Thursday, July 30, 2009
JSH: Considering world class
What really intrigues me as I consider replies to my posts is the anger. And I think that is fascinating as it makes me wonder so much about what is going through the heads of certain people.
My research is world class if by that I mean the world considers it, which it seems it does!
NASA has a fascinating problem: there are people who do not believe that man ever landed on the moon.
Mathematics has at its base as a discipline the notion that people can be expected to obey mathematical axioms and follow mathematical proof.
But what if they simply choose to not?
As I've noted, my mathematical research is separate from me. Like any past discoverer, reality is that my research needs my promotion like the earth need humanity to keep spinning as in, NOT. Or as they might say in Zen, "mu".
But on these newsgroups I've noted a peculiar point of view which seems to think otherwise and sees my continued posting as an affront meant to promote that which if it is important—needs no such promotion!
Puzzling over human failings in intellectual thinking is more than just a minor exercise. It's a crucial way to consider what hope we might have as a species to defy the odds, and survive…at least for a little while longer.
The story here is grander because of Internet realities which is a statement meant to attract the anger. I have this year visitors from 108 countries/territories to my math blog, which is already more than all of last year when 107 countries/territories visited it—according to Google Analytics.
Whether that means anything or not is a matter for discussion. To me it is irrelevant in one sense, but interesting in another, as a stepping point for discussion—as a way to probe your minds.
At the end of the day, I suggest to you that you are all prisoners of your programming!!!
You are nothing more than genes and environment—unless you DARE to believe that on top of that you have a soul.
Questions intrigue me. Many of you are now questions. Here in this thread—you give your answers, if you can.
As best you can, as at the end of the day, you can do nothing more. You are limited by your reality.
You are maybe simply machines, programmed, determined, unable to do ANYTHING other than what is required by what you are.
You are, in a word, destined.
My research is world class if by that I mean the world considers it, which it seems it does!
NASA has a fascinating problem: there are people who do not believe that man ever landed on the moon.
Mathematics has at its base as a discipline the notion that people can be expected to obey mathematical axioms and follow mathematical proof.
But what if they simply choose to not?
As I've noted, my mathematical research is separate from me. Like any past discoverer, reality is that my research needs my promotion like the earth need humanity to keep spinning as in, NOT. Or as they might say in Zen, "mu".
But on these newsgroups I've noted a peculiar point of view which seems to think otherwise and sees my continued posting as an affront meant to promote that which if it is important—needs no such promotion!
Puzzling over human failings in intellectual thinking is more than just a minor exercise. It's a crucial way to consider what hope we might have as a species to defy the odds, and survive…at least for a little while longer.
The story here is grander because of Internet realities which is a statement meant to attract the anger. I have this year visitors from 108 countries/territories to my math blog, which is already more than all of last year when 107 countries/territories visited it—according to Google Analytics.
Whether that means anything or not is a matter for discussion. To me it is irrelevant in one sense, but interesting in another, as a stepping point for discussion—as a way to probe your minds.
At the end of the day, I suggest to you that you are all prisoners of your programming!!!
You are nothing more than genes and environment—unless you DARE to believe that on top of that you have a soul.
Questions intrigue me. Many of you are now questions. Here in this thread—you give your answers, if you can.
As best you can, as at the end of the day, you can do nothing more. You are limited by your reality.
You are maybe simply machines, programmed, determined, unable to do ANYTHING other than what is required by what you are.
You are, in a word, destined.
# posted by James Harris @ 23:55 
