I was reading a book the other day by Ken Wilber, titled "No Boundaries". His thesis appears to be that we set up boundaries when we make distinctions and discriminations (my words, not his). In other words, when we think of something that we call 'black' we immediately conceive of some other thing which we call 'white'. Now perhaps there is a boudary or rather that a barrier is created when these two complementary opposites are considered. As any student of high school physics knows, black is the absence of color and white contains all of the colors of the spectrum or rainbow as the case may be. And there is no apparent barrier between the two but rather a continuum as one proceeds from one end to the other. But Wilber is not talking about color as such, he is talking about consciousness. He is talking about removing those distinctions in conscious thought and achieving what he calls unity consciousness where the individual consciousness can be aware from one end to the other perhaps even simultaneously with no boundaries or barriers. And this would be like the Buddhist nirvana free of restrictions, free of pain and suffering. But the best part for me was his description of the development of philosophical thought from the beginning of time perhaps til the current thinking of today with its quantum influence on modern science.
Wilber mentioned that in Genesis God told Adam to go forth and name the beasts of the field, the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky etc. etc. etc. and he did. And that set up the boundaries, the barriers that caused the distinctions as the first bastion of philosophical thought. What is it? And what is it not? Today we still say... "it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Superman."
The next in the development of philosophy I got from my mentor Marc Edmund Jones. He told his students that the next step in evolution came when we realized the difference between "how many and how much". We can see this next step, again in the Bible, where the tribes of Israel had to number themselves in order to divide up the promised land. From that point on, we can see the great contributions, of the Sumerians, the Greeks from Pythagoras to Aristotle, the Arabs including Al Gibara(sic) et al and the like, to mathematics and the process of measurement. And now we can indeed say 'how many'.
At this point, the torch was passed on to the likes of Gallileo, Kepler and Newton. Since many believed that we came from the stars and would pass back to them when death closed our eyes, these pioneers used our ability to count to bear on the stars of the cosmos. And they were able to determine how much of things did our universe contain. Of course there were developments like the telescope and the calculus that Newton himself developed, but it was the organization of things and the development of the laws of physics that shaped the age of determinism. By naming and counting and measuring we could determine everything in our universe absolutely and even predict the future perhaps. Or could we? The Church seemed to think so but reserved that right for God. Then along came Einstein.
Einstein's contributions were huge. Not only did he show how time was combined with space to give us the four dimensions of our world but he gave a new vision to gravity as well as an awareness of the relativity of reality. In other words, our perceptions are dependent on our point of view, our reference point. So an observer looking at an object from the northeast for example will see that object differently than another observer looking at it from the south for example.
Einstein also laid the ground for the newest outpost in philosophical thought. Curiously enough, with the contributions to cosmology and philosophy and the like, Einstein's Nobel Prize resulted in his research on the effect of light on metal surfaces. For instance, when a beam of light of sufficient intensity is shined on the surface of a metal, an electron is ejected from its place in the lattice of atoms of that metal surface. This lead to a demonstration of the new science of Quantum mechanics which is now known as Quantum Physics. The torch is now handed over to the likes of Bohr and Heisenberg.
The classical experiment in Quantum Physics was to use Einstein's technique but to eject two electrons from a metal surface and levitate each of them at a distance apart. Electrons in this state spin on their axis much like our earth spins on its axis. And they spin in the same direction since that is what they did when they were in the atoms of the metal lattice. But when the experimenter changes the direction of spin on one electron, the spin of the other electron immediately also changes direction in like manner. This is called 'entanglement' and it served to show the validity of the Quantum laws. So now the Experimentor is not the observer anymore as he was in the Deterministic age of Newton but he is the participant. He is the creator of his own reality and we have passed from pre-destiny to free-will in our philosophical thought.
So what is our evolution? Where do we go from here? Only God can predict the future. But the Quantum world requires that I am God. Thou art God. We all use the same process of creation but since we have free-will we do it differently but we get to the same place eventually. So collectively we all together are God.
The next step according to the String Theory boys is the discovery of many worlds, many dimensions and the possibility of simultaneous existences in these worlds. How exciting that could be as the matter of my body turns to energy at death and I would visit these other existences to see the effects of different choices and their different outcomes.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Astrology as a Science... finally.
I am pleased to report that so far I have had two comments on my thoughts on "Astrology as a Science". And I will comment on those comments to further illustrate the points I made in my last two posts. The first one is a comment on the use of Vedic or Hindu Astrology, as the case may be.
Vedic Astrology is an ancient Indian science which explains planetary motions and positions with respect to time and their effect on humans and other entities on earth. Vedic astrology can be traced thousands of years back. Early Vedic astrology was only based on the movement of planets with respect to stars, but later on it started including zodiac signs as well.
By Vedic Astrology on Astrology as a Science continued on 5/6/11
My source for this as in most cases is Wikipedia. The Hindu have made many valuable contributions to the observation of stellar phenomena, but the fact that the Vedic material came forth written in sanskrit does not necessarily give it credence as "ancient" nor justification in its ability to predict the future of any human being. And the basis for this is the fact that when human beings are born, they are born with the gift of free will. That is the capacity to make a choice between more than one option. In the Western world this becomes a subjective point of view where the individual takes the information under advisement and then makes the decision on his own. In the Eastern world, the tradition is from an objective point of view where the decision is based largely on the inputs of a Guru or some other outside agency and he has no other course but to obey. This has a tendency to support a self-fulfilling prophecy and encourage the belief that the stars compel a specific result.
Take for example the urban legend about births, accidents, arrests and comittals to insane asylums during the full moon. Police and medical personnel will affirm that there is more activity during the full moon than at any other time of the month. Statistics supposedly have been kept on both sides of the discussion with very little mathematical resolution. But Astrology offers no explanation for that other than to say that if the Moon is opposite the Sun in a horoscope, the native might be seen as one who could have difficulty between a logical or rational approach to a problem and its intuitive or emotional counterpart.
The second comment that was submitted was....
The previous article left me with a sense that you were describing astronomy but with human interpretation. This one gave me more insight by your phrase '(cannot) occuppy the same space at the same time'. I am Sagitarrian, but know many other Sagitarrians who portray diversly different personalties, not at all as I percieve myself. But none were born at the exact moment 'and place' as I. But I question how one can assign or attribute personlity traits to a person based on the time and place of birth when there are so many other factors influencing life, perhaps many that we cannot begin to comprehend? I remain dubious, but curious. Thanks for continuing to stimulate my mind!!!
By nutmeg45 on Astrology as a Science continued on 5/5/11
Well Nutmeg.. you are right in the respect that there are many factors that go into the understanding of the personality and character of a single human being. The newspapers and magazines would lump you in with all the other people born on the days when the Sun appears in the zodaical sign of Sagitarrius. And this casts doubt on the validity of those articles that would suggest that all those Sagitarreans, for example, would benefit from that particluar advice. It is difficult to conceive that 1/12 th of all the people of the world would respond in the same way or that the advice would be applicable to roughly one half billion people at the same time.
What the horoscope does is to chart the character traits that we all have in common. For instance, we all have a sense of responsibility(Saturn) and a zest and enthusiasm for life(Jupiter) and so on. Many millennia of experience has allowed the Astrologer to assign the different planets to these different character traits in the combinations that make up the mosaic of any one individual. The other factor is the circumstances in which the individual character traits might be expressed. And this comes from the environment. In other words an indication of leadership might be expressed under circumstances where the individual could be the president of the United States or perhaps a large corporation. Whereas in different circumstances this character trait of leadership could express as the leader of the local "gang" or PTA or some lesser organization of people. But it still expresses the trait of leadership. And then there are others who have no interest or aptitude in leadership at all.
As I said earlier, it is not my intention to give a course on Astrology. But having gone through a long period as a scientist and an equally long period as an Astrologer, I wanted to show how the training, the application and responsibility are the same for the Astrologer as counselor as they are for any scientist.
Vedic Astrology is an ancient Indian science which explains planetary motions and positions with respect to time and their effect on humans and other entities on earth. Vedic astrology can be traced thousands of years back. Early Vedic astrology was only based on the movement of planets with respect to stars, but later on it started including zodiac signs as well.
By Vedic Astrology on Astrology as a Science continued on 5/6/11
My source for this as in most cases is Wikipedia. The Hindu have made many valuable contributions to the observation of stellar phenomena, but the fact that the Vedic material came forth written in sanskrit does not necessarily give it credence as "ancient" nor justification in its ability to predict the future of any human being. And the basis for this is the fact that when human beings are born, they are born with the gift of free will. That is the capacity to make a choice between more than one option. In the Western world this becomes a subjective point of view where the individual takes the information under advisement and then makes the decision on his own. In the Eastern world, the tradition is from an objective point of view where the decision is based largely on the inputs of a Guru or some other outside agency and he has no other course but to obey. This has a tendency to support a self-fulfilling prophecy and encourage the belief that the stars compel a specific result.
Take for example the urban legend about births, accidents, arrests and comittals to insane asylums during the full moon. Police and medical personnel will affirm that there is more activity during the full moon than at any other time of the month. Statistics supposedly have been kept on both sides of the discussion with very little mathematical resolution. But Astrology offers no explanation for that other than to say that if the Moon is opposite the Sun in a horoscope, the native might be seen as one who could have difficulty between a logical or rational approach to a problem and its intuitive or emotional counterpart.
The second comment that was submitted was....
The previous article left me with a sense that you were describing astronomy but with human interpretation. This one gave me more insight by your phrase '(cannot) occuppy the same space at the same time'. I am Sagitarrian, but know many other Sagitarrians who portray diversly different personalties, not at all as I percieve myself. But none were born at the exact moment 'and place' as I. But I question how one can assign or attribute personlity traits to a person based on the time and place of birth when there are so many other factors influencing life, perhaps many that we cannot begin to comprehend? I remain dubious, but curious. Thanks for continuing to stimulate my mind!!!
By nutmeg45 on Astrology as a Science continued on 5/5/11
Well Nutmeg.. you are right in the respect that there are many factors that go into the understanding of the personality and character of a single human being. The newspapers and magazines would lump you in with all the other people born on the days when the Sun appears in the zodaical sign of Sagitarrius. And this casts doubt on the validity of those articles that would suggest that all those Sagitarreans, for example, would benefit from that particluar advice. It is difficult to conceive that 1/12 th of all the people of the world would respond in the same way or that the advice would be applicable to roughly one half billion people at the same time.
What the horoscope does is to chart the character traits that we all have in common. For instance, we all have a sense of responsibility(Saturn) and a zest and enthusiasm for life(Jupiter) and so on. Many millennia of experience has allowed the Astrologer to assign the different planets to these different character traits in the combinations that make up the mosaic of any one individual. The other factor is the circumstances in which the individual character traits might be expressed. And this comes from the environment. In other words an indication of leadership might be expressed under circumstances where the individual could be the president of the United States or perhaps a large corporation. Whereas in different circumstances this character trait of leadership could express as the leader of the local "gang" or PTA or some lesser organization of people. But it still expresses the trait of leadership. And then there are others who have no interest or aptitude in leadership at all.
As I said earlier, it is not my intention to give a course on Astrology. But having gone through a long period as a scientist and an equally long period as an Astrologer, I wanted to show how the training, the application and responsibility are the same for the Astrologer as counselor as they are for any scientist.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Astrology as a Science continued
Let us continue the discussion on the case for Astrology as a science. The last time I showed how the Astrologer just as any other scientist deals with observations, in this case the stars. And he makes correlations between the patterns that he is dealing with and the personality and character of the person whose horoscope is in consideration. The horoscope of course is the tool that provides insight into that personality and character. Since human beings are a part of nature then the same rhythms and patterns shown by the stars can be used to determine the unique pattern for that individual. So it is the birth of the individual that creates the horoscope and not the otherway around. It is unique for two reasons. The pattern of stars at the time and place of birth will not be repeated for another 25,600 years roughly and no two things can occupy the same space at the same time. That is a well-known fact in main-stream science known as the Heisenberg principle. So the Astrologer has a tool just as precise as those available to the Scientist.
There are some questions that still remain. Philosophical thought has evolved from the standpoint of determinism to the idea of relativity. We have seen this in modern times when we went from the predictable world of Copernicus, Gallileo and Newton to the relativistic reality of Einstein and we may be even now seeing another shift as we enter an Age of the Quantum world as introduced by Planck and Bohr. But the Science of Astrology remains constant as it has for several millennia.
Differences of opinion on Astrology have existed since way before biblical times for that matter. Perhaps this may have been brought to a head by the Hebrew. Some interpreters of the Hebrew law absolutely forbade use of Astrology and lumped it in with the likes of Witchcraft and emphasized the use of Astrology to predict God's word. Others said that it was ok for the Hebrew to use because he was elevated by God and allowed the privilege of Choice.
These two ideas... God's will (determinism) and Choice are the two factors that generate the most discussion about the worth and validity of Astrology. The idea of determinism suggests that things are predictable. And I agree with the point of view that only God can know the future. As far as Choice is concerned I have mentioned in a previous post that we are all born with two things.... we are all born naked and we are born with the prerogative of Choice. It is Choice which creates the ambiguity in Astrology as in other things such as politics or religion. An individual can be exposed to information in his very best interest but in the end it is his choice on what he will do with it.
So I leave you with perhaps a little better understanding of the validity and utility of Astrology and summarize thus. I have spent 40 years as a bona fide Scientist and 40 years as a qualified Astrologer with an over-lap of 20 years in the middle.
My own position is that Astrology as such does a poor job in predicting the future. If so we would all be able to share in the benefits of a winning lottery. But Astrology does a very good job in defining character and personality so that one can get a good discription of what their potential is as a human being. Most people come to Astrologers and the like because they are unhappy with their lot in life. They usually ask two questions. What is my purpose in life? And where is my soulmate? The Astrologer can certainly give light on both questions as he compares the Horoscope, which is the potential, and the life itself which is the actual. And this can lead to a plan for the native to progress from where he is to where he wants to go.
Let me have your questions and comments since my Horoscope suggests that I teach and counsel and this coming season I hope to present at Chester County Night School with a much more pertinent and detailed discription. Any personal questions please contact me at richard.charles.degeiso@gmail.com I respect your privacy .
There are some questions that still remain. Philosophical thought has evolved from the standpoint of determinism to the idea of relativity. We have seen this in modern times when we went from the predictable world of Copernicus, Gallileo and Newton to the relativistic reality of Einstein and we may be even now seeing another shift as we enter an Age of the Quantum world as introduced by Planck and Bohr. But the Science of Astrology remains constant as it has for several millennia.
Differences of opinion on Astrology have existed since way before biblical times for that matter. Perhaps this may have been brought to a head by the Hebrew. Some interpreters of the Hebrew law absolutely forbade use of Astrology and lumped it in with the likes of Witchcraft and emphasized the use of Astrology to predict God's word. Others said that it was ok for the Hebrew to use because he was elevated by God and allowed the privilege of Choice.
These two ideas... God's will (determinism) and Choice are the two factors that generate the most discussion about the worth and validity of Astrology. The idea of determinism suggests that things are predictable. And I agree with the point of view that only God can know the future. As far as Choice is concerned I have mentioned in a previous post that we are all born with two things.... we are all born naked and we are born with the prerogative of Choice. It is Choice which creates the ambiguity in Astrology as in other things such as politics or religion. An individual can be exposed to information in his very best interest but in the end it is his choice on what he will do with it.
So I leave you with perhaps a little better understanding of the validity and utility of Astrology and summarize thus. I have spent 40 years as a bona fide Scientist and 40 years as a qualified Astrologer with an over-lap of 20 years in the middle.
My own position is that Astrology as such does a poor job in predicting the future. If so we would all be able to share in the benefits of a winning lottery. But Astrology does a very good job in defining character and personality so that one can get a good discription of what their potential is as a human being. Most people come to Astrologers and the like because they are unhappy with their lot in life. They usually ask two questions. What is my purpose in life? And where is my soulmate? The Astrologer can certainly give light on both questions as he compares the Horoscope, which is the potential, and the life itself which is the actual. And this can lead to a plan for the native to progress from where he is to where he wants to go.
Let me have your questions and comments since my Horoscope suggests that I teach and counsel and this coming season I hope to present at Chester County Night School with a much more pertinent and detailed discription. Any personal questions please contact me at richard.charles.degeiso@gmail.com I respect your privacy .
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