(no subject)

I feel like I should offer some kind of meaningful post after so much... filler. Though the stuff about Wells is important because he's some kind of demigod.

Hm. A rant about science, perhaps? Yes. That's a good place to start.

First off: I know the difference between science and pseudoscience. I just happen to enjoy both. That being said, this Josh guy (the one with angst) is pissing me off. He's always talking about how he hates people who believe in pseudoscience and all that "Oh, the pyramids were built by aliens" bullshit. Also every time we discuss time travel or the time distortions possible under Einstein's theories, he has to reiterate that time doesn't exist, that it's an arbitrary measurement we impose on reality. I finally got pissed at him today and told him that acedemically speaking that theory is perfectly fine. However, the fact remains that some things happen after other things, meaning time exists and does matter. Invalidating the measurement as a way to debunk the concept is like saying that because inches and meters are used to measure space... space doesn't exist.

Every time we talk about something, he invokes science as a way to devalue all views which have not, in his mind, been conclusively proven. I told him (or rather strongly implied in his direction) that there's more to the scientific mindset than skepticism and disregard for outside possibilities. There has to be an element of open-mindedness, a willingness to accept that new discoveries may disprove what has previously bee proven. Creativity. An ability to see that not everything is a binary condition. He said that time doesn't exist because it's not matter or energy. To me that's like saying that plasma doesn't exist because it's not a solid, liquid or gas. Being in another category altogether obviously means it isn't there at all. Obviously.

So you can see that this guy would be driving me nuts. There are two ways to explore the world... by disbelieving everything, or by believing everything. As an amateur anthropologist, I prefer the second. Ursula K. Le Guin wrote that learning a belief without belief is like learning a song without the tune. I agree with that. Josh goes through life apparently disregarding everything that hasn't already been proven. How is that scientific? Where is the exploration, the curiosity? What is there to learn if you don't want to touch new concepts once something's already been 'proven' to you?

He's going to be one hell of an archaeologist, but it's good that he doesn't want to deal with people. I'd hate to see him teaching. He's got a damn pine tree up his ass, and I sure as hell don't know whether he'd be happier with it in or out. Either way, it's not my problem and he's not my project.

Now. Another rant, which Brian has already heard. I love hanging out with guys. The behavior pattern that works there is fun. It's still a lie, but it's an entertaining lie. There's just one problem.

What happens when a half-way attractive female hangs out with guys and earns some measure of respect? She never knows whether or not they're trying to worm their way into her pants. I'm torn between maintaining the chummy hang-outness and constantly worrying if my boobs are hanging out or if maybe I'm being just a little too nice. I don't know. More later maybe. Have to go back to my hotel room because Brian is supposed to call. Bye all!

(no subject)

I feel like I should offer some kind of meaningful post after so much... filler. Though the stuff about Wells is important because he's some kind of demigod.

Hm. A rant about science, perhaps? Yes. That's a good place to start.

First off: I know the difference between science and pseudoscience. I just happen to enjoy both. That being said, this Josh guy (the one with angst) is pissing me off. He's always talking about how he hates people who believe in pseudoscience and all that "Oh, the pyramids were built by aliens" bullshit. Also every time we discuss time travel or the time distortions possible under Einstein's theories, he has to reiterate that time doesn't exist, that it's an arbitrary measurement we impose on reality. I finally got pissed at him today and told him that acedemically speaking that theory is perfectly fine. However, the fact remains that some things happen after other things, meaning time exists and does matter. Invalidating the measurement as a way to debunk the concept is like saying that because inches and meters are used to measure space... space doesn't exist.

Every time we talk about something, he invokes science as a way to devalue all views which have not, in his mind, been conclusively proven. I told him (or rather strongly implied in his direction) that there's more to the scientific mindset than skepticism and disregard for outside possibilities. There has to be an element of open-mindedness, a willingness to accept that new discoveries may disprove what has previously bee proven. Creativity. An ability to see that not everything is a binary condition. He said that time doesn't exist because it's not matter or energy. To me that's like saying that plasma doesn't exist because it's not a solid, liquid or gas. Being in another category altogether obviously means it isn't there at all. Obviously.

So you can see that this guy would be driving me nuts. There are two ways to explore the world... by disbelieving everything, or by believing everything. As an amateur anthropologist, I prefer the second. Ursula K. Le Guin wrote that learning a belief without belief is like learning a song without the tune. I agree with that. Josh goes through life apparently disregarding everything that hasn't already been proven. How is that scientific? Where is the exploration, the curiosity? What is there to learn if you don't want to touch new concepts once something's already been 'proven' to you?

He's going to be one hell of an archaeologist, but it's good that he doesn't want to deal with people. I'd hate to see him teaching. He's got a damn pine tree up his ass, and I sure as hell don't know whether he'd be happier with it in or out. Either way, it's not my problem and he's not my project.

Now. Another rant, which Brian has already heard. I love hanging out with guys. The behavior pattern that works there is fun. It's still a lie, but it's an entertaining lie. There's just one problem.

What happens when a half-way attractive female hangs out with guys and earns some measure of respect? She never knows whether or not they're trying to worm their way into her pants. I'm torn between maintaining the chummy hang-outness and constantly worrying if my boobs are hanging out or if maybe I'm being just a little too nice. I don't know. More later maybe. Have to go back to my hotel room because Brian is supposed to call. Bye all!

(no subject)

I feel like I should offer some kind of meaningful post after so much... filler. Though the stuff about Wells is important because he's some kind of demigod.

Hm. A rant about science, perhaps? Yes. That's a good place to start.

First off: I know the difference between science and pseudoscience. I just happen to enjoy both. That being said, this Josh guy (the one with angst) is pissing me off. He's always talking about how he hates people who believe in pseudoscience and all that "Oh, the pyramids were built by aliens" bullshit. Also every time we discuss time travel or the time distortions possible under Einstein's theories, he has to reiterate that time doesn't exist, that it's an arbitrary measurement we impose on reality. I finally got pissed at him today and told him that acedemically speaking that theory is perfectly fine. However, the fact remains that some things happen after other things, meaning time exists and does matter. Invalidating the measurement as a way to debunk the concept is like saying that because inches and meters are used to measure space... space doesn't exist.

Every time we talk about something, he invokes science as a way to devalue all views which have not, in his mind, been conclusively proven. I told him (or rather strongly implied in his direction) that there's more to the scientific mindset than skepticism and disregard for outside possibilities. There has to be an element of open-mindedness, a willingness to accept that new discoveries may disprove what has previously bee proven. Creativity. An ability to see that not everything is a binary condition. He said that time doesn't exist because it's not matter or energy. To me that's like saying that plasma doesn't exist because it's not a solid, liquid or gas. Being in another category altogether obviously means it isn't there at all. Obviously.

So you can see that this guy would be driving me nuts. There are two ways to explore the world... by disbelieving everything, or by believing everything. As an amateur anthropologist, I prefer the second. Ursula K. Le Guin wrote that learning a belief without belief is like learning a song without the tune. I agree with that. Josh goes through life apparently disregarding everything that hasn't already been proven. How is that scientific? Where is the exploration, the curiosity? What is there to learn if you don't want to touch new concepts once something's already been 'proven' to you?

He's going to be one hell of an archaeologist, but it's good that he doesn't want to deal with people. I'd hate to see him teaching. He's got a damn pine tree up his ass, and I sure as hell don't know whether he'd be happier with it in or out. Either way, it's not my problem and he's not my project.

Now. Another rant, which Brian has already heard. I love hanging out with guys. The behavior pattern that works there is fun. It's still a lie, but it's an entertaining lie. There's just one problem.

What happens when a half-way attractive female hangs out with guys and earns some measure of respect? She never knows whether or not they're trying to worm their way into her pants. I'm torn between maintaining the chummy hang-outness and constantly worrying if my boobs are hanging out or if maybe I'm being just a little too nice. I don't know. More later maybe. Have to go back to my hotel room because Brian is supposed to call. Bye all!