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One-Electron Universe
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 46
An interesting idea, that the entire universe shares but a single electron:
The one-electron universe postulate, proposed by theoretical physicist John Wheeler in a telephone call to Richard Feynman in the spring of 1940, is the hypothesis that all electrons and positrons are actually manifestations of a single entity moving backwards and forwards in time.
Now, I'm clearly not the guy to check the math, and - while it sounds absurd, that is generally how progress is made. Consider that if the universe is in any way to be traversed or made accessible to us it'll be a result of this sort of thinking.
One possible outcome of imagining this sort of universe is that - light having to travel the same sort of convoluted paths the electron is taking - might enable us to "exceed" the speed of light by simply ignoring the plainly laid out meandres and paths in favor of "shortcuts".
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe
Now, on to do some research into positrons and how the One-Electron Universe might explain why most of the stars appear redshifted. In any path from the center most paths with be receding. I'm with Eddington on that, the Big-Bang just doesn't cut it...
Joe Rogan, Graham Hancock, Flint Dibble
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Conversations
- Hits: 61
I'm not particularly a fan of Joe Rogan, given the general popularity & quality of his guests and show. I'm all for freedom of speech, but there does have to be some checks and balances, and very often his guests reflect his own quality of 'thought', which is to say he frequently exhibits all the credulity of Art Bell, only whereas I suspect Art Bell might have on occasion known or suspected his guests or call-ins were insane and was too kind to say, I too frequently see Rogan embracing guests without allowing for a more reasonable POV. And I suspect Joe Rogan buys it.
In any event, given the current state of the world I think we need to start running out of patience for self-serving stupidity.
On that note, here's a long Joe Rogan podcast wherein he interviews accomplished archaeologist Flint Dibble - by his dress alone a character, and Graham Hancock, who's made a great deal of money entertaining all manner of theories involving Ancient Aliens, fringe archaeology, etc. He's the Erich Von Däniken for the 21st Century. Entertaining, yes, but yet another example of someone who managed to "think for himself" with absolutely no credentials whatsoever.
I like to hear from people who've done the work.
Anyways, the Embed YouTube Videos feature still not working, I'm waiting for the solution, the perils of being an early adapter. So follow the link here - it's over 4 hours long, and it's entertaining to hear them 'debate' - and if you happened to think that Hancock's any sort of historical authority prepare to be undeceived.
Link: The Joe Rogan Experience #2136
Perfect for listening to while you're painting, drawing, or your otherwise busy.
Actually, I have to revise that. It's largely an aggrieved Graham Hancock arguing that his 'life's work' is being undermined by real science and legitimate archaeology. He's an embittered person who feels his "opinions" deserve equal weight to the work of thousands of Archeologists worldwide over hundreds of years. And - really, given the traction his idiocy has gotten him - specials on Netflix, for example, he's done pretty good. But it's time to lay aside the fairy tales and get back to the science. It's a little bit like Facebook Mom arguing treatments for Bacterial Meningitis with her Doctor.
Cellular Memory (II)
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 61
Previously: Cellular Memory 3 February 2009
Now, some 15 years later there have been an abundance of studies that do indeed suggest that memory and personality might continue and have influence on people that have had organ transplants, the memories & personalities of the deceased (donors) to the living (recipients).
Now, "memory" here is a tricky thing, and as it rather defines our existence I should clarify a few things. Memory surviving death is no new thing. This is the purpose of books, - to keep alive the memory of the author, of sculpture, art, architecture, which preserve if not the artist then the memory of their point of view, their genius. Our collective memory as a species has evolved, from the earliest oral traditions to reading, writing, film, audio, and now finally digital.
So then perhaps it's not memory, by it's nature non-local and outside ourselves, but our identity.
Our identities are largely shaped by the memories we have (and how we choose to remember them). Changes in physical self are a form of permanent memories, scars, most people remembering when/where/how they lost a limb, and their attendant feelings, or a certain relationship that altered their viewpoint on the world, or a catastrophic misfortune (or fortunate windfall) that completely and utterly remade their universe.
Consider the Bible (Western) as a form of collective memory - when it was (at one point) the one thing that Western Civilization had in common - everyone had at least some exposure to it, and many had considerable. Nevermind that it may well be largely (literally at least) lies & fiction, it formed in some ways a cornerstone of "our" memory. Even to react adversely to it is merely a matter of personal taste, there was no denying it's existence, merely it's relevance or veracity.
Now consider memories - starting with the simpler organisms and moving forward. A sea-sponge pressed through a sieve will over time reassemble itself. What memory(ies) does it have of it's prior existence? A planarian can be divided up to 279 times, and each piece will regrow itself and preserve a "memory" - for example, a trained response towards light. Is this now memory? Or is it identity and evolution? Consider that a woman diminishes her risk of miscarriage by indulging in performing oral sex. The habituation to the sperm/fluids of the male make her body less likely to reject the fetus. (Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30980918/). A vaccine is the introduction of a "memory" into the body in preparation for a fight, much as Neo downloaded fight programs in "The Matrix".
Or of Epigenetic Triggers, which if activated before reproduction in Humans as well as other species pass the changes on to the offspring - memory, triggered, becomes a portion of identity in future generations.
Now on to the increasing evidence that organs (heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, etc) retain some portion of memory that survives upon transplant. I'm thinking of a bad Hollywood Movie wherein a heart transplant recipient unwittingly falls in love with the (naturally) deceased donor's wife.
But why not? We are all the sum of our parts?
Think here of the hand in The Addams Family, scurrying about on it's own nefarious business. Or the monster of Frankenstein, assembled from whatever was at hand, and therefor tearing itself apart with it's own separate ambitions.
There is so much research now being done on this, and - for a bit, a while, it seemed a romantic fiction, we took for granted the physical & chemical nature of the brain and thought it superseded all else, and there would no doubt be neurologists that would still argue this view, but it's time perhaps to take a broader look. Brain injury might impede the expression of personality and intelligence, but the brain might not be entirely the locus. Identity, personality, tastes even, are more probably bound up in the entirety of our physical existence than solely within our cranium.
And even that is coming under scrutiny...
Anyways, curious thoughts in curious directions.
Deathbed Confessions
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
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Another "universality" - culturally at least - in death, is that of the "Deathbed Confession".
If you read any of the Reddit threads (Specifically #7) you might have noticed that many of those in their dying moments were revisited by unpleasant scenes in their past - one poster's father drowned kittens in a sack, then upon his deathbed reported his seeing his bed covered in kittens, another kindly old man reenacted a violent scene, then upon his death was found to have been a Nazi, with gold bars and teeth...and many other such tales.
Not all were of angelic visitations.
But surprisingly there were a lot of confessions - to hospice workers, priests, pastors, you have it - of crimes committed in life, generally violent, specifically rapes & murders. Most of these confessions were unsolicited - women, men confessing to having murdered their spouses, children, random murders, serial killer confessions. Confessions of soldiers at war, forgiven by the country that sent them but never themselves. As if at the last they realized that they didn't want to carry this with them to the grave, as if this final confession was enough to give some atonement.
And in some cases surely their deathbed visitations in all likelihood prompted the confessions.
Now, in those cases of those bound by marriage a great number of these murders probably went undetected. It's a simple thing to arrange an "accident" or "poison" ones spouse - and the law generally doesn't look too much into it.
In those cases where the crimes were known - missing people, and the dying attempted to expatiate upon the circumstances of the crime, disposal of the remains, etc - you wonder, how many of these are still open on the books - priests, pastors, clergy being bound to take confession and never speak of them - yet - once dead, who is hurt?
Only the living.
I mean, this knowledge could - not heal, but perhaps close a lot of wounds, and if you don't think this a common theme I'd suggest you read through the threads. I took a few hours and read through thousands. It happens a lot more often than you think.
And notice how the Catholic Church has formalized the process - Confession, Anointing of the Sick (formerly extreme unction) and final reception of holy Communion (Viaticum) - a process far older than the Church itself, the confession meant to lighten the soul, the communion to provide sustenance for the journey. In Judaism it's Vidui, in Islam Tawbah, certain Buddhist sects have Vajrasattva, all these are equivalents for Confession, and serve to put the dying at rest. But - judging from a great many of the confessions on the thread, it seems to be a deeper need, religion has merely formalized it.
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