Cosmological Koans by Anthony Aguirre A brief summary Part 1 The Path Laid Out before Us 1: The Arrow How does the arrow move? What is the relationship between time and motion? Is there such a thing as the present moment? 2: Setting Sail All motion is relative. Being at rest is the same as … Continue reading Cosmological Koans
— Ursula Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven “We have also been variously disturbed. Concepts cross in mist. Perception is difficult. Volcanoes emit fire. Help is offered: refusably. Snakebite serum is not prescribed for all. Before following directions leading in wrong directions, auxiliary forces may be summoned, in immediate-following fashion: Er’ perrehnne!” “Er’ perrehnne,” Orr … Continue reading Er’perrehne
For the last few weeks I have been savouring Maria Popova’s Figuring — a bright comet of a book, spiralling through intersecting orbits of lives, loves, and letters. From the opening sentence — a page-long masterpiece of cosmic and personal images — I knew that I would be transformed by these pages. Popova reaches out … Continue reading Figuring, by Maria Popova
A summary of chapters 1 and 2, on the history of Taoism and Buddhism Like Taoism and Yoga, Zen is a “way of liberation,” which can have no formal definition. It must instead be defined by what it is not. Zen is the product of Taoism and Buddhism. We may find it difficult to understand … Continue reading Alan Watts: The Way of Zen
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” In the first season finale, Jean-Luc Picard chooses this line from Shakespeare’s The Tempest to honour the life of Commander Data. One of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, it might as well be the title of the entire … Continue reading Picard’s Dreams
Jason Defoe 