@ScottJIsAOk:

Substantial thought on a subject is most helpful if it is communicated. Individual implementation is less effective in the relational realm.

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Jewish children learn very early on about numbers and their properties.

It’s commonly accepted that Jews do well in math and science because there’s such a strong emphasis on learning in the Jewish tradition as well as among Jewish families in general. But can good study habits and parental prompting account for the incredibly disproportionate share of awards (Nobel and others) that have been garnered by Jewish mathematicians and scientists when compared to the small size of the world Jewish population?

To delve a little deeper into why this might be so, I’d like to examine how the religion itself may play a crucial role in embedding certain mathematically dimensional associations into the Jewish psyche in very subtle ways.

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Mathematical models of progression
(as embodied in the Hebrew teachings)

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First Dimension (numbers)
One Becomes Ten

The Hebrew numeric system is one of the oldest decimal systems in existence. The letters of the aleph-bet (aleph through yod shown below) have number values according to their placement in the alphabet.

Ten (yod) is the next logical step in the progression of unity from one (aleph). Yod is actually a more refined version of unity (oneness) because aleph also reflects the fundamental duality present during the creation (division of the waters above from the waters below). This is visually expressed in how the aleph is drawn.

Ten are the primary commandments. Ten are the Lost Tribes. One-tenth is for tithing. Ten were the plagues of Egypt. Ten are the Days of Repentance. Ten is the quorum of group prayer. Ten are the Sephirot of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Ten were the generations between Adam and Noah. Ten were the generations between Noah and Abraham.

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Second Dimension (shapes)
One Becomes Seven

The perfect 2-dimensional shape is the circle; all points along its perimeter are equidistant from the centre. It takes seven circles (one in the centre and six around it) to achieve the next most efficient (and unified) use of space using the same elements. It applies to flat shapes and to extrusions thereof.

This can be demonstrated at home with cookies or equal-sized coins, and echoes of it are to be found everywhere in nature, from honeycombs (extrusions) to snowflakes (polarised ions that attract and consolidate water vapours into flat, crystalline planes).

The progression reveals the familiar six-pointed star (Star of David or Seal of Solomon) and represents the seven days of the week as individual cycles of equal length, six of which are anchored to the seventh day (Shabbat), the Holy Day.

The seventh is G-d’s day of rest. Seven are the days of the purification cycle. In the seventh year, a field should be left fallow. A debt should be forgiven after seven years. A Jubilee year follows seven times seven years. The Counting of the Omer is seven times seven weeks. Seven are the days of mourning (Shiva). Seven are the aliyahs. Seven are the wedding benedictions. Seven are the Shepherds; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Seven are the branches of the Menorah in the Tabernacle. Seven times would be G-d’s vengeance for the murder Cain. Seven times seven would be G-d’s vengeance for the murder of Lemech. The Israelites circled Jericho for seven days, after which, its walls came tumbling down.

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Third Dimension (forms)
One Becomes Thirteen

Moving from circles to spheres (2D to 3D), we find that it takes twelve spheres to enclose a central sphere of the same size. Each sphere perfectly touches its five neighbours and the central sphere.

Each sphere accounts for a year in the life of a male child, culminating in the age of Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment), at thirteen. Female children are honoured upon reaching the age of twelve, signifying their nature as vessels that are intended to contain a hidden unity.

Thirteen are the tribes; Joseph was split into two tribes, Ephraim and Menashe, whereupon the Levites became the (hidden) thirteenth tribe. Thirteen are the Articles of Faith as described by Maimonides. Thirteen are the merciful attributes of G-d set down in the Torah. Thirteen are the nodes of Metatron’s Cube in Kabbalah.

Thirteen is at the centre of the Newton-Gregory Problem (year: 1694), defined in an argument between David Gregory and Isaac Newton. Linear calculations and harmonic analysis show that the number of equal-sized spheres touching a common sphere cannot exceed thirteen, but in using this calculation method, thirteen is likewise shown to be impossible — unless, of course, the centre sphere is recognised to be touching itself (i.e. being self-relative).

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The Primary Number (One)
One is One is One

One is the number that best expresses unity. Each of the foregoing progressions are derived from projecting the unity of One into appropriate analogs in each of the basic levels of dimensional reality.

The primary tenet of unity in Judaism is embodied in one of the central prayers of the religion; the Shèma (which means “to hear”).

English: Hear, O Israel! The Lord is G-d; The Lord is One.

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This manga started out mundane, a normal high school life except the main character has xx and xy chromosomes. Her/His top half is male and the bottom half is female. Then he is enrolled in an after school dream class where each member must fight to find the key. Once they find the key they can graduate. Though that’s all there was to the story at first, I kept reading because the characters were forced to look into themselves. First they started out rather empty, almost as if they were 2D but then they begin realizing things about themselves, growing up, maturing.
There were things within the manga that pointed towards the metaphor and the twist at the end that explained everything, but for those that don’t know much about Japanese culture, you wouldn’t understand, just as I didn’t understand.

SPOILER begins now…sort of…

Though it did not seem important at the time, eventually it becomes evident that birds are a constant theme in the story. In the dream world, when the main character is attacked birds come flying out to attack the attacker. The school’s emblem is a bird in a cage. Much later on in the manga, probably a little more than halfway, the main character is split into boy and girl form and each one fights to take over. At the end of the manga when you and the main character realize that the girl is going to win, more parts of the world outside the dream world are explained. For instance, in Japanese culture when one is pregnant one has “a bird in a cage” rather than “a bun in the oven”. Which explains why there are birds. And then it’s obvious that the woman, who is the nurse in the dream, is also the main character’s mother and she’s pregnant. with the main character.
Only in the end is it made clear that the metaphor of the school and the dream and finding the key is a metaphor for being born. They’re essentially told they’ll know when they’re ready to graduate, or in other words they’ll know when they’re ready to be born. I thought the metaphor was rather amazing. I had absolutely no idea until the very last two volumes or chapters or so.

SPOILER end…

This was one of the better mangas that I have read. It leads you around in circles, wondering what will happen and then gives you the biggest surprise at the end. You begin to really fall for the characters and really want them to win. I suppose it was carried out a bit long but it was probably necessary for the characters to be developed in that way.

Overall a very good read. I’m very glad I didn’t stop reading it.

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone? When the morning stars sang together and all of the sons of God shouted for joy?

-God’s response to Job bitter complaint (Job 38:4-7)

Isn’t that our problem? We suffer from a significant lack of perspective. We don’t get it. Ever since the fruit poisoned humankind, we think we know everything. But as God so sarcastically points out, we don’t have a clue.

We think we’re in control and God points out, we don’t send the thunder or the snow or the rain. We can’t control these “simple” things. How could we even try to control the events of our lives?

To be honest, when I remember God’s sovereignty and my insignificance, I feel comforted that He is running the show. Whether He ordains good or bad for me, I will trust in Him.

If i wrote a piece of music down but never played it, is it music?

“Neither war nor peace can ever cause the truth of Our Lord’s words to waver.  He is and remains the same for all eternity and his words will never pass away.  And so our eternal happiness is inseparably bound up with Christ.”

- Father Werenfried van Straaten, (1913-2003), Founder of ACN

Today, the day when I fail; when I step in the snare you planted yesterday- your advantage.

Tomorrow, the day of revelation; that of mortality.  You will reflect on passed time of malign, and finally, cease to exist.

Well it has finally snowed here in Alaska. About 2-5 inches.
My son said he had to shut a window where he was at cause it got cold. 
Of course he is in Arizona. Lucky kid.
Not too much going on. My daughter turned 19 and I feel older.
My oldest son in AZ is doing fine he is working and waiting to see a football game with mom in January. Mom to is also eager to get out of the cold, agin.
My son and I met in Seattle to see the Seahawks slam the Cougars 41-0. Awesome first game. Plus it was a well overdue father – son get together. We had a fun time and am waiting for next year.
As for me I am doing my own thing. Just do small jobs to past the time for now. I’m not to sure where to go from here. After working 17 years at the same place and thinking that I was never going to leave now seems like I can’t beleave I did it. Here I thought I was making a great decision and to find out that I was not going to make the money as promised.
Wow … what a real bummer. I was really hoping to have made a good decision for once.
I spent time and money to get it to work.
Now I have to look for work agin. At 42 this is not as easy as it sounds. Plus unemployment is lame cause I worked 17 years and only get the last years unemployment.
Come to find out if you don’t use unemployment in one year, then you lose it. Now when you do need it then you only have the previous year and not the number of years worked. Tell me then where does the rest of those years go?
So now I am enjoying the life of sitting at home and being “Mister Mom”. Fun Fun.
Life goes on!

Chow for Now

Here I am back in Sydney.
My buddy Dillon (from New York) and I decieded a few months ago that we should come for a visit. We got here this past week and will be here until December 4th. Were doing some traveling around during our time here. It’s great though to connect and hang out with some old friends and to be back in Church here. There is something very refreshing about stepping out of your normal lifestyle and doing something dfferent.

When I’m home I’ll post photos from my trip. If you wish to contact me you can Facebook me.

I have been reading Fichte’s The Vocation of Man, and have come away impressed, especially by Book III - Faith. 

Fichte is known for promoting a so-called philosophy of solipsism, penned in an an impenetrable style, but I found neither to be valid.  On the contrary, his writing is lucid and painstakingly addresses the greater social condition.  He starts from inquiring mind outward, in a Cartesian style, avoiding peripheral concepts.

Book III addresses several important issues – free determination and action (the soul), and the distinction between the two; the path of humanity and progress; and finally the individual will.

 I will have a post on each topic and want to begin with free will.  Revelation is inspired by a skepticism – how can we have any assurance that there is a real world, with any other selves in it? 

Fiche seeks to resolve the seeming contraction of a natural world which follows a set of physical laws in which an independent will can somehow operate and effect the appearances.

I believe this begins to address the question of: “How can an active philosophy succeed?”

“‘Not merely TO KNOW, but according to your knowledge TO DO, is your vocation’ – this is loudly proclaimed in the innermost depths of my soul, as soon as I recollect myself for a moment and turn my observation upon myself.  ‘Not for idle contemplation of yourself, not for brooding over devout sensations – no, for action you are here; action and action alone, determines your worth.’

This voice leads me out from presentation, from mere cognition, to something that lies beyond it and is entirely opposed to it; to something greater and higher than all knowledge, containing within itself the end and object of all knowledge.  When I act, I doubtless know that I act and how I act; nevertheless this knowledge is not the act itself, but only the observation of it.  This voice thus announces to me precisely what I sought: a something lying beyond mere knowledge, and, in its nature, wholly independent of knowledge…

…There is within me an impulse to absolute, independent self-activity.  Nothing is more unendurable to me than to be merely by another, for another, and through another; I must be something for myself and by myself alone.  This impulse I feel along with the perception of my own existence, it is inseparably united to my consciousness of myself. 

I explain this feeling to myself by reflection, and, as it were, add to this blind impulse the power of sight by means of thought.  According to this impulse I must act as absolutely independent being: thus I understand and translate the impulse.  I must be independent.  Who am I?  Subject and object in one – the conscious being and that of which I am conscious, gifted with intuitive knowledge and myself revealed in that intuition, the thinking mind and myself the object of the thought, inseparable and ever present to each other.  As both, I must be what I am, absolutely by myself alone – by myself originate conceptions, by myself produce a condition of things lying beyond these conceptions.  But how is the latter possible?  With nothing I cannot connect any being whatsoever; from nothing there can never arise any something; my objective thought is necessarily mediative only.  But any being that is connected with another being becomes thereby dependent; it is no longer a primary, original, and genetic, but only a secondary and derived, being.  I am constrained to connect myself with something: I cannot connect myself with another being without losing that independence which is the condition of my own existence.

My conception and origination of a purpose, however, is, by its very nature, absolutely free – producing something out of nothing.  With such a  conception I must connect my activity, in order that it may be possible to regard it as free, and as proceeding absolutely from myself alone.

In the following manner, therefore, I conceive of my independence as I.  I ascribe to myself the power of originating a conception simply because I originate it, of originating this conception simply because I originate this one – by the absolute sovereignty of myself as an intelligence…

…Here then, it appears, is the point at which consciousness connects with reality; the real efficiency of my conception, and the real power of action which, in consequence of it, I am compelled to ascribe to myself, is this point.  Let it be as it may with reality of a sensible world beyond me; I possess reality and comprehend it – it lies within my own being, it is native to myself.

I conceive this, my real power of action, in thought, but I do not create it by thought.  The immediate feeling of my impulse to independent activity lies at the foundation of this thought; the thought does no more than portray this feeling and accept it in its own form, the form of thought.  THis procedure may, I think, be vindicated before the tribunal of speculation.”

A quick – and poor – recap:

Knowing is not enough, action is also at the heart of being.

This takes us from the sensory world of appearances and raises the question of the independent mind: we know our own actions, but that knowledge is a mere observation.  Something stands beyond knowing/observation itself.

Within ourselves is the impulse to “absolute, independent self-activity” – free will, despite all evidence of cause-and-effect.  The soul proclaims itself – our own independence strikes us as true. 

We stand independent, and yet observe our own actions - “subject and object in one.”

However, it would appear that this independence is lost as soon as it becomes contingent with the greater world.

A sense of purpose must be absolutely free, otherwise it would lose its quality of independence.  The notion of “I” – the ego – comes to light.

It is with the notion of self that ”consciousness connects with reality.”  Thought is conceived, but is not its own engine.  To think, to act, we must have free will. 

The independent motor is independence itself.

This cannot be validated by any power less than faith, which ameliorates all hesitancy and misgivings.  Fichte’s independence recalls Descartes’ pineal gland, but instead of being the place where mind and body unite, it is the point where thought and action intersect.

Fichte elaborates further, topics for future posts.

a steady beat, rhythmic, joined by a whirr a hum, creaking, a moan long drawn out a not unpleasant screech, a metronome?

not even constant and continuous soothing they say like being in the womb -i can’t remember, is that why it makes you sleepy?

always seeming to take forever and no time at all a sort of purgatory, inbetween places with meaningless names a real

nowhere.

colours and sounds wash over you, drown you to numbness it’s relaxing provoking  fleeting thoughts which are rarely articulated

never comprehended the mind wallows in itself wrapped in this blanket content to be carried where you will

your powerlessness a blessing there is no worry here you will not age eternal youth or death here you can choose

(maybe you will realise they are on and the same) eventually you will, surely it’s just a matter of time.

sitting under the cool

opression of an aqueduct

he doesn’t know where he

is corporations swallowed

by the earth

as the sound

of rushing water provides

bassline to birdsong treble

-is this the CRA’s

revenge their un

spoken promise?

he cannot be sure strange

pillars rise up before foundations

supporting nothing the grass

vibrates under what?

shamanistic spell gaelic rites?

rain falls from underneath

a cloudless sky

a train roars past

first one way then

the other

how long has he been here?

how long has any of this

been here? not long

enough apparantly-he is

a stranger in his own

land

-maybe they ought to

build a wall someone

said -keep the riff raff

out or in return to

a rural way of life

turn the hands of

time back a few

hundred years maybe

just twenty?