Waldemar, sure......they are negentropy (negative entropy= free energy), chemiosmosis (first source of bioenergetics(Peter Mitchell (1961)), and homeostasis..... On Tue, Jul 17, 2018 at 10:18 AM, [log in to unmask] < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > John: > > I wonder if you might enumerate the “first principles of physiology” to > which you refer? > > Best regards, > > Waldemar > > *Waldemar A Schmidt, PhD, MD* > (Perseveret et Percipiunt) > 503.631.8044 > > *Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.* (A Einstein) > > > > > > > On Jul 17, 2018, at 6:27 AM, JOHN TORDAY <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Dear Joe and ToKers, I wanted to thank Joe for trying to understand my > perspective, largely because it is representative of what I think Gregg is > attempting to achieve....not Joe and me per se, but all of us who have > identified with the ToK as a 'big tent'. My science has brought me to a > certain level of understanding independent of any 'goal', which I think is > significant in not being teleologic or tautologic. Much like how Mendeleev > stumbled on to a way of organizing the chemical elements in a way that was > predictive using atomic number, I have found that cell-cell signaling has a > similar set of properties for biology. And in my analysis, the fact that > the Pauli Exclusion Principle accounts for both the physical and biologic, > suggesting that both the physical and biologic have their origins in the > same point source, the Singularity/Big Bang, would seem to provide 'proof > of principle'. I have tried to merge my body of knowledge with Gregg's by > suggesting that his 'joints' are the mechanism that I am talking about, > allowing for insights to the ToK well beyond the description of a > hierarchy, but the validity and utility of that perspective remains to be > seen. Like the Periodic Table of Elements, predicting far more than the > original 60 some odd Elements, the ToK will make predictions far beyond our > current state of knowledge once we connect the mechanistic dots. I hope > this was helpful, as always. > > > > On Tue, Jul 17, 2018 at 3:29 AM, Joseph Michalski <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Thanks Mark. Salient points, one and all. I'm not being at all original >> here in arguing that the digital/online revolution (and consistent with >> your broader thesis about technology as a driver) is the single most >> important cultural, evolutionary change since industrialization. I believe, >> in fact, that it's the most important "revolution" since we learned to >> develop syntactical language. Since we are cultural beings and justifying >> animals, the fundamental shift -- in which I'm directly participating at >> this very moment! -- involves the explosive production and use of >> information that's shared instantaneously & unfiltered. The students >> outside our academic dean's office and student advising, without exception, >> routinely spend all of their spare time on their portable devices. I >> casually studied a small town where we were driving through and noticed >> that among the pedestrians, literally every single person had a device up >> to one's ear or with their eyes cast down in front of them. Same thing on >> the subway in London, England last week. >> >> Just as significant, and where we reconnect with biology and psychology, >> the research I'm reading directly implicates this tech/cultural shift in >> actual neurological changes in the brain. We are rewiring ourselves. This >> is where I can't help but think that John's basic thesis has some validity, >> especially in terms of the epigenetic and behavioral expressions in our >> environments that directly affect how human beings process and share >> information. I'm afraid I just don't have any grand model yet in mind that >> shows exactly how all of this works. But I can tell everyone here on this >> list with the highest confidence that I'm seeing a geometric expansion of >> stress, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues in the last few years >> among our students that happens to coincide with the fact that children >> introduced to iphones a decade earlier (I'm obviously oversimplifying) are >> entering universities. The number of medical accommodations at my >> university went from 200 in 2016-17 (our highest ever) to 1,200 (yes, a >> six-fold increase) in 2017-18. I had one student the year previously come >> to me in the last month of school asking to withdraw, but 8 students making >> that request this past April (in effect, losing the credits/academic value >> of the entire year). It's a cultural tsunami. Everyone I know in higher >> education is dealing with these problems, including my alma mater at the >> University of Virginia. A colleague of Gregg's did a clinical placement >> there, where she learned that 51% -- an actual majority -- of first-year >> students indicated that they needed or would benefit from mental health >> counseling. Hence I'm looking at this list as a means of both delving into >> the big questions AND hopefully helping us all to deal with the immediate >> problems like the mental health crisis we're seeing among young people >> attending our universities. >> >> Yours kindly, -Joe >> >> Dr. Joseph H. Michalski >> >> Associate Academic Dean >> >> King’s University College at Western University >> >> 266 Epworth Avenue >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=ld0Fp_RpEbwlacsIucj_tWyu5hlqaZ98sAI3NJxrL-0&e=> >> >> London, Ontario, Canada >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=ld0Fp_RpEbwlacsIucj_tWyu5hlqaZ98sAI3NJxrL-0&e=> >> N6A 2M3 >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=ld0Fp_RpEbwlacsIucj_tWyu5hlqaZ98sAI3NJxrL-0&e=> >> >> Tel: (519) 433-3491, ext. 4439 >> >> Fax: (519) 433-0353 >> >> Email: [log in to unmask] >> >> ______________________ >> >> *ei*π + 1 = 0 >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* tree of knowledge system discussion < >> [log in to unmask]> on behalf of Mark Stahlman < >> [log in to unmask]> >> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 17, 2018 6:03 AM >> >> *To:* [log in to unmask] >> *Subject:* Re: Interesting Parallel Discovery >> >> Joe: >> >> I hear you! Marshall McLuhan converted to Catholicism in 1937 (at the >> age of 25), moving into what was then called the "Catholic >> Renaissance" in the Anglophonic world -- spearheaded by those like >> G.K. Chesterton and Hiliare Belloc (or "Chesterbelloc" as G.B.S. Shaw >> called them.) Of his six children, only the oldest, Eric, kept his >> faith (and of his four children, none have.) This is the result of a >> series of paradigm-shifts -- with profound effects on our *perception* >> (not "sensation," as correctly separated by Gregg), which is the >> psychological faculty that underlies the impact of "symbols." >> >> In the midst of all this massive technological change, Max Weber (of >> "cultural determinism" fame), suggested, in his 1917 "Science as a >> Vocation" lecture in Munich, that the world had become "disenchanted" >> and, even though the Churches remained, all that was left were our >> "personal daemons." He didn't know it but he was talking about the >> effects of ELECTRICITY (beginning in the mid-1800s.) >> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__en.wiki >> pedia.org_wiki_Science-5Fas-5Fa-5FVocation&d=DwIDaQ&c=eLbW >> YnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP- >> UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=SrpTddpRjUzo69haLeousX7Z8pFaqI >> Os7rUigbeqy88&s=FJRqVR5ShDza30DV9fLt7e2XxG1ipma68i1PxkSJ6ho&e= >> >> This translated into the sweeping urge for "mysticism" (and >> hallucinogenic drugs &c), or what philosophy calls "phenomenology" >> (and "existentialism" &c.) The Catholic Church was also caught up in >> all this, supporting a Jesuit examination of the "psychology of the >> mystics" in Louvain (yes, also the task William James was engaged in, >> as was Carl Jung), along with the theological expression of >> "personalism." This trend is what drove Vatican II, as well as the >> naming of a series of mystics as "Doctors of the Church" and, >> ultimately, making the Mass quite irrelevant to your children (among >> many others.) >> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.ama >> zon.com_Psychology-2DMystics-2DDover-2DWestern-2DPhilosophy >> _dp_0486436942&d=DwIDaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_ >> 5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m= >> SrpTddpRjUzo69haLeousX7Z8pFaqIOs7rUigbeqy88&s=ezmWkY70BMswUW >> dNZswmWhfP51YdQZ9vThMdOjYVjP0&e= >> >> Who needs it when you can just pop an "entheogen" . . . ?? >> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__en.wiki >> pedia.org_wiki_Entheogen&d=DwIDaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4 >> uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgj >> O2gOz4-A&m=SrpTddpRjUzo69haLeousX7Z8pFaqIOs7rUigbeqy88&s=IPg >> vtwRmY8TqOk5xINjtsRAS539uoQSRVHLhk52XWlE&e= >> >> But that was then and this is now. The question is what will the >> *current* paradigm-shift -- from fantasy-inspiring TELEVISION to >> memory-inducing DIGITAL -- bring to us (i.e. how will it compel us to >> "evolve")? Yes, "evolution" (in this case technological evolution, >> which is the basic driver of change in human "behaviors and attitudes" >> that most ignore), marches on. That's what I'm spending my time here >> trying to help us all sort-out . . . <g> >> >> Mark >> >> P.S. This Friday, Brian Kemple (a Center Fellow and John Deely's >> semiotics PhD), will be presenting a paper at the ALI World Congress >> in Huntington, LI. It is titled "Mediated Disclosures: Human Persons >> and Their Technological Environments." Btw, my presentation will be >> called "Alchemy and the Robots." >> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aqui >> nasschoolofleadership.com_events&d=DwIDaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb >> 7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-j >> IYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=SrpTddpRjUzo69haLeousX7Z8pFaqIOs7rUigbeqy88& >> s=Y1wCNIEi0kGlAAY2MrIMQ9_bp5si97Nke4CPcoITYRM&e= >> >> P.P.S. Thanks for the heads up on Eva Jablonka's "Evolution in Four >> Dimensions." Interestingly, she says "And everyone will readily agree >> that our symbol-based culture is changing through time: we only have >> to think of what has happened to technology during the last hundred >> years to be convinced." (p. 190) However, treating this as "symbol >> systems," while academically acceptable, is putting the cart before >> the horse, in *causal* terms. >> >> Alas, McLuhan does not appear in the book and, as best I can tell, no >> one else dealing with "technological evolution" and its effects on >> humans does either (plus "semiotics" is only mentioned once and T. >> Sebeok is the only semiotician referenced). After all, these are >> biologists and perhaps the editors at MIT have forgotten about Leo >> Marx and his 1994 "Does Technology Drive History?" . . . !! >> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.ama >> zon.com_Technology-2DHistory-2DDilemma-2DTechnological- >> 2DDeterminism_dp_0262691671&d=DwIDaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4 >> uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgj >> O2gOz4-A&m=SrpTddpRjUzo69haLeousX7Z8pFaqIOs7rUigbeqy88&s= >> VQVCOPLP5L_BcFxkBDu99qj9lT0ImhUhkhNqfrNNxog&e= >> >> >> >> >> Quoting Joseph Michalski <[log in to unmask]>: >> >> > Hi folks. Second email, mainly in response to John's comments and >> > references. A bit lengthier, so feel free to ignore if this isn't of >> > interest. I'm still learning and processing John's perspective, so >> > forgive me if my response seems a bit facile. While I'm not (yet) >> > convinced that Mind and Culture can be "reduced" to John's >> > biological explanatory approach and modification of Darwin -- >> > especially as a recovering "cultural determinist"(!) -- I'm >> > impressed with the arguments John has advanced and some of the >> > research I've been reviewing. Regardless of where any of us land on >> > these issues, I think it's extremely helpful to be challenged in our >> > thinking. >> > >> > >> > The salient point I want to make here is that I'm seeing now the >> > relevance of what John's arguing about epigenetic phenomena and even >> > the behavioral manifestations that can be transmitted >> > inter-generationally, but not through standard genetic >> > interpretations obviously. There are several innate characteristics >> > of species that are transmitted genetically, but even there we have >> > evidence of environmental influences. How that information gets >> > translated back to the source (biologically speaking) certainly >> > deserves to be examined far more seriously and extensively. I'm >> > looking at Jablonka's work on this too, and have a fascinating book >> > I've been perusing entitled Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, >> > Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic Variation in the History of >> > Life. Despite the human genome project and the aspirations, I think >> > we understand better than ever that it's not simply a matter of >> > encoded genes passing on discrete, hard-wired information that then >> > produces behavioral expression. It's far more complicated, with >> > interactive elements and environmental feedback mechanisms at the >> > very least among non-human species. It gets even more complicated >> > with more advanced species like primates and then even further with >> > the cultural species Homo sapiens sapiens. >> > >> > >> > In short, with respect to humans, while both genes and culture can >> > transmit latent information, the symbolic systems that humans use >> > are far more flexible and, er, "adaptive," than genetic systems. Yet >> > I appreciate too the implications of culture & physical envt as >> > having direct links to biological phenomena and perhaps even to >> > John's argument about cell-cell communication. My struggle remains >> > that in light of both the vastness and mutability of symbolic >> > systems, there's no obvious or even necessary transmission of fixed >> > ideas, habits, or patterns that will be passed down automatically >> > from one generation to the next. The Catholicism in my family, for >> > example, which lasted for several generations, effectively has ended >> > with me (in fact, while respectful of their dad shuffling off to >> > mass on the occasional Sunday, our five adult boys have zero >> > interest in attending!). And while my wife adamantly opposes tattoos >> > for both religious and aesthetic reasons, that hasn't stopped four >> > of the five boys from getting them. How this ultimately has a >> > genetic basis, however, goes well beyond my aging brain. But I'm >> > trying! For me, though, that's where the justification hypothesis >> > and the J-I-I dynamic helps me understand behavioral variation in >> > credible, testable ways -- even if I remain unclear on how these >> > cultural phenomena relate to John's paradigm. Yet perhaps we will be >> > able to come up with an ever-more integrated theory of complexity >> > that allows us to map these multiple levels onto one another and >> > concretely measure the feedback measures of mutual influence (and >> > here I'm thinking of John's lovely comment about his experience >> > while driving back from the beach last week!). As a mathematician >> > friend of mine commented when I was sharing some of what we're doing >> > commented: "Joe, I'm not sure how we could ever subject all of this >> > to Monte Carlo simulations!" Yet, to his credit, we're going to keep >> > trying! We still need a better model though, so that's one of the >> > grand objectives I hope we'll all keep working on here. Respectfully >> > yours, -Joe >> > >> > >> > Dr. Joseph H. Michalski >> > >> > Associate Academic Dean >> > >> > King’s University College at Western University >> > >> > 266 Epworth Avenue >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=mY8jPuGmDl2qhetsfXbGz31teIcqqrICc7Hl8rM_kJY&e=> >> > >> > London, Ontario, Canada >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=mY8jPuGmDl2qhetsfXbGz31teIcqqrICc7Hl8rM_kJY&e=> >> N6A 2M3 >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D-250A-2B-250D-250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2BN6A-2B2M3-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=mY8jPuGmDl2qhetsfXbGz31teIcqqrICc7Hl8rM_kJY&e=> >> > >> > Tel: (519) 433-3491, ext. 4439F >> > >> > Fax: (519) 433-0353 >> > >> > Email: [log in to unmask] >> > >> > ______________________ >> > eiπ + 1 = 0 >> > >> > ________________________________ >> > From: tree of knowledge system discussion >> > <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of JOHN TORDAY >> > <[log in to unmask]> >> > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2018 4:56:18 PM >> > To: [log in to unmask] >> > Subject: Re: Interesting Parallel Discovery >> > >> > Joe, see Jablonka E, Lamb MJ, Lachmann M (September 1992). >> > "Evidence, mechanisms and models for the inheritance of acquired >> > characteristics". J. Theor. >> > Biol.<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ >> en.wikipedia.org_wiki_J.-5FTheor.-5FBiol.&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnp >> nzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP- >> UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=hP66pxXomUz9Ben-8k0p5WMCEqosNl >> DQBW352dlsox0&s=g0IHqzkX2WaUgzmW8-a_IMuHMa_a__Vr5Q9Gen0Mitw&e=> 158 >> (2): >> > 245–268. >> > >> > On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 12:57 PM, >> > [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> > John: >> > >> > Thank you for your reply/response. I understand the Storr article >> > and thank you for providing that link. I remain (so far) skekptical >> > that epigenetic “marking” is a permanent feature hereditarily. >> > >> > Best regards, >> > >> > Waldemar >> > >> > Waldemar A Schmidt, PhD, MD >> > (Perseveret et Percipiunt) >> > 503.631.8044 >> > >> > Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. (A Einstein) >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Jul 16, 2018, at 10:18 AM, JOHN TORDAY >> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> > >> > Waldemar, thanks for the correction regarding workers and drones. As >> > for the persistence of epigenetic inheritance, if the perturbation >> > persists the trait will also persist. And it can become >> > a true DNA mutation under physiologic stress if the insult persists >> > based on the effect of Radical Oxygen Species on gene mutations >> > (Storr, S.J., C.M. Woolston, Y. Zhang, and S.G. Martin. 2013. Redox >> > environment, free radical, and oxidative DNA damage. Antioxid Redox >> > Signal 18:2399–23408). It's also referred to as the Baldwin >> > Effect. John >> > >> > >> > On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 9:31 AM, Waldemar Schmidt >> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> > John: >> > >> > A minor correction, if you will. >> > Honey bee drones are not sterile and don’t collect nectar and pollen. >> > That task is performed by the “worker” bees - who, presumably, >> > collect the environmental conditions leading to epigenetic changes. >> > Epigenetic influence on genetic expression is time limited, as >> > opposed to “genetic” information, does not seem to last more than 4 >> > generations. >> > >> > Best regards, >> > >> > Waldemar >> > >> > Waldemar A Schmidt, PhD, MD >> > (Perseveret et Percipiunt) >> > 503.631.8044 >> > >> > Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. (A Einstein) >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Jul 16, 2018, at 8:01 AM, JOHN TORDAY >> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> > >> > Hi Joe, I haven't read The Singular Universe, but have read Smolin's >> > book The Life of the Cosmos, in which he uses Darwinian evolution >> > theory to explain Black Holes and other Cosmologic phenomena. I >> > found that quite remarkable both because we Biologists haven't been >> > able to explain the mechanisms of biology using Darwinian evolution, >> > and because Smolin is merging the animate and inanimate into one. >> > Oh, and btw, are you familiar with the 'dust up' between Einstein >> > and Bergson circa 1922, Einstein insisting that time isn't real, >> > Bergson stipulating that time is essential to understanding >> > physiology? At any rate, my 'aha' moment occurred when I realized >> > that time is an artifact of descriptive biology. That is to say, in >> > the emerging discipline of epigenetic inheritance, previously known >> > as Lamarckian, the organism is an agent for collecting epigenetic >> > data, which it carries back to its germ cells- egg and sperm- >> > modifying them 'epigenetically' by changing the way in which DNA is >> > translated into RNA and protein, beginning with the zygote, or >> > fertilized egg, the embryo, the offspring, the life cycle, and back >> > again to the zygote. In other words, it is the unicellular state >> > that is being selected for, which is striving to maintain its >> > identity in an ever-changing environment by modifying its offspring >> > to interface with the environment in order to collect epigenetic >> > 'data' to inform the unicellular state of the organism. It's what is >> > called the Red Queen phenomenon, like the character in Alice in >> > Wonderland who is 'running as fast as she can to remain in place'. >> > This perspective on the biologic imperative as 'stasis' is >> > counterintuitive, yet once it is realized it explains why it is that >> > we must return to the unicellular state over the course of the life >> > cycle, for example. Mechanistically, the cell cytoskeleton exists in >> > three discrete states- homeostatic, mitotic and meiotic. Those >> > states are determined by a specific gene, Target of Rapamycin, which >> > is interconnected with all of the structures and functions of the >> > cell, controlling which state the cell exists in. Seen in this way, >> > time is an artifact in biology, as it is in physics, both of which >> > are striving to attain the Singularity that existed prior to the Big >> > Bang. Biology recapitulates its 'Big Bang' from one life cycle to >> > the next; physics does so through the expansion and contraction of >> > the Universe. >> > >> > Just as a reality check, the same thing occurs in a bee hive, the >> > queen bee maintaining the genetic and epigenetic 'history' of the >> > colony, the sterile drones flying off daily to nominally collect >> > pollen to make honey, all the while providing epigenetic data to the >> > queen in the process; at some point in that cycle the hive will >> > eventually 'collapse', the queen flying off with the epigenetic data >> > from the current environment to recreate the hive elsewhere. There >> > are other well-known examples like the slime mold Dictyostellium >> > switching between the amoeboid and colonial forms depending on how >> > much food is available, and Turitopsis dorneii, the so-called >> > 'immortal' jellyfish, thought to be death-less because under stress >> > it reverts to its adolescent form, as if it had found the 'fountain >> > of youth' NOT. In reality it's just figured out a way to collect >> > epigenetic information by changing forms, but the underlying >> > principle of interacting with the environment to obtain epigenetic >> > data is a constant in all of these conditions. We do the same, >> > chucking our bodies at the time of death, but our microbiomes (the >> > bacteria that represent 70-90% of our bodies), which is informed >> > through epigenetics over the course of our lifetimes, lives on! It's >> > been documented as the 'necrobiome', which goes back into the soil >> > (unless we are cremated or put into a concrete bunker), back into >> > the water supply where it can be assimilated by the flora, eaten by >> > the fauna, and re-constituted. The microbiome of the mother is >> > located in the uterus, where the child will ingest it when it exits >> > via the birth canal at the time of birth! >> > >> > Aha moment indeed! I think that if we were to understand the actual >> > mechanisms of biology we would be less anxious about our lives, >> > being able to put things into perspective....just sayin'. John >> > >> > On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 5:58 AM, Joseph Michalski >> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> > Dear Colleagues: >> > >> > I understand everyone has busy intellectual agendas, but I thought >> > I'd share an interesting parallel discovery from the past weekend >> > (beyond the recent discovery of neutrinos from a distant galaxy!). >> > My wife and I were flying back from England, reading next to each >> > other on the plane. I was reading Roberto Unger and Lee Smolin's The >> > Singular Universe and the Reality of Time as part of my efforts to >> > understand the cosmos and our broader TOK mission. My wife, who's a >> > Sufi Muslim, was reading Sadegh Angha's (41st Sufi Master) The >> > Hidden Angles of Life in her efforts to understand the cosmos from a >> > religious worldview. Here's what we were reading at the same time >> > from our respective books: >> > >> > Joe, the scientist, read on p. 8: “If, however, everything is >> > time-bound (a key argument of the book), that principle must apply >> > as well to the laws, symmetries, and constants of nature. There are >> > then no timeless regularities capable of underwriting our causal >> > judgments. Change changes. It is not just the phenomena that change; >> > so do the regularities: the laws, symmetries, and supposed constants >> > of nature.” >> > >> > Farnaz, the spiritualist, read on p. xi: “(T)he laws of physics are >> > fundamentally and essentially variable (for example, there is much >> > evidence and documentation that most of the constant principles of >> > nature and those influenced by gravity are in fact not constant). >> > Existence itself is in motion.” (emphasis in the original) >> > >> > Just some food for future thought. If I arrive at any great insights >> > from all of this, I'll be happy to share. At the same time, perhaps >> > others on the list have had their own "a-ha" moments in terms of >> > understanding the evolving nature of the universe, the constancy of >> > change, and the implications that nature's laws might best be viewed >> > from a cosmological, historical perspective. Yours kindly, -Joe >> > >> > >> > Dr. Joseph H. Michalski >> > >> > Associate Academic Dean >> > >> > King’s University College at Western University >> > >> > 266 Epworth >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2B-250D-250A-2BAvenue-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=vUPlnnYW1eths3azBAI7wgM88ZBKBSTsdERcl6Ycw1c&e=> >> >> > Avenue >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2B-250D-250A-2BAvenue-26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=f2v07aQ2ZtMUo9E4E2S4ErjJoifk42domnj6D9fFRZA&s=vUPlnnYW1eths3azBAI7wgM88ZBKBSTsdERcl6Ycw1c&e=> >> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ >> maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D- >> 250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3- >> 26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vC >> I4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYB >> gjO2gOz4-A&m=8AfNzX-V5wQb6xqO7RY-mU_iiFhCjeMO916G82pZoPQ&s=f >> ltdmXpGVvaN1vuGdjm_T_n7rb0WROKJ4p835uWltjI&e=> >> > >> > London, Ontario, Canada >> > <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__maps. >> google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D- >> 250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3- >> 26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vC >> I4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYB >> gjO2gOz4-A&m=8AfNzX-V5wQb6xqO7RY-mU_iiFhCjeMO916G82pZoPQ&s=f >> ltdmXpGVvaN1vuGdjm_T_n7rb0WROKJ4p835uWltjI&e=> N6A >> > 2M3<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ >> maps.google.com_-3Fq-3D266-2BEpworth-2BAvenue-2B-250D- >> 250A-2BLondon-2C-2BOntario-2C-2BCanada-2B-2BN6A-2B2M3- >> 26entry-3Dgmail-26source-3Dg&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vC >> I4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYB >> gjO2gOz4-A&m=8AfNzX-V5wQb6xqO7RY-mU_iiFhCjeMO916G82pZoPQ&s=f >> ltdmXpGVvaN1vuGdjm_T_n7rb0WROKJ4p835uWltjI&e=> >> > >> > Tel: (519) 433-3491, ext. 4439 >> > >> > Fax: (519) 433-0353 >> > >> > Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>> >> > >> > ______________________ >> > >> > >> > eiπ + 1 = 0 >> > >> > >> > >> > ############################ >> > >> > To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to: >> > mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto >> :mailto:[log in to unmask] >> <[log in to unmask]:mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >> or click the following link: >> > http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1 >> > >> > ############################ >> > >> > To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to: >> > mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto >> :mailto:[log in to unmask] >> <[log in to unmask]:mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >> or click the following link: >> > http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1 >> > >> > 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