Yes, it is intended to break with the idea that what we see, the information content of things, is what there is. I interpret the common experience that 1) the horizon of information almost always moves with exploration in the particular ways you'd expect if physical things existed beyond your awareness, and 2) physical systems therefore also operate without information, as evidence that physical things exist.
Phil Henshaw ¸¸¸¸.·´ ¯ `·.¸¸¸¸ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 680 Ft. Washington Ave NY NY 10040 tel: 212-795-4844 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] explorations: www.synapse9.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Prof David West [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 2:40 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Friday Morning Applied Complexity > Coffee Group > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] ...like replacing a star with it's 'sparkle' > > > > On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 07:18:26 -0400, "Phil Henshaw" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > said: > > > > > The reason is that our minds only have the ability to take > in and send > > out information. That's better than nothing, but because our minds > > can't take in and send out the physical things of the > world, nature's > > complex physical designs are naturally hidden from our > awareness. The > > physical world is naturally 'dark matter' for us, and carefully > > discovering and tracing threads of connection in that > 'void' located > > beyond our information and our imagination, is our only way of > > patiently building a picture of what expanse of things are there. > > > > As a fan of good prose/poetry I find the above nicely > written. As a "practicing mystic" I strongly disagree with > its content. The definition of information and "physical > things" seem far too narrow. The paragraph suggests a > metaphysics based on the wrong metaphors - especially the > dualism of mind and out-there. > > dave west > > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
