Would I support the development of a "bionic" person?
First off, I believe that any such decisions are beyond my control, and that it is largely irrelevant what my individual opinions on any such matter are. Secondly, I think increased demand for continuing augmentation of our physical and mental capabilities is inevitable - again, regardless of what I think. I think we already see it frequently in our world - pacemakers, artificial knees and hips, Lasik surgery, dental implants, even steroids and HGH in the physical realm, while substances like vitamins, minerals, herbs, and pharmaceuticals such as Ritalin to improve the cognitive aspect. We seem to be fond of anything that gains us an edge. While perhaps none of these really seem like true "bionic" advances, I would think they are on the spectrum.
Would I support it? I think we need to encourage every person to make the best possible choices they can, to honor that responsibility in each of us, regardless of what I as an individual agree or disagree with. (Sorry for the long, rambling, and roundabout answer...guess I'm trying to say that I can't generally say one way or another - I would think it really depends on context.)
How would I rate "the control of artificial limbs by thought alone"?
Pretty rad - if kind of creepy. But what a godsend it must be for people who are disabled, or even those paralyzed if one day we can reboot that connectivity.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Week 11: Energy Medicine and Energy Fields
Acupuncture as Energy Medicine
Acupuncture seems to be an energetic-based system. At the same time it is also physical medicine. Best of both worlds! So versatile. But isn't everything physical just really dense energy anyways? So purely physical medicine could be considered energy medicine in a sense as well, although it would seem to lack the versatility of accessing that energy in a less-dense form.
And yes, it seems rather effective as an energy medicine! (I just noticed that the blog assignment actually had "Effective" in there.) It seems to provide tools for accessing that energy, even if we are unable to do so directly on our own.
What conclusions can you draw from Kirlian photography?
They're nice and colorful! Hopefully I will have a better idea after our little field trip on Wednesday...
Human intent as it affects health
As the old saying goes, "mind over matter". Although as with anything, I think it really depends on the person - I would think some people are more easily affected by their minds, while others not so much. But generally I think the power of our minds seems to be underestimated, and undervalued - so it is not used to its fullest extent, even in health and healing.
Acupuncture seems to be an energetic-based system. At the same time it is also physical medicine. Best of both worlds! So versatile. But isn't everything physical just really dense energy anyways? So purely physical medicine could be considered energy medicine in a sense as well, although it would seem to lack the versatility of accessing that energy in a less-dense form.
And yes, it seems rather effective as an energy medicine! (I just noticed that the blog assignment actually had "Effective" in there.) It seems to provide tools for accessing that energy, even if we are unable to do so directly on our own.
What conclusions can you draw from Kirlian photography?
They're nice and colorful! Hopefully I will have a better idea after our little field trip on Wednesday...
Human intent as it affects health
As the old saying goes, "mind over matter". Although as with anything, I think it really depends on the person - I would think some people are more easily affected by their minds, while others not so much. But generally I think the power of our minds seems to be underestimated, and undervalued - so it is not used to its fullest extent, even in health and healing.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Week 10: Life and Living Systems
I know I'm a "living system" because...
every morning when I open my eyes, I experience sensory input and output. Light, temperature, sensation, breath, sound of the alarm, thoughts, memories...all come slowly flooding in. And that's not to say that my dreams don't seem as real at the time, there just seems to be something missing there, something I can't easily put my finger on...
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine
They both could be called the science of life, and of living systems. They both deal with the microcosm within the macrocosm. They both look at the whole, living system rather than just reductionistic pieces. Good stuff.
every morning when I open my eyes, I experience sensory input and output. Light, temperature, sensation, breath, sound of the alarm, thoughts, memories...all come slowly flooding in. And that's not to say that my dreams don't seem as real at the time, there just seems to be something missing there, something I can't easily put my finger on...
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine
They both could be called the science of life, and of living systems. They both deal with the microcosm within the macrocosm. They both look at the whole, living system rather than just reductionistic pieces. Good stuff.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Week 9: Towards a New Synthesis
My E-Prime Day
(I got up. I got ready for the day. The sun was shining. I headed off to work. I worked, I ate, I played. I came home and did my homework. Early to bed...)
"My body that I seem to inhabit appeared to shift from a horizontal position to a vertical one. I appeared to scrub myself clean and put on layers one by one. Electromagnetic radiation seemed to emanate from a point in the sky onto my bodily senses. I appeared to motor on down the blackrock surface. I seemed to make the moves that brought in the money, put veggies down my gullet, the corners of my mouth streaked up and I seemed to make chortling sounds. I appeared to retrace my steps in the opposite direction as this morning, arriving right where I started from, and appeared to push buttons on this shiny metallic thing, ending with the one labeled 'enter return'. Zzzz...zzzz...the hands pointed not yet to 10 and 12."
Ok, no idea if that is at all legit or what...
Can I synthesize East and West?
Throw in North and South there as well, and you can get the NEWS. Well, it is duality, East and West, two polar and complementary aspects of a unified whole - the idea of yin yang...although that is an Eastern concept, not necessarily readily embraced by the West. So...not easily done. Still working on it.
(I got up. I got ready for the day. The sun was shining. I headed off to work. I worked, I ate, I played. I came home and did my homework. Early to bed...)
"My body that I seem to inhabit appeared to shift from a horizontal position to a vertical one. I appeared to scrub myself clean and put on layers one by one. Electromagnetic radiation seemed to emanate from a point in the sky onto my bodily senses. I appeared to motor on down the blackrock surface. I seemed to make the moves that brought in the money, put veggies down my gullet, the corners of my mouth streaked up and I seemed to make chortling sounds. I appeared to retrace my steps in the opposite direction as this morning, arriving right where I started from, and appeared to push buttons on this shiny metallic thing, ending with the one labeled 'enter return'. Zzzz...zzzz...the hands pointed not yet to 10 and 12."
Ok, no idea if that is at all legit or what...
Can I synthesize East and West?
Throw in North and South there as well, and you can get the NEWS. Well, it is duality, East and West, two polar and complementary aspects of a unified whole - the idea of yin yang...although that is an Eastern concept, not necessarily readily embraced by the West. So...not easily done. Still working on it.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Week 8: Classical Physics
First Off A Little Study Break!
Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMsO5DVz_0A
He doesn't actually start playing billiards until Part 3 of 3, but there are pentagrams and jam sessions to start off with...a rather fun, and perhaps somewhat un-Disneylike, excursion into the magical world of math.
Now back to our regular programming...
Newton's Three Laws and me
Interestingly enough, Newton's three laws always make me think of driving in a car. I say interestingly enough because, so far as I am aware, there were no cars around in Newton's day.
The first law - the law of inertia - implies that without a net force, I am either at rest in my car, or my car is moving forward at a constant velocity.
The second law - f=ma - implies that the force applied to my car and me, in this case sort of by my foot, produces a proportional acceleration.
The third law - for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction - (which, btw, to me has to be one of the most important, well-known, little nuggets of concise wisdom, up there along with Kong Zi's "Do unto others as you would have them do unto") - makes me think of two cars colliding head on, although not necessarily my car. Or perhaps the space shuttle lifting off. Which again was not around in Sir Newton's time.
Our "Energy Efficient" Culture
Perhaps energy is never wasted, just converted into another form, such as heat, but I find it hard to believe that our culture is energy efficient when there are so many stores and restaurants that one goes into that have the AC turned up so high that it is freezing inside, whether it is hot or even just moderate outside, as is often the case here. Just boggles my mind.
Descartes has a lot to answer for!
Yes! His ideas that the body is like a machine, that there is a separation of mind and body, and that animals feel no pain all continue to have significant impacts on our medicine and science to this present day.
Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMsO5DVz_0A
He doesn't actually start playing billiards until Part 3 of 3, but there are pentagrams and jam sessions to start off with...a rather fun, and perhaps somewhat un-Disneylike, excursion into the magical world of math.
Now back to our regular programming...
Newton's Three Laws and me
Interestingly enough, Newton's three laws always make me think of driving in a car. I say interestingly enough because, so far as I am aware, there were no cars around in Newton's day.
The first law - the law of inertia - implies that without a net force, I am either at rest in my car, or my car is moving forward at a constant velocity.
The second law - f=ma - implies that the force applied to my car and me, in this case sort of by my foot, produces a proportional acceleration.
The third law - for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction - (which, btw, to me has to be one of the most important, well-known, little nuggets of concise wisdom, up there along with Kong Zi's "Do unto others as you would have them do unto") - makes me think of two cars colliding head on, although not necessarily my car. Or perhaps the space shuttle lifting off. Which again was not around in Sir Newton's time.
Our "Energy Efficient" Culture
Perhaps energy is never wasted, just converted into another form, such as heat, but I find it hard to believe that our culture is energy efficient when there are so many stores and restaurants that one goes into that have the AC turned up so high that it is freezing inside, whether it is hot or even just moderate outside, as is often the case here. Just boggles my mind.
Descartes has a lot to answer for!
Yes! His ideas that the body is like a machine, that there is a separation of mind and body, and that animals feel no pain all continue to have significant impacts on our medicine and science to this present day.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Week 7: Chaos Theory
"Ordered Chaos" - does this sound familiar?
I'm sure my family would say this describes me very well - perhaps the microcosm within the macrocosm...
Fractals as patterns of complex systems
Amazing how fractals' perimeters keep getting infinitely larger as you zoom in, yet the area is finite - worlds within worlds. And even more amazing how that applies to coastlines, mountains, clouds, and even turbulence - crazy.
Consciousness out of chaos?
Consciousness has to arise out of somewhere, and sooner or later all that chaos has to lead to something clicking together...
"Cool experiment"
We checked out the spoons one night at dinner while waiting for food...everyone was surprised! The convex side (back) has the rightside-up image, while the concave (inside bowl) side gives you the upside-down one. We theorized that because of the shape of the spoon, the image is inverted because your chin reflects off the top part that is facing it, while your forehead reflects off the bottom that is opposite - hence an upside-down image.
And while we did not have any actual balls of two different sizes, we theorized about that experiment as well, about what would happen if you had two identical balls, and what would happen if you changed the diameter (increased air drag) or the mass (greater pull of gravity) of the balls...
I'm sure my family would say this describes me very well - perhaps the microcosm within the macrocosm...
Fractals as patterns of complex systems
Amazing how fractals' perimeters keep getting infinitely larger as you zoom in, yet the area is finite - worlds within worlds. And even more amazing how that applies to coastlines, mountains, clouds, and even turbulence - crazy.
Consciousness out of chaos?
Consciousness has to arise out of somewhere, and sooner or later all that chaos has to lead to something clicking together...
"Cool experiment"
We checked out the spoons one night at dinner while waiting for food...everyone was surprised! The convex side (back) has the rightside-up image, while the concave (inside bowl) side gives you the upside-down one. We theorized that because of the shape of the spoon, the image is inverted because your chin reflects off the top part that is facing it, while your forehead reflects off the bottom that is opposite - hence an upside-down image.
And while we did not have any actual balls of two different sizes, we theorized about that experiment as well, about what would happen if you had two identical balls, and what would happen if you changed the diameter (increased air drag) or the mass (greater pull of gravity) of the balls...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Week 6: Vibrations
Are all vibrations "good"?
Invoking the theory of relativity, it depends upon the viewpoint of the observer. I believe vibrations are just that, vibrations, with no attached judgment, until witnessed by an observer. The "good" or "bad" tag is placed there by the observer, such as the being who witnesses an earthquake.
Resonance in my world
Being Back in the Bay: I had left San Francisco, which I loved, but was still searching for "home", and just needed to get out of the city, and ended up going to school in Nelson, British Columbia. Nelson is an amazing place, but I just never totally felt at home. After school I settled on Portland, Oregon, it seemed like a good place. But I never really felt at home there either, and before too long I realized that I missed the Bay Area. And now that I am back, I am soooo much happier. And the best way that I have been able to explain it, is just that on a vibrational level, California, and more specifically San Francisco and the Bay Area, just resonate that much more with me. I can give other, more apparent reasons, but ultimately, that is what I feel is the underlying explanation. Must be all those rumblings in the ground...
Connections I can make between Energy and Qi?
Going back to relativity, if in E=mc2
E is energy,
m is mass, and
c is the speed of light, squared
and also knowing that
Qi is the commander of Blood, and
Blood is the mother of Qi
then couldn't one substitue
Qi for energy,
Blood for mass, and come up with
Qi = Blood x c2?
I sure think so :o)
Invoking the theory of relativity, it depends upon the viewpoint of the observer. I believe vibrations are just that, vibrations, with no attached judgment, until witnessed by an observer. The "good" or "bad" tag is placed there by the observer, such as the being who witnesses an earthquake.
Resonance in my world
Being Back in the Bay: I had left San Francisco, which I loved, but was still searching for "home", and just needed to get out of the city, and ended up going to school in Nelson, British Columbia. Nelson is an amazing place, but I just never totally felt at home. After school I settled on Portland, Oregon, it seemed like a good place. But I never really felt at home there either, and before too long I realized that I missed the Bay Area. And now that I am back, I am soooo much happier. And the best way that I have been able to explain it, is just that on a vibrational level, California, and more specifically San Francisco and the Bay Area, just resonate that much more with me. I can give other, more apparent reasons, but ultimately, that is what I feel is the underlying explanation. Must be all those rumblings in the ground...
Connections I can make between Energy and Qi?
Going back to relativity, if in E=mc2
E is energy,
m is mass, and
c is the speed of light, squared
and also knowing that
Qi is the commander of Blood, and
Blood is the mother of Qi
then couldn't one substitue
Qi for energy,
Blood for mass, and come up with
Qi = Blood x c2?
I sure think so :o)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Week 5: Symmetry and Sacred Geometry
My (a)symmetrical world
My world is feeling very upside down right now...yet still strangely symmetrical. But perhaps upon further observation, it is perhaps an imperfect symmetry - would that make it a perfect asymmetry? But what then would be an imperfect asymmetry?
Just what does this "CP violation" really mean?
Um...distinguishing past from future? Since the kaon decays differently in a universe where time runs backward? Alan Lightman's "Einstein's Dreams", anyone?
Are there connections between Sacred Geometry and Physics?
Sure...the Golden Mean or Ratio and Fibonacci, fractals and Mandelbrot, ...
My world is feeling very upside down right now...yet still strangely symmetrical. But perhaps upon further observation, it is perhaps an imperfect symmetry - would that make it a perfect asymmetry? But what then would be an imperfect asymmetry?
Just what does this "CP violation" really mean?
Um...distinguishing past from future? Since the kaon decays differently in a universe where time runs backward? Alan Lightman's "Einstein's Dreams", anyone?
Are there connections between Sacred Geometry and Physics?
Sure...the Golden Mean or Ratio and Fibonacci, fractals and Mandelbrot, ...
Monday, February 8, 2010
Week 4: Energy, Matter and the Four Forces
How has e=mc2 affected me?
Not as much as I realize yet...I never made that conscious connection, the implications of that well-known equation that I learned back in high school, with what I've been learning the last number of years, that our physical beings are actually made of light and energy. Still working on wrapping my mind around that one...
How would I compare the four "forces"?
gravity, weak nuclear force, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force.
weak, strong (but sluggish), stronger, strongest.
observable, esoteric/out there, somewhat observable, way out there (although it is actually way in there).
but all appear to be perfectly balanced...
What is the function of gravity?
To keep us grounded - literally. Keeps us from floating off into the ether. Gives us a home base to explore from. And keeps us in check. Also allows matter to clump together, enabling stars to be born.
And some random thoughts from class...
Regarding the discussion of fermions, and how our feet and the floor are essentially empty space...but the floor pushes back against our feet...made me wonder if something like that is being harnessed when the old masters easily throw off the younger students with barely a shrug.
And from a few weeks ago: is Qi a wave...or a particle?
Not as much as I realize yet...I never made that conscious connection, the implications of that well-known equation that I learned back in high school, with what I've been learning the last number of years, that our physical beings are actually made of light and energy. Still working on wrapping my mind around that one...
How would I compare the four "forces"?
gravity, weak nuclear force, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force.
weak, strong (but sluggish), stronger, strongest.
observable, esoteric/out there, somewhat observable, way out there (although it is actually way in there).
but all appear to be perfectly balanced...
What is the function of gravity?
To keep us grounded - literally. Keeps us from floating off into the ether. Gives us a home base to explore from. And keeps us in check. Also allows matter to clump together, enabling stars to be born.
And some random thoughts from class...
Regarding the discussion of fermions, and how our feet and the floor are essentially empty space...but the floor pushes back against our feet...made me wonder if something like that is being harnessed when the old masters easily throw off the younger students with barely a shrug.
And from a few weeks ago: is Qi a wave...or a particle?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Week 3: Synchronicity
What evidence can I find for synchronicity?
Hmmm, anecdotal evidence...Last Wednesday, we received a fax about a patient who was being referred to our clinic, and I recognized the name of the referring acupuncturist, someone I had first met years ago, before she even went to TCM school. When she called to confirm, I said hello and we chatted about life, including our mutual friend through whom we know each other, and it dawned on me that that friend, whom I hadn't thought about in ages, had totally been in my dream the night before. Random coincidence? Perhaps. Making life interesting? Definitely.
Based on what I know, how would I explain connectivity?
Perhaps Qi - which is basically "relationship", perhaps more so than "energy". (One of my teachers always said that "energy" was a western Physics term, and not an acceptable definition of Qi.) Connectivity can be the obvious, but also the hidden matrix lying underneath the surface. It seems we can catch glimpses of it at the very least, as long as we are open to seeing it.
Or perhaps gravity is a form of connectivity?
Hmmm, anecdotal evidence...Last Wednesday, we received a fax about a patient who was being referred to our clinic, and I recognized the name of the referring acupuncturist, someone I had first met years ago, before she even went to TCM school. When she called to confirm, I said hello and we chatted about life, including our mutual friend through whom we know each other, and it dawned on me that that friend, whom I hadn't thought about in ages, had totally been in my dream the night before. Random coincidence? Perhaps. Making life interesting? Definitely.
Based on what I know, how would I explain connectivity?
Perhaps Qi - which is basically "relationship", perhaps more so than "energy". (One of my teachers always said that "energy" was a western Physics term, and not an acceptable definition of Qi.) Connectivity can be the obvious, but also the hidden matrix lying underneath the surface. It seems we can catch glimpses of it at the very least, as long as we are open to seeing it.
Or perhaps gravity is a form of connectivity?
Monday, January 25, 2010
Week 2: Quantum Mechanics
My Reflections on Uncertainty
I am pretty certain that there is a lot of uncertainty! Or wait, does it only seem so to me, and I just can't know what is beyond the facade and underneath the unknown?
Whenever I have thought I was convinced of something in the past, it eventually changed. Even the things I now hold true, even after all this awareness of the changing nature of things, are liable to change. So now I try to keep more of an open mind and be less sure of things...that much I do know!
Some things we just can't know - so yes, I believe there is lots of uncertainty in our world!
My Comments on Causality
Sometimes (always? again, that whole uncertainty thing!) things are brought about by other things, especially in the physical world. Things might seem random, but they don't spontaneously arise out of nothing. One thing causes another...
But perhaps on a quantum level, things can arise out of nothing, there doesn't seem to need to be a linear cause and effect. But in the physical world I can't think of anything off of the top of my head that is not due to some cause, even if an unknown one...hmmm
Is the Universe weird?
If one is in Portland, Oregon, then yes, absolutely. And if you don't believe me, all you have to do is glance at all those bumper stickers that proclaim, "Keep Portland Weird!" Rock on Universe.
I am pretty certain that there is a lot of uncertainty! Or wait, does it only seem so to me, and I just can't know what is beyond the facade and underneath the unknown?
Whenever I have thought I was convinced of something in the past, it eventually changed. Even the things I now hold true, even after all this awareness of the changing nature of things, are liable to change. So now I try to keep more of an open mind and be less sure of things...that much I do know!
Some things we just can't know - so yes, I believe there is lots of uncertainty in our world!
My Comments on Causality
Sometimes (always? again, that whole uncertainty thing!) things are brought about by other things, especially in the physical world. Things might seem random, but they don't spontaneously arise out of nothing. One thing causes another...
But perhaps on a quantum level, things can arise out of nothing, there doesn't seem to need to be a linear cause and effect. But in the physical world I can't think of anything off of the top of my head that is not due to some cause, even if an unknown one...hmmm
Is the Universe weird?
If one is in Portland, Oregon, then yes, absolutely. And if you don't believe me, all you have to do is glance at all those bumper stickers that proclaim, "Keep Portland Weird!" Rock on Universe.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Week 1: The Meaning of Time
What attracts me to Chinese medicine?
The inter-connectedness of it, its naturalistic view, that it seems to make sense - its simplicity at times. A lens to look at the world thru, both inner and outer. It resonates, what else can I say!
What do I honestly think of Physics, really?
Quite fascinating, in daily behind-the-scenes application, even if not enough to delve into it on a deeper level - as long as you don't count philosophizing about physics at the end of a late night gazing at the stars. I must admit I have bought 2 physics books in the past decade: "Who's Afraid of Schrödinger's Cat: An A-to-Z Guide to All the New Science Ideas You Need to Keep Up with the New Thinking" and "The Physics of Superheroes" (did I really just admit that?) But at the same time, Physics is the only science class I did not take all those years ago along with all the other required ones - guess I was kind of hoping I wouldn't end up in California and wouldn't need to take it after all...
Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time "slowing down" or "speeding up"?
Time flies when you're having fun (or as Kermit the Frog said, "Time's fun when you're having flies.") And when you are waiting for something it just tends to drag on painfully slow. But if I just forget about all that and just take in the moment, moment rolling into moment, none of that waiting really matters. It just kind of fades away...at least ideally.
My Reflections on This Week's Class - The Meaning of Time
Time boggles my mind. Time seems to be a point in space - as in right now - but then it also seems linear - as in I know those things happened in the past. There is also a future - or at least I expect there to be one. But ultimately, what's important is what I am experiencing right now. But what happened before time started, and what will be after time stops...I guess it all depends on your point of observation.
What I found really interesting is that our modern concept of time only began with the advent of train travel. I don't think I had ever given much thought to where timekeeping came from. I had always grown up with clocks, it didn't seem unusual. It seemed like that had been going on for quite some time (ha, no pun intended)...it boggles my mind to think that our obsession with scheduling is such a recent phenomenon.
Class also made me think of a Søren Kierkegaard quote: "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
The inter-connectedness of it, its naturalistic view, that it seems to make sense - its simplicity at times. A lens to look at the world thru, both inner and outer. It resonates, what else can I say!
What do I honestly think of Physics, really?
Quite fascinating, in daily behind-the-scenes application, even if not enough to delve into it on a deeper level - as long as you don't count philosophizing about physics at the end of a late night gazing at the stars. I must admit I have bought 2 physics books in the past decade: "Who's Afraid of Schrödinger's Cat: An A-to-Z Guide to All the New Science Ideas You Need to Keep Up with the New Thinking" and "The Physics of Superheroes" (did I really just admit that?) But at the same time, Physics is the only science class I did not take all those years ago along with all the other required ones - guess I was kind of hoping I wouldn't end up in California and wouldn't need to take it after all...
Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time "slowing down" or "speeding up"?
Time flies when you're having fun (or as Kermit the Frog said, "Time's fun when you're having flies.") And when you are waiting for something it just tends to drag on painfully slow. But if I just forget about all that and just take in the moment, moment rolling into moment, none of that waiting really matters. It just kind of fades away...at least ideally.
My Reflections on This Week's Class - The Meaning of Time
Time boggles my mind. Time seems to be a point in space - as in right now - but then it also seems linear - as in I know those things happened in the past. There is also a future - or at least I expect there to be one. But ultimately, what's important is what I am experiencing right now. But what happened before time started, and what will be after time stops...I guess it all depends on your point of observation.
What I found really interesting is that our modern concept of time only began with the advent of train travel. I don't think I had ever given much thought to where timekeeping came from. I had always grown up with clocks, it didn't seem unusual. It seemed like that had been going on for quite some time (ha, no pun intended)...it boggles my mind to think that our obsession with scheduling is such a recent phenomenon.
Class also made me think of a Søren Kierkegaard quote: "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
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