Reality

Here it is... the capstone of 65 years of living, my grand theory of meaningfulness, the key to a satisfying life, all of philosophy and science encapsulated in a few pithy sentences.  (Plus, I readily admit, convincing proof of my delusional grandiosity.) This is where everything goes wrong, and where everything goes right: keeping our personal subjective interior in relationship with the world's objective exterior. The key is figuring out that relationship. I assume that such exists. There are indeed two aspects to our living. Subjective and objective.  I realize many would disagree. Those strongly inclined toward idealism see everything…

Grace. An intriguing word.  It can mean smoothness of movement. But in spiritual and religious circles, there is a different meaning.  a :  unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctificationb :  a virtue coming from God c :  a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace This sort of grace implies mitigation of an undesirable state. God gives us the grace of salvation, enlightenment, or whatever because we need saving or enlightening. Or whatever. So God, usually considered to be the creator and sustainer of existence, makes the creation imperfect. Or at least produces the circumstances for sin, error, and…

Mary Oliver: The Lilies Break Open Over the Dark Water Inside that mud-hive, that gas-sponge,  that reeking   leaf-yard, that rippling dream-bowl, the leeches' flecked and swirling  broth of life, as rich   as Babylon, the fists crack open and the wands  of the lilies   quicken, they rise like pale poles with their wrapped beaks of lace;  one day   they tear the surface, the next they break open over the dark water.  And there you are   on the shore, fitful and thoughtful, trying to attach them to an idea—   some news of your own life.     But the lilies are slippery and wild—they are devoid of meaning, they are  simply doing,   from the deepest spurs of their being, what they are impelled…

Love mystery? There's no need to embrace mysticism. Rather, embrace modern science. You end up with genuine mystery, not a religiously-tinged variety. Case in point: the cover story in this week's New Scientist, "Reality Check." The online title is "Quantum Weirdness: the battle for the basis of reality." This video, Reality's Hidden Layers, that is based on the story tells you the basics. Something has to go -- reality, relativity, causality, free will. They can't all coexist as how they are currently understood to be.   Here's how the cover story ends.  Rudolph doesn't have an answer – no one…