dichotomy

Can anybody point me to a link, or, walk me through the theoretical evolution of the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)? Image representations of stages of development would be great. Cheers.

That is why I posted this to Lucaspa earlier in this thread. "No problem. And I understand where you are coming from. Moderators can you please move this thread to the speculations and pseudo science forum, thank you." Nobody listened.

This reminds me of Paul MacLean's Triune brain theory. Have you looked at this? I think it holds a lot of truth. http://www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/bcp/brainbasics/triune.html No!

Well maybe we have not lost our instincts yet, they are merely suppressed in favour of societal rules. Possibly instincts/strong emotions need to be suppressed for generations, before they are completely replaced by rational awareness/controlled consciousness?

Does anyone know of any decent freeware 'screen video capture' software available? I'm currently using Camstudio v2 with mixed results. Although, I may be using the wrong codecs for smooth results.

Hello all, Aldous Huxley best sums up my current mindset – "The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less sure, happier but less self-satisfied, humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable mystery which it tries, forever vainly, to comprehend." Basically, things would be pretty average without a series of unknowns that are there to, attempt to, demystify. And there are heaps of unknowns! Yippy!

More like, keep the public in FEAR and DOUBT, in order to continue junk sales.

This makes sense. Thanks.

Maybe myth busting gives better jollies still?

This statement is all that is needed in order to piss on these sort of sales theatrics. I think that purported science documentaries need a regulatory statement, along the lines of my Selsun dandruff shampoo bottle's statement of - 'medically proven' . I'm serious. Although, to be fair. It was originally posted in pseudoscience, was it not?

IMO, people have been conditioned by 'authority' over centuries to accept half truths as facts. War time propaganda is a case in point. The 'news' is a case in point. The news appears like it holds some special status. Neatly dressed and articulate men and women presenters give the illusion of credibility and a 'complete' source of 'necessary' information. Possibly. The human brain could simply be addicted to 'answers', if it can't always get the truth. incomplete or incorrect 'Answers' fill the void, or, provide a starting point to get to the real truth. With blind spots, this is the only way humans can operate practically. We will always be blind to a degree. It seems to be the necessary dichotomy of the mind. IMO, a good reasoning example might be – Is the glass half full, or, half empty? Well nether, or both. The liquid in the glass is exactly at the half way point. Reason needs to be trained to see that a blind spot (black hole) will likely be present in all real life situations, in order to minimise myth (assumption). Theory is the only place we will see mathematical perfection, and the full elimination of blind spots. Any hands-on engineer can tell you this. Perfect cad plans for a building are one thing, the real assembled building is quite another.

If this is the current paradigm, I understand it and can see the logic in it when it specifically refers to the body as involving darwinian evolution, and not the mind. But still, I disagree with this paradigm if it removes the mind from natural evolution. Or, conveniently disregards it. Like you stated – “Instead, the Darwinian selection of designing machines is taking place in human minds, humans make the mental variations”. I’m not saying that man’s technology itself is naturally evolving. I’m specifically referring to the human mind evolving and producing new variations on technology and creativity, using the minds genetic algorithms. If this is called evolutionary psychology. That's fine. I just think it's a little dated to separate mind and body evolution if mind is not considered natural evolution. Having said that, if Darwin didn't see mind as part of his theory, I think he'd change his mind today. I agree. I don't agree that man's machines, all by themselves, naturally evolve. If this is what you are suggesting. Machines build machines, yes? But, machines don't naturally, biologically evolve other machines into existence.

Ok, what about – Q10. How many distinct substances contained within the cosmos make up the human body, and what the human body relies on for survival? Q11. How many chemical elements, from the periodic table of chemical elements, does the human body contain and require for average survival. Q12. So, if they aren't different types of matter and energy, what are they? (Simply matter and energy, I assume?)

But, 1. the economy is a myth. 2. Nobody really knows what it's going to do.

Just a side point. And, I’m not sure that you are arguing this point, but here goes. I keep hearing the statement, ‘natural evolution is very different to human manipulated evolution (technological evolution)’, in various guises. Now, just because humans can ‘specifically reinforce a certain type of survival’, this doesn’t mean it is not natural evolution, IMO. It is just how evolution works within the time of the Homo-sapiens rule of planet earth.

I should clarify. Myths are not needed today. They served a purpose, like our tails did once. It is time to grow-up, but some people struggle with the concept of what adulthood is supposed to mean today. Possibly due to the lack of credible role models that surround the majority of us.

Q9. How many different types of matter and energy is the human body made up of? I’m thinking crystals, minerals, vitamins, electricity, acid, proteins, etc) (I’m not sure if this is practical to quantify? I may need to rephrase this one)

Until the species is eventually mature and conscious enough to handle the TRUTH? I agree that it IS best to say, "I don't know", at least this is truth. Myths are useful. For one, it helps us to initiate ideas like minotaurs and centaurs for e.g. These myths give us a basic grounding for the more scientific explanations of how man has come to evolve to his present state, perhaps.

Q7. There is Waterjet Cutting Technology that is very successful at cutting many hard substances. Can Pressurized gas be used in a similar way? Insane Alien's info regarding 'weak bonding' of atoms in water and gas got me thinking this. Q8. Are most substances with weak atom bondings, in theory, useful for pressurised cutting as Waterjets are?

Can Waterjet Cutting Technology produce a water jet that is harder than diamond?

Take your pick - Amino acids, diamonds, crystals, carbon, organic compounds, humans, cosmic rays, the entire cosmos and the speculated void beyond, all matter and energy. All these things could make-up the unconscious 'mind' at work (CUF). Driving primary matter and energy into various forms, stars, planets, galaxies, universes. Driving matter into life (just like Lucaspa drives amino acids into life on his BBQ) and driving matter into death (just as humans can). All life and death are merely chemical reactions to CUF. The CUF 'feels' (maybe as algae does) that IS-ness and simply existing, is really what actually matters. Well, maybe there is no real death (to our way of thinking) as far as CUF is concerned. Matter and energy (including from the 'dead') are perpetually recycled and used in various and changing ways thoughout the cosmos. We are all made of ancient recycled particles. I speculate that death and suffering are merely momentary chemical reactions (like erupting volcanos that create still other opportunities for things) as far as the CUF is concerned. Now, am I anthropomorphising CUF? Or, is the ALL that IS (CUF inc.) just like us. Because after all, the 'ALL that IS', is the matter we have been fabricated from?

Q6. Is the solidity of objects an illusion? Is solidity really just varying densities of matter? That is, tightly packed atoms (iron anvil) and loosely packed atoms (water)? Can this be done with simple stuff bought from a standard retailer/hardware store/art&craft shop? a type of film perhaps?

Myths are obviously important, or they wouldn’t exist (like the paradox? ) (I speculate) In psychological evolutionary terms. Myths are important primary building blocks of consciousness, intellect and creativity. I think of it this way. Myths are important in the development of speculations, speculations are important to develop theories, theories are important in order to put unknown things into practice, and prove/disprove the theory. The obvious question is, do we still need myths? What should they be permanently replaced with? assumptions, speculations, postulations, working hypotheses, theories, etc ? These terms seem to be much more acceptable, at present, to ‘rational’ thinkers?

You have completely misunderstood what I have written. Not to mention blown things completely out of proportion with your rampant assumptions (inferring that I was comparing Buddhism with Darwinism). But, that’s ok. What I was doing was comparing the respective ‘consciousness’ levels of Guatama and Darwin. You suggested (hopefully tongue in cheek) that Darwin’s 1859 classic was when anthropoid consciousness first existed. I facetiously pointed to Gautama’s realizations as the first signs of anthropoid consciousness. That is all. If you have no sense of humour, or are unable to see the point being made, well, that's ok too. Stress definition – (biology-online.org) 2. The sum of the biological reactions to any adverse stimulus, physical, mental or emotional, internal or external, that tends to disturb the organisms homeostasis, should these compensating reactions be inadequate or inappropriate, they may lead to disorders. The term is also used to refer to the stimuli that elicit the reactions. Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension; she endured the stresses and strains of life; he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger- R.J.Samuelson. This is the way I use it, and IMO (and I emphasise, speculation here) Guatama realized this in an intuitive way as well… No need to have nowhere arguments here, as any substantial absolute evidence is probably buried under too many layers of time dust anyway. No problem. And I understand where you are coming from. Moderators can you please move this thread to the speculations and pseudo science forum, thank you. Thanks, I'll take a look. Will do, thanks.

If this is to me then nice come back.