VII Notes

2010

Notes

[Sunday 11 April 2010 - Saturday 17 April 2010]

[Notebook: DB 68: Salalah]

[page 314]

Sunday 11 April 2010

The world seems messy and the motivation to write low. The key issue is creation, the answer in the region of Lonergan's schemes of recurrence. Lonergan The fixed point theorems are the explanation of creation, where by creation we mean the establishment of stable structure where there was none before, as IO am trying to do, so making the article recursive. Now, like a termite in the mud, I am waiting for something clear to emerge to build on.

'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . . ' (Genesis 1:1)

In the beginning (and all along) God creates itself.

Two possibilities: god created the world; the world creates itself. Given the first we must ask, who created God, and the question goes unanswered; given the second, we identify God and the World and produce a model of the world that includes a mechanism for creation, which mechanism is demonstrated by the creation of this article.

The magical tradition: words can influence reality; is true if the correct intermediaries are used, just as we can practice psychokinesis by using our minds to move our muscles which move reality. Butler

All this is an attempt to produce a tool powerful enough to force radical reform in the Catholic Church, to democratize it and couple it to reality.

Symmetry and selection. Symmetry = equiprobability

[page 315]

= maximum entropy.

The interesting thing about quantum mechanics is that it has two probability schemes (boson and fermion), both more restricted that the Boltzmann statistics. What is the source of these restrictions? Error control at different layers of the network.

CARDINAL = PHOTON
ORDINAL = ELECTRON

Monday 12 April 2010

Veil: Woodward: Why do the leaders always want to go to war? partly they have already been selected by the process of becoming rulers. The fundamental problem of establishing a peaceful society is to get the process moving, for as the society becomes more peaceful the process of selecting leaders need no longer select the warlords but, ultimately, for those who can deliver the most stable social systems. Woodward

The Cantor Symmetry (maybe) gives us just enough insight to avoid the problems in the higher system [by maintaining the integrity of the letters?] All we need to achieve [is] a system which is locally peaceful from the point of view of the local person: so for myself, food, shelter, companionship and income are made available for me in the abundance by the society in which I have reached the status of 'old age pensioner'. This is probably the case for about half the people on earth and the rest are stressed beyond their power by the failures in the structure of the society they occupy.

[page 316]

I'm having a dream run and want to propagate it to everybody because I can see and feel many people in pain. The root of this pain is the hierarchical power structure which characterizes the countries where the pain is greatest, beginning with those rules by military juntas, the military rule. Military Junta - Wikipedia Across the road from this is the spiritual absolutism practised by the Pope, torturing people by imprisoning them within a set of rules of thought and behaviour which are radically unnatural because they deny the reality of change and devote themselves to ignoring all the evidence in order to retain their political position.

One does not have to be human very long to learn that human interactions are very complex, operating at all sorts of levels in all sorts of codes. And things get more complex as one gets older, and as organizations become larger and less hierarchical as the realization that the most efficient structure is a network of peers operating with all the relevant information.

Where are we? The state vector encodes the distribution function of traffic in the network as a series of amplitudes, one corresponding to each of the basis vectors in the current representation. The Hamiltonian operator [a linear operator on the vector space] describes the the flow of amplitude from one state to another, most simp;ly in a two state system, ie the rate of communication on the channel between the two states.

The basis states are frequencies. We can think od this in terms of a two stringed musical instrument.

After the Schrödinger equation [comes the] eigenvalue [equation]. ACT OF INTELLIGENCE = ACT = INSIGHT

We carry the insight up and down the scale of complexity with Cantor symmetry.

Universe divine vs catholics = evidence vs hearsay.

A jigsaw with no edges.

By deliberately blinding itself to reality by mandating celibacy the Church has last the distinction between sexuality and sensuality, as manifested by many of its employees, and by the consequent cover ups. [the cover up is the sin against the hold spirit, denying the evidence]

Machine infinity = localization

ℵ₀ = 2, ℵ₁ = 4, ℵ₂ = 16, ℵ₃ = 2¹⁶ . . . .

The mini-transfinite series.

the e-zone: e = (1 + 1/n)ⁿ.

The short statement: We assume all the processes in the Universe can be understood as information [processing]. We accept Landauer's hypothesis that all information is encoded physically, and understand this to mean that we must construct our Universe from a countable alphabet of symbols. Rolf Landauer

We may assume that the information processing

[page 318]

system is at least locally simple enough to be described by something not more complex than arithmetic.

Skolem-Löwenheim theorem: this system has a countable model. Löwenheim–Skolem theorem - Wikipedia

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Features of quamtum mechanics: 1. Linear = meaningless (like communication theory, which is concerned only with the statistical properties of messages, not their mening)

2. Neilsen and Chuang: Quantum mechanics is basically linear algebra (as is communication theory. Nielsen & Chuang

FREELOADER = CANCER

Sitting on the sun drenched verandah in a state of existential bliss while trying to concoct a consistent representation of a divine self-creative Universe.

The prisoner's dilemma and the conditions for creation: the evolution of cooperation, something (like the evolution of language) to be explained by a consistent formal system realized as a computer model. Axelrod

A spanning set of vectors = a spanning set of colours (R, G, B)

The quantum mechanical model of a process is a linear operator.

[page 319]

3. Unitary

4. Reversible

5. Perpetual

6. Unobservable

7. Observation, distribution, digitization.

Given these hints that the Universe is logical and digital, we now exploit Cantor's theory of transfinite cardinal and ordinal numbers to build a full scale logical phase space in which to model the world.

A solution to the middle east and related problems. The transfinite transition occurs when we liberate some symbol to take many different values by the random assortment of its parts. This new space is represented by the permutation space of its root space. The root space here is the set of world religions. The transfinite transition (and consquent peace) will be achieved when these religions are embedded in a larger space which emphasizes the symmetry, that is substitutability (insofar as they are true) so that we all move in a common space of human development irrespective of religious affiliation because we all recognise the metareligion. We might say that Christianity is the metareligion of Judaism because it expands our concept of God from light and sound on a hill to an actual human being, played by Jesus.

[page 320]

Recursive function = wheel, cog, so we imagine th recursive functions driving one another like a gearbox.

Wednesday 14 April 2010

REVERSIBLE <--> PERIODIC (?) [quantum mechanics]

4 formulae:
Einstein / de Broglie, E = hν, p = h/λ
Schrödinger Eigenvalue
Born / Normalization

Thursday 15 April 2010

Friday 16 April 2010

The work is hard but becomes easier as a certain amount of passion provides motivation [potential]. The passion arises from a perception of the benefits to be gained by success and obviously has its roots in the mating game in which each of us tries to find and attract an ideal mate or set of mates. Despai, the opposite of passion, tends to dampen this force, but can be combated by rational management of the operation either to bring it to fruition or to see in good time that it is impossible and minimize wasted investment. Deluded or not, I can see the enormous benefits that might from from natural theology and natural religion as a result of bringing us into harmony with the world. An agenda for the future.

One cannot ethically begin to preach (ie propagate) the doctrine until it has been subjected to careful testing and peer review, although one may need to take a few shortcuts to get started. [pitch it to 'sophisticated investors']

[page 321]

All the control in a free layer is devoted to the integrity of the alphabet of the layer, and not constructing the permutations that these free letters may be used to make. Natural selection will then determined the arrangements of these free agents into a stable network (since all the unstable have died out, exponential selective damping). Is this why there are no frequencies between the stationary states of an atom, ie these states are orthogonal.

Saturday 17 April 2010

Steve Coll The Bin Ladens Coll

Slowly making the transition from shy and beaten underdog to an active campaigner for natural theology as an antidote to the secret, sectarian and political defects of the existing crop of religions.

The axioms of quantum mechanics: Continuity in Hilbert space places a very strong constraint on the functions used to represent reality, and we assume that this constraint represents the simplicity of reality At the level described by quantum mechanics, which is a 2 dimensional field theory (Zee Zee.

Demythologizing theology --> scientificating theology.

ogic and arithmetic are the formal foundations odf all acientific modelling. The theory of pease is the 'maiofesto' of this approach to theology.

Saudi / Israel Coll, 155,56. 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' The Protocols of the Elders of Zion - Wikipedia

[page 322]

Lippman: Lippman

Most of the critics of modern 'errors' are backward looking seeking a return to the imagined original pure versions of their ideologies. Pure Christianity (Luther), Pure Islam (heaps of our contemporaries) etc etc. Pure Catholicism.

ERROR vs PURITY (avoidance of creativity)

The political value of natural theology is as a defence against the erosion of freedom and creativity by the fundamentalists, ie those who enjoy power inherited from a simpler past (where power rested in the hands of the violent) and wish to retain it. Benedict does not (in outcome) care how many African's die of AIDS as long as he can flaunt his authority by banning condoms.

Macquarie may be good to combat the expenditure of oil wealth to promote Muslim fundamentalism.

What we are trying to do is use the models of natural theology to reveal the natural religion that has shaped the evolution of the world since the beginning.

The Book: Creation (Koestler Koestler)

Having moved far from religion in the search for a new theological foundation, I now find myself bringing my discovery back to the religion sphere, seeing how much religion influences our behaviour, and the behavioural changes we need to make to become at home on Earth.

[page 323]

'[Osama Bin Laden seemed particularly drawn to teachings that a righteous Muslim should imitate the dress and customs that prevailed during the Prophet's lifetime. Osama scolded his friend Khaled Bartafi for wearing shorts to soccer games, which violated an obscure tenet of theological rule making. page 305.

'"I think Osama began to believe in himself"' Coll page 305.

Al Qaeda: '"It's goal will be to lift the word of God, to make His religion victorious"' page 337.

By violence, not truth [(?)]

"The pledge of God and his covenant is upon me, to listen and to obey the superiors who are doing this work, in energy, early rising, difficulty and easiness, and for his superiority upon us, so the Word of God will be the highest, and his religious victorious". Coll page 337 from Lawrence, Messages Bin Laden

Who owns the oil? The prevailing military power. This power is necessary because the distribution is not fair, so creating dissent when the unfairness becomes known.

Coll page 341: 'To the extent that it formally existence at all, Al Qaeda at this stage was as much a fundraising network as a militia.'

I see the only honest way to fund the natural religion project is a prospectus and public offering in the long run, but we have to struggle on for a while yet to get a hearing for the new theology and hopefully success at this hearing: approval by some peers, who are everybody.

[page 324]

Great wealth attached to a bad idea can cause deep trouble in the collective psyche. ,p> Networks are real as I am real.

A theory of everything has to cover the whole spectrum from good to evil, material to spiritual.

Business is the hardware of peace (and war). Money speaks all languages because it is empowered arithmetic, real rather than abstract arithmetic.

Secret police - thought police - widespread in areas where ignorance is widespread, an effort to maintain ignorance.

Copyright:

You may copy this material freely provided only that you quote fairly and provide a link (or reference) to your source.

---

Further reading

Books

Click on the "Amazon" link below each book entry to see details of a book (and possibly buy it!)

Axelrod, Robert, The Evolution of Cooperation, Basic Books 1985 Amazon.com: 'This book is a must-read not only for students (broadly defined) of the social sciences, but also for politicians and bureaucrats, especially those in charge of military and foreign affairs. Axelrod's book is a tour-de-force in multi-method approaches. Although the author is a trifle repetitive and occasionally laborious, I think the profound content of the book far outweighs the minor inadequacies of its form. At the risk of sounding like a logical positivist, I would venture to say that Axelrod's approach offers hope for a bottom-up construction of cooperation in an uncertain world without a central authority.' Reeshad Dalal  Amazon   back

Bin Laden, Osama, and Bruce Lawrence (editor), James Howarth (translator), Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama Bin Laden, Verso 2005 From Publishers Weekly 'Notable for its scope and comprehensiveness, this collection of 24 newly translated public statements by Osama bin Laden offers a nuanced and revealing view of Public Enemy No. 1. Best suited for those whose knowledge of bin Linden is based upon brief, pixilated clips or quotes gleaned from news accounts, the book will provide those who have studied the man and his rarified interpretation of Islam with little, if anything, that is new. Tracing bin Laden's ascendancy from the disgruntled Saudi exile of 1994 whose letters of complaint had a nearly timid tone (in a December 1994 letter to a Saudi judicial leader, bin Laden addresses the recipient as "Honorable sheikh" and writes, "we pray that you do not take these words out of turn or consider them to overstep the limits of etiquette.") to the bombastic jihadist leader in hiding with a $50-million bounty on his head, his statements depict not only a fiery communicator with a knack for manipulating traditional Islamic beliefs, but a revolutionary figure whose romanticized view of himself and his cause carries echoes of iconic revolutionaries past. Familiarity with the Koran will help readers contextualize and evaluate bin Laden's claims (footnotes citing Koranic passages accompany each invocation), though even the uninitiated will have no trouble in identifying arguably willful misinterpretations. (Bin Laden cites, for instance, a verse that concludes, "God has endless bounty and knowledge," to support cautioning "Muslims to be very wary and careful about befriending Jews and Christians.") Those looking for a comprehensive and unexpurgated explanation of the man behind contemporary radical Islam have a powerful reference here.' Copyright © Reed Business Information  Amazon   back

Butler, E M, The Myth of the Magus, Cambridge University Press 1993 Amazon product description: 'The Magus, a legendary magician of superhuman powers, is an archetype central to myth and religion across many cultures. Identifying its anthropological origins in ancient rituals performed by a shaman or wizard to ensure the prosperity of his tribe, E. M. Butler goes on to trace its subsequent development in pre-Christian religious and mystic philosophers, in medieval sorcerers and alchemists, and finally in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century occult revival. From Zoroaster to Solomon, Merlin to Faust, Cagliostro to Rasputin, legends of the Magus are explored and where possible compared with the historical record in this fascinating account, first published in 1948, of one of the major figures in religious and occult mythology.'  Amazon   back

Coll, Steve, The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century, Penguin (Non-Classics) 2009 From The Washington Post Reviewed by Milton Viorst 'Change the names and locations, and Steve Coll's marvelous book about the bin Laden family would begin like a familiar American saga. An illiterate youth arrives in a land of opportunity from his impoverished homeland and, by dint of ambition, talent and hard work, becomes immensely rich and powerful. He collects properties, airplanes, luxury cars and women -- tastes he passes on to his sons. He earns a niche in the pantheon of great builders of his adopted country. The youth is Mohamed bin Laden, justly venerated in Saudi Arabia. But collective memory plays funny tricks, and in the West he will be permanently remembered as the father of Osama. The bin Ladens, though their Horatio Alger story overlaps Western experience, emerge as unmistakably Middle Eastern -- to the point of being torn asunder by today's religious struggles. Coll, a Pulitzer Prize winner and former Washington Post managing editor, leaves the psychology to his readers. He prefers writing on economics and politics, leavening them with anecdotes and gossip; the result is a fascinating panorama of a great family, presented within the context of the 9/11 drama. . . . '  Amazon   back

Dawkins, Richard, The God Delusion, Houghton Mifflin 2006 Amazon Editorial Review From Publishers Weekly 'The antireligion wars started by Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris will heat up even more with this salvo from celebrated Oxford biologist Dawkins. For a scientist who criticizes religion for its intolerance, Dawkins has written a surprisingly intolerant book, full of scorn for religion and those who believe. But Dawkins, who gave us the selfish gene, anticipates this criticism. He says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religions—fundamentalist Christianity and Islam come in for the most opprobrium—that close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation. While Dawkins can be witty, even confirmed atheists who agree with his advocacy of science and vigorous rationalism may have trouble stomaching some of the rhetoric: the biblical Yahweh is "psychotic," Aquinas's proofs of God's existence are "fatuous" and religion generally is "nonsense." The most effective chapters are those in which Dawkins calms down, for instance, drawing on evolution to disprove the ideas behind intelligent design. In other chapters, he attempts to construct a scientific scaffolding for atheism, such as using evolution again to rebut the notion that without God there can be no morality. He insists that religion is a divisive and oppressive force, but he is less convincing in arguing that the world would be better and more peaceful without it.' Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.  Amazon   back

Koestler, Arthur , The Act of Creation, Penguin (Non-Classics) 1990 Preface to the Danube Edition: '... this book proposes a theory of art and of creation - of the conscious and unconscious processes underlying scientific discovery, artistic originality, and comic inspiration. It endeavours to show that all creative activities have a basic pattern in common, and to outline that pattern.'  Amazon   back

Lippman, Thomas W, Inside the Mirage: America's Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia, Basic Books 2005 Amazon.com Review 'The discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia led to a relationship between the Saudis and Americans that made all the sense in the world and, at the same time, no sense at all. Economically, it was a dynamic and effective model. The Americans were able to purchase more oil as car ownership in the United States escalated throughout the 20th century, meanwhile the Saudis were able to take that money and use it to buy all the latest products and technology from the Americans and transform their country from a pre-industrial kingdom a bustling modern civilization (complete, today, with Starbucks, McDonalds, and shopping malls). Making all this happen, however, meant situating thousands of American civilians in a country in which they simply did not fit. Veteran Middle East scholar and journalist Thomas Lippman's Inside the Mirage examines the 70-year history of the Saudi-American relationship. While he touches on the troubling issues that came to light after the events of 9/11, Lippman's exploration of the quasi-suburban world inhabited by American employees and their families proves most fascinating. Many Americans profiled seem to have been transported out of an old episode of Leave it to Beaver and dropped, intact, in the middle of a desert nation, dwelling in cordoned off communities and having little contact with the Saudis outside of what was professionally necessary. Cultural and religious differences provide stark contrast between the Americans and the fundamental form of Islam practiced by the Saudi royal family and prevalent throughout the kingdom. These differences combined with the inherent pressures of great wealth and big business to form a relationship that is vitally important to both countries but that was tenuous to begin with and, as Lippman explains has remained so ever since.' --John Moe  Amazon   back

Lonergan, Bernard J F, Insight : A Study of Human Understanding (Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan : Volume 3), University of Toronto Press 1992 '... Bernard Lonergan's masterwork. Its aim is nothing less than insight into insight itself, an understanding of understanding'  Amazon   back

Nielsen, Michael A, and Isaac L Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, Cambridge University Press 2000 Review: A rigorous, comprehensive text on quantum information is timely. The study of quantum information and computation represents a particularly direct route to understanding quantum mechanics. Unlike the traditional route to quantum mechanics via Schroedinger's equation and the hydrogen atom, the study of quantum information requires no calculus, merely a knowledge of complex numbers and matrix multiplication. In addition, quantum information processing gives direct access to the traditionally advanced topics of measurement of quantum systems and decoherence.' Seth Lloyd, Department of Quantum Mechanical Engineering, MIT, Nature 6876: vol 416 page 19, 7 March 2002.  Amazon   back

Noble, David F, The Religion of Technology: The Divinity of Man and the Spirit of Invention, Penguin Books 1999 Introduction: 'It is the aim of this book to demonstrate that the present enchantment with things technological ... is rooted in religious myths and ancient imaginings. Although today's technologists, in their sober pursuit of utility, power and profit, seem to set society's standard for rationality ... their true inspiration lies elsewhere, in an enduring, other-worldly quest for transcendence and salvation.'   Amazon   back

Woodward, Rob, Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981 - 1987, Simon & Schuster 2005 From Library Journal 'Woodward's books on Watergate, the Supreme Court, and John Belushi were not so controversial as Veil. His deathbed visit to William Casey, former CIA head, has been disputed by Casey's wife. What Woodward knew about Casey's Iran-contra role was apparently withheld from Congress. All this smoke has drawn attention from the fire. Woodward's tale of attempted murders, payoffs to foreign leaders, covert contra aid, covert aid to Britain in the Falklands War, and anti-terrorist squads is formidable. He presents Casey's CIA as a dangerously illegal loose cannon on the deck of U.S. foreign policy.' Richard B. Finnegan, Stonehill Coll., North Easton, Mass.  Amazon   back

Zee, Anthony, Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell, Princeton University Press 2003 Amazon book description: 'An esteemed researcher and acclaimed popular author takes up the challenge of providing a clear, relatively brief, and fully up-to-date introduction to one of the most vital but notoriously difficult subjects in theoretical physics. A quantum field theory text for the twenty-first century, this book makes the essential tool of modern theoretical physics available to any student who has completed a course on quantum mechanics and is eager to go on. Quantum field theory was invented to deal simultaneously with special relativity and quantum mechanics, the two greatest discoveries of early twentieth-century physics, but it has become increasingly important to many areas of physics. These days, physicists turn to quantum field theory to describe a multitude of phenomena. Stressing critical ideas and insights, Zee uses numerous examples to lead students to a true conceptual understanding of quantum field theory--what it means and what it can do. He covers an unusually diverse range of topics, including various contemporary developments,while guiding readers through thoughtfully designed problems. In contrast to previous texts, Zee incorporates gravity from the outset and discusses the innovative use of quantum field theory in modern condensed matter theory. Without a solid understanding of quantum field theory, no student can claim to have mastered contemporary theoretical physics. Offering a remarkably accessible conceptual introduction, this text will be widely welcomed and used.   Amazon   back

Links

Armageddon - Wikipedia Armageddon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 'Armageddon is the site of an epic battle associated with the end time prophecies of the Abrahamic religions. back

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada Catholic Press Association 'Founded in 1911, the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada offers all who work in the Catholic media field the opportunity to be part of something bigger than their own communication vehicle. With more than 600 member organizations, the CPA reaches over 26 million people, giving voice to the church and witness to the presence of God in the 21st century. back

Lowenheim–Skolem theorem - Wikipedia Löwenheim–Skolem theorem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 'In mathematical logic, the Löwenheim–Skolem theorem states that if a countable first-order theory has an infinite model, then for every infinite cardinal number κ it has a model of size κ. The result implies that first-order theories are unable to control the cardinality of their infinite models, and that no first-order theory with an infinite model can have exactly one model up to isomorphism. The (downward) Löwenheim–Skolem theorem is one of the two key properties, along with the compactness theorem, that is used in Lindström's theorem to characterize first-order logic. In general, the Löwenheim–Skolem theorem does not hold in stronger logics such as second-order logic.' back

Military Junta - Wikipedia Military Junta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A military junta (pronounced /ˈhʊntə/ or /ˈdʒʌntə/) is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors. Sometimes it becomes a military dictatorship, though the terms are not synonymous.' back

Rolf Landauer Information is a Physical Entity 'Abstract: This paper, associated with a broader conference talk on the fundamental physical limits of information handling, emphasizes the aspects still least appreciated. Information is not an abstract entity but exists only through a physical representation, thus tying it to all the restrictions and possibilities of our real physical universe. The mathematician's vision of an unlimited sequence of totally reliable operations is unlikely to be implementable in this real universe. Speculative remarks about the possible impact of that, on the ultimate nature of the laws of physics are included.' back

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion - Wikipedia The Protocols of the Elders of Zion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a fraudulent antisemitic text purporting to describe a Jewish plan for achieving global domination. It was first published in Russia in 1903, translated into multiple languages, and disseminated internationally in the early part of the twentieth century. Henry Ford funded printing of 500,000 copies which were distributed throughout the United States in the 1920s.' back