Are We Living in a Simulation?

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There are certain theoretical physicists contemplating, as I understand it, the idea that perhaps we are not living a base reality but are in a simulation, a simulated reality. We may be, they surmise, virtual beings created by a higher intelligence with infinite computational facility. Our limited capacity to fully understand our world renders impossible to grasp the closed system provided by our overseers.

The overseers, acting as game players, pit us against each other, create inventive situations for us to deal with and suffer through and then play favorites, much as the ancient Greek gods did. The idea is, I guess, our overseers are using us as players in the ultimate virtual Game of Life.

Well, if I am existing in a virtual closed system, I really can’t complain too much, reclining, as I am, in my lounger in the warm summer breeze. There are difficulties that occur, of course, from time to time but they’re solvable and life is, all in all, good.

Hate Groups (part two)

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I’ve been thinking about what draws people, predominantly young men, to these exclusive anti-social organizations.

Without intending to simplify the phenomenon I muse that many of these young men have reached adulthood without a sense of direction, have found themselves powerless, lacking functional legitimacy and are spiritually, intellectually and socially lost, have become fodder for extremist groups bent on grasping political power through often devious misinformation, knowing the vulnerability of their prey.

Sad to think American society has deteriorated to such an extent that it lacks a path to social success for everyone.

Hate Groups

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I’ve been thinking lately about the increasing numbers of people who attach themselves to groups that organize on the basis of condemnation of certain others. The groups I’m thinking about profess to be Christian organizations, but whose Christian ideals don’t include acceptance of non-white races or those of differing sexual orientation or equality of the sexes. Such groups believe there Americal would be better off without these others and, given the opportunity condemn and harass them.

Consider the Christian Nationalists whose narrow interpretation of their Bible determines the US is a Christian nation first and foremost, other faiths do not belong and given the power these people would drive the others from the country.

Then there are the Orthodox Christians, followers of the Eastern Church, emphasizing male dominance, are antisemitic, anti-gay rights and inclined toward violent rhetoric spread through the social media. The 4th of July this year saw hundreds of masked members of the Patriot Front march in Washington DC. These folks are an alt-right group opposed to a pluralistic society and distain a social inclusive America.

All such organizations are hate groups. Rather than seek common ground they oppose social unity, displaying an arrogance they support with Biblical cherry-picking and a sense of racial superiority, attitudes one can only assume is generated from fear of the Other.

Quantum Realities

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If Schrodinger’s cat experiment offers plausability to the existence of two simultaneous realities, does the quantum world open up existences to worlds that can only be imagined? Could time fluctuations create parallel worlds and multiply dimension fracturing time and space into unimaginable complexities splintering the here and now?

SciFi fodder for sure, but the quantum world can’t be ignored. 85% of what makes up the physical universe is dark matter or energy, invisible substance that does not emit or absorb light but provides the gravitational underpinnings that hold the planets in place and the universe together.

Or so it is supposed; there is little but conjecture, albeit offered by the most knowledgeable theoretical physicists, to justify belief in any sort of universal order. Enter the spiritual realm.

Alive and Dead?

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Irwin Schrodinger’s thought experiment poses the paradox: A cat in a box bombarded with photons (the photons being particles and/or waves) and containing a cyanide capsule (triggered by particles but not waves) will be alive and dead, that is, in a ‘super position’ until the box is opened and the condition of the cat observed.

The implication is that multiple realities exist and will only become one in the presence of an observer. Which means, I guess, we all determine our own reality.

It makes me think about the importance of assuming personal responsibility for one’s existence.

The Beauty of Imperfection

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It seems reasonable to think that imperfection offers a more authentic representation of the world. Plato maintained all of our physical reality, all objects are but flawed copies, imperfect representations of the Forms existing beyond the physical world. To be of this world is to be imperfect. In our reality, perfection can’t exist and is, therefore, without meaning.

I guess, then, what we need to understand is that as we work to improve, we must realize perfection will never be achieved, and that fact is the very thing that gives what we do value.

It’s good, sometimes to rationalize our inadequacies.

What Good is Critical Thinking

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Wondering lately about what it means to exercise critical thinking. Daily occurrences will produce events that require judgements. Often such mental requests should be denied, go unanswered because as soon as they’re thought about they {the critical assessments) will take hold, become of greater importance than if they would have been ignored or denied and more than likely such critical assessments are of little importance anyway, requiring, nevertheless, intellectual energy almost always better spent on positive actions.

A lesson I must concentrate on relearning.

An Inauspicious Beginning

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I went to the store this morning; collected what I needed and proceeded to checkout only to realize I’d forgotten my wallet.

Am ominous foreboding appears; what terrible occurrence will be next, I wonder. Will the dermatologist I visit later in the day need to autopsy a suspicious mole? Will the engine dash icon reoccurring with maddening irregularity require roadside assistance? Will all the tables be full at Bridgeman’s requiring a painful wait for our planned breakfast? Will Elon Musk become a trillionaire?

So many uncertainties. Must I accept that angst will always be a constant companion? Is stoic oversight the best solution to maintaining a peaceful existence?

Silly isn’t it to dwell on such insignificance when I know everything will be better tomorrow morning. For a while anyway. Until angst sets in once again.

Reminiscence

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Reminiscing with my siblings recently, sharing early memories of our home life, we found ourselves in the unique position, as so many families do, of calling up from the past events only we could know, renewing in the process common bonds. Diverse as our adult lives have become, sending us in different physical as well as emotional directions, the basic values developed in our childhood still hold. We share observations of our own children hoping we have passed along to them the sense of compassion, concern for our fellowman that we received from our parents, who always regarded family as their first concern.

Diverse as our adult lives have become, sending us in different physical as well as emotional directions, the basic values of our childhood check the varying complexities of our thought processes now allowing us to accommodate each other, although maybe best in the end to limit such gatherings to no more than one full day.

Transcendence

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Our first camping trip of the season with our small camper has me noticing the variety of large camping trailers and vans filling the parks this month. I’m struck by the names of some of these large mini-homes that are being directed into the nicely designed private campsites the state parks offer.

I’m wondering how the campers who are bringing these camping luxuries are thinking about the experience they’re expecting to have. Names like Transcend, Escape, Flight and the like suggest a vision the owner might have of finding his way beyond everyday existence to an alternative reality, at least for a few days, where the children will be happy and occupied where one can sit near an open campfire in contemplation, exchanging pleasantries with equally serene neighbors while enjoying well-functioning wifi access, warm toilets and showers.

Reality, of course will eventually set in as one tires of the long walk to the restrooms, replenishing the camper’s water reservoir, chopping wood and starting fires; the bed could be a bit more comfortable. It’s time to return home, let one’s colleagues know about roughing it while enjoying ‘the great outdoorsman’ status.

I guess it’s no wonder why so many people do it.