Through his scientific careers, Isaac Newton's empirical work was inseparable from his alchemic work and considerations. He was known to consider and on occasion posit Hermetic ideas and occult forces as the motivation for attraction between particles. According to Westfall's biography of Newton and Edelglass' book Matter and Mind: Imaginative Participation in Science, Newton most likely would not have developed any of his theories on gravity had in not been for his belief in Hermetic forces over distance.
Newton was particularly alchemistic in his studies on light and optics, in his works Hypothesis of Light (1675) and Opticks (1704). His answer to the question of whether light was a wave or particle was that light either cyclically transmutated across the dividing line or was particles ("subtler corpuscles") but did something akin to transmutation through the particles it illumined.
According to Westfall's biography of Newton (1983) and Edelglass' book Matter and Mind: Imaginative Participation in Science (1991), Newton most likely would not have developed any of his theories on gravity had in not been for his belief in Hermetic forces over distance. It was defense against criticism of this belief that he penned his phrase "Hyptheses non fingo", in the second edition of his Principia (1713). "I have not as yet been able to discover the reason for these properties of gravity from phenomena, and I do not feign hypotheses. For whatever is not deduced from the phenomena must be called a hypothesis; and hypotheses, whether metaphysical or physical, or based on occult qualities, or mechanical, have no place in experimental philosophy. In this philosophy particular propositions are inferred from the phenomena, and afterwards rendered general by induction."
In his work about Newton, "Newton, The Man", John Maynard Keynes wrote, "Newton was not the first of the age of reason: He was the last of the magicians."
In other news:
Aristotle was the de facto founder of alchemy, far before there was alchemy.
Alchemy fully came together in Alexandria in Hellenistic Egypt.
Alchemy was instrumental to advances made by Islamic scientists, astronomers, and mathmeticians during Europe's Middle Ages.
Other intersting know alchemists include Carl Jung, August Strindberg, Avicenna, Gerald FitzGerald the "Wizard Earl" of Kildare, Cornelis Drebbel, Agrippa, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, Rudolf Steiner, and Tycho Brahe.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Poignant Remarks from Authoritative Overviews of the ENTP (Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving) Personality:
Poignant Remarks from Authoritative Overviews of the ENTP (Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving) Personality:
ENTPs...
"...generally love to argue--both for its own sake, and to show off their debating skills. ENTPs tend to have a perverse sense of humor as well, and enjoy playing devil's advocate. This sometimes confuses, even angers, those who don't understand or accept the concept of argument as a sport."
"'Question authority! (then do exactly what it tells you)' sums up the dilemma in which ENTPs may find themselves"
"...are the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that's the way they have been done."
"...are very fond of toys--physical or intellectual, the more sophisticated the better. Once these have been solved or become too familiar, however, they’ll be replaced with new ones."
"...amount to a cosmic non sequitur"
"...are in the business of change, improvement, experimentation."
"...on occasions, outsmart themselves. Their juggling acts may simply be so over-ambitious they collapse."
"...are always on the lookout for a better way, always eyeing new projects, new enterprises, new processes."
"...are basically optimists, but in spite of this (perhaps because of it?), they can become petulant about small setbacks and inconveniences. (Major setbacks they regard as challenges, and tackle with determination.)"
"...are skilled at engineering human relationships and human systems"
"...always want to understand the people within the system rather than tell them what to do."
"...loyalty often runs high and can be hooked by those the ENTP counts as friends."
"...harness Feeling's good will in areas such as sales, service, drama, humor and art."
"...are genial, even charming, when not being harassed by life."
"...may sometimes give the impression of being largely oblivious to the rest of humanity except as an audience: good, bad, or potential. In general this is unfair – but it can be difficult to get an ENTP’s attention when they’re not immediately aware of you."
"The best approach in communicating with an ENTP is to be straightforward. No games–-they’ll win. No 'pulling rank'-–they’ll want to put you in your place. Try 'I need/want to talk to you.'"
ENTPs...
"...generally love to argue--both for its own sake, and to show off their debating skills. ENTPs tend to have a perverse sense of humor as well, and enjoy playing devil's advocate. This sometimes confuses, even angers, those who don't understand or accept the concept of argument as a sport."
"'Question authority! (then do exactly what it tells you)' sums up the dilemma in which ENTPs may find themselves"
"...are the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that's the way they have been done."
"...are very fond of toys--physical or intellectual, the more sophisticated the better. Once these have been solved or become too familiar, however, they’ll be replaced with new ones."
"...amount to a cosmic non sequitur"
"...are in the business of change, improvement, experimentation."
"...on occasions, outsmart themselves. Their juggling acts may simply be so over-ambitious they collapse."
"...are always on the lookout for a better way, always eyeing new projects, new enterprises, new processes."
"...are basically optimists, but in spite of this (perhaps because of it?), they can become petulant about small setbacks and inconveniences. (Major setbacks they regard as challenges, and tackle with determination.)"
"...are skilled at engineering human relationships and human systems"
"...always want to understand the people within the system rather than tell them what to do."
"...loyalty often runs high and can be hooked by those the ENTP counts as friends."
"...harness Feeling's good will in areas such as sales, service, drama, humor and art."
"...are genial, even charming, when not being harassed by life."
"...may sometimes give the impression of being largely oblivious to the rest of humanity except as an audience: good, bad, or potential. In general this is unfair – but it can be difficult to get an ENTP’s attention when they’re not immediately aware of you."
"The best approach in communicating with an ENTP is to be straightforward. No games–-they’ll win. No 'pulling rank'-–they’ll want to put you in your place. Try 'I need/want to talk to you.'"
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Fresh Myers-Briggs
It has been awhile since I did a Myers-Briggs typology test, so a few days ago, I did a fresh one. I still scored ENTP, which I have for the past five years at least. The strengths of the preferences are different than they have been, though.
Extraverted I scored 33%, while I have formerly scored around 50%.
Intuitive strength was 69%, while it has formerly been around 40%.
Thinking was 1%, instead of 60%.
Perceiving is 89%, which is only a couple points lower.
Extraverted I scored 33%, while I have formerly scored around 50%.
Intuitive strength was 69%, while it has formerly been around 40%.
Thinking was 1%, instead of 60%.
Perceiving is 89%, which is only a couple points lower.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Regarding "Thrice" (Second-hand)
From http://zhargon.org/2011/08/16/thrice-at-yost-theater-8132011/.
As time has gone by, I’ve always wondered which musicians people will reflect upon twenty to thirty years from now as being significant. Our parents (depending on their age) had The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, etc. Their great songwriters could have been people such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, or Joni Mitchell. In all honesty, what I’ll have to tell my children (should I be so blessed) when they ask me about the innovative, talented, and profound artists of my youth is troublesome. There are few who I believe will have an effect on our culture that is both notable and positive.
One group, however, continues to give me hope, and they are Thrice. On August 13th, 2011, I was fortunate enough to see them for third time. This show was at the newly renovated Yost theater in Santa Ana, and Thrice’s show was part of a series of events that celebrated its grand reopening.
...[Thrice] opened with ''Yellow Belly'', the first single from their new album, Major/Minor. The song is bare-bones rock and roll, with a juicy, bluesy guitar riff in the beginning that punches the listener in the gut like the fist of man that is not to be messed with. From there they transitioned into ''The Weight'', and their classic ''Artist In The Ambulance'', while some ruffian standing next to me thought it was a good idea to start fighting (during Thrice?). They also played four more new songs, all of which were enjoyable. Without a doubt, my favorite was ''Anthology''. If you pre-order the vinyl of Major/Minor, you receive an instant download of the acoustic version of that song. Other highlights included their playing 'Red Sky', ''Daedalus'', and their closing song, ''Beggars''. Of the three times that I’ve seen them, twice they closed with ''Beggars''. It’s always an epic yet haunting end to a show, the implications of its lyrics sticking with the listener. The crowd, however, demanded more, and Thrice came back on stage for an encore, playing ''Deadbolt'', an old favorite that left the audience satiated.
This evening revived my admiration for this band, and I have high hopes for Major/Minor to continue to reflect Thrice’s creative songwriting and poignant lyrics. Singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue has infused his lyrics with theological and philosophical depth that sticks with the thoughtful listener long after the record is turned off. ''Beggars'' alludes to the last recorded words of theologian Martin Luther, the man who initiated the protestant reformation and changed western civilization: ''We are beggars, this is true''. These words posit that, at the end of the day, there is nothing we can take total credit for; rather, we are beggars at the table of divine grace. I hope that all those who listen to Thrice would carefully ponder this. Dustin Kensrue exemplifies this humility, and having the honor of getting to know and play with him through Mars Hill Church Orange County has encouraged me in seeing how I am a beggar too.
So when my kids ask me about who I listened to in my younger years, I think I’d answer with Thrice, if for no other reason than to point them to a band that points their listeners to something more, a feat that I hope to accomplish with my life.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Favourite Musicians
Based on my listening stats, on my computer and online, these have been my favourite music artists of late.
1. Flogging Molly
2. Dustin Kensrue/Thrice
3. Mumford & Sons
4. Josh Ritter
5. Tom Waits
6. Bob Dylan
7. The Decemberists
8. Johnny Cash
9. Movits!
10. Frank Sinatra
11. Andrew Lloyd Webber
12. Simon & Garfunkel
13. Brian Setzer
14. Cherry Poppin' Daddies
15. The Atomic Fireballs
This reveals two things to me.
A. Sufjan is missing from my life this month.
B. I mostly am listening to my old favourites. Somebody give me some new ones.
A. Sufjan is missing from my life this month.
B. I mostly am listening to my old favourites. Somebody give me some new ones.
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