Perfection, remix

Month, Day: Words, Dominion (Majesty)
Month, Day: Perfection, Splendour (Glory)

Well, Words is winding down. It's still the Teleological times. But, thoughts on Perfection seem to want to well with the associated words.

Things that come to mind are Ideal, Sinlessness, etc. There are several discussions about this, such as SAQ 45# .

'Ideal' here is much more than the limited conceptualization of philosophy (except the Platonic version has some appeal).

Right after this month, we'll be into the Operational with Names. Perhaps, Perfection can be used to ponder Names, Might, Will, and Knowledge. That first? It's essential to analysis and technology.

...

This time comes in the middle of the summer in the northern hemisphere, with those days of mature crop advancing to the harvest which is around the corner. One might say, too, time to enjoy the fruits of the labor.

Of course, in the new day, crops are coming to maturity almost all year around, depending up climate and technology. Yet, the pattern will persist.

Hence, thoughts on Perfection are in order, thinking of the gifts of Creation, including, of course, that we can study it via science, yet, the greater gift is that we can live in it as beings. Ah, the science of being? Will that be where audacity can play?

7V4V Knowledge: The wayfarer in this Valley seeth in the fashionings of the True One nothing save clear providence, and at every moment saith: “No defect canst thou see in the creation of the God of Mercy: Repeat the gaze: Seest thou a single flaw?”

Remarks:

08/05/2009 -- We'll look at SAQ #37 more in the context of how the Teleological influences.

Modified: 08/05/2009

Seven sins

Month, Day: Words, Questions (Perfection)

We just had Speech as the month winds down toward Perfection, still in the Teleological.

Speaking of that, Frank McCourt brought some humor to the topic of religion which allows us a moment for reflection on some teachings. Take the seven sins, for example. That the cardinality of the sins is seven is significant; we see that number occur in many contexts. The main one is that the weekly cycle has 7 days.

The Writings include the 7 Valleys which are a central theme, even to cognition. So, one might think about how these relate to the sin/virtue pairings.

What order there is in these pairings is not usually explained, yet we can easily make some sense like the following listing shows.

• 1 - Search -- Sloth/Diligence
• 2 - Love -- Gluttony/Temperance
  
• 3 - Knowledge --Lust/Chastity
• 4 - Unity-- Greed/Charity
• 5 - Contentment -- Envy/Kindness
  
• 6 - Wonderment -- Wrath/Patience
  
• 7 - True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness -- Pride/Humility

Some of these seem obvious, such as #1 and #7. Some of the others are debatable, some more than others, naturally. It might be worthwhile to ponder this somewhat.

There are many types of sins beyond these seven. They're of interest due to the cardinality.

But, a look at these and the virtues is not complete without considering sinlessness.

Modified: 07/30/2009

Leaders and followers

Month, Day: Words, Speech (Beauty)

As the Bard wrote, don't be a lender or a borrower (expressed more flowery than this, of course). We can alter that slightly to neither a leader nor a follower be. That is, I may not want to cast a shadow yet don't appreciate that your need to do so (think of this in terms of those who interpose themselves between people and God). This usage is partly motivated by the comment in the Aqdas that no one, when the human race matures, would want to step up to be king. Of course, we all would be king, yet we would not subject others; rather we would serve others willingly.

Now, in terms of audacity and the autodidact, we can think of our cognitive states as a place to start looking at this dilemma. Why? Explaining the mind is puzzling to any but the most strident views. The SAQ #56 offers a model that has some power when considered via reflection in this context. That is, we have a common faculty that maps from the senses to our spiritual powers.

These spiritual powers are, in a sequence from the SAQ #56 example: imagination, thought, comprehension, memory. An interesting thing to ponder is that light is handled by the eye, but there maybe more involved. For instance, does light have attributes that are handled via the imagination? See below for further discussion on how to handle.

The SAQ #56 example pertained to our perception of an external situation or object. Now, the sequence could be any permutation, such as some cognitive state arising from memory. This SAQ-based model ought to (and can) be looked at from the context of modern cognitive science. We're in the mode where our physical entities are being probed by science continually, yet, no place within the framework allows that any motive, or will, arises via our spirit. It is asked: how can science do that?

As with any modern view, the stress of reductionism and materialism keeps any attempt at a new integrative view from seeing light. That the Writings can offer a basis for such attempts has been said many times here.

Now, that statement brings in the Attribute classes, namely Transcendent, Teleological, Operational, Motivation, Ascendant. We are now in the second, dealing with Words. Up next is Perfection.

The power of this grouping, though it is only one of many, is that subsequent timeframes build on the others. In fact, the idea of cycle is central to the theme (small analog of Progressive Revelation). As an aside, it's interesting that just as we might think that we're getting some handle on this, along comes the Ascendant group which leads to Loftiness and, of course, to the new iteration.

Can the Operational group (Names, Might, Will, Knowledge) provide some hint at both descriptive and explanatory means which would be supported by experimentation? That the experiments are limited to thought types, in the beginning, is no argument against the attempt, as quasi-empiricism in mathematics suggests just that sort of thing (see Lakatos).

As a final thought, we need to bring the 4 Valleys into the discussion, too, as they can map to the message of SAQ #56.

Remarks:

10/11/2009 -- Will, an operational imperative for science.

09/06/2009 -- Essentially, more is undecidable than we like to admit, basically due to our talent for success (ergodicity, essentially) keeps the hubris refreshed (generation by generation).

08/16/2009 -- The Operational group is approaching, and ontology is primal. One area of focus, as suggested by this post, will be mind-body studies. Somehow, insights from the Writings ought to have importance, teleological and operational.

Modified: 10/11/2009

Words to Names

Month, Day: Words, Names (Grace)

Words transitions to Names through Perfection. This has always interested me. Why?

Well, Names coalesce out of Words. In the SAQ #47 (This is a false supposition, for the origin of this composition is from God; it is God Who makes the combination, and as it is done according to the natural system, from each composition one being is produced, and an existence is realized. A composition made by man produces nothing because man cannot create.), we see counsel on how we ought to do science. Too, Names imply an object that can have separate existence with interesting attributes including behavior.

Yes. Right now, we look at Creation, learn things, then have the gall to think that the mathematics and other insights that we've obtained are sufficient enough to then try to overlay Creation with our understanding. It's backwards (quasi-empiricism). One side-effect?

The infinite divisioning by materialism plus the idiocy of some pure mathematics plus mis-matches between reality and truth as we think that we know it plus the emphasis on the elite as being those who know (hah, any and all can know God (Iqan, 233), the real motivation for science and knowledge).

Our abstractions ought to found themselves on Creation. This may imply more use of analog techniques and biological computational frameworks. Do I know what these are? Somewhat. But, that really is going to unfold when audacity, as far as it is necessary, takes hold.

Brights would pay attention if they were truly scientifically motivated, as opposed to being in the game of scientism and egotism.

Remarks:

08/05/2009 -- We'll look at SAQ #37 more in the context of how the Teleological influences.

Modified: 01/17/2010

In the beginning

Month, Day: Words, Words (Glory)

This is a type of square-day that we see each month. In a table that would have the months as columns and the days as rows, we would have these days on the diagonal. They ought to give us pause on occasion, namely a change to ponder significance (Contentment) every month.

As the Title implies, this month deals with LOGOS and more. In terms of the former, SAQ #42 is a wonderful source: Without the irrefutable teachings of those sources of mysteries the human world would become the pasture of animal appetites and qualities, the existence of everything would be unreal, and there would be no true life. That is why it is said in the Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word,” meaning that it became the cause of all life.

Then, we see this further on: In like manner, when the Holy Manifestation of God, Who is the sun of the world of His creation, shines upon the worlds of spirits, of thoughts and of hearts, then the spiritual spring and new life appear, the power of the wonderful springtime becomes visible, and marvelous benefits are apparent.

There is then a suggestion that we could look at the "the signs and bounties of each of the Holy Manifestations" for insights. Now, considering that we were counseled to not look too much to the past and to act now and to look to the future (paraphrase), too much effort at this could be wasteful, in several senses.

Except for science which we were told was central to knowing God (paraphrase). Many of the dilemmas of the modern mind, as it tries to grasp with issues of underdetermination can be traced back to what might be missing. Consider, the SAQ (see #46, for example) talks about the long timeframe of man's progression.

The audacious view (not necessarily autodidactic) would provide the role to consider how Manifestations guided us throughout that long chain. Associated with this would be mapping progress of the past 200 years back to cognitive changes that seem to have an apparent point of appearance that is more than mere coincidence.

Now, one consequence from audacity will be to have a Creation-based science that marvels at nature (see WSJ 07/16/09 -Nature Was The Teacher). One change from the latest spiritual burst is obvious in abstract thinking's success in founding change and progress as witnessed in the modern age with engineering and science.

Though quasi-empiricism would ask why the 'unreasonable effectiveness' to which we can offer some thought about what is sufficient, the siren call of technology fosters hubris that thrusts our models forward as more complete than their creation counterpart leading to a topsy-turvy state that emphasizes what the elite can see as of more importance than it can be since all can know God.

Remarks:

12/21/2009 -- More on the diagonal or square'd days.

08/16/2009 -- The Operational group is approaching, and ontology is primal. One area of focus, as suggested by this post, will be mind-body studies. Somehow, insights from the Writings ought to have importance, teleological and operational.

08/05/2009 -- We'll look at SAQ #37 more in the context of how the Teleological influences.

Modified: 12/21/2009

Words and more

Month, Day: Words, Splendour (Perfection)
Month, Day: Words, Beauty (Justice)

Gosh, Mercy is gone, but we're not abandoned. The Teleological continues.

And, now that we can look at Words from a new angle, let's see what comes up. Yes, audacity!

Let's start a list of topics related to the theme.

• Manifestation, LOGOS, ..., see SAQ #38.
• Nature
• Science, mathematics
• Law and order
• Culture
• Communication, such as the blog and more, though YouTube brings in the visual.
• Dan Seals as one of those can put together a string of words with a melody and then demonstrate what we really need to understand better in our quest for knowledge

Additions to list.

• Prayer
• Dreams
• Names
• ...

Remarks:

01/25/2012 -- Yes, still at it. Ready to be more audacious. What we're looking for has to do with mind; at some point, it will be allowed by science that we can observe effects (actually, predict, to boot - one step forward will be a more insightful mathematics).

08/05/2009 -- We're still looking at Words, in Perfection, as a continuation toward the Operational.

07/16/2009 -- The list is mostly a set of todo topics.

Words are, have purpose, cause effects (yes), and much more. They are essential to science, yet we know that an abundance of words is not condoned and that deeds ought to outnumber words (the italics mark a paraphrase). Well, that Words is in the Teleological grouping is very significant. Next up? The Operational where then activity is implicit.

From a model theoretic sense, think structure versus behavior (or function). SAQ talks about the long times involved in the development of the states that are necessary for emergence (using the modern vernacular here). Yes, probably longer than the materialistic view computes (easily stated since its in the Tablets that time is endless, being are beyond our counting, and essentially we need a mechanism to handle that (it's a topological matter, again covered in SAQ #37).

Modified: 01/25/2012

Message to the Brights and Lights

Month, Day: Mercy, Names (Majesty)
Month, Day: Mercy, Might (Independence)
Month, Day: Mercy, Speech (Grace)

Think of these two as poles on a spectrum. On the one side are the Brights who are those who get inspiration from the Holy Spirit but vehemently deny such (even to the extent of defining explanations that continue to beg the question ad infinitely). On the other are the Lights who are those who get inspiration from the Holy Spirit and, then, think that they are IT (yes, we have been counseled that there will be no other Manifestation for 1000 years).

Between these two are the rest (including the blogger). Now, why this tact? Well, for one, these who are good examples of two ways to know: Brights - axiomatically-based effort, Lights - intuition-based states.

Brights give us a delusion argument as they map the brain using their talents, resources derived from a long chain of efforts (not only that of themselves), and a Creation that seems somewhat open to our scrutiny.

Lights? Some want us to look beyond before we even know how to look here. And, much more.

...

Essentially, when you read the blog, think of a slow, and hopefully thorough (albeit incomplete, by necessity), evolution of a world view that encompasses modern science inclusively, yet maintains a reasonable metaphysical foundation based upon the Writings.

Though we are in Teleological months now, we can consider Operational issues. That is, part and whole are related such as to allow this.

Remarks:

05/17/2011 -- Stephen gets press.

05/09/2011 -- We need a constructive re-look.

03/17/2011 -- Just as St. Patrick carried the message, so too ought we act to bring forth a proper viewpoint.

12/05/2010 -- Is it not true that extreme positions on the axis of the mindful can lead to a god-like state-fulness?

11/20/2010 -- Development is key.

08/16/2009 -- The Operational group is approaching, and ontology is primal. One area of focus, as suggested by this post, will be mind-body studies. Somehow, insights from the Writings ought to have importance, teleological and operational.

08/05/2009 -- We'll look at SAQ #37 more in the context of how the Teleological influences.

07/26/2009 -- Can the Operational group provide some hint at both descriptive and explanatory means which would be supported by experimentation? That the experiments are limited to thought types, in the beginning, is no argument against the attempt, as quasi-empiricism in mathematics suggests just that sort of thing (see Lakatos).

07/19/2009 -- From the beginning.

Modified: 05/17/2011