Monday, February 26, 2007

WHAT IS MIND??

Do you ever wonder what the mind is? Only so much thought can be exerted into this almost unanswerable inquiry. Many greater minds than mine have wrestled with this question and you may wonder what I can add to the great multiplicity of writings on this subject. All of our understandings are unique to us. With the wonder of the net, we can all put our two cents in.
All Mind at large is an interesting and challenging concept to grasp. Can this concept even be properly understood? Maybe, but words cannot capture the complete essence of the Mind. With that, let's get you started on your journey to discover the deepest secrets of the universe. First of all, ask yourself why we only have five senses. Well, could it be that the five senses we presently experience are the only senses we need for survival? Aldous Huxley suggests that Mind at large is filtered down to the individual through a sort of cosmic funnel. The trickle that makes it through is our consciousness, our five senses, our life. You might say that those few who have a sixth sense have a higher understanding because their cosmic funnel is tapered slightly less, letting more consciousness seep in. Huxley argues that schizophrenics may have too much unneeded consciousness. They are involved in what we would call religious experiences almost constantly and they cannot escape the holiness of things, or for that matter, the evilness of things. Because of their higher state they are indefinitely detached.
Secondly, let's compare Mind at large for purposes of comprehension. Think of Mind at large like a great river. We are all connected and we are all part of this water, but when you scoop some out, this is the individual. We have separate identities but we are one. Every thing is affected by every thing. A simple action affects something miles away. Much like the eco-system, but on a more complex scale. Feel the air by waving your hand. This air connects us with everything. Third, let's talk about time. Forget all your acquired notions of what time is. Think of life without clocks and without dates.
Next, feel your self right NOW. Be mindful of the present. See the colors and experience the texture of this paper. Feel the air filling your lungs and the pressure on your feet. This is now and everything is constantly changing. Take time to actually do what you're doing. Try to imagine the complexity of things just for a better understanding of the world around you. Think about the inside of your body, from the large organs, all the way down to the smallest atom. Think of how harmonious your body is working in this very instant. It's chugging along so silently you don't even notice. Every time you step outside, an infinite amount of things are changing and moving all in harmony. It's the same every moment. Keep in mind, this is a very simple explanation because I am very limited with simple language.
Hopefully, these ravings I have passed to you may aid you in your life. Be mindful of the present and understand the world and the people and you can go very far. The journey of the mind is by far the most intense.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

THE SOFTER SIDE OF THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY







Traditionally the natural sciences, particularly physics, have been regarded as the Gatekeepers of Truth. As such the legitimacy of others forms of knowledge have been called into question, particularly those methods that characterize the 'softer' sciences, and even the arts.
From Xerox, IBM and Sun to Intel and Microsoft, the nuts-and-bolts computer industry is embracing the social sciences. Engineers who cut their teeth on calculus and quantum physics are turning to practitioners of the softer sciences, people who know more about Maslow's hierarchy of needs than about Moore's Law on processor speed.
Why? The answer is in the need for software that can approximate the way our brains actually work. If we are ever going to reach the lofty goal of real “artificial intelligence” than we will have to admit contemporary reductionistic approaches have failed. We can’t reduce the beauty and complexity of our wonderful minds to Newtonian atomism. Instead the poets and the artists will show us the way. Are we ready?