As you who have read any of my contributions to the ToK know, I am an interloper. I wandered into the 'room' as a result of my conversations by email with Gregg over the last several months. We are kindred spirits in recognizing that there is a fundamental problem in the lack of a unifying theory of psychology (which I assume is because there is no Central Theory of Biology), swept under the rug by the dogma DNA/RNA/protein. For me, it is remarkable that we biologists do not recognize that Biology remains descriptive, unlike physics and chemistry, which are mechanistic and predictive. Literally no one (other than me) is addressing this issue, largely because we espouse Darwinian evolutionary theory....end of story. Yet there is no experimental evidence for Natural Selection, Descent with Modification, Survival of the Fittest, all of which are metaphors that remain untestable/unrefutable. Over the course of the last 20 years dabbling in evolution theory I have come to the realization, that all that exists in our minds is Darwin or Creationism/Intelligent Design, with no other alternative. Yet it is ironic and paradoxical that there is no Cell Biology in the evolution literature other than what I have been contributing over the last two decades (mind you, non of it in conventional evolutionary biology journals. They think I'm an idiot without an understanding of evolution or science despite a 50 year career in funded biomedical research). That is truly absurd because Cell Biology forms the basis for both Biology and Medicine, yet we marshal on in the name of 'progress'. So we have our heads in the sand and our hopes in the 'Cloud', all in the name of ? I assume that what I am talking about is the essence for the ToK Conference.

As I read Gregg's telling us about his conversation with his daughter I reflected on my own experience, less direct, now reading my son Daniel's second novel, "Boomer1" about the conflict between Baby Boomers and Millennials, a timely subject because I was recently forced into Emeritus status at UCLA for that very reason! Irony of ironies......yet with my new found perspective I can better cope with the condition we find ourselves in at the beginning of the 21st Century.....it's just another of the many, many dichotomies we juggle because we don't understand our origins or the causal nature of our very being. We were literally 'born' out of ambiguity, deceiving physics (circumventing the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics), coping by deception, so what else would one expect. The time is right for a 'reset' in an age of Climate Change and CRISPR.

On Sun, Apr 8, 2018 at 8:28 AM, Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear TOK Society,

There is lots happening in the build up to the conference this week. Because of that, and because of the feedback I received from my lovely wife that the first Tour of the Garden was a bit “dense” for an email attachment, I have shifted my game plan. Rather than proceeding to complete four episodes, including diving into some of the symbolism and other aspects of the Garden, I am shifting my game plan. Instead, I am offering the first attachment here as Episode II to wrap up my Tour, at least for the time being. Perhaps I will resume it after the Conference. Indeed, it might be a useful time, after all the cool conversations and presentations.

The attached Episode II is much more basic than the first episode. Titled Why It All Matters, it is a two page essay on why I am so passionate about this endeavor. (Thanks to my friend, Craig Shealy, for suggesting I focus my message on this crucial aspect of the work. And thanks to my daughter Sydney, whose reflections this weekend served as the stimulus for me to frame my own message why this all matters so much to me.)

Since a number of folks have recently been added to this list, I am also attaching the first Episode of the Tour, and a Glossary of Terms that define key elements of the UTUA Garden/Worldview. All that will be explained in due course.

I hope everyone is well. I hope those who are coming have safe travels.

See you all soon!

Best,

Gregg

___________________________________________

Gregg Henriques, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Graduate Psychology
216 Johnston Hall
MSC 7401
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
(540) 568-7857 (phone)
(540) 568-4747 (fax)

Be that which enhances dignity and well-being with integrity.

Check out my Theory of Knowledge blog at Psychology Today at:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/theory-knowledge

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