Pinker

Pinker talks about artificial intelligence and kinship, and I actually really enjoyed his interview. I think his goal is to understand the brain and all its complexities. He believes that the brain is a product of natural selection. This I can agree with to an extent. I definitely believe that our brains do develop over time, from generation to generation, and that the level of intelligence in the 21st century is much higher than, say, the 18th, but at the same time, everything we develop these days is based off of previously determined knowledge that men before us have discovered. If it weren't for them, who knows if computers would be around today? Some of their inventions were the biggest EVER, even compared to today's society. Bigger than going to the moon in my opinion! Like gravity and other simple laws of physics, the telephone, or even the car.

Ponderings on Cusa

I think it is silly of Nicholas of Cusa to think that we don't know anything. How can you say that? How can I say that? Especially as I am typing on my laptop, an amazing piece of technology that allows me to connect with the entire world through email. This involves A LOT of knowledge. Now it would be ignorant for anyone to say that they had all knowledge, but we all have some. The truth is, there is so much out there to learn, it is impossible to ever know it all. But that is also what is so great about life. Who would want to know everything? Then what would be the point of living if nothing was new?

Cusa

I think Cusa is telling us that we don't know what we thing we do. He is trying to relate this to questions such as whether or not there is a God, where life began, what is our purpose, and so on. The only thing we can say for certain that we know is that we know absolutely nothing. Cusa said that true wisdom lies in recognizing human ignorance. The only way to really know God is through intuition, not through the mind. I do agree with him on this. What I am not sure I agree on is him wanting us to know and understand that God does exist, but He is incomprehensible to us.

My own personal Zahir

The crazy thing is, I have actually just recently been at this point. Maybe a couple of months ago, all I could think of was my ex-girlfriend, and that was it. She was my Zahir. That was the only thing on my mind for a good 2 months. And the funny thing is, God wasn't really visible to me during this time. I would try to ready my Bible, but it just wasn't happening. I couldn't focus in prayer, nothing was working. Finally, over time, as she slowly escapes my mind, am I able to fully concentrate on my God and what I have to say to Him. It is amazing how focus on one thing can completely divert our attention from another.

Zahir

So I guess the whole message behind this video is that if we are able to look past the things in life that are constantly overwhelming us and occupying our minds, if we are able to push those things aside, we will see God. This can be anything too, whether it be money, school, a job, or even running in my case. We are worshiping things in a sense, and this is exactly the type of thing that God doesn't want us doing. Worshiping foreign objects, such as a Zahir, and thinking about it all the time. God will only be completely visible to us when we push all hindrances aside and focus on Him and his beauty.

Chand

I thought it was interesting that Chand's captain immediately believed him when he said that his guru told him not to fire because they were just picking up their dead. What kind of a captain is that?!?! To not question that, and to base such a strong decision that holds so many other soldier's lives at stake is ridiculous, even if I DO believe his decision was correct. I also find it interesting that men seemed to flock to him afterwards. It was only one small vision he had, and he had a 50/50 shot at being right! But I guess in a different culture, a vision might mean more so some people.

Running trains

Interesting movie. But I liked the overall idea behind it. Or at least what I got out of it. God can appear to us in mysterious, and sometimes even weird, ways. I think sometimes He bases it off of what will be easiest for us to recognize, and other times what we will get the most out of. In this case, it seemed to be what Chand would recognize the easiest, which would be his Guru. I have had God appear to me in weird ways as well. I have been on a run and felt Him tell me something through the nature and beauty that surround me. I have also gone through a REALLY tough breakup, and found that He had a message for me through that too. He keeps it fun, I guess you could say.