Big Think

Mary Coyote commented on re: C.S.Lewis' essay: "The Weight of Glory" on December 30, 2008, 4:32 PM

HerbieP:Is there anything wrong with interpretation? Someone has to be the translator of physicist geekspeak. Is that YOU? Will you enlighten us on just what a quantum view of the universe means to our personal lives? Will you plant the quantum seed within the human heart?Or are you locked down in a Modernism's world, only able to able to describe life after you have eviscerated the specimen and pronounced that the soul was not found, therefore it does not exist? That only cold science as a consistent layering of dry facts exists as a real thing?This is a post-Modern world; the focusing upon the purity of things, including science, or the purity of a vast multi-million dollar canvas of solid blue paint, is OBSOLETE. This is not your grandpa's 50's era Oldsmobile. Think fuel cell powered Smart car.And I believe previous discussions here and on Huffington seemed to indicate that Schroeder's cat is still relevant, so the observer is still necessary, albeit not popular. If you are able to argue otherwise, I welcome your essay.But the point is not which faction of quantum scientists are leading the pack, but that, no matter how closely science looks at the universe, we find that it is composed of 'mostly nothing.' That at its most basic levels, it is a magical or even god-like place, spinning up matter as if it was an illusion, or, even as religions will tell us, created out of nothingness. Or that everything may be simply harmonics, even as many mythologies tell us how the universe was created out of the spoken word, Logos, or a SONG. I agree that Science and Reason are not religions, but TOOLS: a way to set some coordinates so we don't get lost in airy fairyness. And I suggest a NEW FAITH ARGUMENT that is based upon the foundation of science which sews together disparate elements that can be found in the world's religions and mythologies which fit upon this solid foundation. This means that our faith will ever evolve as our understanding of science evolves, but it does NOT mean that our faith will be restricted by reason (except to curb excessive airy fairy). It means that reason will act as a springboard to launch faith soaring into our spiritual understanding of consciousness. So yes, interpretation is necessary (which means it ever needs clarification, so an open faith), but this faith is valid relevant and based upon reason.

Mary Coyote commented on re: C.S.Lewis' essay: "The Weight of Glory" on December 30, 2008, 7:26 AM

pokoj:What can I say? Where do I start? What do I mean when I say airy fairy? I mean that there has to be a rational logic of some sort to your's or Lewis' beliefs. I will not accept a kingdom built on air and fluff and smoke and mirrors or a big pile of pretty words. I don't buy into psychobabble. The problem with typical religious belief such as Christianity and new age fluff is that it is circular logic constantly turning and churning up a lot of smoke and dust obscuring the view. Show me a foundation, a framework, and a roof, or I will not see your temple.I need to SEE. You need to critically analyze and deconstruct your own faith BEFORE you can explain it to me, but you MUST use a rational language or all these puffs of smoke are lost. I have posted that I believe faith and reason to be incompatible, unless the faith is built upon a foundation of reason. I think that you and Lewis are walking the same path: you are looking elsewhere for your faith; the Christian faith is too restrictive. The two of you are wedding new age airy fairy with Christianity. 'Look!' the two of you shout in unison, 'The Bride of Christ!''I don't think so,' the coyote commented dryly.Rather than 'a good example of the many windows Christianity can be viewed through,' I think that Christianity is merely another dirty window that only allows those who believe to gaze upon spirituality. It is real because you believe it. Remember your quantum lessons? It IS REAL when you believe it.But instead I want coordinates and I find them in this amazing science, which provides a measured, plumbed, and tested foundation upon which to raise up a temple to the goddess. Faith built upon reason. Faith I can SEE. This is faith I can lick with my tongue and taste it.Sorry that was a bit rude. More later

Mary Coyote commented on re: C.S.Lewis' essay: "The Weight of Glory" on December 30, 2008, 6:32 AM

This paragraph replaces the damaged one below:It almost sounded like you were speaking of consciousness dwelling inside 'things' ('things are places to exist'), or that matter (what-we-think-is-real) is actually what allows or generates consciousness. Or vice versa, or whatever, because I really cannot catch the drifting of your wind only the echoes of my mind.

Mary Coyote commented on re: C.S.Lewis' essay: "The Weight of Glory" on December 30, 2008, 6:28 AM

Resonator: Gee you can get airy fairy also.....While I could not begin to understand you or accept your logic, I do not necessarily find that we contradict.It almost sounded like you were speaking of consciousness dwelling inside %u201Cthings%u201D (%u201Cthings are places to exist%u201D), or that matter (what-we-think-is-real) is actually what allows or generates consciousness. Or vice versa, or whatever, because I really cannot catch the drifting of your wind only the echoes of my mind.But if that is indeed what you were suggesting, that consciousness is a property and/or a necessity of matter and which quantum science seems to bear out, then: the larger the thing, the more the possibility of possession of consciousness. And if that is so, then we are in agreement concerning my thesis that the Sun is our god, our father in heaven, a conscious creator god that sees everything we do. Doesn't quantum science a delicious holy book make? So who needs fluffy religious poetry or drug addled fantasy* to explain the universe, creation, and god when we have this amazing SCIENCE !!!---------Note:(* Now I don't mean to trouble those who use psychotropic substances for their holy purposes, given, for example,sacred or magic mushrooms deliver what can be described as quantum experiences of the universe and marijuana can generate lasting spiritual experiences.)

Mary Coyote commented on re: C.S.Lewis' essay: "The Weight of Glory" on December 28, 2008, 11:51 PM

pokoj posted:"Lewis is arguing that god exists solely in the quantum world, or in the Big Bang that originated this universe rather than in the real here and now." Why do you say this? ~Because he writes of a very airy fairy god; of a very fluffy consciousness, and I would rather use our understanding of the universe - science - as a microscope to look for god rather than someone else's fluffy poetry. At least in this way we can set some coordinates.And because I am learning to trust my own intuition rather than someone else's. So when I read your Lewis posting, my intuition immediately converted his poetry into the quantum world and, you know what? It fit.~Thank you all for your kind comments. I find BigThink too hard to use, and not enough users to grind against, and hope their new beta greatly improves on this. It drives me nuts that every time I close and open the page, I get a completely different page. Or email tells me that about a certain topic of the week, but upon opening BigThink, that theme is nowhere to be found!!! Like wtf?Not only this, but most of you folks are a lot more educated than me (although I love to nip at the heels of the lofty), I am naught more than a dusty old coyote.I post at the Huffington Post News headlines which has recently achieved immense popularity. I have been working hard there to argue the Obama case and did not have extra time for BigThink. Sorry. (did you see my harpy criticisms of Arianna Huffington on this site?)And my people have just set up a blog for me to fill which I am currently looking at as a blank page and freaking out. I really want to develop the Coyote mythological character (as I have begun on Huffy), not so much as Trickster, but as FirstMother, or goddess, but don't know where to start. Nice to see you all here again. Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year also. Cheers!