![]() But what about our internal indeterminacies? What about that inner chaos that is stirred when the simple “how are you?” is posed to us? What instrument will reliably and reproducibly measure the weight of our joys? What equations will help us properly fit the data, and allow us reach a numerical understanding of ourselves? With every new publication in Science, more details about the details of the living universe emerge. Some will argue that it has–we cannot, after all, deny the constant erosion of external indeterminacies in bacteria, the oceans, and the cosmos. ![]() If the seemingly chaotic scattering of sand can be modelled by equations, why not hedge our bets on social psychologists figuring out the workings of a mob? The scientific method thus avers that chaos is merely a precursor to understanding. In this way, one arrives at a definition of chaos that rejects it, casts it as temporary, subjective, as an ignorance of the rules, a lack of parameters by which to make appropriate forecasts, and a substrate for the ever-probing eyes of science and measurement. How must it be for them? What questions – if questions are a concept among them – might they ask? Why are they darting in pursuit of that sphere? Why, after all the struggle to get it, hasten to kick it away? After 0.00017 revolutions, why do they simply leave the rectangle? By seeing enough games, they might slowly map out the rules, but what about the concept of sport? To the other, everything is nebulous – chaotic. I have often imagined aliens watching games of football from their cosmic perches. No Sleep for the Wicked, To be or Not to Be
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |