The "normalization" of destiny

[petrushka.googol]

At any stage of life we are usually (practically) presented with at least 2 choices.

 

This is in keeping with the dichotomy of quantum mechanics.

 

There exists a concept in database theory where we normalize data. (remove redundant choices) and make the data the best fit.

 

If we apply this to our everyday lives, can we not eliminate choices that offer less immediate benefit (much like heuristic chess programs) and positively influence the course of our destiny.

 

We can also learn from our mistakes and this too will help us to make better and more informed choices.

 

That way many of us will be spared the pains arising out of substance abuse etc.

 

Is this really feasible in the long run?

[EdEarl]

Is what really feasible in the long run? Being spared the pains of substance abuse? Learning from our mistakes? Making positive choices? Only two choices instead of many? What do you mean?

[hoola]

I have a question as to line 3 "there exists a concept in data base theory where we normalize data (remove redundant choices) and make the data best fit....what do you mean by fit best? As relates to our pre-conception as to what the world is, and our relation to it, or what we prefer the world to be in order to find a better "fit", by paring down some of those "redundant" choices?..edd

[petrushka.googol]

As relates to our pre-conception as to what the world is, and our relation to it, or what we prefer the world to be in order to find a better "fit", by paring down some of those "redundant" choices?..edd

 

Exactly! what i'm trying to say is if we make informed choices (choices that we or others have found productive) when encountering analogous situations in our lives, we will find that our live takes a "turn" for the better instead of meandering off-course.

[hoola]

my question was more to the order of....should we make our choices to best interact with : 1) the way the world is, by accepting it's corruption and living comfortably within it as an "insider" or 2) the way you think the world should be, and stand against perceived corruption, thereby having a constant running battle with ignorance, thereby being an "outsider"? It seems to me everyone to a certain degree has to bridge these two behaviors, but largely fall on the side of comfortable insider living....hence the inertia of societal structures tendency to not change quickly unless a large stimulus to do so cannot be avoided. Take integration within the united states in the 1950s. There would have been little progress in school integration in southern states without federal troops enforcing desegregation laws enacted by govenment. Now segregation seems a sad relic of the distant past....but overall society needed that "unavoidable stimulus" to get the ball rolling....I see the same thing upcoming with CO2 rise in the atmosphere....a few more giant hurricanes hitting major cities with be part of the "unavoidable stimulus" causing real change in human behavior. Both in reduction of CO2 production per capita and a corresponding reduction of overall human population......edd

[Marshalscienceguy]

At any stage of life we are usually (practically) presented with at least 2 choices.

 

This is in keeping with the dichotomy of quantum mechanics.

 

There exists a concept in database theory where we normalize data. (remove redundant choices) and make the data the best fit.

 

If we apply this to our everyday lives, can we not eliminate choices that offer less immediate benefit (much like heuristic chess programs) and positively influence the course of our destiny.

 

We can also learn from our mistakes and this too will help us to make better and more informed choices.

 

That way many of us will be spared the pains arising out of substance abuse etc.

 

Is this really feasible in the long run?

Well eliminating something with no immediate benefits does not mean it wont benifit you in the future. Also something which gives you a benefit now will not benefit later. If you look at it when we are kids. We can say "I can be cool, mess around, and get awful grades but have lots of friends and a hot girlfriend/boyfriend".you might have a job cleaning toilets and that is all you will ever be qualified to do. Since you only thought about the immediate benefits. Where as if you say "I know I will be a complete loser in school and graduate, go to university, become something like a chemist you are going to be rich while all those people getting drunk and getting in trouble are probably poor or on the streets". So the immediate choice is not always the best option. Some things you can fix later but some things are not repairable. Certien drugs in long term use create mental problems and some addicts get off the drugs saying they can never feel normal and happy again without them. Even when they are clean. Some things have irreversible effects and what we choose often determines it.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Marshalscienceguy