropsychology and neuropsychoanalysis brings us face to face with the reality that our consciousness is basically the inside reflection of our body/brain interacting with its environment. </b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;">Think of it, consciousness as <i>interaction,</i> not a <i>thing</i>.</span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Now there’s something worth chewing on if you’re looking for intellectual or spiritual challenge.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Back to my struggle to make sense out of myself. A year ago I was able to enunciate the thing I believe makes me different. Basically, I possess <b>a visceral awareness of, and appreciation for, being an element in Earth’s </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/who-says-understanding-earths-evolution.html">Pageant of Evolution</a>. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But, what was it that opened up this potential for me? Why did those religious mindsets always feel foreign, if not plain wrong, to me?</span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">R</span>ecently I finally nailed that one too. It goes back to my early childhood, even before starting kindergarten at John J. Audubon Elementary school in Chicago. I’d been playing in the pool of warming sunlight streaming through the window onto our living room carpet, the light was making the floating dust specks look like stars. I remember focusing on their movements, then watching ‘em whooshing after my mom when she’d pass by. I was already fascinated by the night sky full of sparkling lights and these dust motes transported me into a space filled with stars and distant galaxies. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Then I hear myself asking my mom: <b>“What is God?"</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I like to think it took her a few beats, then she answered: </span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span><b>“A speck of dust that wanted to be more”</b>.</span></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.1px;">I must have been primed because it blew me away, literally permeated my entire being. After the initial shock wore off, it didn’t provide any sort of answers, it was more like a suggestion, a question, even a challenge to do better.<b> God as a speck that simply wanted to be more. </b>It was beautiful, awesome, and this little boy carried that conception right into school and it has remained with me for the rest of my life. Like a mantra echoing in the distance. It’s taken over 60 years for that echo to fully blossom and for me to appreciate, not just how, but the why that set me on my singular path.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #060606; font-family: Verdana;">I believe what happened was that the notion of </span><i style="color: #060606; font-family: Verdana;">a tiny speck of dust wanting to be more</i><span style="color: #060606; font-family: Verdana;"> wound up filling in and satisfying my "God" niche’ - that thing, that I believe, resides within all humans, and that parents, caregivers, society fills in with <span style="caret-color: rgb(6, 6, 6);">religion</span> as a child grows into an adult.</span></span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><b>In a couple years when the self-serving Abrahamic God was presented to me, there was no place for it to grab hold of in my brain or heart, I was free of its shackles and free to make my own sense of the world.</b></span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>This sense of self and spiritual </span><span>connectivity </span><span>with Earth emerged out of a little tree-hugging and a lifetime of curiosity, learning about myself, Earth, deep-time’s amazing evolutionary story, the development of life and creatures, our biosphere and ourselves. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Such as realizing how the components of my own physical body had their origins eons ago. Not an intellectual knowing, but literally up close and bloody personal, viscerally <a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2020/05/humanists-path-culinary-arts-1-4.html" target="_blank">learning first-hand</a> how, for the most part, mammals have the <a href="https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2020/05/humanists-path-culinary-arts-2-4.html" target="_blank">same skeleton and organs I do</a>, of course in different proportions. Just the same, it was a profound realization that illuminated the deep kinship between my own body and other creatures. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Or taking it even further back in time and realizing how Earth herself had to go through intense processing before promising molecular building blocks and biological solutions to life’s challenges would have the material resources at hand, within appropriate environments, to allow them to be <i>put to the test</i> and prosper.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #060606; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It’s a long, amazingly complex story that keeps getting richer as more evidence gets collected and processed into shared scientific knowledge. Folds within folds of cumulative harmonic complexity flowing down the cascade of time. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>In the end, the thought of being an intelligent self-aware element of creation, one who is capable of </b><span style="color: #0000e9; text-decoration: underline;"><b>savoring the pageant of Earth’s amazing Evolution</b></span><b> is more than comforting. </b></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>It provides me with a spiritual foundation and solidity in the face of challenges, inevitable failings and my coming death. </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not that I'm above any of it, I still live the dramas and struggles of being me, but I understand the music and it doesn't scare me anymore. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The mindset of the kayaker striving to find the best line through the successive cascades of my life and being rewarded with a transcendent depth of awareness, peace and contentment, no Holy Book, or fast-talking pick-pocket preachers can get close to offering. </span> <b style="font-family: Verdana;"> </b></span></p><div><b style="font-size: 9px;"><br /></b></div>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>It's good news worth passing around to those who are honestly curious about understanding themselves within the context of Earth’s Evolution and the realities of scientific understanding.</b> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5yZi-gZyvixQFk63GTNtJv4o6Q4gofwil5gVdO-a4vD1MdzXV4ScIMQoFR-EVCkR0leQ_aT3HfQeZ2YuabgrhBrIQKryQqSBv7OQyLPvzK4_Af0_JbHc9jOhqv5mltoNjg-DGr-0B5s/s1584/IMG_491%252C+open+country%252C+June+2019.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="1584" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5yZi-gZyvixQFk63GTNtJv4o6Q4gofwil5gVdO-a4vD1MdzXV4ScIMQoFR-EVCkR0leQ_aT3HfQeZ2YuabgrhBrIQKryQqSBv7OQyLPvzK4_Af0_JbHc9jOhqv5mltoNjg-DGr-0B5s/w556-h122/IMG_491%252C+open+country%252C+June+2019.png" title="out west, open country" width="556" /></a></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; letter-spacing: 0.6000000238418579px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.98); color: #050505; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; letter-spacing: 0.6000000238418579px;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 31, 6); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: arial;">Page 9 of 9</i></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px 18px; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.1px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/2021/05/no-bodymindproblem-its-egogodproblem.html"><b>(7.04) It’s not a “Body-Mind problem” it’s an “Ego-God issue.”</b></a></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #262626; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;">Among the lessons I’ve taken away from my Hoffman adventure</span> is that as</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;"> I’ve followed the philosophical roots of “dualism” back through Descartes (1600s) and on past Anselm (1000s), one thing has become clear. the entire philosophical edifice of this Mind-Body “Problem” was formed from within that Abrahamic God-fearing mindset that gave us the three major religions, with their self-serving patriarchal mentality, heaven and hell, along with branding dualism’s hard boundaries and need for a sense of certitude into our imagination and onto our expectations.</span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">The Abrahamic worldview perceives people as isolated objects, not only from this planet, but each other, even from ourselves. The creatures we live with and the landscapes we exist within are treated with contempt and wanton waste.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Regarding the “Mind-Body Problem.” </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 36px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #620901;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuYrnOVmfk">Dr. Solms</a></span> makes a wonderful analogy that highlights the error being made:</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 63px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Question: Was it the lightning or thunder that killed the golfer?</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 63px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">It’s a meaningless question.</span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 63px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lightning and thunder are simply different aspects of the same phenomena.</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 63px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our <a href="https://icpla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Solms-M.-2000.-Preliminaries-for-an-Integration-of-Psychoanalysis-and-Neuroscience.-Ann.-Psychoanal-28-179-200..pdf"><span style="color: #620901;">Mind</span></a> and consciousness is the interior reflection of our living body (<i>both its interior housekeeping and external interaction with the environment</i>). We simply cannot have one without the other.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.3px;"><b>We are embedded within an interconnected web of life. We are creatures who are the direct product of Earth’s Pageant of Evolution.</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -0.3px; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.3px;"><b>Why isn’t that reflected in modern philosophical discourse? </b></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 27px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Learning to appreciate the deep-time of Evolution puts an entirely different richer light upon our interior existence. An awareness that encompasses the whole of time, and this planet that created us, and the pageant of creatures that preceded us.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px 27px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It also gives us a deeper appreciation for the continuity of life. Life is good, life is precious, but death is no enemy, painful though it may be. Death is part of the cycle that brings forth new life. Revel in the pageant you are blessed enough to be witnessing. While you can. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">As for God? </span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Who is “God,” but a creation of our unique complex human minds dealing with our day to days? </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Where did God come from?</b> </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;">From human curiosity and wonder. From puzzling over observations, contemplating questions, seeking answers. </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2px;">From love and hunger and fears in the night and glorying in the warming sunrise. From contemplating the suddenly dead carcass of a loved one. From buried memories of being coddled within mom’s loving protective bosom and missing those who are gone. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From our need for someone truly personal, who’s always there, never dying, ready to listen to our constant chatter, ideas, complaints, fears, longings, wishes, all of it in complete confidence.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Think about it, our relationship with our god is the most intimate relationship of our lives and reflects our ego in every way. All of it, happening within our mind, or more descriptively, within our Mindscape. </span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Point being, we are the product of our Earth - and God is the product of our mind. That’s why our conceptions of God always wind up driven by our Ego, not by some outside force. </span></b></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nothing wrong with that, if only we could bring ourselves to explicitly recognize as much.</span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>For some people these realities are jarring and resented, but that doesn’t make it any less the reality all of us exist within. </b> For others, if these ideas resonate, take comfort, stay true to your gut instinct, do your homework, you'll get there.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6T2HnIwZyXkKqrDgilyVv6r-KBtUNY6RKGwF_O2pTu7iCHnJg4MygWaYWdl5xBPxjK-SvII64hQ5hiMXnYrYzC-PS9uWryZBfTxNnFs6vznMMTIHmFHbTs6FZNaadNQaCllbqeSxjw/s1440/IMG_Canyon+DeChelly%252C+June+2019.png" style="letter-spacing: -0.20000000298023224px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1440" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6T2HnIwZyXkKqrDgilyVv6r-KBtUNY6RKGwF_O2pTu7iCHnJg4MygWaYWdl5xBPxjK-SvII64hQ5hiMXnYrYzC-PS9uWryZBfTxNnFs6vznMMTIHmFHbTs6FZNaadNQaCllbqeSxjw/w441-h229/IMG_Canyon+DeChelly%252C+June+2019.png" title="Canyon DeChelly" width="441" /></a> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </span> Looking further afield - </b><a href="https://confrontingsciencecontrarians.blogspot.com/p/ccs.html"><b>Cc's Elevator Pitch</b></a><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 9px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p style="color: #340069; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 58.5px; min-height: 1px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #340069; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 58.5px; text-align: justify;"><b>We The People have a moral & ethical right - along with a pragmatic need - to learn what scientists have learned about this planet's biosphere and climate engine without constant dishonest crossfire. </b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #340069; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 58.5px; min-height: 10px; text-align: justify;"><span><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #340069; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px 58.5px; text-align: justify;"><b>We should not tolerate serious scientists always being drown out by amoral, dishonest and frankly ignorant arguments - that an astoundingly ruthless PR factory repeats over and over again, without ever learning a damned thing from the evidence in front of us.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #340069; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px 58.5px; text-align: justify;"><b>Unless we are changing minds, we are losing.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: -0.2px;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">© Peter Miesler</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span>(Yet, f</span><span>eel free to copy, use and share. 2021-12-19)</span></span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>citizenschallenge at gmail</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #0b170a; font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-73920335412719394562021-10-09T10:14:00.018-07:002021-10-09T22:09:00.649-07:00Diary, responding to Dr. J.W. Geier (21-10-09) It's not the sun, or bad models.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDD8uowNK_o-IhGyqauNHy_En5wFIs_2q003r5jlpuj3oKeyi2N4UK9jMZ-RG-3Ba2vMLTiWsx5ZHdRcm-FAI26vvC-AjLpFkipa3IyYpauc6-gLN7nTTB9jN134DLKMiFWRZ8Tix6s4/s2164/IMG_Up+on+the+mesa_October+2021.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2021" border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="2164" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDD8uowNK_o-IhGyqauNHy_En5wFIs_2q003r5jlpuj3oKeyi2N4UK9jMZ-RG-3Ba2vMLTiWsx5ZHdRcm-FAI26vvC-AjLpFkipa3IyYpauc6-gLN7nTTB9jN134DLKMiFWRZ8Tix6s4/w392-h166/IMG_Up+on+the+mesa_October+2021.png" title="Up on the mesa" width="392" /></a><span style="color: #0e717c; text-align: left;"> </span></div><blockquote><p style="color: #0e717c; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">John W. Geier MD, commented at </span></span></p><a href="https://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com/2019/07/holmes-1000frolly-phd-con-isas-condoes.html" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Robert Holmes aka 1000Frolly PhD. Conman is, as Conman does.</span></a><p style="color: #0e717c; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #181818;">...</span> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The main science issue is that the Earth cannot act as its own experimental control.</span></p>
<p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Computer models of the Earth’s climate reflect the biases and knowledge gaps of the modellers and amplify errors over time.</span></p>
<p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is unfortunate that the other terrestrial planets in this solar system are quite different from Earth.</span></p>
<p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The climate is a holistic function of the stellar flux, atmosphere and distribution of land and ocean on a planet.</span></p>
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<p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">s</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">eptember 28, 2021 at 10:53 PM</span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplSuWURZxOjVgexuL3s9Iw1o3dYGKsjYtvcaeQnsoXPcV15nvBMMD8DaLlpIEEjC0OUr8EAc1S2fpDBluyC8OV7GyxadMyFS70AXm3xrCAeNP8bG-6_coiShl4dH-un7yKBwrItneHYg/s1218/IMG_I+Ching+%2528Yin+Yan%2529+Rock.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2021" border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="1218" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplSuWURZxOjVgexuL3s9Iw1o3dYGKsjYtvcaeQnsoXPcV15nvBMMD8DaLlpIEEjC0OUr8EAc1S2fpDBluyC8OV7GyxadMyFS70AXm3xrCAeNP8bG-6_coiShl4dH-un7yKBwrItneHYg/w462-h130/IMG_I+Ching+%2528Yin+Yan%2529+Rock.png" title="rocks in the dry riverbed" width="462" /></a></div><p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><i style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="color: #181818; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><i style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">{ I’ve been busy with chores, so not much going on at my blogs. Getting an intelligent comment, let alone any serious discussion, is fairly rare, so sometimes there's many days where I don't bother checking my comments folder. </span></i></p><p style="color: #0e717c; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i style="color: #0e717c;">This morning I found a </i><span style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 113, 124);"><i>comment from a couple weeks ago (how the time flies) it was refreshingly </i></span></span></span><span style="color: #0e717c; font-family: verdana;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(14, 113, 124);">coherent, at least against the backdrop of what I usually get, and it offers me something worth discussing</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(14, 113, 124);">. The sort of comment</i></span><i style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I feel obligated to post and respond it. </span></i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i style="color: #0e717c;">Dr. John Geier's comment fits that bill. Even if I believe he's being deceptive, and missing the forest </i><span style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 113, 124);"><i>for</i></span></span><i style="color: #0e717c;"> the trees. Thing is, I imagine he might well be deceiving himself first and foremost. Which is</i></span><i style="color: #0e717c;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> why I want to try and explain what he's missing, hopefully doing a little better than the time before.}</span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHEXjDXnzCkdjfBj2UhYq1IOsHnFkArr1xEw-soMAd5tUGpyCReRNjakIqZsVvGf2UM4RWdZ5fPUlAYdxeyR3tcdF-xZvsFPBb0p3_rz9PauqMje3tHNPWY08CIJI8PWIsHZXcoZU9Chb/s35/Tai%25252BChi%25252B-%25252Bscreen%25252Bshot.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 1993" border="0" data-original-height="35" data-original-width="35" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHEXjDXnzCkdjfBj2UhYq1IOsHnFkArr1xEw-soMAd5tUGpyCReRNjakIqZsVvGf2UM4RWdZ5fPUlAYdxeyR3tcdF-xZvsFPBb0p3_rz9PauqMje3tHNPWY08CIJI8PWIsHZXcoZU9Chb/w99-h99/Tai%25252BChi%25252B-%25252Bscreen%25252Bshot.png" title="folds within folds of harmonic complexity" width="99" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0e717c;">citizenschallenge</span></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"> responds to Dr. Geier …</span></div>
<p style="color: #181818; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">With all due respect Dr. Geier, that is nonsense. We know plenty well what is going on within our global heat and moisture distribution engine. Science has been intensely studying our atmosphere since the 1940s - nature is not some trickster and we don't need another Earth to experiment with in order to understand how our Earth's geosphere/biosphere behaves.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Why do you set impossible expectations? <span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">We do our best with the information scientists have been collecting and studying. While you rather pretend scientists are missing a lot. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Your thinking can only come from not doing your homework! Not learning from the substantive evidence that is available about what Earth and climate scientists have learned and taught us!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">As for your holistic. That means starting with the realization that Anthropogenic Global Warming happens high up in our atmosphere and is driven by society increasing our planet's atmospheric insulation. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Thus retaining more heat within our global heat and moisture distribution engine. Of course, the sun is roasting the equator 24/7/365 and drives the entire climate engine, but there has been no significant fluctuations in that, so stop embracing that LIE!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">What there has been is a skyrocketing of additional atmospheric greenhouse gases. Simple as that. Physics, math.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Then, once we are within that global climate engine, things do get really complicated, as we are faced with incomprehensible complexities of heat being moved throughout the entire complex global system. All of it operated by simple, understandable, fundamentals. <b>There's much about the details to be learned - but that doesn't give you a right to ignore all that we have learned and all that experts do understand and can teach to anyone acting in good faith and with a spirit of honest curiosity.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">What's unfortunate is intelligent people like you deluding themselves behind layers of dishonest rhetorical bullshit - when the fundamental physical facts are pretty damned straightforward.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>I bet I know what's at the root of your blinders, 1) you hate taxes, 2) the notion of doing with less - is an absolute nonstarter, no matter how harsh the price our children will have to pay.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Best wishes, Cc</span></p>
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<p style="color: #181818; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">October 9, 2021 at 9:10 AM</p><p style="color: #181818; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1howb6rvmt-s3VHy_QAlFmSsrCCWOYw11clVL9Ui4LLD09yaRnYXvXJnIsFd7vsNh9JicDvjfGRO_V6s0DpCn2gh28bhRirhAdtONXvdC0KvtS8zxbIrOiM7kmciNfRRKzkbAQpwI_o/s1296/My+horse+barn+at+10+years+old..png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge 2021" border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1296" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1howb6rvmt-s3VHy_QAlFmSsrCCWOYw11clVL9Ui4LLD09yaRnYXvXJnIsFd7vsNh9JicDvjfGRO_V6s0DpCn2gh28bhRirhAdtONXvdC0KvtS8zxbIrOiM7kmciNfRRKzkbAQpwI_o/w468-h231/My+horse+barn+at+10+years+old..png" title="the horse barn, ten year's old" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h1 class="article_title" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(43, 43, 43); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.66em; letter-spacing: -0.04em; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 0em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/14/is-the-sun-causing-global-warming/" target="_blank">Is the Sun causing global warming?</a></h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/why-the-sun-is-not-responsible-for-recent-climate-change">Explainer: Why the sun is not responsible for recent climate change</a></span></p><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><h1 style="color: #002c6b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 15px 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://skepticalscience.com/solar-activity-sunspots-global-warming-intermediate.htm" target="_blank">Sun & climate: </a></span></h1><h1 style="color: #002c6b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 15px 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://skepticalscience.com/solar-activity-sunspots-global-warming-intermediate.htm" target="_blank">moving in opposite directions</a></span></h1></div><div>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">~~~~~</p><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Oh and regarding Geier's insinuation that climate models are hobbled by unchecked bias and knowledge gaps, it's also disingenuous. Scientists are constantly using Earth's own behavior and observation based data to calibrate their models against! Why pretend that isn't so Dr. Geier?</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Climate models have actually been quite accurate, if anything rather conservative regarding impacts.</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "PT Sans Narrow"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><br /></i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/even-50-year-old-climate-models-correctly-predicted-global-warming"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Even 50-year-old climate models correctly predicted global warming</span></b></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.science.org/content/author/warren-cornwall">Warren Cornwell</a></span> , December 4, 2019, Science.org</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Study debunks idea that older models were inaccurate</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-models-got-it-right-on-global-warming/"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Climate Models Got It Right on Global Warming</span></b></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even models in the 1970s accurately predicted the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and temperature rise</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/chelsea-harvey/">Chelsea Harvey</a>, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/e-e-news/">E&E News</a> on December 5, 2019</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2943/study-confirms-climate-models-are-getting-future-warming-projections-right/"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Study Confirms Climate Models are Getting Future Warming Projections Right</span></b></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Alan Buis, January 9, 2020, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "PT Sans"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/category/science/climate-modelling"><span style="font-size: medium;">CLIMATE MODELLING</span></a></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-how-well-have-climate-models-projected-global-warming"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Analysis: How well have climate models projected global warming?</span></b></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/author/zekehausfather">Zeke Hausfather</a></span>, October 5, 2017, Carbon Brief</span></p></div></div>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692282252844489453.post-70550504363156732632021-09-13T11:32:00.003-07:002021-09-13T11:53:29.948-07:00You are the eyes of the Universe. (workbook #e)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29); color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">An exploration into a different sort of perspective on the god ~ human relationship, one that starts with a mind experiment and ends in a beautiful mythical suggestion.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQhAHsBc8IO_PbuLh5aIv1DRSVTjctiPJjvZdopZyjGrAGg3Fy_3388-xymxlRCqS7oTb4MEVCxj5Bp_i_36gyMxQBibfa5HFgVRYZQDUSlkR2tldt1Lifd4wKYUicH731E_937-Kb40/s1296/IMG-EyesWorld%25231_lil+B%252C+at+two+weeks.png" style="font-size: 17px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1296" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQhAHsBc8IO_PbuLh5aIv1DRSVTjctiPJjvZdopZyjGrAGg3Fy_3388-xymxlRCqS7oTb4MEVCxj5Bp_i_36gyMxQBibfa5HFgVRYZQDUSlkR2tldt1Lifd4wKYUicH731E_937-Kb40/w320-h236/IMG-EyesWorld%25231_lil+B%252C+at+two+weeks.png" title="An infant" width="320" /></a></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px 36px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>“Humanity is the most exquisite example of God’s need and desire to know itself.”</i></span></p><p style="font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px 36px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrL7gfUezYxbGpSx8aqLq-nKgS2dvIM8uNhioMbeG8fve_ebDCmJqcUvHvq-NivnnWgDm4hbB0qsgHa_GTHOyepE8ZG10IX4XfIdME1P6am2FaqgaLryGGRGnE7jp9-1cAkM7q6gJKOQ/s1440/IMG-EyesWorld%25234_clouds.png" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1440" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrL7gfUezYxbGpSx8aqLq-nKgS2dvIM8uNhioMbeG8fve_ebDCmJqcUvHvq-NivnnWgDm4hbB0qsgHa_GTHOyepE8ZG10IX4XfIdME1P6am2FaqgaLryGGRGnE7jp9-1cAkM7q6gJKOQ/w505-h142/IMG-EyesWorld%25234_clouds.png" title="Clouds, dreaming of humanity and our gods." width="505" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">It begins with imagining creation from a god’s eye view. If a god there be, what would, what could that god actually know about the universe? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">There was nothing to sense in the beginning. Besides how could a substance-less God sense anything?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Seems to me, only by creating something, was there anything for god to observe. But what would god observe with? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">It occurred to me that god could only experience its own creation, through the structures of that creation. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Starting right at the 'big bang' along side energy, gravity, time and the ever evolving complexity of interactions in a growing cosmos. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlP7QHcYuY_Oh2JHfz27D5A4si9eAHjBxHLd-AFTKzp0eeuhKLpaGuIJBlMCd3CxJTKtPzZ1KYQGncBJ-52QsfroK4SnglaOM6Mq0BcxgAoVAXw_gXwWzFntsRBH9n2ANDgeFWC2L8Wg/s1296/IMG-EyesWorld%25236-grass%252Cred+flower.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="1296" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlP7QHcYuY_Oh2JHfz27D5A4si9eAHjBxHLd-AFTKzp0eeuhKLpaGuIJBlMCd3CxJTKtPzZ1KYQGncBJ-52QsfroK4SnglaOM6Mq0BcxgAoVAXw_gXwWzFntsRBH9n2ANDgeFWC2L8Wg/w481-h222/IMG-EyesWorld%25236-grass%252Cred+flower.png" title="grass, and a red flower" width="481" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Blossoming through all the different cosmic stages, from energy coalescing into matter, then atoms, molecules, dust, rocks, galaxies, stars, planets, exploding stars, more dust and gravity, and so on. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Then our miraculous Earth with its geology, joined by biology creating life’s foothold. Then Evolution came into its own and things really got interesting. With many creatures being forced to constantly strive for ever greater grasping/manipulatory abilities, plus the sensing and processes to do the best they could with their new hardware in ever changing environments. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">With time Earth collected layers upon layers of interwoven folds within folds of cumulative harmonic complexity, relentlessly moving towards ever more complexity, allowing god new vista’s via the ever more complex experiences of life on this miraculous ever changing Earth. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Then came humans.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYpoqiwC-8XdrGMR_Fu25FjBWl8wrNNOGR75bUx1fBi9kMOR_gvhJrs3CLS36HeCI2d-aYr6y1f0piR-m79JtAEw4ZOxEBmF67gOS7efPUdUtdeVqry7l_yUbk9gdR1te14ham_2tR6w/s1440/IMG-EyesWorld%25237_then+came+man+%2528Hwy191%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="1440" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYpoqiwC-8XdrGMR_Fu25FjBWl8wrNNOGR75bUx1fBi9kMOR_gvhJrs3CLS36HeCI2d-aYr6y1f0piR-m79JtAEw4ZOxEBmF67gOS7efPUdUtdeVqry7l_yUbk9gdR1te14ham_2tR6w/w480-h146/IMG-EyesWorld%25237_then+came+man+%2528Hwy191%2529.png" title="Four Corners region, Arizona, USA" width="480" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Think on it. With us humans, god finally had a creature that could reflect back on the Cosmos of its own creation with genuine introspection. What a trip that experience must have been to god. </span><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: verdana;">(<i>Infinity mirrors comes to mind</i>)</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Think of it next time you’re down, you actually are, <i>the eyes of the world</i>, why not use your short time well? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Stop a moment and be grateful that you can appreciate the reality you are embedded within. You are a living awareness, the most fantastical creature this most fantastical Earth has produced. You are the witness of your own life and Earth’s. No other creatures can claim as much. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">Let it matter. If a god there be, it’s viewing the world through you.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">The beauty of this story is that it doesn’t demand a rejection of physical reality or any aspect of science. What’s it for? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">What’s religion for? It’s the acceptance of psychological support, a teddy bear even, for the mind and soul. It's okay since most people need them. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">What’s wrong with that? </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">I know, that depends - it can be blessing or curse.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;">The important part is that it belongs within the panorama of my/our/your Mindscape experiencing this Physical Reality that our bodies are embedded within, and that I'm also trying to make more sense out of, through the cool rational eyes of science processed through my unique person, with its unique range of knowledge and experiences.</span></p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; min-height: 20px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr_qc9JEOq-DRnWee2I3zfbwBZQuHdkvAr083x8lYdiQkfENAupTSGEnqhYSo2qwiBRQGx185wBPJVWZu5wV6Lxsxq1Xr-_GKf5QHt4YTLFzaOFf9igMFl1K-IE0YIy1-FRNSTFArkRo/s1152/IMG-EyesWorld%25232_lil+B%252C+with+my+hand.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="©citizenschallenge" border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1152" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr_qc9JEOq-DRnWee2I3zfbwBZQuHdkvAr083x8lYdiQkfENAupTSGEnqhYSo2qwiBRQGx185wBPJVWZu5wV6Lxsxq1Xr-_GKf5QHt4YTLFzaOFf9igMFl1K-IE0YIy1-FRNSTFArkRo/w488-h349/IMG-EyesWorld%25232_lil+B%252C+with+my+hand.png" title="lil B and me" width="488" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; min-height: 21px;"><b></b><br /></p>citizenschallengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04559990934735912814noreply@blogger.com0