A few days into blogging and I'm already onto my second blogging site.
This one, suggested by my brother who did not approve of physics related topics on this blog, is different.
I will simply post a picture a day as I take them.
Check it out: Z Photo Blog.
Thanks!
Some friends have taken issue to me taking evolution for granted in the previous post. I think the topic begs a cent or two.
Years ago, as an undergraduate, I was giving a talk at a multidisciplinary conference on the 'evolutionary mechanisms that lead to macro-sociological institutions.' At the end, a philosophy major asked: 'Is evolution True?' I hesitated at the time: capitalized Truth is of magical proportions in philosophy.
Although today, I am still hesitant due to the history and stardust of capitalized Truth, I instinctively view evolution as small-t true.
I have seen evolution happen to various organisms with my own eyes. Its explanatory power that allows precise modeling and understanding of random appearing data from viruses to humans is highly compelling. I also fight evolutionary mechanisms daily by having to resort to new antibiotics as use of old ones causes selection of resistant bacteria.
Furthermore, evolutionary theory is one of the most beautiful, elegant and wise insights humans have managed so far. 
In my mind, it far surpasses relativity and quantum mechanics although they are far more mind opening. The standard model of particle physics, although wondrous, is also of no competition. Some philosophical and religious insights such as monotheism, democracy, and Confucianism are clearly on the list, but I believe evolutionary theory maintains the higher composite score.
Of course, every reader expects a word here about 'intelligent design.' However, I am not praising evolutionary theory as a statement on religion. There is far more to religion than creationism. If readers want, I can post on that later on.
Nonetheless, the issue of intelligent design theory is important. That's because it creates a huge hurdle to open thought regarding evolution. So much time is spent defending evolution or defending intelligent design that imagination, and new perspectives supported by data are stunted. Is evolutionary theory sufficient? Clearly what was stated in 'Origins of Species' is not. Many corrections and addendums make today's evolutionary theory far more robust and powerful. What space will today's theory occupy in tomorrow's understanding? I'm not sure, but we probably have a long way to go.
We are yet to have the equivalent insights of Einstein in physics happen in evolutionary theory. Hopefully, I will witness them in my lifetime.
A friend has asked me to write about this topic... and so I agreed.
It is the easiest and most difficult topic to write about. This is because most have thought, discussed, and experienced it. The accumulated wisdom on this topic from beginning of life to this day must be almost complete if effort is a measure. Today, even the most confused can find easy to follow instructions on wikiHow.
A lot is written about what is true/real/unconditional love. Similarly, dissertations are abound on distinguishing features of loving a significant other vs family member vs an activity. I doubt it's necessary. Love is not the most subtle sensation. It is a jackhammer and most recognize it and its imitators well. It is retrospect that makes us think we were fooled.
One can of course dig deeper than the existential experience and classify it as an obsessive disorder, an addiction or a powerful tool of evolution that has shaped our neurocircuitry. As cerebral as these discussions sound, they are not that far from obvious and seem distanced from the awe love evokes.
As well, with powerful forces, generalizations are highly tempting. It is tempting to assert that all mothers love their children unconditionally, that everyone experiences love the same way and that context is irrelevant. It is also as easy to assume powerful forces like love could be our saviour if we all just believed. These rest on many assumptions.
Love is well above merely a functional process. I see Love as the ultimate masterpiece. Evolution, given the most basic of tools, raw materials and millions of years of ups and downs has sculpted the greatest imaginable piece of art. This masterpiece evokes all emotions in us and other creatures alike, cannot be fully defined and is fully nonfunctional and functional at every level simultaneously.
'Love' by Evolution is in a gallery - and you are its spectator, participant and component. It may be causing you the most fulfilling pleasure or deepest of pains, but it is hard not to admire its beauty.
I love to travel.
Seeing new places, meeting new people and stepping out of the normal everyday routine is great. Some of my favourite memories are set far away from home.
Yet, I am not sure why I travel.
Is it to see new or as the case may be, very old things? The world is splattered with man made monuments of all sorts: churches, bridges, statues, mosques, pyramids, and so on. We love and have loved to build monuments to god(s), people, events, nations, concepts, and other monuments. It only takes a few years for children to start stacking blocks.
Or is it to see new cultures and living conditions? To be immersed in the different mannerisms, customs and languages? To witness people in severe poverty and war to high living and stylish excessiveness? To experience all variations of Chinese food?
Perhaps I travel instead to learn of myself. To gain distance in both time, distance and spirit from my regular world and have a third-person perspective. To gain insight into humanity and its relation to my own life.
Maybe, travel is purely masked recreation. It's a fun retreat allowing for more than usual freedoms. To do things I would not normally do or be able to do.
I am not sure why others travel. However, when I wonder about my excitement at the next trip, I know deep inside why I travel.
It is the sense of discovery that drives me. It's a feeling akin to exploring a nearby forest, or reading a new book. It may reveal that most beaches are similar, that churches are dark and large and that all children watch rap music videos through satellite television. Yet it's never disappointing for the hunger of adventure is satisfied.
And why do I reflect on travel? Because Home has become difficult to pinpoint.
Well, it is that time of the year: Christmas and soon after new year celebrations.
During these etches in the year- new year, birthday, holidays- I often reflect on the nature of time. No, that is not true. On these days I reflect on my ever fewer years of life.
More truthfully, it is on a very busy day, or a very uneventful day that I reflect on the nature of time. I think to myself: "there's no way time doesn't speed up or slow down." It is not merely a feeling; it instinctively seems True. As well, it is universal: few people watch pots boil or grass grow.
But unfortunately, I cannot make the case that time slows down or speeds up. This is simply because there is no clear conception of time. Is time elemental to the universe like distance and thus to be taken for granted as real and not explicable? That appears to be the physics perspective. Or is it perhaps instead elemental to our thought structure and to be taken as granted as a necessity for my consciousness? That appears to be the post-modern perspective.
How did time begin? With the big bang or with light and god's command? How does time flow? Linear, as quantas, or spherically? Does time dilate and how does it change when interacting with space as spacetime?
Well, I could make the case that time is not real. Many have in the past. Our arbitrary definitions of seconds, days, and years merely show we can see regular patterns and count.
However, it'd be hard to show time speeds up and slows down if I say it's not real. And I dare not play the cooking game by adding all the ingredients and arguing my consciousness somehow alters spacetime. Enough people make millions of dollars on books that glorify our limited minds by claiming consciousness is a force. Half truths multiplied make quarter truths.
Therefore, all I can say is that some moments are quick and others slow. And I assert its change of pace feels as real as time itself.
Dan Gilbert gives an excellent presentation on the premise that our assumptions of what makes us happy are often wrong. He says we are horrible at judging probabilities and values.
He especially emphasizes the human tendency towards relativity and comparison. For example, $100 off a $100,000 car seems far less than $100 off a $200 jacket. Yet, $100 has the same purchasing power.
He argues at the same time that we are unable to put things into context and that we are unable to see past the context of a situation. Spherical arguments are the best.
I guess, as most, I have mixed feelings about his conclusions.
However, it did make me wonder about equivalencies. Personal time and money equivalencies. Most people do it all the time but inconsistently and somewhat selectively. Simply put, thinking of $20 no matter the context as something one really likes to buy; and thinking of fifteen minutes in any situation as an activity one really likes to do.
But of course, we all know time is money.
So that'd suggest finding a personal time to money equivalency as well. For example, $20 is equivalent to one hour which is equivalent to having coffee with a good friend.
Suddenly, $100 off an expensive car seems worth it.
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