The Paradoxes of Existence

What is a human being? What is life? Can science give us reliable answers to such questions? The electricity of life. The meaning of human consciousness. Are we alone? Are the traditional contests between science and religion still relevant? Does the word "spirit" still hold meaning today?

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roughone
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The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by roughone » Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:50 pm

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Why is there something instead of nothing?
What is infinity, and if we call it infinite are we are imposing limits on it?
What is eternal, no beginning and no end? How would we know it if we saw it or lived within it since we don't seem to be ourselves?
Is EMR a wave or a particle?
Is a particle a particle or a wave?
We experience time in one way, but is it truly relative to other factors?
What is energy?
What is mind and what is matter, and if they are so different, then how do they interface, or can they?
Can a single particle occupy two places in space a once?
What is space?
Is top down creation a myth, or is bottom up causation everything?
Is there an enormous diverse totality, or just a unified singularity that explains it all?

:geek:

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D_Archer
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Location: The Netherlands

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by D_Archer » Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:51 am

Existence is not a paradox. We exist is 100% We do not exist is 0%

Your list:
Why is there something instead of nothing?
nothing can not exist
What is infinity, and if we call it infinite are we are imposing limits on it?
infinity is a mathematical concept and has no bearing on reality
What is eternal, no beginning and no end? How would we know it if we saw it or lived within it since we don't seem to be ourselves?
Only nothing is eternal
Is EMR a wave or a particle?
particle
Is a particle a particle or a wave?
a particle
We experience time in one way, but is it truly relative to other factors?
no
What is energy?
the capacity for work
What is mind and what is matter, and if they are so different, then how do they interface, or can they?
Mind is the builder
Can a single particle occupy two places in space a once?
no
What is space?
a conception of volume, x,y,z
Is top down creation a myth, or is bottom up causation everything?
Creation is a myth, from top or bottom.
Is there an enormous diverse totality, or just a unified singularity that explains it all?
Something large is also something small

Well i tried, some answers better then others, i hope you find some truth.

Regards,
Daniel
- Shoot Forth Thunder -

Beata-at-home
Posts: 28
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Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by Beata-at-home » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:46 pm

What is eternal, you ask?
We have not experienced eternality, so we sometimes may not believe it is true. But, think that everything has had a beginning from something, somewhere, that has existed before. There is where you begin to see eternality. We, the created, have a beginning and an end, which has been programmed and pre-determined.

Creation
Creation is as much a myth as the creation itself. If you believe you exist, you have been created. Evolution requires creation of a beginning point for it, as well, though who ever speaks of that? Creation is a fact.

Particle/Wave
Is water a particle or a wave? Water is made up of particles which can form waves, or particles in motion.

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tayga
Posts: 668
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:54 am

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by tayga » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:38 am

D_Archer wrote:Existence is not a paradox. We exist is 100% We do not exist is 0%
I think the OP didn't really understand what a paradox is
Your list:
Why is there something instead of nothing?
nothing can not exist
Agreed. And this is hardly a paradox.
What is infinity, and if we call it infinite are we are imposing limits on it?
infinity is a mathematical concept and has no bearing on reality
Infinity must be a reality. To make something finite you have to make boundaries and boundaries have an inside and an outside. You'd either need to posit infinity or an infinite number of boundaries with an infinite number of outsides which amounts to infinity.
What is eternal, no beginning and no end? How would we know it if we saw it or lived within it since we don't seem to be ourselves?
Only nothing is eternal
Now is eternal.
Is EMR a wave or a particle?
particle
A wave that looks like a particle when it interacts with particles.
Is a particle a particle or a wave?
a particle
A localised, concentrated wave.
We experience time in one way, but is it truly relative to other factors?
no
Subjective experience of time is not the same as clock time.
What is energy?
the capacity for work
Agreed.
What is mind and what is matter, and if they are so different, then how do they interface, or can they?
Mind is the builder
Mind is cause and experience. Everything else is matter or a property of matter.
Can a single particle occupy two places in space a once?
no
The sort of question that only looks less dumb because of the general acceptance of nonsensical 20th century mathematical physics.
What is space?
a conception of volume, x,y,z
And only a concept. There is no void.
Is top down creation a myth, or is bottom up causation everything?
Creation is a myth, from top or bottom.
A loaded question that doesn't even offer a choice. Any attempt to explain the origin of the universe requires a miracle. Matter doesn't and can't cause anything. The only possible cause is Mind/Life, whatever you call it. Unless you subscribe to the QM notion that events can happen without cause, Mind/Life must have preceded matter.
Is there an enormous diverse totality, or just a unified singularity that explains it all?
Something large is also something small
Now this IS a paradox. Reality might be fractal. The totality might be reflected in every one of its infinite number of parts.
tayga


It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.

- Richard P. Feynman

Normal science does not aim at novelties of fact or theory and, when successful, finds none.
- Thomas Kuhn

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StevenJay
Posts: 506
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Location: Northern Arizona

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by StevenJay » Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:58 am

tayga wrote:Unless you subscribe to the QM notion that events can happen without cause, Mind/Life must have preceded matter.
It's been my limited experience that QM has a propensity to concoct "explanations" that are even more nebulous than the nebulosities it attempts to explain. :(

Is it just me? :?
It's all about perception.

Goldminer
Posts: 1024
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by Goldminer » Thu Mar 14, 2013 1:52 am

tayga wrote:
D_Archer wrote:Existence is not a paradox. We exist is 100% We do not exist is 0%
I think the OP didn't really understand what a paradox is
Your list:
Why is there something instead of nothing?
nothing can not exist
Agreed. And this is hardly a paradox.
What is infinity, and if we call it infinite are we are imposing limits on it?
infinity is a mathematical concept and has no bearing on reality
Infinity must be a reality. To make something finite you have to make boundaries and boundaries have an inside and an outside. You'd either need to posit infinity or an infinite number of boundaries with an infinite number of outsides which amounts to infinity.
What is eternal, no beginning and no end? How would we know it if we saw it or lived within it since we don't seem to be ourselves?
Only nothing is eternal
Now is eternal.
Is EMR a wave or a particle?
particle
A wave that looks like a particle when it interacts with particles.
Is a particle a particle or a wave?
a particle
A localised, concentrated wave.
We experience time in one way, but is it truly relative to other factors?
no
Subjective experience of time is not the same as clock time.
What is energy?
the capacity for work
Agreed.
What is mind and what is matter, and if they are so different, then how do they interface, or can they?
Mind is the builder
Mind is cause and experience. Everything else is matter or a property of matter.
Can a single particle occupy two places in space a once?
no
The sort of question that only looks less dumb because of the general acceptance of nonsensical 20th century mathematical physics.
What is space?
a conception of volume, x,y,z
And only a concept. There is no void.
Is top down creation a myth, or is bottom up causation everything?
Creation is a myth, from top or bottom.
A loaded question that doesn't even offer a choice. Any attempt to explain the origin of the universe requires a miracle. Matter doesn't and can't cause anything. The only possible cause is Mind/Life, whatever you call it. Unless you subscribe to the QM notion that events can happen without cause, Mind/Life must have preceded matter.
Is there an enormous diverse totality, or just a unified singularity that explains it all?
Something large is also something small
Now this IS a paradox. Reality might be fractal. The totality might be reflected in every one of its infinite number of parts.
Listen guys, the subject of this discussion is called "Philosophy." Philosophy, in case any of you doubt, is a very necessary part of "Science." I have always hated "Philosophy" and always want to get down to the "Science" of "understanding reality." Unfortunately, any "logical" discussion concerning "reality" always seems to progress towards "philosophy." So, Tyga, I am still digesting your SpinbitZ link. (I am bogged down assimilating all the philosophy there.)
I sense a disturbance in the farce.

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tayga
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Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by tayga » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:48 am

Goldminer wrote: Listen guys, the subject of this discussion is called "Philosophy." Philosophy, in case any of you doubt, is a very necessary part of "Science." I have always hated "Philosophy" and always want to get down to the "Science" of "understanding reality." Unfortunately, any "logical" discussion concerning "reality" always seems to progress towards "philosophy."
Yes, and I don't think any of us is under the impression that our positions are more than intuitive, speculative, gut feelings. It's interesting to see where people start from as it seems to inform the science they're interested in.
So, Tyga, I am still digesting your SpinbitZ link. (I am bogged down assimilating all the philosophy there.)
It looks like you're studying Joel Morrison's take on Lebau's Sorce Theory (I'm surmising. I couldn't get your link to load) which incorporates Joel's own fractal theories. I can't comment on them as I haven't studied them. It was Lebau's deconstruction of Einstein and analysis of the history of physics prior to the advent of SR that I referred to earlier. In particular, Lebau critiques Einstein's thought experiments in the first part of The Orb. I'm pretty sure someone with your knowledge of Relativity would be able to make far better use of them than i can.
tayga


It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.

- Richard P. Feynman

Normal science does not aim at novelties of fact or theory and, when successful, finds none.
- Thomas Kuhn

davidAuthor
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Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:09 pm

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by davidAuthor » Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:11 am

I think that Robin Williams will be considered that greatest philosopher of this age with his quote "Reality, What a concept!!"
That really is the problem of this age. What is real and what do we think is real. A computer may have a definition of the universe but it is just ones and zeros in a main frame. We have a view but a lot of it was made by the computer in our head. Take for example a coffee cup. We can hold it in our hands but the gravity generated from the cup goes to the far reaches of the universe. The coffee cup is mostly here but it is also there. And also how solid is that cup? At least 99% of the cup is just space; electrons and protons are almost just points to the space their molecules. So what is real?
You are. You are the most complicated object in the universe. You can question things. You have reality within, awareness. You can accomplish things, you have a will. You have joys, you have pains, you love and you grieve. And if you seek you shall find.

Goldminer
Posts: 1024
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: The Paradoxes of Existence

Unread post by Goldminer » Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:19 pm

davidAuthor wrote:I think that Robin Williams will be considered that greatest philosopher of this age with his quote "Reality, What a concept!!"
That really is the problem of this age. What is real and what do we think is real. A computer may have a definition of the universe but it is just ones and zeros in a main frame. We have a view but a lot of it was made by the computer in our head. Take for example a coffee cup. We can hold it in our hands but the gravity generated from the cup goes to the far reaches of the universe. The coffee cup is mostly here but it is also there. And also how solid is that cup? At least 99% of the cup is just space; electrons and protons are almost just points to the space their molecules. So what is real?
You are. You are the most complicated object in the universe. You can question things. You have reality within, awareness. You can accomplish things, you have a will. You have joys, you have pains, you love and you grieve. And if you seek you shall find.
Thank you Tayga and Dave, for the comments, they give me hope. Now I'll just wait for my string theory to materialize!
I sense a disturbance in the farce.

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