Soul, entropy and learning LO5251

Dave Birren, MB-5, 608-267-2442 (BIRRED@dnr.state.wi.us)
Wed, 31 Jan 1996 08:38 CST

Replying to Doug Seeley in Soul, entropy and learning LO5206:

Thanks for the mind-blowing reply, Doug. I wrote a long, metaphysical
response, but then I realized I was dancing on the head of a pin along
with the angels. I really can't connect with the idea of souls relating
to each other, probably because my feet are firmly planted in Newtonian
muck (though not the closed-system variety). I'll have to mull this over
for a while.

Daddy never told me learning was easy...

(Doug's comment was, in part: "While not disagreeing with the edge of
chaos notion, I have a perspective which takes a deeper view. The second
law is embodied in a scientific approach and an objective reality
catechism which believes that a closed system is possible. If instead of
a belief that consciousness derives from brain function, one takes the
viewpoint that the physical emerges from the unmanifest ground (beyond
time and space) of our souls relating to each other, then a closed system
is no longer so tenable. Could it be that increasing the network
connectivity between our souls by unconditional acceptance would generate
more order in the physical world then, and explain the contradiction?")

>By accepting our own fallability (which are failures only as the judgments
>of ours or other minds) we can open to our own truth, independent our
>mental distinctions and preconceptions. Is this not one way to be in
>contact with our soul? Is this not the direction in which Thomas Moore is
>pointing?

I can relate to this, and agree. Two of the precepts of Rigorous Thinking
I posted a while back are (1) there is no such thing as a universally
valid assumption, and (2) knowledge is limited. The consequences of these
ideas are many, but primarily point in the direction of questioning
assumptions and respecting the scope and power of ignorance. To do this
is to head in exactly the direction you - and, I believe, Moore - are
pointing. It's the path of learning, IMO.

Cheers,

Dave

--
David E. Birren                          Phone:   (608)267-2442
Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources     Fax:     (608)267-3579
Bureau of Management & Budget            E-mail:  birred@dnr.state.wi.us


We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be
to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
		(from T. S. Eliot's "Little Gidding")