You are currently viewing the archives for June, 2008
June 29th, 2008 §
People get in their own way. So says a group of researchers, who also highlight the value of not overthinking a decision. The brain, they have found, appears to make up its ‘mind’ 10 seconds before we even become conscious of a decision.
And we think, and think, and overthink, till the last drop, when infact we already have a decision in our mind much in advance. This new study brings an interesting question in light – should we act first, and think later?
In the past few weeks, I came across two contrasting pieces of real-life incidents that loosely show this void in the human behavior of thinking and action.
In the first incident, as frightening as it may sound, an 81 year old Australian man built a robot to kill himself. You heard it right. A man built a machine to commit suicide. Reportedly, he built a robot that could fire a gun repeatedly, then laid down in his driveway and let the robot attack. Sadly, yet ingeniously, he died.
In the other incident, as bizarre as it may sound, a young man spent one year following every rule in the Bible. Much, much harder, he soon discovered, as he found himself growing his beard, struggling not to curse and asking strangers for permission to stone them for adultery. I suppose his intention was not to mock religion, but atleast he liked something about a forced day of rest.
I feel that its this sort of contrast in our thinking and action that creates a dillusion of stimulation in our minds to start with. I wonder if my dad is right about offence being the best defence. Maybe, maybe not.
June 26th, 2008 §
A recent news article suggested that the matter in the universe ‘may be’ arranged in a fractal pattern. With all the randomness of nature, that might not just be a coincidence between fact and fiction.
The other night I was hurriedly trying to watch this sci-fi film called “Primer“. Unfortunately I couldn’t finish it as I had to return the rented DVD the same night. But I quite enjoyed a good sci-fi film after a long time. I’ll have to watch it again sometime soon. Made with only $7000, the film has a raw and natural feel to it. The film seems to put a basic question in place:
If you always want what you can’t have,
what do you want when you can have anything?
I’ve always been a fan of sci-fi cinema, be it subtle or a bit loud. Sir Arthur Clarke, who passed away this year, will always be one of my favorite science fiction visionary and author. His thoughts were not only ahead of the future, as needed for good sci-fi writing, but his vision was purely provocative. His predictions about the future of science, technology and human society are extraordinary.
I’m eagerly awaiting the 2009 release of the sci-fi film “Rendezvous with Rama“, which is based on a novel by Arthur Clarke. Set in the 22nd century, the story involves a cylindrical alien starship that passes through Earth’s solar system. The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers, who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its mysteries.
“Rama” is the name given to alien starship, after the Hindu God Rama. Clarke mentions that by the 22nd century, scientists have used the names of all the Greek and Roman mythological figures to name astronomical bodies, and have thus moved on to Hindu mythology. Peculiar and vivid details like these, along with the larger imagination, have made Clarke such a great sci-fi writer.
The novel itself is considered to be very difficult to narrate visually, due to its slow yet visually enriched theme. I’m sure it will be a challange for the film maker to put it on screen with all its abstractness.
Model image by Eric Bruneton
June 8th, 2008 §
The author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, recently gave a commencement speech at Harvard.
An excerpt …
Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. You might never fail on the same scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all. In which case, you failed by default.
A pretty good speech on the whole.
June 2nd, 2008 §
What does it mean to be human? However vast this question might sound, the answers are infinite. This infinite nature of thoughts is the basis of humanity. Can science illuminate the answers? A panel of scientists share their answers in a nutshell.
