Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters #6

6. Physics is a science based on the study of the material world and associated phenomena. A combination of mathematics and observation form the basis for attempting to ascertain physical laws and the causes of certain occurrences. Its successes are apparent. Its failures are not illuminated by its limitations. The inability, to see where its questions are no longer answerable by its methods, is a flaw. Consciousness is a case in point. Why does it exist? “Explain the mind? How absurd.” Despite positivist pretensions, some questions have not even begun to be asked.

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters #5ii

5ii. Postmodern “thought” is a large factor in the degeneration of academic humanities.[7] Meaninglessness taints anything contacted or connected to its advocates. If it were not so harmful to intellectual development, this utter garbage would be laughable. Among its crimes against intelligence,[8] postmodernism has made philosophy appear to be a waste of time. Mediocrity impoverishes everything.

[7] See Curtis White, The Middle Mind (2003) for further reading.

[8] Even the dullest Creationist is more respectable. At least regressive religious interpretations pretensions toward science are based on tradition. Brainless fools aren’t just found in church.

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters #5i

5i. Hobbes stated that philosophy is “a knowledge of effects from causes, and causes from their effects.” A scientist attempts to observe the pattern of occurrences in his or her particular field of study, whereas a philosopher tries to observe the pattern of happenings as a whole.[6] Both approaches have merit. So why, in the modern era, do almost none attempt to do both? A specialist misses much, but is better paid (as opposed to not at all).

[6] As evidenced by the babbling of either a free market or Marxist ideologue. Determinism is determinism.

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters #4

4. Science is a search for truth through facts. Philosophy is the search for truth through ideas. Those possessing neither facts nor ideas have no truth. The absence of truth is not necessarily a lie. The very young are innocent. Lies are not an unavoidable part of aging.

Despicable People

Despicable People is my new "humor" blog. Check it out.

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters #3

3. In the beginning of the human quest for reason, science and philosophy were indistinguishable. For want of a better term, this intertwining could be termed curiosity. As time went on, the abstract components of that curiosity evolved into philosophy and certain persuasions of mathematics. The more concrete elements grew into the various branches of science, engineering and the attendant mathematics. Currently, the sciences are demarcated into the broad categories of physical, biological and sociological sciences. In general, the older forks are more widely accepted. Mathematics is thought by many to be embedded in stone. Whereas sociology has found it necessary to develop the sub-field of demography to enjoy scientific legitimacy, and economics is often more akin to religious faith than science,[4] mathematics is thought to convey authority which often means better funding opportunities. Strangely, outside academia and teaching, mathematicians[5] have a difficult time finding work. Perhaps deep inquires are undesirable?

[4] As evidenced by the babbling of either a free market or Marxist ideologue. Determinism is determinism.

[5] Hence, “math, yes; math major, no.”

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters Section #2

2. Philosophy, having been developed to represent its contemporary reality, seems to often prove more hindrance than guide to scientific thought. Nevertheless, it can prove useful in demanding more rigor and a subsequent higher standard of proof. In addition, the subsequent new philosophy will serve the same (hopefully) healthy scepticism once its footings are threatened. Philosophy is a stage of life. Equally sightless, blind acceptance is no better than blind rejection. Too many idols last for too long. Their exposed hollowness must have meaning. The alternative is stagnation. Even rivers have islands.

Physics and Philosophy - Thoughts on the Implications of Quantum Mechanics, and Other Matters Section #1

This discourse is the author's draft introduction for an upcoming book project, entitled The Age of Mediocrity. (Postings will be more frequent than the previous few months; a review or two may be interjected between posts.)

1. The Twentieth Century brought about many revolutions. Broadly, the most fundamental are those changes regarding scientific insight. Although less publicly acknowledged,[1] of all those many scientific developments, the discoveries and insights that led to the formulation of the so-called Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, were among the most philosophically unsettling. Physics ceased to be, at least in principle, a deterministic science and became inherently uncertain. Of course, throughout history scientific revolutions have had ramifications beyond the intellectual and scientific domains preferred by scientists and philosophers alike. Although post-dating Aristarcus by about seventeen hundred years, Nicolaus Copernicus’ model of a heliocentric universe created much controversy, and even hostility as contrary to church doctrine, by suggesting that the Earth was not the center of the universe. However despite strong contrarian efforts, in part, its value at explaining and simplifying the seemingly complex movements of the planets led to its ultimate acceptance. Prediction is proof. Charles’ Darwin’s Origins of the Species is still not universally accepted. Too many hairless monkeys appear threatened by the idea that the multitude (if ever dwindling) of species seen upon the Earth did not always exist, but rather evolved over a period of time due to a process of natural selection. The idea of humanity as an accident has many penetrating and even threatening religious and philosophical implications. Evolution does not occur at the speed of light. As a contrast, in the case of Quantum Mechanics, its implications were generally accepted both less and more dramatically. In European scientific circles, even if world shaking, the debate was not nearly as hot as the two preceding examples. The interesting case of Albert Einstein will be discussed later.[2] However, the reactions against its political implications were harsher. Indeed, until the development of atomic weapons, the government of the Soviet Union suppressed the theory as something threatening to the Marxist dialectical materialism.[3] Ideology, not just religion, suppresses science.

[1] Perhaps quantum mechanics has less mass appeals because its history and development does not focus upon a single prominent scientist.

[2] See Timothy Ferris, Coming of Age in the Milky Way, for further reading.

[3] It’s hard to argue with the demonstrated reality of an atomic bomb in the hands of an opposing power. The USSR caught up rapidly.

Propaganda by Edward Bernays (with an Introduction by Mark Crispin Miller)

Propaganda by Edward Bernays (with an Introduction by Mark Crispin Miller) is a classic propaganda text by the so-called "Father of Public Relations." Published in 1928, it is an interesting read, but certainly reflects the time in which it was written. As pointed out in the introduction, this work is philosophically Positivist (in the deterministic classic sense as opposed to the Modern). As it was written during the development of the Copenhagen Interpretation, such faults will not be remarked upon further.

Edward Bernays, who was a nephew of Sigmund Freud, was deeply involved with the U.S. Committee on Public Relations, which was responsible for propagandizing US involvement in World War I. It was partially due to these activities that the word Propaganda began to be regarded with negative connotations. This book was his attempt (which obviously failed) to restore its neutral meaning.

Even if one views his advocacy for the blatant manipulation of the public mind as disturbing, his honesty concerning doing so is refreshing. He also believed that the propagandist required a certain idea of ethics to avoid going too far. (He did abandon his advocacy for cigarettes once the health effects were irrefutable.) He believed that propaganda could be used for good or bad, and was correct in believing so. However, even good uses, such as public health campaigns, were not enough to remove the taint from the word propaganda. Hitler sealed its fate.

Basically, this book is an attempt to sell his craft to the rich and powerful. One way or another, he certainly succeeded. For a look into the thinking of a master of propaganda, the book is worth reading for that reason alone.

Serf Wages

I also couldn't believe it when I read this:

Will work for taxes
By The Mogambo Guru

From AP, we can't believe our eyes when we read, "Plan Would Let Seniors Work to Pay Taxes". It seems that in Greenburgh, NY, the damned local government is eating the financial guts out of its citizens. For example, a 76-year old woman named Audrey Davison lives alone, gets a US$620 Social Security check per month ($7,440 a year), and has to pay $12,000 a year in property taxes on the house that she has lived in for 43 years!

Instead of the town saying, "Oh, my God! What kind of ravenous vampires have we become?" and lowering their damned spending and the damned taxes, "The town is pushing a program that would let seniors work part-time, for $7 an hour, to help pay off some of their property taxes."

Some bozo named Scott Parkin, who for some reason is the spokesman for the National Council on Aging, said that the program "sounded interesting" to him, "as long as it wasn't limited to menial work." Apparently, easy "make-work" labor for old people is insulting, but gulag-style, back-breaking forced-labor is okay! With whips! Hahaha! "And if they fall under the load, grind them into pet food and take their houses!"

He doesn't answer my question directly, but with a little clever editing, I can make it appear that way when I now insert his quote, "It's certainly in line with what we stand for, keeping seniors involved in work or volunteering as a part of healthy aging." Hahaha! Forcing old, sick people to work to pay their taxes is "in line with" what the National Council on Aging stands for! Hahaha!

Even more astonishing, he went on to say that he would, "Eventually ... like to see the county and the local school districts adopt similar plans!" I can't believe what I am reading!

I thought that I had misread it, but then he said, "If we got seniors working for the schools, there might be a more intergenerational feeling there", and apparently with all the forced labor to do the work, "It might be easier to pass the school budgets."

JMR Wayne T agrees with me when he says, "This is surely in the top five most horrible examples of Government abuse of its citizens I have ever seen. This is beyond Communism, this is serfdom."

(Read the rest Here.)

$7/hr is certainly serf wages, especially for retired professionals or trades people. So in this regard, menial labor is actually preferable. It's revolting to contemplate that anyone could seriously consider such a scheme, let alone approve of it. The manacles are always in the details.

Now, that's just plain revolting!

Condemnation

Russell Means: This Property is Condemned. The Lawfare continues with a declaration that the Lakota have the right to impose liens on government property. It will be instructive to see where this situation leads.

Sun Tzu - The Art of War

Sun Tzu - The Art of War. I've never sat down and read the whole thing straight through. I found this handy Small Edition that easily fits in my pocket. A great gift for your warmongering brother-in-law.

Take control of the strategic balance and move. The one who understands the tactics of the circuitous and direct will be victorious.

Declaration

A Lakota organization, that includes AIM founder Russell Means, are apparently declaring (or re-affirming) their independence from the US. How serious are they? The A Declaration of Independence from the USA reads as follows:

Lakota Sioux Indian representatives declared sovereign nation status today in Washington D.C. following Monday's withdrawal from all previously signed treaties with the United States Government.

The withdrawal, hand delivered to Daniel Turner, Deputy Director of Public Liaison at the State Department, immediately and irrevocably ends all agreements between the Lakota Sioux Nation of Indians and the United States Government outlined in the 1851 and 1868 Treaties at Fort Laramie Wyoming.

"This is an historic day for our Lakota people," declared Russell Means, Itacan of Lakota. "United States colonial rule is at its end!"

"Today is a historic day and our forefathers speak through us. Our Forefathers made the treaties in good faith with the sacred Canupa and with the knowledge of the Great Spirit," shared Garry Rowland from Wounded Knee. "They never honored the treaties, that's the reason we are here today."

The four member Lakota delegation traveled to Washington D.C. culminating years of internal discussion among treaty representatives of the various Lakota communities. Delegation members included well known activist and actor Russell Means, Women of All Red Nations (WARN) founder Phyllis Young, Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr., and Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders. Means, Rowland, Martin Sr. were all members of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover.

"In order to stop the continuous taking of our resources ñ people, land, water and children- we have no choice but to claim our own destiny," said Phyllis Young, a former Indigenous representative to the United Nations and representative from Standing Rock. Property ownership in the five state area of Lakota now takes center stage. Parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana have been illegally homesteaded for years despite knowledge of Lakota as predecessor sovereign [historic owner]. Lakota representatives say if the United States does not enter into immediate diplomatic negotiations, liens will be filed on real estate transactions in the five state region, clouding title over literally thousands of square miles of land and property. Young added, "The actions of Lakota are not intended to embarrass the United States but to simply save the lives of our people".

Following Monday's withdrawal at the State Department, the four Lakota Itacan representatives have been meeting with foreign embassy officials in order to hasten their official return to the Family of Nations. Lakota's efforts are gaining traction as Bolivia, home to Indigenous President Evo Morales, shared they are "very, very interested in the Lakota case" while Venezuela received the Lakota delegation with "respect and solidarity."

"Our meetings have been fruitful and we hope to work with these countries for better relations," explained Garry Rowland. "As a nation, we have equal status within the national community."

Education, energy and justice now take top priority in emerging Lakota. "Cultural immersion education is crucial as a next step to protect our language, culture and sovereignty," said Means. "Energy independence using solar, wind, geothermal, and sugar beets enables Lakota to protect our freedom and provide electricity and heating to our people."

The Lakota reservations are among the most impoverished areas in North America, a shameful legacy of broken treaties and apartheid policies. Lakota has the highest death rate in the United States and Lakota men have the lowest life expectancy of any nation on earth, excluding AIDS, at approximately 44 years. Lakota infant mortality rate is five times the United States average and teen suicide rates 150% more than national average. 97% of Lakota people live below the poverty line and unemployment hovers near 85%.

"After 150 years of colonial enforcement, when you back people into a corner there is only one alternative," emphasized Duane Martin Sr. "The only alternative is to bring freedom into its existence by taking it back to the love of freedom, to our lifeway."

We are the freedom loving Lakota from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have traveled to Washington DC to withdraw from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law.

For more information, please visit our new website at http://www.lakotafreedom.com/.

Lakota
444 Crazy Horse Drive, P.O. Box 99;
Porcupine, SD 57772

See also Here.

People living in grinding poverty have no great love for government that does nothing, yet bleeds them dry. Passive genocide is slower. US Indian Reservations are generally rural ghettos few leave by any other means than joining the military. Will the point be missed? Will a number of individuals renounce US citizenship? How many will be veterans? How will the Federal Government react? You can bet it will probably do the wrong thing.

Night of the Lone Wolves

Night of the Lone Wolves by Adam Elkus is a short essay concerning the super-empowered individuals. Their actions are amplified by the Verbal World created by media. The author muses that destruction sells:

Perhaps, as European philosopher Slavoj Zizek theorized, we are unwittingly addicted to images of our own destruction. We eagerly devour disaster movies and thrillers that prominently feature events that range from catastrophic to world-ending. In a time of global terrorism and insurgency, one of the most popular television shows is Fox’s 24, which regularly shows fictionalized usage of biological, chemical, and even nuclear weapons. Disturbingly enough, before 9/11 several popular thrillers had plotlines featuring planes being flown into buildings.

Why do we vicariously crave these experiences? Zizek himself echoes Freud in claiming that they tap into deep anxieties and fears we unconsciously hold about modernity—that we fear that underneath the edifice of ordered, secure civilization is little more than raw savagery that threatens to consume us at any given moment. One can also point to the long tradition of apocalyptic literature and mythology, common to all faiths and cultures, and note that these media displays tap into a deep, subconscious cultural nerve honed over the centuries.

I would agree. Mass media has better enabled quick creation of Verbal Worlds. In the past, such trends took years and even centuries to mature. In a 24 hour news cycle, mass viewing can lead to the formation of a particular world view. The events of late 2001 are an obvious example. The population was glued to the television and therefore the experience was immediate yet shared vicariously. Decadence is a catalyst for such processes that corrupt solidarity in the name of unity. A criminal only succeeds beyond physical terms if we let him.

Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: How We Got to Be So Hated By Gore Vidal

Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: How We Got to Be So Hated by Gore Vidal is a short book I came across at the semi-annual library book sale. At first, I expected it to be the usual screed about US Imperialism, and it certainly touched upon it, but a large portion of the book concerns Timothy McVeigh. As someone who had friends injured (both physically and psychologically) by the Oklahoma City explosion, I am not inclined toward any particular sympathy. However, as I read the essay, I could see why he did what he did. Although intelligent, he was a simpleton, or a potential "useful idiot." He was certainly not a white supremacist (especially considering he was disgusted at killing Arabs), although he took certain ideas from their "literature." Since his only other option was life in a box, I also agree that he probably opted for "state-assisted suicide" rather than rat out any accomplices or confederates. The government gave him no incentive to talk. I also concur with the conclusion that the Federal Government does not really want to publicly admit the extent of the hatred directed at it.[1] I would also add that media, having financial stakes, certainly do not generally want to pursue this thread either. The power structure would rather leave murders free than shed light on its increasing illegitimacy.

[1] And it isn't just the far, far right wing by any means.