fyi, this is just going to be me rambling on about some thoughts. Thoughts that pertain to our world we live in and call home.
1. Life just the fact that we're living. But not only living, but that we have the power to think, to reason, to comprehend. If it weren't for these amazing capabilities that surpass "just living", we would be nothing more than just any other animal. The fact that we have the capacity and potential to learn whatever is out there (that is possible within human limits) astounds me.
2. Math Don't get me wrong. I'm not in love w/ math or anything. But when I start to really think about it, I'm so amazed that everything or anything can be pretty much described by math. With numbers. But oh wait? numbers are finite, with boundaries (excuse my horrible math terminology) but what I mean is for example: in the number sequence 1,2,3,4,5..., 2 does not come RIGHT after 1. in fact theres an infinite amount of numbers between 1 and 2. The fact that we can explain so many phenomena and other things with numbers, up to a certain degree of SigFigs is amazing. It's amazing to me because our world and reality is continuous if you observe things to the tiniest possible. - Fractals. Okay. Honestly, I don't even know what fractals really are, i just remember seeing them around on the web somewhere and it intrigued me. From what I'm understanding, it's some pattern/shape that emerges if you "graph" some crazy math equation? (if someone can enlighten me on what it is thatd be awesome!). I was amazed that it just goes on into infinity if you zoom in, and sometimes the patterns are different, meaning an infinite amount of patterns/shapes, etc. Which brings me to: - infinity. We're stuck in this finite world, with a finite amount of time to live. Everything we do and consume are measured in finite proportions because in our reality, "infinity" is only something we can imagine and not really experience. But the fact that we can imagine it gives me this feeling that it has some special importance for us (and that is where my religious rant will come on later)
3. Music Oh my goodness. No idea how to start here. Imagine if our world had sound, but it wasn't possible for there to be different pitches, keys, notes, etc. We all just talked to each other in the same, boring, tone. The beauty of music really astonishes me in ways I can't even comprehend. And I've heard a lot about how music can be mathematical in a way (most commonly hearing this about classical music), can someone explain this to me? Not sure how music is mathematical, although I do believe it to be true (cuz like I stated above, im sure math can explain pretty much anything)
4. Drugs omg! u serious? yeah, I am. I know drugs are looked down negatively by society, and I'm not arguing against that notion; I understand the negative implications drugs can have on people as individuals and as a society. But I'm a strong believer that safe, and OCCASIONAL recreational drug use can be safe and make for good experiences. There are definitely drugs i would never EVER consider touching, but there are a few handful that I enjoy on a regular basis (wheres all my budsmokers at?? ;D) It's just perplexing to me how different kind of drugs effect you in different ways. Some making things seem so surreal,out of the world, crazy, etc. Sometimes I've wondered if certain things you see while on it (especially hallucinogens) have some kind of significance to life, or if its merely just a product of the drug and your random subconscious. But anyways, here I'll like to pull a quote (or what I can remember) from something I caught on a different forum not too long ago: "If the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness doesn't include the right to experiment (safely) with your own consciousness, then the declaration of independence isn't worth any more than the hemp it was written on" Not sure if it was really written on hemp or not, but it kinda made me smile when I read it.
5. Religion I'm a christian. Whether or not I'm a good christian is up to the judgement of whoever, especially God. I, myself, don't believe I'm living how a christian should be, although I strongly do believe in my faith. And at this point, you may be thinking, wtf?? this guys been talkin about drugs and stuff and is now making a claim that he's a christian? Everyone knows that how you're raised during your childhood has a big impact on your positions over various matters, over your personality, and just plain simply, on you as an individual. I was raised by parents that are both STRONG christians (my dad was a missionary to the old soviet union long time ago, etc), and they both tried their best to keep me and my brother our of trouble, and to get us to grow up according to what they believed to be "right", as justified by the bible. But then came the problem. (Btw, this should be a note for those of you planning to raise children sometime during your life). Being overly strict and restraining on your children during your childhood can either 1. work - your child will grow up "right", however you decide or 2. not work. As in my case. For me, as soon as I was old enough to start living more independently, I became so curious about all these things that I had previously been restricted from, that I just consumed myself in them. And now, I am at a point where I am constantly struggling to identify myself as a person, cuz I stand between my life (friends, family, etc) of "worldy" things vs who I believe I was supposed to be. I still hold on strong that this is just an experimental phase of my life, and I strongly believe that someday I will make the steps necessary to become a good christian.
But from my standpoint, to do that right now, would mean to sacrifice my youth as i understand it. People make the argument to me in church that "no, you can give up all that stuff and still live a fun, fulfilling youth". I'm not saying they're wrong, but really, I can't imagine myself giving up all the things I do right now.
But anyways, I didn't mean for this to necessarily become some kind of religious rant, but here is the BIG picture how I see it. And what I mean is, this is how I believe everything in this world works together (I know, I'm already ready for a flame fest if it occurs).
- I really do believe in God, and that he created everything. - There are many things, that outside from what I'm taught at church, lead me to believe this. For example, I believe since we are "made in his image", we naturally do things that he likes to do. Example: Making laws, rules, punishments/forgiving, emotions, and something kinda weird: So God is like the ultimate engineer right? he created this crazy complex beautiful world, and we try to imitate that power when we make up different worlds in video games, stories, movies, etc. But we will never have the power to make anything truly original. Like, all the worlds we create always have gravity,which is directly biting off of something that's already there ;p - drugs? God made them, yeah. I don't think he intended for us to really use them, or especially abuse them. But I believe there are lessons to learn. How most drugs have a "coming up" and "going down" feeling, I personally believe it relates to life on earth. Enjoying too many of these pleasures of life will ultimately result in the most ultimate, unconceivable down that's not even imaginable ;S
But yeah, wow I just wrote a lot. No, I'm not on anything right now. Just sitting here, supposed to be studying for some finals coming up, but thought I'd finally "attempt" to write down some of these thoughts I've been having in a organized way (I know, definite fail.. haha)
Yeah, so if anyone has any comments,thoughts like these they'd like to share, I'm all ears (or eyes) to listen. These kind of conversations about our world, universe, consciousness, intrigue me =)
Man, you even started off wrong. Your pro-human bias is showing, dawg. Who said being able to reason or comprehend was bigger than life? Why can't an Ant's super strong back be amazing? Or the bioluminescence of deep sea life? STRONG HUMAN BIAS DETECTED.
Going to have to condemn this pro-human propaganda as such. Representatives from the Animal Kingdom will not be pleased, BlueRoyal.
Being overly strict and restraining on your children during your childhood can either 1. work - your child will grow up "right", however you decide or 2. not work.
This I think is a very important thing to be talking about, but I don't really think that it's possible for it to "not work." Every single person grows and matures from how they are nurtured, and I don't think any parent should be able to say that their parenting "failed," because as much as you may want your child to become the best of you and your wife, they won't, which most mature and caring parents will realize. They should be proud of you for whatever you become, because what ever you become is what you decided to become, and a freethinking mind is a healthy mind. However, it's quite possible that the "restraint and strictness" of your parents is based from religion and is enforced in regards to religion, in which case I would have no opinion to offer because it wasn't the case in my household. In regard to general restraints, if you think they were too tight then you were either under-mature in terms of your age, or your parents were trying to make you mature too quickly.
The universe itself is very beautiful, but you have to be careful to not be caught up in your awe. Infinity is not un-experiencable, and to be honest it really is quite finite. I mean just because 2^n=x could equal an infinite number of products doesn't mean that whenever n=2, x will equal 4, or when n=3 x will equal 8. We have the capacity to fully explore all possibilities in the 2^n=x scenario, which is why I don't like your connection of religion to infinity. Same with life and thought, we are all merely moving, thinking, and feeling organic power plants, there isn't anything truly inexplicable about it unless you approach the subject with ignorance.
On June 04 2010 17:30 krndandaman wrote: hope you find a day where you can proudly look at yourself and go "yeah this is how a christian should be"
I and many others struggle with that problem as well, the christian life is tough yo
and yes, life is beautiful.
Yeah... Its really tough for people to pick out what ever parts of the bible please that them and anything in the bible that is proven wrong turns into a metaphor.
I agree completely on some points and disagree completely on other points.
But thats cool cuz its all part of being human ganja for life bro
(also music is mathematical in pretty much the same way as everything else, just look at tones produced by (co)sinewaves, the fact that you can objectively measure pitch,tone, etc.)
some points are good i knew you were into drugs before you even mentioned it it is pretty easy to see that but the more i live and know the more i find out christians are hipocrites..im not saying you are but its like something i heard in the simpsons.. yeah the old simpsons.. cristianity is that religion with the great rules that dont really apply in everydaylife..
you can try to follow your christian rules but in the end there are people more religious or as religious than you that commit very sinfull acts and they are the head of the chuch (im a catholic supposedly ).. that is why i cant declare myself a christian because i know i cant follow those rules and becouse i dont want to.. im not a bad guy but i cant go accuseing anybody o anything.. i dont really belive in the afterlife so for me if you confront someone about their how not religious they are is a bad thing......
i know i would sound really biased but i go to a Christian catholic university.. ive had theology classes and i got a 9 in the final exam so i could eaven go toe to toe with you about the bible but i dont want to cause you any trouble.. just try to know that the good you feel is in your head
- I really do believe in God, and that he created everything.
You lost me there.
Arrogant/Closed minded atheists are equally as annoying as fundamentalist super conservative Christians. Not to say that you're one of them >_>... -_-;;;
On June 04 2010 17:36 Ronald_McD wrote: You forgot one.
6. Sex Most men and women are at least partially obsessed with sex. Maybe that's a little inappropriate, but I think it's not anymore uncalled for than "drugs".
- I really do believe in God, and that he created everything.
You lost me there.
Arrogant/Closed minded atheists are equally as annoying as fundamentalist super conservative Christians. Not to say that you're one of them >_>... -_-;;;
well he probably didnt "stop" there he just read the rest and assumed that this guy is an christian that believes humans were "created" 10,000 years ago.
im an athiest, but i dont care too much if anyone believes in god, as long as they share with me that evolution caused us, i dont mind if they think that god created everything roughly 13 billion years ago. just people who believe we were put here 10k years ago and lived with dinosaurs etc is beyond me... As a thiest i know there isnt anyway of proving the start of the universe with say the "big bang" theory as the moment. but its what i choose to believe. and on a sidenote, christian people are probably the "religion" i get on best with.
anwyay i dont want this to turn into a Thiest vs Athiest thing
I wanted to first comment here on fractals Mathematics is actually the only proof of the world. myself being a mathematician shall try to enlighten you on the topic of fractals.
A fractal is "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole.
This appears all over nature, nothing in nature is made up of straight lines. clouds, plants mountains are all examples of fractals.
Id prefer to show you an example instead of writing about it as its easier to see from
The link above will take you to two examples, the serpinki's triangle and barnsleys fern, hopefully you will understand the triangle method and then apply the same thought process to the fern.
The most famous example is the mandlebrot set, if u look at the page above and scroll down there are 14 or so images, if you look at them you will notice alot of similarities and see the original image within them, and it doesnt matter how far you zoom in there will still be more of the mandlebrots just smaller and smaller.
EPT
ganja for life bro
