Looking beyond Earth

[MikeW]

I really think it’s going to be a lot less fun sitting back on earth making fun of the universe for having sex with itself than joining in.

[LEANDRONJ]

And yet, in a sense,

The Whole Universe exists 'in us'.

This is what is so very interesting: It is out there but so far as having any *perceived* existence, a PERCEIVER is required. And then, *what* is perceived is within the perceiver. We are the (or at least one of) The Universe's ways of knowing itself.

This is soooo true! while humanity had and is still making small steps for a better world, such as human rights, as in gay rights and acceptance around this tiny small corner of the universe; humans have only scratched the surface of its human psyche!

[50Plus]

And yet, in a sense, The Whole Universe exists 'in us'.

This is what is so very interesting: It is out there but so far as having any *perceived* existence, a PERCEIVER is required. And then, *what* is perceived is within the perceiver. We are the (or at least one of) The Universe's ways of knowing itself.

Alan Watts' book 'The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are' has such thoughts as its central construct. He suggests that the ego and self are not separate and that the being and the universe are not separate and distinct items.

Also an aspect of Quantum Mechanics / Physics, where the mere presence of the observer changes the results.

Fun cool stuff, especially when winter rolls around.


I am my own world.

[spilovn]

And yet, in a sense, The Whole Universe exists 'in us'.

This is what is so very interesting: It is out there but so far as having any *perceived* existence, a PERCEIVER is required. And then, *what* is perceived is within the perceiver. We are the (or at least one of) The Universe's ways of knowing itself.

I agree mostly but that some people can perceive things what they can't see and some peoples universe is very small with lots of dark matter, no room for dragons.

[Bluelight]

"We don't know a millionth of a percent about anything". - Thomas Edison

Nor a billionth, not even a trillionth for that matter...

[MikeW]

Alan Watts' book 'The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are' has such thoughts as its central construct. He suggests that the ego and self are not separate and that the being and the universe are not separate and distinct items.

Also an aspect of Quantum Mechanics / Physics, where the mere presence of the observer changes the results.

Fun cool stuff, especially when winter rolls around.

I am my own world.

I agree mostly but that some people can perceive things what they can't see and some peoples universe is very small with lots of dark matter, no room for dragons.

"We don't know a millionth of a percent about anything". - Thomas Edison

Nor a billionth, not even a trillionth for that matter...

More Truths!

I wonder about things. Even as a child, perhaps more so then. For example: I live in my own universe and we all do. I call it "The Self/World Reality Bubble" (where the "/" is a connector, not a separator), "Reality Bubble" for short, and I wonder about the mechanics of it. I wonder about the subjective Completeness of it -- how that works.

For example, not terribly long ago I lived in a large 1,200 sq foot artist's loft with 14' ceilings. No windows but two huge 6x10' skylights. It used to be part of an old horse stable. I lived there for over 20 years and during this time I had two cats, brothers from the same litter, that I got when they were still small kittens. Not long after I got them, I built small climbing platforms around one of the wooden columns, enabling them to jump from one to the other to climb to the upper reaches of the loft. There I bult ramps for them to prowl on. I also taught them to climb the ladder leading to the sleeping loft. This space was their world. Occasionally I'd let them out into the hallway and show them the back door to the parking lot. However, they had NO inclination to wander outside! They were terrified of it! Beyond the parking lot was an elevated freeway, under which ran an elevated BART (rapid transit), and a very busy industrial street. So, it was very noisy, for one thing. But it was interesting to me. That artist's loft, me, my partners and the people who visited -- were their whole world for their entire lives!

So, I wonder, is this "Reality Bubble" complete for all of us?

How does it work? We're able now to build machines, computerized robots, that respond to stimuli and perform various actions and functions, even mimic reactions, thought and communication. But we wouldn't say they are "aware" exactly (at least not yet).

So at what point does "awareness" begin? What is it? At what point does awareness and this self/world reality bubble take shape?

A tangent off this is my irritation with the way our society often demeans us (human beings) to ourselves. For sure, humanity is full of senseless, selfish greed , cruelty and violence. But equally true -- in fact far more so, I believe -- humanity is a source of an abundance of creativity and imagination. Even the most "primitive" people fill their lives with "art," decorations, patterns, symbols, beliefs -- whole worlds of meaning that "complete" -- fill in the cracks and holes of what is *not* known directly -- their self/world.

From one point of view, the scale of cosmic space/time -- we have no existence at all. But from another point of view, it is THAT which has no existence worth bothering about without "us" (or awareness -- not meaning that human beings are the only possible form "awareness" takes shape within).

I wonder about all this. I wonder about time. Who can comprehend the meaning of "a million" let alone "a billion" let alone "a trillion" years?

I remember one time I was taking a walk and this humming bird flew right in front of me and hovered for a second or two or three right in front of my face. He (or she) was looking at me and I was looking at him (or her). For me it happened all at once, a thrill, such an exciting 'moment', a fleeting impression! But then I tried to imagine -- he (or she) moves so quickly; for it those seconds were 'a long time', rather a very long time, I suspect. To it I exist in slow motion. Even to my cats I must have appeared "eternal" not having changed all that much during the 17 or so years of their whole lives. A Mayfly may live only a few days -- but that is its lifetime. Our own bodies which we take for granted -- our lungs renew themselves within six weeks and our taste buds within 10 days.

I wonder. And I wonder THAT I wonder.

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.

'Who are you?' said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I — I hardly know, sir, just at present — at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'

'What do you mean by that?' said the Caterpillar sternly. 'Explain yourself!'

'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, 'because I'm not myself, you see.'

'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.

'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.'

'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar.

'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but when you have to turn into a chrysalis — you will some day, you know — and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you?'

'Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar.

'Well, perhaps your feelings may be different,' said Alice; 'all I know is, it would feel very queer to me.'

'You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. 'Who are you?'

Which brought them back again to the beginning of the conversation. Alice felt a little irritated at the Caterpillar's making such very short remarks, and she drew herself up and said, very gravely, 'I think, you out to tell me who you are, first.'

'Why?' said the Caterpillar.

Here was another puzzling question; and as Alice could not think of any good reason, and as the Caterpillar seemed to be in a very unpleasant state of mind, she turned away.

[East]

LOL...I don't even want to touch this one...I go to another forum to talk about this stuff....