It's one thing "to say" that there is no objective view, that all views are 'just different', but when one view says "she's thanking us for burning her/ we don't learn because there is no change(the Buddhist monks at Mt Everest)", and the other says "nothing is sacred including what I say(Carl Sagan quote; essentially what science says). . . . Buddhism supposedly says "believe nothing on hearsay. Do not believe in traditions because they are old, or in anything on the mere authority of myself or any other teacher"; but, as we've seen in this video, Buddhism has no set scripture.
I've noted before about some of his connections. I pointed out how in the mechanical universe, King George of England was noted as preferring round knobs on top of lightning rods over sharp points is why we have round knobs, and for no other real reason. And that, some of James Burke's connections are of this type. Others are as I've described in my generalization of Jacob Bronowski's findings of the nature/origin of mathematical knowledge. For this, I have to thank James Burke for his great works!
Image(s) credit(s) - ESA/NASA Hubble Space Telescope
The Apollo 1 capsule fire is often brought up when viewing some Apollo/Saturn V, and moon landing videos. There's not much more significant to be said, other than, an accident happened, and everyone just kept on going because, what else are they going to do but their jobs?
What's really remarkable about the Apollo 1 capsule fire was that it was so stupid! How does a team of hundreds of thousands of engineers miss such an obvious possibility of a spark causing a fire . . . in a pure oxygen/high atmospheric pressure confined space . . . get missed?
It's one thing to not question the beliefs that one is conditioned to believe in; but, when something so obviouse as the above case happens . . . this says a lot about humans inability, quite often, to step back and try to see what staring them in the face!
In computer program, one tests the program to see if it runs as they thought it should. Quite often, it doesn't. The programmer built based on unquestioned assumptions. The programmer often goes about his/her life acting like they're normal and smart and all. They're friends pat them on the back in approval of their behaviors. Few try to write a program or do some kind of mathematics, and so they don't ever get hit in the face; they don't learn that they need to stop themselves in their tracks . . . look around . . . and see what's going on. Even those who do, are not well rounded enough to see a danger . . . or even a new idea to ponder.
- on a personal note, I met these Chaffee twins/girls in junior high school -way back in like 1989. We were in science class and they were oddly fascinated in my reading of "The Exploding Universe." It's an alright general science book, covering astronomy to particle physics and cosmology. It even starts from an account of the Greek ideas of five elements - fire, water, earth, air, and quintessence. They thought I was smart. They're hair was like some red haired afros! By high school, they learned to change their hair a little bit and look a little sexier. We ran cross-country and track and field together during high school.
I was sitting in the grass, reading some book before either cross-country or track workouts, and it hit me. Chaffee was one of the astronauts who died in the Apollo 1 fire. I looked right up at them, and they just walked away. They saw in my eyes that I just hit on something! The coach was a bit struck by this as well. He read they didn't want to share or talk about it. He somehow knew as well! These two Chaffee girls are descendents of Roger Chaffee. They were like, "oh boy, he figured it out!"
They of course never knew him personally. Maybe they felt like they didn't need to brag about such a bad way to go.
Bill Joy wrote an article that was never adequately responded to(that alone is telling of the intellectual state of affairs, of our top minds.) -- > Why the future doesn't need us until now . . .
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Hello Wired.com,
I've finally gotten around to reading the entire Pauline exegesis of Bill Joy's "Why the future doesn't need us" . . .
Bill Joy say how he's always been into the ethical dimensions of science and technology; yet, he doesn't mention Jacob Bronowski, James Burke, Alvin Toffler and so on - Arthur C. Clarke/ Isaac Asimov
- They(Bill Joy and the Unabomber) dystopian nightmare considers two possibilities 1) the machines are given complete control to make all decisions(where do they get the data from to make decisions?), or 2) people maintain control. They say the A.I. will probably decide it doesn't need humanity anymore and get rid of humanity. If Humans maintain control(keep themselves in the loop seems to be the way to say it), they'll be an elite. Maybe they keep a few humans around as pets; maybe they don't and wipe out all they don't like. But, there's a third possibility which seems to be a real no-man's land that they don't want to talk about - merging with the machines. Evolving in a way that combines both. Bill Joy mentions that Ray Kurzweil champions the this third possibility in his "Age of Spiritual machines." He later notes that a Danny Hillis also believes in this. But, Bill Joy essentially says this impossible and dangerous anyways.
Bill Joy says merging with machines will take away the biological nature of mankind. Here, I actually agree with him. I believe in chaos theory of consciousness and free will. But, I don't think that merging with machines actually takes away from the biological part of mankind - if done right. Today's calculators/computers are essentially technological augmentations. I suggest nothing more. One can imagine wearing a headset kind of like a heads up display to further augment mankind without disrupting the biological nature of human intelligence. There's more things like genetic engineering that also don't take away from the biological nature of human intelligence.
Bill Joy also brings up extreme individuals. I agree that enhanced bullies and violent people presents a bit of a problem. But, then again, there will be enhanced rational people as well. If he wants to fight enhanced terrorists and other such people, I'd suggest he become merged! In fact, I'd suggest that he criticize irrationality, or shut up. Seems that Bill Joy and co . . . Eric Drexler, Chris Pheonix, Ray Kurzweil, the whole lot of them don't want to fight irrationality. In fact, they're willing to do whatever they can to keep disturbing truths(like religions are bullshit) from being pointed out.
Bill Joy says the Unabomber is criminally insane, yet he agrees with his logic. Then, he says we should relinguish science. Mankind is defined/distinguished from the other life on earth by its dependence on science/technology for survival. To relinquish it is insanity. Combining this with his bah-humbug attitude towards the third possibility, suggests an emotional problem with science winning out by solving all human medical problems, including aging by means of A.I./Nanotech and so on.
They love to talk about the coming science/technology dystopian future. Bill Joy speaks of "Murphy's law" - what can go wrong will go wrong. Mentions his mother prevented him from getting a ham radio because "he's anti-social enough." Mr Joy says technological augmentation will destroy democracy. He says this will destroy equality. He clearly doesn't understand that equality in American Democracy doesn't mean everyone is the same - like some technological dystopian nightmare, manufacturing the same person out of a assembly line. Bill Joy is really going crazy here. What all this has in common is that he refuses fight irrationality. He wants to fight dangerous individuals from becoming superhuman, which is fine. But, notice he never brings up who is the irrationalists.
Bill Joy says science makes one anti-social. This is as bad logic as scientists don't appreciate art. No, it's the other way around. Arts and 'social people' don't appreciate science/technology. If they did, maybe they could socialize with scientists. This is proof Bill Joy is an ass kisser to people who twist things around to cover up their own problems.
Everyone wants to suggest some science/technological dystopian nightmare. That of manufacturing everyone the same, controlling their minds. But, wait a minute; isn't that what religions are? Don't all these people believe in their religions because they are conditioned from birth to believe what the clergy tells them to believe? Isn't that what all those medieval abbeys, high up in the foothills were doing? Closing themselves off from the world . . . walking around mumbling hymns, with blank stares like the Easter Island statures? Then he mentions Murphy's law. Well, I agree again; let's consider Murphy's law. What can go wrong will go wrong. If we let anti-science irrationalits(the real extreme individuals), lock ourselves up here on Earth to prevent anyone from getting away(I pointed this out to Chris Phoenix, and his reaction was to play silence games), then those who don't want their ideas challenged will take over, implant 'believe in our religion' chips, and end the human adventure to learn the universe and survive in the universe.
Bill Joy considers the go out in space option. He then says, "isn't there the danger that we drag our problems with us out to space?" I rest my case! If Bill Joy wants to fight dangerous individuals from becoming superhuman, then fight irrationality, or shut the fuck up! He uses the same logic the Christians used in the City/Library of Alexandria, "did not Greek science sap the vitality of the Roman empire" Therefore God exists, knowledge is evil, lets close ourselves up on some mountain from the world."
- Note, I've yet to actually e-mail wired magazine this response of mine. I should probably generalize my response based on my postings about Sophie and Silas below, and even my Gospel of Truth(still in progress; yes, I have ideas of adding more material and editing/smoothing it up).
There's been all kinds of scientific/technological advances since my last post. One sticks in my mind - programmable rna vaccines. If true, this solves cancer, viruses from the common cold to HIV and even Ebola! Sounds impossible? Read this --> Engineers design programmable RNA vaccines
I've heard of this finding of Homer in the Gospel of Mark(primarily); but, I didn't worry about it. I considered it secondary to astrotheology. And, I still do. But, "TruthSurge" gives enough to prove that the Gospel of Mark does a certain amount of rewriting, recoding up Homer's Odyssey. What really got me excited, and I'm sure I'll self-interpolate and later re-edit my Gospel of Truth again, is that of the Gemini twins. When I tried to read the Gospel of Mark to see if it follows the pattern of the twelve constellations(and it does for the most part), I always found the Gemini twins to be a little bit of a stumbling block. This Homer findings in Mark solve this problem!
TruthSurge has another video series, "Jesus:Hebrew human or Mythical Messiah" where he, for the most part, goes over the Earl Doherty theory of the New Testament and Jesus Christ. In my Gospel of Truth, I point out two passages, one from Paul(whoever he is), and the other from James the Just(presumably) where they're calming down those who they're trying to convert, and saying Jesus Christ will come. I point these two passages out to point out that if Jesus Christ had already come, they wouldn't be saying, "don't worry, my midrash will work". TruthSurge picks out all 41 instances of these; hence, showing that this disproof of Jesus Christ are not just two little passages; its' a major theme of the New Testament/Pauline letters.
TruthSurge also has a two video series on James the Just. He doesn't mention Robert Eisenman; but, the findings amount to the same. That Jesus Christ is a Hellenistic sungod overwright of James the Just.
- "I haven't read the book. I for one have been using the Christ killer charge against the Jews as proof that Jesus Christ never existed! Does it make sense? Why would Jews kill a Jew, king of the Jews? And! proclame Caesar as their ruler(in Gospel of John). For me, this has suggested that Jesus Christ never existed; so, when Gentiles(Greeks/Romans and anyone else not Jewish) went to the Jews to ask about him, they said, "I don't know what you're talking about." This is in the Gospels. So, the Gentiles said "Christ killers"; you guys(Jews) are spoiling our fun! There has to be a "Sun" of God; otherwise, how else are we to be saved?(Epistle of Barnabas quote).
About that Sun of God in quotes, here's what I found after reading the collective, extant works of Melito of Sardis - "that this was the first-born of God, who was begotten before the sun." This is not the first quote I've found of Christians and church fathers saying things like, the twelve followers of Jesus Christ are the twelve zodiacal constellations. I'll dig them out if you want me to.
Of further note about Melito of Sardis, he was in contact with a Marcus Aurelius. This is not the first time I've wondered if maybe the Gospel of Mark is written by Marcus. Marcus Aurelius also presumably conversed with Justin Martyr. What for? Maybe I need to read Marcus to find some clues. But really, reading the Melito of Sardis wiki is highly intrigueing.
Here's a Jew, Christianized . . . "Trained in the art of rhetorical argumentation, Melito is believed to have been greatly influenced by two Stoic philosophers in particular, namely, Cleanthes and Poseidonius. Also proficient in the allegorical interpretation of Homer" Melito Wiki. Gospel of Mark has stoic poetic puzzles Jesus uses to sound sophisticated. And Homerisms. . . . then again, Melito was writing under the influence of the John Gospel tradition. So, the Gospels had to be known before him. Of course, like Marcion's Gospel of the Lord, and his Pauline cannon, the literature was edited by many hands as they passed down from one Christian writer to another."
And then I noted that that this, along with Melito mentioning before the sungod part(actually meaning, Jesus Christ came before the sun and everything else), Christ killers, is the end part of a speech he made . . . in front of Antoninus Caesar - this guy, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoninus_Pius What's interesting here? Antoninus Pius is father of Marcus Aurelius. check out, http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/melito.html Scroll down to the first roman numeral. That's the beginning of his speech to Antoninus Pius. The passages I mentioun are in part V.
I should say that I've suspected Marcus Aurelius before because of some artwork in a Christian temple of Revina. - see this wiki of Galla Placidia, who moved the capital of Rome to Ravenna, and may have invited Germanic barbarians to help sack Rome, to defend herself from Pagans, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_Galla_Placidia
Also check out this John Romer Testament video on youtube, where you can get a good look at this Placidia tomb/Christian temple, and see, that the four Gospels are mentioned, and the Mark, representing the Gospel of Mar is spelled Marcus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpjyJIfQ5nM
And . . . Antoninus Pius predecessor was Hadrian, who was the last to sack Jerusalem. Antoninus Pius further was the son of a Titus Aurelius Fulvius, who supported Vespasians bid to the Imperial thrown! Vespasian, of course, was named the savior of the Jews at the end of Flavius Josephus's "The Jewish War." The Vespasian who sacked Jerusalem the first time in 66 A.D.
Neanderthals appear to have arranged a bunch of stalagmites in circles about 170,000 years ago.
Before cars, airplanes, computers and so on, the high technology of the day tended to be architecture. Another interesting technology was boats. I often like to say that the first architecture were temples for pre-historic people, really, because making some kind of architecture back then was like them making their own caves(shelter/home). Making their own caves also represented their ability to take control of nature to a certain extent.
The Neanderthal construction above is interesting for that reason; but also, the fact that they used pre-made elements from nature. They had not yet figured out how to shape, maybe even engineer the material itself(to be stronger, or more flexible and so on).
Note for the day, Gospel of Truth has been updated - see the "latest Gospel of Truth" below 1/21/16 post.
The latest research on Gobekli Tepe seems to solve the problem of the hunter/gatherer to agricultural civilization problem.
This was the hardest problem of archaeology for sure.
When Gobekli Tepe was discovered, we knew archaeologists have dug something up. I for one noted that astronomy still wasn't part of human consciousness. It's still animals that were the central concern of the cave painters up to thirty thousand years ago.
The video above, National Geographic's Cradle of The Gods, shows that storing of food was the innovation that allowed the hunter/gatherers to get enough people for a long enough time to build Gobekli Tepe. Surelly, after a certain amount of time at Gobekli Tepe, some seeds sprouted, and they took notice. When they did, people experimented with agriculture and moved away from Gobekli Tepe.
The transition from hunter/gatherers to agricultural civilization appears to connect Gobekli Tepe to Catal Hoyuk - 7000 B.C. Gobekli Tepe goes back to 12,000 B.C.
Catal Hoyuk still has animal paintings similar to the cave painters,
But, they do have a preoccupation with bulls heads statues,
which we find a cultural continuity with the Minoan bullheads of the late Bronze age culture on the Crete island,
and at Catal Hoyuk, we find the venus figuries,
Curiously, we haven't found these Venus figurines at Gobekli Tepe. Who knows?!
The questions become how do we get from Catel Hoyuk to the Egyptians/Mesopotamians. How about mathematics being the difference between the past cultures before them? Well, it's one major difference.
- Looking up hunter/gatherers, I found the Sentinelese people <--link here, researchers suspect these people are cultural relics of the first Homo Sapiens coming out of Africa almost a hundred thousand years ago. They speak a language that is unclassified.
