Comments for Dr. Brown's Blog http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:34:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on The Power of Myth: Episode 4 – Sacrifice and Bliss by Amber Albritton http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2010/03/30/the-power-of-myth-episode-4-sacrifice-and-bliss/#comment-21 Amber Albritton Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:34:35 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=675#comment-21 Okay. It seems to me that my Christianity has brought me to a nice comfy spot of learning, so that I might heed the call to love my neighbor, not despise who are not like me, by which I'm called also, to be in relationship and communion with them, just as you and Dr.Gray call Gnosis' members to think and serve and do. Please, excuse, with apology, however horrific this grammer turns out to be. Thank you for teaching us. Okay. It seems to me that my Christianity has brought me to a nice comfy spot of learning, so that I might heed the call to love my neighbor, not despise who are not like me, by which I’m called also, to be in relationship and communion with them, just as you and Dr.Gray call Gnosis’ members to think and serve and do. Please, excuse, with apology, however horrific this grammer turns out to be. Thank you for teaching us.

]]> Comment on The Power of Myth: Episode 4 – Sacrifice and Bliss by drbrown http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2010/03/30/the-power-of-myth-episode-4-sacrifice-and-bliss/#comment-20 drbrown Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:32:38 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=675#comment-20 Joseph Campbell demonstrated in the last video that there are numerous myths of a willing victim who sacrifices themselves for some higher purpose or realization. He told the Native American story of maize, the Hawaiian story of the coconut and the story of the Mayan ball game (among others) in addition to the story of Jesus going willingly to the cross. The stories of Jesus in the Bible show him emphasizing his realization of the unity of humanity through his message to "love your neighbor as yourself." This appears to me to be the central tenet of Christianity and the knowledge that results from "accepting Jesus into your heart." To live in recognition of the essential truth of our unity is the bliss that Joseph Campbell is referring to. Joseph Campbell demonstrated in the last video that there are numerous myths of a willing victim who sacrifices themselves for some higher purpose or realization. He told the Native American story of maize, the Hawaiian story of the coconut and the story of the Mayan ball game (among others) in addition to the story of Jesus going willingly to the cross. The stories of Jesus in the Bible show him emphasizing his realization of the unity of humanity through his message to “love your neighbor as yourself.” This appears to me to be the central tenet of Christianity and the knowledge that results from “accepting Jesus into your heart.” To live in recognition of the essential truth of our unity is the bliss that Joseph Campbell is referring to.

]]> Comment on The Power of Myth: Episode 4 – Sacrifice and Bliss by Amber Albritton http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2010/03/30/the-power-of-myth-episode-4-sacrifice-and-bliss/#comment-19 Amber Albritton Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:53:17 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=675#comment-19 So, loving our neighbor, enemy or friend, as we love ourself, makes us a willing victim? And as a willing victim we find bliss? The death of the victim, maybe the death of our ego as we're persecuted, allows us life, a blissful one. I don't know a lot of other theories this is likened to. I know my Christianity. Campbell is saying this crosses people groups and cultures and religions and is a theme found in every belief system he's studied? What do we do with knowing this? We smile realizing yet another thing brings us together in similarity? We find comfort turning the other cheek or suffering obedience? I am comforted when I meet adversity and cushioned by Grace a hundred times a day. What do we do with the things we're learning? So, loving our neighbor, enemy or friend, as we love ourself, makes us a willing victim? And as a willing victim we find bliss? The death of the victim, maybe the death of our ego as we’re persecuted, allows us life, a blissful one. I don’t know a lot of other theories this is likened to. I know my Christianity. Campbell is saying this crosses people groups and cultures and religions and is a theme found in every belief system he’s studied?

What do we do with knowing this?
We smile realizing yet another thing brings us together in similarity?
We find comfort turning the other cheek or suffering obedience?
I am comforted when I meet adversity and cushioned by Grace a hundred times a day. What do we do with the things we’re learning?

]]> Comment on Spring 2010: “The Power of Myth” video series by Zack http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2010/02/06/spring-2010-the-power-of-myth-video-series/#comment-9 Zack Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:46:13 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=218#comment-9 I wasn't aware that you co-sponsor Gnosis with Dr. Gray. I had the wonderful experience of taking one of her classes last semester at Division Street. I'm going to try to rearrange some things in my schedule so that I can attend some of these showings! I wasn’t aware that you co-sponsor Gnosis with Dr. Gray. I had the wonderful experience of taking one of her classes last semester at Division Street. I’m going to try to rearrange some things in my schedule so that I can attend some of these showings!

]]> Comment on 2009 ACM EduPunk Presentation by ajwms http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/20/2009-acm-edupunk-presentation/#comment-7 ajwms Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:52:50 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=83#comment-7 Nice stuff Dr. Brown!! Thanks for sharing your slides and your talents. Nice stuff Dr. Brown!! Thanks for sharing your slides and your talents.

]]> Comment on What does it mean to be “self-conscious?” by dgreene http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/04/can-computers-be-self-conscious/#comment-6 dgreene Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:31:59 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=52#comment-6 You've raised amazing questions I would never have conceived, that are at the "cutting edge" of today's science/technology, and I suspect you are one of the very few who could lead and frame the discussion. I'm gonna have to go back to the philosophy books before I can go any further. I would bet on you against any flying Kung Fu master in a dunking contest! You’ve raised amazing questions I would never have conceived, that are at the “cutting edge” of today’s science/technology, and I suspect you are one of the very few who could lead and frame the discussion. I’m gonna have to go back to the philosophy books before I can go any further. I would bet on you against any flying Kung Fu master in a dunking contest!

]]> Comment on Can computers be “self-conscious?” by dgreene http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/15/can-computers-be-self-conscious-2/#comment-5 dgreene Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:09:43 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=64#comment-5 It's absolutely astounding to me, but makes sense, that technology has caught up with the most universally held aspect of the "spiritual," self-discovery. Maybe I should've done that philosophy major after all- it looks like the times are ripe for it, and by Moore's Law, getting ever more so! It’s absolutely astounding to me, but makes sense, that technology has caught up with the most universally held aspect of the “spiritual,” self-discovery. Maybe I should’ve done that philosophy major after all- it looks like the times are ripe for it, and by Moore’s Law, getting ever more so!

]]> Comment on What does it mean to be “self-conscious?” by drbrown http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/04/can-computers-be-self-conscious/#comment-4 drbrown Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:31:59 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=52#comment-4 Thank you VERY much for your wonderful comments! I'm sure it says something about me that even the distinctions of living/non-living, real/imagined, finite/infinite are not nearly as clear cut to me as they once were. I'm not really arguing that computers are going to be self-conscious in the same way that we are. Just as we didn't design airplanes to flap their wings like birds, any self-conscious technology that emerges will likely not closely resemble the self-conscious mechanism of humans (although advances in biology, physics and nanotechnology might allow this). Hey... wait a minute! What's this about ghosts and flying Kung Fu masters? I still hope to be a flying Kung Fu master some day... Thank you VERY much for your wonderful comments!

I’m sure it says something about me that even the distinctions of living/non-living, real/imagined, finite/infinite are not nearly as clear cut to me as they once were. I’m not really arguing that computers are going to be self-conscious in the same way that we are. Just as we didn’t design airplanes to flap their wings like birds, any self-conscious technology that emerges will likely not closely resemble the self-conscious mechanism of humans (although advances in biology, physics and nanotechnology might allow this).

Hey… wait a minute! What’s this about ghosts and flying Kung Fu masters? I still hope to be a flying Kung Fu master some day…

]]> Comment on What does it mean to be “self-conscious?” by dgreene http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/04/can-computers-be-self-conscious/#comment-3 dgreene Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:48:22 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=52#comment-3 If consciousness is a process that can't be held by the mind as an object, then self-consciousness must be of the same stuff. The "spiritual" must enter here, with consciousness omnipresent with the physical, and with self-consciousness as a "higher" consciousness, and as religions claim, higher levels beyond. I suspect knowledge of the physical will never answer all of our questions, but just demarcate our limits. M-theory may be the "theory of everything," except of us. So while the strings vibrate, and the 11 dimensions surround us, our starting point for exploring consciousness will remain "I am," and we will be left to accept with the Zen masters that the highest consciousness isn't "out there," but here now, "in the present moment." If consciousness is a process that can’t be held by the mind as an object, then self-consciousness must be of the same stuff. The “spiritual” must enter here, with consciousness omnipresent with the physical, and with self-consciousness as a “higher” consciousness, and as religions claim, higher levels beyond. I suspect knowledge of the physical will never answer all of our questions, but just demarcate our limits. M-theory may be the “theory of everything,” except of us. So while the strings vibrate, and the 11 dimensions surround us, our starting point for exploring consciousness will remain “I am,” and we will be left to accept with the Zen masters that the highest consciousness isn’t “out there,” but here now, “in the present moment.”

]]> Comment on What does it mean to be “self-conscious?” by dgreene http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/2009/11/04/can-computers-be-self-conscious/#comment-2 dgreene Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:24:24 +0000 http://blogs.pstcc.edu/drbrown/?p=52#comment-2 This would require that we create new consciousness rather than extend our own, and I see two problems there. We only know of self-consciousness associated with "living things," and it seems possible that "living" and "non-living" are distinct categories, like "real" and "imagined," or "finite" and "infinite." If we try to base a created self-consciousness on us, the factors include all the physical and biologic events interacting on Earth over the last several billion years that have given rise to our blogging today. Could self-consciousness arise given a certain number of complex neural-type connections, as an "identity" that "lives" in the machine? Such an identity would appear to belong to the same category as ghosts and flying Kung Fu masters. This would require that we create new consciousness rather than extend our own, and I see two problems there. We only know of self-consciousness associated with “living things,” and it seems possible that “living” and “non-living” are distinct categories, like “real” and “imagined,” or “finite” and “infinite.” If we try to base a created self-consciousness on us, the factors include all the physical and biologic events interacting on Earth over the last several billion years that have given rise to our blogging today. Could self-consciousness arise given a certain number of complex neural-type connections, as an “identity” that “lives” in the machine? Such an identity would appear to belong to the same category as ghosts and flying Kung Fu masters.

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