EXCERPT:
How do we
explain physical reality? Where do we
start, and with what do we begin, in order to take even the first step toward
an explanation? In explaining physical
reality, do we really have anything else, except it, with which to initiate
that explanation? Is there ever
anything else, except physical reality?
We might think there is more, perhaps by believing that our thoughts,
memories, feelings, or dreams exist, somehow independently from physical
reality. In so believing, we ignore
that we cannot even ‘imagine’ anything independent of physical reality (though
we might, quite mistakenly, believe otherwise), any more than we can think,
feel, or dream independently of it, because physical reality includes even the
motions of our very thoughts, memories, feelings, and dreams, themselves, which
are ALL also, just as physical – every bit as much – as anything in the universe.
“To even
consider, legitimately, that our thoughts, memories, feelings, or dreams are
somehow nonphysical, one must first identify precisely what it means for them,
or for anything, to be so, and how, being nonphysical in character, they
nonetheless express themselves in the most overtly physical ways – like
speaking, that, so clearly being motion, makes all of our thoughts, memories,
feelings, and dreams no less physical than any overt human action is; no less
than ANY other kind of physical motion whatsoever in the universe is. Stating matters clearly, anything that we
might imagine being nonphysical affecting reality simply does not exist.
So, because
physical reality is all that we really have (since, as stated, anything else
cannot ever be expressed, described, or manifest in any other way except a
physical one), we must choose physical reality’s observation as the first step
toward its explanation. If we do not
choose observation as a first step, then we must choose either not to explain
physical reality, or choose something 'else', though there seems to be nothing
else that we can use that isn't its observation, by which to do so. If we choose the latter, that is, choose
something ‘else’, besides observation for explaining, we choose something that
cannot, of course, ever be observed at all, not even indirectly (though we’re
free to ‘believe’ otherwise).
In choosing
observation, we choose something that we cannot really even imagine outside of
the physical terms of the observations (or any permutations thereof: allegory)
that are an outcome of our life experience or rearrangements and distortions of
such experiences (as innate interpretive responses to these observations). By choosing observation, as the first step
toward explaining physical reality, we implicitly assume that physical reality
is 'made' of what we observe, even if what we observe consists (as stated) only
of what we think, or remember, or feel emotionally, or dream. We further assume that physical reality,
besides being made of all these things we observe ‘within’ ourselves, is made
also of all those things that we observe outside of ourselves, through our
sensory awareness.
“Thus, we
begin, by assuming that physical reality is made of all things observed, be
they observed internally or externally, directly (like seeing the print on the
page that you are now reading) or indirectly (like seeing the reflection of
ourselves [or anything], looking into a mirror). In this way, we can use physical reality as a first step, so that
it can explain itself, through our embracing its observation, in the most
rigorous way that we can. We will use
physical reality, along with that part of it that is our imagination, as
precisely as our current understanding allows, for describing our very observations
themselves and the relationships existing between these observations (in a
predictable and reproducible manner), which is what any meaningful explanation
of physical reality must do, for it to explain anything that is genuinely,
materially real (i.e. physically
existing outside of our imagination).
The Quotable Chongo:
ON HOW TO BE BITCHIN
Volume One
The
title says it all. It is the book that all have been waiting for, finally here
… that is, the first volume. (More volumes will follow.)
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EXCERPTS:
“In the life of a man, his time is but a moment, his bearing an
incessant flux, his senses a dim flash of light, his body a prey for worms, his
soul an unquiet eddy, his fortune dark, and his fame doubtful.
In short, all that is of the body
is like flowing water, all that is of the soul as dreams and vapors; life a
warfare, a brief sojourning in an alien land, and after[ward] … oblivion.
Where then can man find the power
to guide and guard his steps?
In one thing and one alone: the
love of knowledge*.”
–Marcus Aurelius*, emperor of Rome,
Meditations
* - Understanding is, unquestionably, the most essential element
of all for bitchin-ness – except, of course, for the equally essential element of the
outstandingly good fortune of opportunity.
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If you love something else
other than a living organism more than a living organism, then love is not important
enough.
If truth is anything
but more important than what you want truth to be, then truth is not important
enough.
Trying to be bitchin
can come at the risk of being instead, a complete fool. But, not trying at all,
and hence never risking being a fool, can come at the price of never being
bitchin even once.
If you wash your hands
frequently, then you get more babes … and you live longer (a fact) … which
means that you can get even more babes.
Photo by Dean Fidelman
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© 2008 C. Tucker (Chongo)
All rights reserved.
EXCERPT:
How do we
explain physical reality? Where do we
start, and with what do we begin, in order to take even the first step toward
an explanation? In explaining physical
reality, do we really have anything else, except it, with which to initiate
that explanation? Is there ever
anything else, except physical reality?
We might think there is more, perhaps by believing that our thoughts,
memories, feelings, or dreams exist, somehow independently from physical
reality. In so believing, we ignore
that we cannot even ‘imagine’ anything independent of physical reality (though
we might, quite mistakenly, believe otherwise), any more than we can think,
feel, or dream independently of it, because physical reality includes even the
motions of our very thoughts, memories, feelings, and dreams, themselves, which
are ALL also, just as physical – every bit as much – as anything in the universe.
“To even
consider, legitimately, that our thoughts, memories, feelings, or dreams are
somehow nonphysical, one must first identify precisely what it means for them,
or for anything, to be so, and how, being nonphysical in character, they
nonetheless express themselves in the most overtly physical ways – like
speaking, that, so clearly being motion, makes all of our thoughts, memories,
feelings, and dreams no less physical than any overt human action is; no less
than ANY other kind of physical motion whatsoever in the universe is. Stating matters clearly, anything that we
might imagine being nonphysical affecting reality simply does not exist.
So, because
physical reality is all that we really have (since, as stated, anything else
cannot ever be expressed, described, or manifest in any other way except a
physical one), we must choose physical reality’s observation as the first step
toward its explanation. If we do not
choose observation as a first step, then we must choose either not to explain
physical reality, or choose something 'else', though there seems to be nothing
else that we can use that isn't its observation, by which to do so. If we choose the latter, that is, choose
something ‘else’, besides observation for explaining, we choose something that
cannot, of course, ever be observed at all, not even indirectly (though we’re
free to ‘believe’ otherwise).
In choosing
observation, we choose something that we cannot really even imagine outside of
the physical terms of the observations (or any permutations thereof: allegory)
that are an outcome of our life experience or rearrangements and distortions of
such experiences (as innate interpretive responses to these observations). By choosing observation, as the first step
toward explaining physical reality, we implicitly assume that physical reality
is 'made' of what we observe, even if what we observe consists (as stated) only
of what we think, or remember, or feel emotionally, or dream. We further assume that physical reality,
besides being made of all these things we observe ‘within’ ourselves, is made
also of all those things that we observe outside of ourselves, through our
sensory awareness.
“Thus, we begin,
by assuming that physical reality is made of all things observed, be they
observed internally or externally, directly (like seeing the print on the page
that you are now reading) or indirectly (like seeing the reflection of ourselves [or anything], looking into a mirror). In this way, we can use physical
reality as a first step, so that it can explain itself, through our embracing
its observation, in the most rigorous way that we can. We will use physical reality, along with that
part of it that is our imagination, as precisely as our current understanding
allows, for describing our very observations themselves and the relationships
existing between these observations (in a predictable and reproducible manner), which is what
any meaningful explanation of physical reality must do, for it to explain
anything that is genuinely, materially real (i.e. physically existing outside of our imagination).