Quantifying Qualities

There’s Gotta Be More To It Than That

Nope. Not really. I never claimed that this issue was deep and insightful. It was just something I would think about late at night or during the wonderful hour or so after a long run. The perennial mystery of awareness and who or what it is that’s being aware. 

We could have served the processes of evolution just fine by being a biological machine. Hell, all of our needs are taken care of by the autonomic systems anyway. Respiration, circulation, healing and immunities. Also, we don’t have to think about how to swallow or about muscle movement when we walk or play the piano. And a machine can certainly innovate better environments for itself as we’re discovering with artificial intelligence. In terms of species survival there’s no need for self awareness. Procreating robots might even be more suited to the task than the emotional, self reflecting, second guessing, frequently irrational people we are. 

So Why…..and How?

I’m not even going to speculate on these questions. I could guess……why not?.People have been doing just that for thousands of years. But here’s the thing: Even if you did know, you’d be quantifying it as soon as you put it into words. Language is abstract. It can point to and attempt to elicit experience, as in poetry, song lyrics and literature but it carries none of it’s own. In fact, the experience of experience, the esoteric practices of many religions and philosophies, is always described as ineffable. True understanding of anything doesn’t depend on words.

Now this is interesting. This we can talk about without sounding too much like we’re full of shit. If you were to stop your incessant chattering thoughts for a while what would you be aware of? Well, Monks, Sufis, Yogis, Shamans, and a few stoners I knew in high school would say “the ground of all being”. I’ve heard much about this and I’ll admit, sometimes it sounds like a lot of shit. But at rare moments of introspective clarity it makes sense.

The canvas that your reality is painted on is a way of thinking about this ground. Feelings of peace and oneness with the universe are reported by those that have been there. Can they be believed? I don’t know. It might feel pretty wonderful and be a huge ego stroker to be considered a  wise man with the big insight .And it might be profitable. But again, it makes sense. There have just been too many similar reports to discount the idea that we can experience this common ground and understand, in a wordless way, our place in it.

What’s your Point?…Tie it into Quality and Quantity

Sheesh…..These bold headlines are pushy. I feel bullied by my own thoughts .I’m not sure I have any point to make other than our ability to be aware and experience is easily the strangest part of the universe. Google can amass and store every bit of information that has ever been written or spoken (it’s rumoured that that’s exactly what they’re doing ), network every computer in North America to create a super processor and succeed in quantifying or quantizing what some would refer to as everything. EVERYTHING!!! The works, the whole kit and kaboodle, the gamut, the sum total…………..not quite.

Remember the map and the territory? 

But what if there was enough processing power to create artificial intelligence that was equal to the human brain? If a system becomes complex enough does it become aware of itself? I mean truly aware, not some robotic imitation? Who would know? Do we know if anyone is aware other than ourselves? Every person on the planet could be a highly functioning biological robot except you.. The brain is more than capable of executing all the algorithms necessary to laugh, cry, empathize, socialize, create, teach and write poetry. How does a person know that he or she isn’t the only one with a self reflected identity? 

Well……… if you struggle with this dilemma you are either a narcissist or a  guitar player. Hey! How about Guitarcissist.?

I’m going to write a little  something about our recent series of shows here in Ontario. They were a little different and kinda fun. So check in regularly. Thanks for reading and don’t be shy to comment.

Later

Mike H