04-17-2004, 01:02 PM
The complexity of the universe is something we wonder at. To renouce to study it and say it is the product of a God is to lose the opportunity to learn many exciting and interesting things. It would be like finding a strange ticking object and instead of trying to open it up to see how it ticks (the first step to some form of understanding) we propped it up on some pedestal and kneeled to pray the work of magic or sign of some god.<br>
<br>
As I see it, Swiss watch-makers are quite natural and evolution gave man the useful ability to plan and make even a watch. Ah we humans have an intense need and talent for story-telling and purpose-searching as these ways of looking at the world have proved to be extremely useful. Having a plan, a purpose, a "story" in mind, is what made our ancestors survive; we had the ability to plan, imagine scenarios, plan and make tools, all with a purpose.<br>
<br>
Humans love stories and look for purpose all the times, to the point of creating to the delight of readers and art appreciators: we are programmed to search for purpose as it is essential to survive physically and mentally. How dreadful it is to feel to be without a purpose. This nature of ours is not perfect and does not come without a risk (price). The risk we run (price we pay) is that we easily lose sense of proportions and stick to a story even when it has proved to be falacious on a practical level. The mental level is not to be underestimated and I do not underestimate its power. A neurotic person sticks obsessively to a plan (ritual).<br>
<br>
Our nature can get us into big trouble. Why are we prone to getting into trouble? Evidently our believing MUST be asymmetrical: we come to believe far easier than dis-believing. We are less flexible than what most would like to admit. We are stubborn. Think about it. Imagine those times our ancestors performed more effectively by sticking to a plan, at least initially, rather than stuck to inactivity by paranoia and be side-tracked by doubts. A healthier approach is to act according to some plan, even if the risk is that the plan be a bad one, and if necessary, and lucky(!), modify the plan as new information flows in. Notice the irony. New information is a by-product of action. No information will arrive if no action is taken. So plans, stories, are necessary as they give us a feeling of purpose and we act. For them to work this way they have to be robust and the person should not drop them to paralysis (catatonic) at the first boo. Asymmetry!<br>
<br>
Jeff<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=goffredo>goffredo</A> at: 4/17/04 3:09 pm<br></i>
<br>
As I see it, Swiss watch-makers are quite natural and evolution gave man the useful ability to plan and make even a watch. Ah we humans have an intense need and talent for story-telling and purpose-searching as these ways of looking at the world have proved to be extremely useful. Having a plan, a purpose, a "story" in mind, is what made our ancestors survive; we had the ability to plan, imagine scenarios, plan and make tools, all with a purpose.<br>
<br>
Humans love stories and look for purpose all the times, to the point of creating to the delight of readers and art appreciators: we are programmed to search for purpose as it is essential to survive physically and mentally. How dreadful it is to feel to be without a purpose. This nature of ours is not perfect and does not come without a risk (price). The risk we run (price we pay) is that we easily lose sense of proportions and stick to a story even when it has proved to be falacious on a practical level. The mental level is not to be underestimated and I do not underestimate its power. A neurotic person sticks obsessively to a plan (ritual).<br>
<br>
Our nature can get us into big trouble. Why are we prone to getting into trouble? Evidently our believing MUST be asymmetrical: we come to believe far easier than dis-believing. We are less flexible than what most would like to admit. We are stubborn. Think about it. Imagine those times our ancestors performed more effectively by sticking to a plan, at least initially, rather than stuck to inactivity by paranoia and be side-tracked by doubts. A healthier approach is to act according to some plan, even if the risk is that the plan be a bad one, and if necessary, and lucky(!), modify the plan as new information flows in. Notice the irony. New information is a by-product of action. No information will arrive if no action is taken. So plans, stories, are necessary as they give us a feeling of purpose and we act. For them to work this way they have to be robust and the person should not drop them to paralysis (catatonic) at the first boo. Asymmetry!<br>
<br>
Jeff<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=goffredo>goffredo</A> at: 4/17/04 3:09 pm<br></i>
Jeffery Wyss
"Si vos es non secui of solutio tunc vos es secui of preciptate."
"Si vos es non secui of solutio tunc vos es secui of preciptate."
