Lost in Translation

If we foresee our future then we follow the script presented us in order to realize it. That's why Doctor Who says to never visit your own future. Freedom to choose exists up until the choice is known, at which point it becomes fixed and immutable.

Marblehead and Nungali, circa 1960. Buncha pipe-smokin', sunday-school-nickin' hooligans.

Ah, I see. There is a dedicated men's section of TBD that may be able to address this topic. Taoists are a varied lot. Many swear by semen retention. I can't help you in that regard since I follow the Tao in a different manner.

I sincerely hope not!

It's interesting you say this. How do you recommend one regulate the heat within? Usually I carry too much heat and I need to give it away. I practice moving slowly or sitting still so the heat may gradually dissipate. But there are times when I don't carry enough heat. In these times I drink strong, hot teas and move more quickly to draw heat inside.

Hi Interpaul! What aspect of Taoism are you struggling with? -Lost in Translation

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." --Arthur C. Clarke "Any magic is explainable with sufficiently advanced technology." --Lost in Translation

That is correct. Here and now the cat IS in the box. (It's a nice box with glass walls. The cat has food and water and toys and is sleeping soundly). How can one prove that the cat is both IN the box and the cat is NOT IN the box at this same time and place? One obviously cannot therefore only one statement of the two can be true. I think you had believed I was discussing a Shroedinger's cat kind of quantum hypothesis earlier. That is partially my fault since I should not have chosen a cat in a box. I did not mean to be leading in my question.

Why are we arguing? I chose in. The cat is in the box. Item #1 is a true statement. Therefore item #2 is a false statement. #1 and #2 cannot both be true at the same time.

I am not. You are reading too much into this. The box can be made of clear glass if you like. You can see the cat if there is one. I'm not speaking in hypothetical quantum terms.

There is a real cat in a real box or there is not a real cat in a real box. I'm not trying to be cute here. It's a simple yes/no proposition.

I took my crystal ball outside under the full moon last night for about 20 minutes. Inside the crystal I could see a smaller crystal - like a luminescent orb of light. It was pretty awesome. Other times I've seen lights dancing in and around the ball, but never any discrete images. I do get flashes of knowledge - data injections - but that's all. It's like meditation except there is a ball in front of me and my eyes are open.

French Vanilla.

Let's make a more subtle example. 1) Vanilla ice cream is the most popular ice cream in the world. 2) Chocolate ice cream is the most popular ice cream in the world. In the English language "most" is a superlative, so "most popular" means "nothing more popular." If 1 is true then 2 is false. If 2 is true then 1 is false. If 1 is false then 2 might also be false. (e.g. Strawberry might be most popular) If 2 is false then 1 might also be false. (e.g. Mint might be most popular) So we see it's possible for both 1 and 2 to be false, but it is not possible for both 1 and 2 to be true.

My bad. I humbly apologize. Please, carry on.

Oh... I see where you are going. Perhaps we should quote or italicize for clarity. I.E. Under "no circumstances" can both 1 and 2 be true.

Tisk tisk. There's no need for ad hominem.

How can every truth be true? Let's posit the following two assertions: 1) Inside the box there is a cat. 2) Inside the box there is not a cat. If 1 is true then 2 is not true. If 2 is true then 1 is not true. If 1 is false then 2 might also be false. (Scratch this third line for now. We'll need a less blunt example in order to go there) Under no circumstances can both 1 and 2 be true at the same time.

But mankind lost, right? We never won to begin with?

Words like 'Tao' are comforting because they imply an unconscious force (thank you, George) just doing what it does without intention or malice. The word 'God' implies consciousness, intention, and more importantly morality. God implies judgement. The standard is borne, the bar is raised. Gone are all notions of the unconscious force. Tao + God = Karma. Perhaps that's why Buddhism is the middle way.

I'm confused, but I love this dancing bear! Wasn't Venom Spider Man's costume from the Secret Wars comic books? Now it has its own movie? Moving up in the world... Moving on - Ten thousand years ago humanity fought a war with ghost-like creatures called sundo and lost? Is this correct?

I don't agree. To say "every truth is true" is to negate truth. One might as well say that every truth is false. In fact, I find that much easier to accept.

Yes, minus the psychic and minus the visual.

The moon is full tonight. Get them scrying balls out! (As in "crystal", you know - like rocks) Ah, hell! Get your mind out of the gutter and scry...