20100710 (J)
Journal: July 10, 2010
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Appearance and Reality                                Epistemology                                Human Nature

Early Fire in the Ocean Idea (semi-permeable membances: We know the world through the synchronized harmony of our senses and our genes. It cannot be otherwise. And, of course, our senses are in our genes. Senses provide genes with a window on the changing world, therefore potentially threatening or nourishing. Perhaps we inherit those desires and aversions from bacteria that gave rise to mitochondria with complex layers of proteins providing both protection by blocking some and nourishment by passing other proteins and other chemicals.

Nod to Chung Tzu: When I recall Chung Tzu’s story of the butterfly, I think if I can’t know I’m not a butterfly, then how in the hell can I know ANYTHING? And neither can anyone else, as far as I can determine. My “universe” is very different than yours, as it is for each person’s and a butterfly. We use symbols to bridge the differences. Symbols we seem to agree on, more or less, we assume make good approximations of the “real” objective, “super-human universe”, the “truth”.