Comments on: Ghost of Gravity http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-11/ghost-of-gravity.htm Perception and Physics. Science and Spirituality. Life and Work. Money and Quantitative Finance. Fri, 28 May 2010 21:56:43 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Manoj http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-11/ghost-of-gravity.htm/comment-page-1#comment-575 Manoj Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:56:50 +0000 http://www.thulasidas.com/?p=1500#comment-575 Thanks for your comment, Michael. The koan about the falling tree is, I believe, a question about the definition of sound. What is sound? Is it air pressure waves? Then the falling tree makes a sound. Or is it neuronal firing? If so, you need a brain around. Or is it an experience? Then you need consciousness and self-awareness. I must have posted something about it -- it is one of my favorite topics. You know, something that I use to sound smart and erudite in front of my friends. :-) Pirsig's take on scientific beliefs and ghosts, I think, is his way of exposing the context of beliefs. Why do we believe in one and not the other? It is because of the context of the worldview that we hold. Change the context, you change the belief. Five hundred years ago, people probably really believed that faith could move mountains, just as deeply as we now believe that a nuclear bomb can move mountains. (Another one of my favorites, from Russell). Note that we have no real direct reason to believe either, apart from our worldview, which is just another belief. Meaning it is only a belief that justifies another belief, so don't laugh at people who believe in ghosts. Thanks for your comment, Michael.

The koan about the falling tree is, I believe, a question about the definition of sound. What is sound? Is it air pressure waves? Then the falling tree makes a sound. Or is it neuronal firing? If so, you need a brain around. Or is it an experience? Then you need consciousness and self-awareness. I must have posted something about it — it is one of my favorite topics. You know, something that I use to sound smart and erudite in front of my friends. :-)

Pirsig’s take on scientific beliefs and ghosts, I think, is his way of exposing the context of beliefs. Why do we believe in one and not the other? It is because of the context of the worldview that we hold. Change the context, you change the belief. Five hundred years ago, people probably really believed that faith could move mountains, just as deeply as we now believe that a nuclear bomb can move mountains. (Another one of my favorites, from Russell). Note that we have no real direct reason to believe either, apart from our worldview, which is just another belief. Meaning it is only a belief that justifies another belief, so don’t laugh at people who believe in ghosts.

]]> By: Michael Marko http://www.thulasidas.com/2009-11/ghost-of-gravity.htm/comment-page-1#comment-572 Michael Marko Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:22:02 +0000 http://www.thulasidas.com/?p=1500#comment-572 There is just something about this that doesn't satisfy. It an overwording of the "if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound" (have I got that right?) - I can't think of a counter assertion beacause I am not as erudite as I have told all my friends I am, but there must be a better path toward structuring this. There is just something about this that doesn’t satisfy. It an overwording of the “if a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound” (have I got that right?) – I can’t think of a counter assertion beacause I am not as erudite as I have told all my friends I am, but there must be a better path toward structuring this.

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