20130824 (J)
Journal: August 24, 2013
     Index     
Return to:   Site   or   Journal   Description

Animal Souls                    Idea of "Other"                    Science (standard model)

Science: They tell me that it all began with a Big Bang. I ask, “What is a big bang?” They say, “So far as we know, a quantum burp in a quantum cloud of virtual potentiality”, or some such nonsense, sound a lot like “God” to me. I then ask, “How do you know that?” They say, “Mathematics, geometry, tensor calculus and such.” I then ask, “Are there alternative explanations or “models” to use a favorite term of yours?” “None that are mathematically and logically coherent.” I ask again, “Are there alternatives?” “Yes, but delusional, imaginary, spiritual, ideal and other such things not tied to reality through observations.” To which I replied, “Finally an answer I agree with.” So again I ask, “How do you know what happens in the past of future, because you can’t observe them?” May go silent, think me irrelevant, but Mr Feynman may understand my query, smiling while saying (to paraphrase),

“Of course we string current observation together in time and place in a series of data points through and record them or use other memory recall techniques. With discovery of mathematics we are able to see recurring pattern in the recordings, patterns derivable from counting. Euclid summarized our early understanding of the range of possible patterns and “absolutely certain” spatial relations among them, all based on the concept of a straight line. Newton, Leibnitz et al. extended “understanding” to continuously changing lines (curved lines), so as to encompass change in time because nature is just exponentially decaying responses to perturbations (collision of particle or field interactions). With precise correlation between model and observations of tightly controlled events, we “know” that the standard model is an accurate representation of nature. Based on such knowledge, we feel confident extending the model beyond where verification is possible.
We encourage such model speculation, but with the caveat that the speculator also design and observation experiment that tests the model extension beyond the “already known”.


“Wonderful,” I say and ask, “Where are the tests for before the microwave barrier?” Mr. Feynman is knowledgeable and mentions photons, quarks, and electrons carrying their history with them and some rare ones have not been in a star for the whole "immortal lives”.

What about that quantum sea of which our universe is just one manifestation of 2500 potential bubble “universes”. It seemed to me this is a delusional reach beyond observation, so I ask Mr. Feynman, “Why do you prefer the standard model?” He answered,

“Simplicity, beauty, elegance, symmetry, Bacon’s razor, the fun of the chase, the exhilaration upon success of another depth of truth.”

I think his answer very Gnostic and Platonic. But simple? Hardly. You have spent a lifetime learning the language of physics and still don’t understand all of nature. For those unwilling or unable to learn the language, “Just listen to me.” Just like any priest. “God did it” seems a lot simpler and more elegant to my mind. Beauty as a reason? Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i.e in the "other world". Symmetry? Who cares. Fun and exhilaration? Choose your poison.

Use of terms like beauty, elegance, simplicity, fun, and even electrons come from the “spirit” world. You take them as your raison d’etre. I am sorry I cannot reach your depth of truth for, you see, I’m not very good at calculus.



The owners reclaimed Angel, the cat that lived with me for the past two weeks. I loved that cat. I cried in grief when they took her away, not so much for my loss of her company, but more for my betrayal of Angel by putting her in a cage. I’m sorry Angel, but your personhood tells me you will find solace wherever you will be, at least if they treat you like they have before. Just two weeks and such trust given and broken. Perhaps it happened so quickly you will not remember my transgression, Perhaps you even want to leave here – too boring, but I doubt it.