It's a believers game, Neil. It might seem like a good game from the ivory tower - with an added shadow feature for a more realistic look and feel. Just make sure you don't cross their shadows and it remains a good game. :)
On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 3:18 PM, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > Boxing is an apt metaphor old friend - shadow boxing perhaps - as the > target won't stand still in argument. I was hit on the head by a > cricket ball whilst wicket-keeping but saw no advance in my > mathematics! > > A rule of thumb for sound inference has always been that if it looks > like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it > probably is a duck. But there’s a corollary: if it struts around the > barnyard loudly protesting that it’s a duck, that it possesses the > very essence of duckness, that it’s more authentically a duck than all > those other orange-billed, web-footed, swimming fowl, then you’ve got > a right to be suspicious: this duck may be a quack. > > This is essentially my problem with sages Vam - and clarity in > argument. I admire artists who use light for compelling focus (and > because I draw pin-men badly), but much argument is just a trick of > the light. E = mc2 is sharp, memorable and mostly useless - you have > to add in momentum to understand why light-speed is a limit - and even > then one must wonder about the Dark Age before light or alternative > thermodynamic models. > > I'm always struck that there are some people of whom we can rightly > say 'there's no arguing with him/her'. Gabby plays good games on his > theme - but they are clearly games over-laying tolerance and good > sense with humour. I do think one might have a Paulian change as > language bewitches less by banging one's head against the wall - but > mostly it is clear what we should get on with and tat we can do > nothing unless we prevent great wealth, militarism and totalitarian > abuse. Shall we toss for who gets the ball and who to put his head in > the way Vam? > > On 2 Nov, 00:39, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: >> Reminds me of "Rainman"- the character was returned to his asylum >> after a whirlwind in Vegas. It's more likely that thud would incur a >> concussion or brain hemorrhage and death if it was a hardball at 95 >> mph. >> >> On Nov 1, 8:56 am, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > Most thinking that men do are a release, a diversion away, a continuous >> > roll into forgetfulnes and awareness. >> >> > For instance, Neil keeps trying to box the world and how it is, but at >> > different interfaces - morals, science, finance, politics, economics, >> > business, govt... I find he is driven by something invaluable in his heart >> > that aspires to beauty, dignity, truth and simplicity. That he is prepared >> > to drive himself for the values he has, go long extra miles, day in and day >> > out, makes it magnificent. >> >> > Not that it reaches anywhere, except in the awareness he might raise into >> > others or tune into the choir. Mostly, it is fiction, which fact takes >> > nothing away from its paramount worth. I trust these intangible effects. It >> > is their buildup over time, perhaps several generations, when social values >> > might swerve towards "profit, as need" over "profit, as motivation" and >> > "work, as need" over "work, for profit". >> >> > The world's tale is of the dog's tail. It wouldn't straighten, no matter >> > all the mega hullabaloo in science, biz, politics or economics. The >> > momentum of feudal and alpha rot in our psyche will remain. The proletarian >> > purity of Marx remains a charming chimera. And democracy, that promised >> > crowning of the ordinary man ... * sigh* >> >> > Before I end, let me leave a scintillating case with you : >> >> > Orlando Serrell wasn't born autistic - indeed, his savant skills only came >> >> > > about after a brain injury. >> > > In 1979, then ten-year-old Orlando was playing baseball when the ball >> > > struck him hard on the left side of his head. He fell to the ground but >> > > eventually got up to continue playing. >> >> > > For a while, Orlando had headaches. When they went away, he realized he >> > > had new abilities: he could perform complex calendar calculations and >> > > remember the weather every day from the day of the accident. >> >> > From Orlando's official website <http://www.orlandoserrell.com/about.htm>: >> >> > *What makes Orlando Serrell so unique is that he may indeed hold the key >> > that unlocks the genius in us all. Orlando Serrell did not possess any >> > special skills until he was struck in the head by a baseball when he was >> > 10. And his extraordinary gifts seem to be his only side effect. * >> >> > *Could this mean once a key hemisphere in the brain is stimulated, we can >> > all attain the level of genius Orlando posses and beyond ? * >> >> > *Will time and research really be able to tell ? Do we even need to wait >> > for that ?* >> >> > People like Orlando are called "savants", a word with very interesting >> > nuance to genius. Here's a link with more >> > :http://www.neatorama.com/2008/09/05/10-most-fascinating-savants-in-th... >> >> > Would a world of savants be really preferable ? >> >> > But, is science really in a position to replicate Orlando effect to genius >> > abilities ? >> >> > I know Neil will give charge to his imagination and sci-fi fancy. >> >> > But, Neil, my scientist friend, you really believe every 10 year old can be >> > given the equivalent of a baseball thud on left side of his head and stand >> > up to be a genius from then on ? > > -- > > > --
