2006-03-26
Thinking smothered
Left … right … left … bump … brake … BUMP … touchdown!
I’ve been skiing. I’m not very good at it (low AQ). But during my vacation I noticed something quite interesting. I was not thinking when I was skiing! I mean, there were no spontaneous thoughts floating through my head. No ideas, nor arguments. Jelle stated in one of his blogs (I can’t find this text anymore) that we are always thinking. We can’t control it. Thoughts are coming without request and are always there.
So, I experienced it is not always true. Are thoughts can get smothered by other activity, or inactivity. Inactivity? Yes, I became aware of this when I was in the sauna. I had one feeble thought… Jee… it … is … hot … I … can’t … even … … … think…
What happens when I’m skiing or in the sauna? I guess there is one thought screaming ‘hey, this ain’t comfortable, better get out of here’, while there is another thought screaming ‘hey this is cool, great sensation’. These thoughts get into a deadlock. That ends when you’re at the bottom of the piste or when it’s time to leave the sauna.
Well, I’m back and the thoughts in my head are having a good time again.
I’ve been skiing. I’m not very good at it (low AQ). But during my vacation I noticed something quite interesting. I was not thinking when I was skiing! I mean, there were no spontaneous thoughts floating through my head. No ideas, nor arguments. Jelle stated in one of his blogs (I can’t find this text anymore) that we are always thinking. We can’t control it. Thoughts are coming without request and are always there.
So, I experienced it is not always true. Are thoughts can get smothered by other activity, or inactivity. Inactivity? Yes, I became aware of this when I was in the sauna. I had one feeble thought… Jee… it … is … hot … I … can’t … even … … … think…
What happens when I’m skiing or in the sauna? I guess there is one thought screaming ‘hey, this ain’t comfortable, better get out of here’, while there is another thought screaming ‘hey this is cool, great sensation’. These thoughts get into a deadlock. That ends when you’re at the bottom of the piste or when it’s time to leave the sauna.
Well, I’m back and the thoughts in my head are having a good time again.
2006-03-02
Spirit
“Daddy. God must send souls back to earth.”
“Sorry darling, what do you mean?”
“Well, if all the souls stay in heaven there will be none left on earth and then there will be no more living people. There will only be plants, but no people. They need a soul.”
Did she invent reincarnation all by herself? Anyway, the thought is quite interesting. As a physicist I’m used to fixed quantities of matter and energy, but what about spirit? Is there a limited amount of spirit and how much spirit is needed for one soul? Is spirit reused after ones death, just like matter?
Spirit is not really a subject for scientists. But we can ask the same question for information.
"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."
-- George Bernard Shaw
But can we exchange ideas unlimited? Is there an unlimited stock of ideas and information? Can a limited amount of matter contain an unlimited amount of information?
I don’t know the answer. When I find it I'll post it here (and in Nature).
“Sorry darling, what do you mean?”
“Well, if all the souls stay in heaven there will be none left on earth and then there will be no more living people. There will only be plants, but no people. They need a soul.”
Did she invent reincarnation all by herself? Anyway, the thought is quite interesting. As a physicist I’m used to fixed quantities of matter and energy, but what about spirit? Is there a limited amount of spirit and how much spirit is needed for one soul? Is spirit reused after ones death, just like matter?
Spirit is not really a subject for scientists. But we can ask the same question for information.
"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."
-- George Bernard Shaw
But can we exchange ideas unlimited? Is there an unlimited stock of ideas and information? Can a limited amount of matter contain an unlimited amount of information?
I don’t know the answer. When I find it I'll post it here (and in Nature).
