Creationist Fail

Don't be Stupid

Tim Minchin is really amazing. He manages to say things so clearly, so bluntly and with enough humour to stop us from wanting to cry at how stupid people are.



Thanks Tim. Keep at it :)

Memories... you're talking about Memories

Most of us are pretty certain about who we are as people, what opinions we have and what we believe. Isn't most of that based on memories? We have an experience, react to it, store it away and then pull it out again at a later date to use in relation to some new situation. Obviously, that's how we learn as infants and children, but it doesn't seem to take long to become very sure of our 'certainties'. We know what we know and are ready to argue to defend it.

I used to see things in black and white. My opinions were strong and I would stand up for them pretty vehemently in certain situations. I know where I got that from. My father has always seen things either His way or the Wrong way and you better watch out if you didn't agree. Moody and prone to bouts of explosive and vindictive anger, he is the only person I have known that will argue even if you share the same opinion. Though he was never able to share his childhood with us, he has been a victim of his memories his whole life. Nightmares, conspiracy fears, and bitterly comparing his life under apartheid against our peaceful life meant that he always felt his suffering was worse than anyone else's. It wasn't hard to see that a terrible past had left scars and mental illness. But empathy only goes so far when illness is ignored and danced around, and people get hurt.

Living with fibromyalgia gives you a chance to learn some difficult lessons. When you start to experience inconsistant memory loss along the lines of early alzheimer-style symptoms, it's certainly an opportunity to reflect on the nature of brain function. I might think I am sure of something - remember it as clearly as if it was a moment ago. Then Gagan will point out that I am definitely wrong. I used to fight about it - argue against it, and he would have to patiently work with me until I realised that my so called memory was false and I was fighting for nothing. It's a lot to take in. But I have to say - it's a leap forward. To be released from that strong ownership and vehemence of certainty. How many times in the past have I argued over something and been wrong I wonder? How pointless to argue at all over things based on a memory.

So to get to the nitty gritty, there is some interesting research on all this.

The day after the 1986 Challenger shuttle accident, psychologist Ulric Neisser asked 106 students to write down exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the explosion. When he interviewed the students two and a half years later, 25 percent of them gave strikingly different accounts. But when confronted with their original journal entries, many students defended their beliefs. One of them answered, “That’s my handwriting, but that’s not what happened.”

Neurologist Robert A. Burton has written a fascinating book about the entire subject, from which the above quote comes. How many of us have really strong memories about significant events? I remember my brother and I were watching Space 1999 when the news came across the screen that John Lennon had died and we ran to the kitchen to tell Mum. Is that even remotely what happened, I wonder? Will I continue to remember waking up in my bedroom in Thailand to see that Michael Jackson had died, or will that memory change over time? If things that seemed a bit of a shock at the time may not be correct - how can I be sure of mundane memories at all. Isn't that truly what we are getting at?

Here is a tiny clip showing how easy it is to trick someone into believing they remember something that never happened.



How fascinating. How alarming.

So in light of all this I really try not to argue over things that are memory based any more. I can remember emotions I have had but not details. It's much better to look up facts, learn and be willing to be flexible. Seeing the anger and bitterness of my father, I can't possibly be sure how true his memories are vs. a tortured unwell mind creating its own painful justifications. After all, this is a man who recalls beyond a shadow of a doubt seeing both a cougar and skunk in the wilds of Africa in his youth. Not much you can say to that really. It certainly would rewrite some of the planet's natural history if he had.

It feels like no coincidence I have been mildly obsessed with Blade Runner ever since it came out in 1982. Strangely I can remember every little thing....

New Decade

Well, the Noughties are over and my jetlag is almost wrestled into submission. A surreal and weird trip to Canada is over and life goes on.

I don't have a lot to write about yet... lots to wrap my brain around. But I offer up this rather wonderful moment that really says it all.



Lawrence Krauss, you're my hero :)

Merry Atheist Christmas!

Well, we are in Canada and although I've been very sick for the whole trip and haven't actually gotten to enjoy being in another country, we have had four cats to cuddle, including our own two which is immensely great. Tomorrow is Christmas which I keep forgetting. I am a little better today though, which is good... and hopefully by tomorrow will be even better, in time to enjoy good food and present giving!

In the spirit of the season, we should have some videos ;)





p.s. Doh! Shows you how much I know what's going on! Tomorrow is only Christmas Eve ;)

Imagine

No no... not another sappy reference to John Lennon's wonderful and ridiculously overused song (sniff), even though it IS the time of year for it!   But imagine if you had a teacher like Richard Feynman.

I was watching these videos.  What a man!  He has the excitement of a child - pure gleefulness as he describes even the most simple things like rubber bands and how a train stays on the tracks. There is not one moment where he uses scientifically intimidating words or speaks over your head - he stays with you and spreads his joy in the subject. Just once - in the movie about magnets he seemed a bit ticked off with the interviewer (which was interesting), but he answers in such a roundabout and delightful way that it had my eyes popping out of my head.



I don't think science as a topic is exclusive. I wish *every* teacher could get just a little of this excitement for their subject. As Lawrence Krauss says "the biggest mistake any teacher can make is to assume that the students are interested in what you have to say." I couldn't agree more... I remember being bored brainless at school with teachers droning on endlessly about subjects they didn't seem to have any interest in, let alone much interest in getting *us* interested in as well. It was just bodies in seats, same old information, pass the exam, move along, move along, these are not the droids you are looking for.

I watch Richard Feynman and imagine what it would have been like to have him as a teacher. You'd have to be a pretty stubborn kid to resist his charms.  He seems like the antidote to the terrible concept being spread in the US at present, that intellectualism is elitist. You couldn't find a more down to earth sounding guy than Richard, yet listening to him for a few moments leaves it very clear you're not dealing with someone who is in the least simpleminded or unintelligent.  What an inspiration.  :)

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