Mind/matter duality

[bennyboy]

I think the universe is itself ambiguous. If anything, that's the "secret" formula that keeps it going.

I believe what you have left out what is the most important element, Darwin's theory of evolution: the fact that we've evolved from lower species. Evolution has no specific goal other than for a species to survive not only against the natural elements but also against other species. In that struggle, nothing was ever written in cement that we, homo sapiens, would have the brains completely wired to understand every aspects of the universe. But as the dominant species on this planet, we have accomplished quite an extraordinary feat in understanding a good part of this universe with two simple tools: the alphabet and a number system. Just 100 years ago we began to understand why atoms bond to form molecules. Just 50 years ago, we've discovered DNA, the basic stuff of life. I don't think our journey has ended, rather it has just begun. The reality that we can even understand the nature of our limitations, through math (Godel Incomplete Theorem) and physics (Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle), is extraordinary in itself.


Joe

No doubt. My belief is that as we push against new boundaries, we're going to come up against more and more ambiguities that seem unsolvable. We may solve some of them through cycles of experimentation and theoretical physics, but we'll also realize that others are necessarily unsolveable.

I also believe (and this is speculative) that many of the apparent ambiguities will get fought over, and eventually shrugged off as brute fact, like particle/wave. I highly suspect in the end that matter and mind may end up being indistinguishable-- not because mind is just a byproduct of matter or vice versa, but because they may end up being different manifestations (or perspectives) of the same thing: mind/matter/energy/stuff.

I can imagine sitting in a spaceship some day, strapping in, and having the space ship become an extension of my body. Then I will destroy everyone who's ever accused me of woo!