Controversial of Intelligent Design Theory

Many people believe that Intelligent Design is a comparative science against Evolution theory. Actually, why intelligent design is so controversial? What types of researches have been done by those ID supporters? Is there any evidence to proof the theory? Does the theory conclude with scientific method? If we read most of the ID and evolution argument, it is clearly seen that ID is not a science.

Some arguments say that evolution is the best theory every in our history? It may sound odd in one’s hear. Why the theory that says we have a close connection with monkey is the best? It is absurd. Well, look at it this way. Since this theory is propose, how many experiments and critics are born? Besides, Darwin has evidence to proof his theory? Does Intelligent Design theory provide any evidence? Probably, they will always say, “Oh, Divine Power can be proven.” What a non sense!

In order to be considered science the theory has to have evidence and able to explain how it work. What Intelligent Design position here? How this ID work? Who is the master designer? Where is the blueprint? A design has to have a sketch or blue print, right? For example: a painting, we can tell the difference between Da Vinci and Michelangelo because each has its unique. What about ID? How can we relate the design to its designer? No wonder, people say that ID is a creation of lazy and non critical person because nothing can be answer with this theory.

Flame on (Morality Reconsidered)

The theme of movie “Flame On” is our unknowingness about quality of life. We always do thing that is out of the line (normal life) such as homosexuality and lesbian. It is taboo to have the same relationship with the same kind. Public opinion has been set that it is immoral to be a gay or lesbian. Men suppose to be with women that’s why men and women first created. Women are men companion and so are men.

In this modern world, homosexuality has been a new trend. It is luring more and more men and women into its world. Even the biggest philosopher Socrates and Plato are homosexual. Not to mention, King Edward and Queen also part of this society. Even the world isolate them, it still does not put the flame off.

All the immoral things that we do are parts of our finding stage of the quality of our life. We actually do not know the best life for us. That’s why we always dare to try new thing or breaking the law. In fact, people like to try taboo and new thing in their life. We love forbidden fruit. Once we get into it, it is too late to get away from it.

DNA and our brain - James Watson

Dr. James Watson argues that gene is more dominant in our life. He believes that nature has more influence than nurture. Well, I disagree with his idea about nature more dominant than nurture. A research proof that a child was born with high IQ can not grow up and be an instant Einstein. Once a child is isolated in his or her childhood, no matter how high his or her IQ is, it is useless.

Researches proof the declining metacognition grown of those children. In learning process, a child needs peer and adults help, besides his or her self nature cognition. In order to push the learning level, children acquire social learning technique by mimicking and gaining the knowledge from peers or adults. Even though a child has a smart gene in it, without nurture it is meaningless and so is the apposite.

It is true that intelligent parents will most likely have intelligent children as well. The biologists show the genotype of those cases. Their children have high intelligent because they get 23 pair of chromosome from each parents. Each chromosome contents trait from the parents’ gene. Those genes with the smart DNA replicate themselves, thus their children have a high IQ.

Again, our brain is not like computer's CPU that has been programmed before Dell or Sony put it up in the market. Our brains receive the software installation during our learning stage (usually childhood). If a virus is installed in the processor, it does not work well, and so it our brain. If we learn the wrong thing, we turn out to be messed up.

Nietzsche's Myth of Eternal Recurrence

Nietzsche’s myth of eternal recurrence-will it be the heaviest burden we ever had? We have to do the same thing again and again. We have to suffer from the same pain forever. Life will be very boring and meaningless. We do not have any desire anymore because we know what is going to be next, or when we are going to die and resurrected. After all, the same thing, memory, pain, and feeling will go over again.

Well, as an apposite, if we have a happy life, for sure we will love to repeat the same life. Imagine we have our family, people that we love. We don’t have to say good bye because of our mortal life. We are going to be reborn and reunited. We are having the same warm family and experiencing the joyful holiday. What a nice life! No matter who tell us the secret of eternal recurrence, we will never regret it.

Well, it is just a myth that a demon tells us the secret of life. Once we know the secret, are we going to take that life? We are people that always want freedom. If we have already known the future, are we going to go through the same process? For sure, we will make a change.

We are not robot that will do the same thing over and over. We will always try to improve our life. If we are unhappy in this life, we will try to have happiness in next. If we know that we will die by car accident, for sure we will be trying to avoid driving a car. Or, if we know that we will be murdered, are we going to kill the killer first? What’s the future is going to be like if every one is trying to be “God” and determine our own life?

John Polkinghorne interview

John Polkinghorne a theoretical physicist and also an Anglican priest argues that the existence of the universe serves a deeper purpose. The big bang is not an accident that apparently creates the universe. The universe conducive to our existence, therefore we are wondering about the universe today.

Professor Polkinghorne gives an example of Quantum theory which was discovered 75 years ago. Until today, this theory is still not completely understood. There is still a missing link and can’t be explained yet. Thus, this explains that there is a divine power involve in those events.

He has two reasons to explain why physicists find more evidence of divinity in their work than evolutionary biologists. First of all, physicists see the beauty of the universe while biologists see the ups and down and the extinction. Secondly, biologists discover the DNA and can explain how it all comes from. On the other hand, physicists also make a remarkable discovery: gravitation by Newton for example, but they can not explain the reason, why it happens. Still, Professor Polkinghorne assures that the biologists have not discovered the secret of life yet, for there is still a lot of work to be done.

Beyond Good and Evil- Nietzsche Channel

Nietzsche argues religions are our sacrifice of freedom, pride, self confidence, enslavement, self-mockery, and self mutilation. He uses a huge field as symbolize of our soul needs. How we lose our self confidence because of religion. How we depend on religion in our daily life.

We do not know what is science and conscience any more. We hope that the “Power” above will send help, but there is no body there that can help us. To get us out from the misery, we have to do self finding. Since we are losing our keen eyes and nose, we do not have our self confidence and free will anymore.

Nietzsche believes that religion is lack of philology. All the claims of the religious leader that the closest truth is only gain when one believe in God is nonsense. He gives an example of Christianity conquered to Europe where people were killing each others assuming that their religions were the only truth. In fact, it is the fatal self assumption ever made, the worst mistake of mankind history. Religion creates happiness and yet sorrows to its believers.

Hidden Side of “Perfect” Master

Thakar Singh claims to be the channel of God. In the appearance and teaching, he sounds so perfect. Thus, his followers devote and will die for him. Anything that he does is believed to be God’s comment. The followers do not question his method of healing or teaching. It is all because of his followers faiths.

Blindfolding children to release their pure consciousness as Thakar Singh claims sound like a lie to me. Toddlers and preschools suppose to learn about everything by using all of their senses, such as seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and touching. Lack of one of the senses will create the instability in learning about the life. Besides, children need to have a social life, so they can learn from their peers. Once children are blindfolding, they lack of self confidence and depend on adults.

In that short film, adults that suppose to teach them the life even are destructing them with sexual harassment. Not only children, women, as always, become the victim of man. It is strange if we think about it. We know that not only men have the right of life, as women we have that same right too. Why don’t we do something and refuse the discriminative behavior? Why we let the cult believes to do the bad thing to us? Can we put our brain in use for our own sake?

Critical Thinking-Steven D. Schfersman

I agree with Steven D. Schfersman about the importance of critical thinking in modern education. It is true that we get all the basic education from school, such as numbers, grammar, and scientific facts that we need to survive in this life. Most of the teachers forget the most valuable lesson that they should have though the students: critical thinking. Basic education provides us basic education to survive, but critical thinking gives us better life.

At school we learn how to do math, thus we can do business in our real life because we know math. Imagine what will happen in business if we don’t know how to calculate number. Maybe we still live in a cave and only do barter for our needs. Once we know math, we know how to do business. In fact we want to have a better life. We do not satisfy with our simple business, for we want to make money and retire soon. Then critical thinking plays an important rule here. In order to achieve the dream, one has to plan how to make more money today and retire tomorrow.

Imagine a world would be if Eistein did not wonder why apple fall from the tree. If he only looked at it as a natural phenomenon, we would not have our modern technology today. Luckily, he did it. He learned about the critical thinking, thus he did more research to find the answer. Finally, here we are today with all of his contribution to make our life better.

It is sad to know that US education system is declining. We are a big nation, yet we fail in teaching our next generation. Well, if we look at the education today, it is clearly show that we only require memorizing all the terminologies and facts. One of my personal experiences is mathematic. It is surprise me when I look at the calculus text book. I have a funny feeling when reading pages by pages just to learn one math concept. At the end of the chapter, we do the numeric calculation. Even though there is a small section in the book that content critical thinking skill, but it is just an enhancement that is rarely covered in the class. So, what is the main purpose of studying math if we do not know how to put it in use in out daily life? Shouldn’t we been thought about the real math usage instead of adding or multiplying numbers which can be easily done if we know the formula?

Terror in the Mind of God-Mark Juergensmeyer

Mark Juergensmeyer discovers the religion has been used by the politician to get the support from their people. He gives several examples from Iraq to India where the extreme believers fight for their faith. The battle in Iraq in the eyes of American is the fight to support the democracy in Iraq. On the other hand, the Middle East has a different opinion: they believe that American tries to prevent the spreading of Islam there. They have a strong faith that God is in their side if they keep fighting in the long run American can not win, for someday Islam will prevail. Juergensmeyer is surprised to hear that because religion causes a terror instead of peace and happiness.

The acts that we, American, believe as a terrorist acts such as the Federal building bombing and World Trade Center repeal to be as a wake up event to show us that the government is the enemy. They are trying to tell us that the government has been killing million of people in the world, such as Hiroshima and Nagazaki bombing during World War II. The bomber is trying to tell us and to convince us in the hard that we are at war at this moment. They will not responsible for the bombing because they believe they do God's will.

Juergensmeyer concludes the terror in the world happens because of religion. Each has a different belief, thus put his or her faith in the line for every terror that appears. When he saw the ground zero, where people from all background and believe were praying with candles and flowers for the victims, he convinces it was our faith that caused all the terrors in this world and the same faith that turn the world into shrine.

Secret of Faqir Chand

Faqir Chand gains his realization after the battle where he and other soldiers were saved miraculously by his dream. He dreams that his guru comes, gives them moral supports, and advices them for not wasting their ammunitions to fight for the enemies that will banish soon. They listen and interpret his dream, thus they are save. People are worshipping him more than his guru. This worship makes him wondering. Why these people do this? He does not even care about the other soldiers at that time, is he worthy to be praised?

Finally, he realizes that there is no other helper besides our selves. Our faith that is the focus of our consciousness is the main help when we are distress or desperate. There is no God form from nothing. Just have the faith, and believe in what you are doing, you have created the great helper of your own

Design of the Universe - Freeman Dyson

Freeman Dyson advises that religion and science are two different ideologies. Religion believes that universe exist because of “God” while science claims that universe exist because of some kind of theory that has been proven. Even though science has a theory about some of the creation of the universe; but there are still a lot that left unanswered. He suggests we are separated those two different view of universe (religion and science) and start action instead of thinking.

When we have faith of what we are doing, the life will have much more meaning to us. Stop arguing about the origin of the universe will bring happiness to our life. Religion and science are two great idea for our life, and yet different point of view of the universe. All the theories are trying to explain the design of the universe, but even left more mystery that need to be solved.

Why I'm Not a Christian

Bertrand Russell admits that he is not a Christian due to the reason that Christ is cruel and creates unhappiness to the world. He gives several examples about Christ’s life. How He curses the fig tree for not having a fruit when He needs it. At another moment, he curses the Babel for their sin and destroys their city. The most recent of his preaching is heaven and hell including all the cruel punishments.

From his point of view, Buddha and Socrates are as high as Christ or even above the Christ. Those philosophers teach forgiveness and not cursing others. When Christ creates the cruelty of hell, He shows the world the extreme and immoral practice of sin. While at the other hand, He always say about forgive others.

He assumes that in order to live in a good life; we do not have to be a Christian. Other religion, such as Buddhist, Hindu, and Muhammad also teach the same thing. What is so special about the cruel preaching of God?

Intelligent Design - Ken Miller

Ken Miller argues that human exist because of intelligent design and not because of evolution. According to his argument, human are designed to be the superior. If human exist because of an accident or random changes, human will not have to care about moral value. He gives an example of bacteria Flagellum where one part is removed but still functioning. Thus, this proves that every part is designed and created to have a certain function.

Intelligent Design theory more looks like a creation. He even point out several book that originally is about creation theory. Intelligent Design’s argument seem too vague and weak. When there is a broader answer, they always conclude the theory back to Intelligent Design. There is not enough evidence to support the arguments, just like the religion teaching. People are only listening without arguing.

The film "Eleven"

The film “Eleven” about the reporter’s short life carries a message that anything can happen to anybody. Even though the most planned event, such as murdering the Muslim, still has unpredictable incident. Samoan Jones, the founder of the gang, established the group of army of his own after his father unfortunate death on 911. He has a dream to free the world from terrorism. Thus, the group formed and started its mission “Killing the Muslim.”

The well planned strategy but lack of research and evidence had cost two innocent lives. Those two people suppose to have a bright future (the biologist student and the reporter) died for nothing. They never planned to be murdered because of their dreams. Many things cross our life, even a well planned life still has to face the unpredictable incident.

The Himalayan Connection

The short story about Faqir Chand’s dream is really beyond someone belief. There is an increasing doubt for his dream. What can a dream do to our life? Can it really tell something? Should we rely on one’s dream? For us who just listen to the amazing story of the dream that save solder’s life, it may sound like a coincidence. In scientific explanation, it is the most accurate mathematical calculation about the prospective of the war. When the soldiers will be out of supply, when they will be defeated, and even the help will come.

Dream is one of the proofs that the brain is the most powerful part of our body. Even though we are not awake, it is still firing the neurons and keep sending message. As a result, our brain produce dreams that we always thought meaningless. The fact is, for some religion, dream has meaning. The story about Faqir Chand’s dream is believed to save soldier’s life.

Astrology and mystical topic are among the favorites topic that we like. Most of the time, we just love to know that a good future is waiting for us. We believe all the astrology says about out zodiac. We have the faith of it all. How it effect us? Probably the most make sense answer is, it gives us confidence and courage. Why it doesn’t carry the same effect when we get the advice from our best friend, friends or sibling instead of some unknown writer? Our brain is easily been tricked. When we get advice or knowledge from others, our consciousness creates superior effect as some nature works to our life. On the other hand, when the advice comes from the person that we know, it is just an advice from some one care about us.

Physic behind Demonstration-Willey

It is interesting to study science if someone knows how to spark other's interests. Most teachers always do talking and explaining theory to their students. Our brains are designed to believe and accept a phenomenon when one can provide real evidence to it. Instead of speaking of foreign science language, it is most effective to demonstrate an amazing physical event. As in the assigned reading “The Physics Behind Four Amazing Demonstration” of David G. Willey, he gives four simple bizarre demonstrations and explain the mystery behind it.

The technique that Willey's teacher uses to persuade the students in physic studying has successfully proven. Human brain is the biggest mystery and miracle of life. It can be useless when the person does not care and have an effort to explore the life. Willey says it himself that he almost fails the class because he was bored. To the society, whenever someone fails, they believe it is because of that person's stupidity. They do not try to understand the real reason of the failure.

A good teacher always knows how to get the students' attention. It is a fortunate to have that kind of teacher. Maybe the same reason applies to this online critical thinking class. We are bored at listening to the teacher's prophecy and try to pursue a different technique with different kinds of reading and videos instead of reading the hundred pages text books.

Karma

The movie “Karma” main idea is about Hinduism and Buddhist believes in Karma. What goes around comes around. If one does a good thing, for sure he or she will receive a good result in his or her life. That movie gives several examples about that. One man beats other and probably kills that poor guy. The next moment, that killer is killed by his girl friend. Another moment, a kid robs a man in a parking lot. Because that kid does something wrong and in a hurry, he forgets his own safety and is hit by another car in that parking lot.

Those are an obvious examples regarding karma. Maybe we will not see that immediate result of one’s wrong attitude or behavior. Sometimes we heard that a serial killer strikes and murders several innocent victims. We are wondering when that psycho will be caught. Why? Because we believe in Karma, “what goes around comes around.”

In our point of view those psycho has killed several “innocent” victims. According to some religious, those victims are not necessary innocent. They believe that those poor victims had done something wrong, and now they get the result of their past behavior. Is it true? How can we prove that? Of course, we can not. It is purely a belief.

Cargo Cult - Feynman,R

Richard Feynman critics the learning culture that we are taught to adopt. Prof. Feynman believes, in scientific method, there is a hypothesis and experiment before getting to the thesis. Some how, people tend to avoid previous experiment because it has been established. Scientist is changing and continuing others experiment without proving or making sure the established theory is right or not. This is the culture of people are taught to avoid wasting time by repeating the original experiment and jump to the conclusion with difference equipments.

This is how we are taught to accept the science without question and soon becomes nature attitude. If we look back when we have killed hundred of women because of witch accusation, we should be ashamed of. Those innocent women had been died for false accusation.

Imagine a difference scenario, where we are taught to believe in something after proving it is right or wrong with several experiments. Those women probably still alive and their families did not have to suffer. The education system taught us this cargo cult believe, so we have to pay the price.

Pleasure of Finding Things Out

Richard Feynman always believes that one should enjoy science and apply it to his or her daily life. One should not do science because of an award or honor. First, interested in simple and silly event and apply science to it. Life will be more colorful and fun. His father seems to be a strong influence to his life and his principle. The same attitude, he is trying to share to his children. He applies science through daily life and finds its pleasure.

Prof. Feynman shares an excellent technique in teaching his children about science. He figures out that reading all the stuff from books is boring. He tries to spark the children interest by explaining the physic or chemistry through a make story in a game and showing the real example instead of pictures in a book. He also admits that some children might learn science difference way, such as his daughter. She learns science by listening to others reading from books and not a make-up story.

In real life, people only attract in something because of it physical appearance. If we look at amazing scenery, we only admit the physical appearance of the scene, maybe because of the amazing stream surrounding the hills or maybe because of the trees and the mountain. Have we ever stopped and thought? How it happened? Why? Or even apply science to explain the nature? If we do apply science to daily life because of pleasure, we will make a massive improvement to human knowledge.

Inner Vision

The movie Inner Visions and Running Trains is an interesting movie to watch. It contains a message about believe in God in every step of your life. Baba Faqir Chand provides his own example of his battle in Iraq. The moment when they are out of ammunition and probably will not survive, he has a miracle. His guru appears before him and gives a suggestion that help at that critical moment in their life.

After the war ends, he comes back to Baghdad and finds an astonishing moment there. People are worshiping him as the one who appeals before every one and save them at the battle field. Faqir is wondering about that because it is his guru who saves them not him. He can not do it if his guru does not appear and tells him what to do. People reply astonishing him and finally makes him realizes the true meaning of the miracle event. Whenever we remember God, he will appear to us any form that we believe to save us. It is not because we are a guru or having a holy power. It is simply because we believe in him, God.

History of Freeman's Worship

When one read that article, one feels traveling through time. Russell has brought us the history of universe’s worship. He starts with the big bang creation version and ends with Armageddon. At first, we see extremely large hot ball hit each other from a big explosion thus create other small hot balls. Next those smaller hot balls cool down and become planets. After that, first living creatures exit then extinct themselves. Other living creatures are created, and at the end human exist.

At the beginning of human history, freedom has been known. People want to do anything they want including worship. Thus, they have been creating some form of worship for celestial God and Goddess. All kind of God and Goddess including the evil and jealous God are believed responsible for some human life. It is not end there. Whenever we learn about the unfairness, we start to look for other kind of worship.

We are creating an idol from clay now. Instead of believe in some God or Goddess that make our life miserable, we would rather idolize some sort of animal that is unique. Yet, that one does not work out. We change to gold idol now. The faith keeps changing on and on until we find the perfect one. Russell believes when the perfect one has been formed, the universe will extinct, and we have to start from the beginning again, the big bang.

What is Consciousness?

According to Professor Daniel Dennett there is no God. Believe in God only encourage us to do something risky because we are hoping that God is there and will help us whenever we get in trouble. Is it really true? If we believe in God then we will do stupid thing to prove it? Isn’t it giving us the support in our life? We believe God is somewhere watching us, so we will not give up that easy when there are obstacles in our life. It is like a mentally support to us.

At other point, he says that machine might be conscious. Computer or robot has consciousness. In some how the machine just has a special consciousness but not human kind or animal kind. I think it is absurd. Robot or computer is just human creations which never close to us living creature. How can he say that it has consciousness? Or, what is robot consciousness? What kind of things can robot feels to be considered conscious?

Where is the consciousness located? Is it located in its processor or motherboard? What is the special consciousness that different from human and animal kind? Is it because computer can do calculation when human can not in second? Can computer think? Does it have feeling? Human needs oxygen in order to survive? What about machine? What does it need? Is it electricity instead of oxygen or food? How in a future we will be able to create such a celestial creature? If we can do that then we will be God. Maybe that’s the reason why he believes there is no God.

Non-violence Act

Gandhi believes that ahimsa is the road to truth which is the goal. Non violence is the basic law of human being that is greater than brutal force. As a nature of human being, we do not want to be forced to do something that we are not willing to. We want the freedom of life. We want others to respect us, so we have to respect others in all aspects too, no matter what religion, ethnic, and idealism they are.

Is non violence the same as coward act? No. Cowardice act is always show fear and run away from any thing. When one chooses non violence, that person has to be ready for any sacrifice that may be required. Nature of men is freedom and we will always try our best to obtain freedom. The problem is, there is a lot of other way to reach the goal; non violence is one of them.

Non-violence act is not as simple as it seen because one has to sacrifice for it. There are still individual that believes violence is necessary for its reason. In this case, Gandhi gives an example of Koran Islam. In Islam, violence is lawful act to reach the goal. Gandhi disagrees with that opinion and he is sure that violence will not create a pure democracy instead leads to dictatorship.

Eternal Recurrence

Nietzsche’s believes that if there is eternal recurrence, it will be the heaviest burden we ever had. We have to do the same thing again and again. We have to suffer from the same pain forever. Life will be very boring and meaningless. We do not have any desire anymore because we know what is going to be next, or when we are going to die and resurrected. After all, the same thing, memory, pain, and feeling will be the go over again.

Well, it is just a myth that a demon tells us the secret of life. Once we know the secret, are we going to take that life? We are people that always want freedom. If we have already known the future, are we going to go through the same process? For sure, we will make a change. We are not robot that will do the same thing over and over. We will always try to improve our life. If we are unhappy in this life, we will try to have happiness in next. If we know that we will die by car accident, for sure we will be trying to avoid driving a car.

Religous Belief

Sam Harris believes that there are two types of religious people, which is religious moderate and religious fundamental. In most cases, religious moderate acts in extreme such as suicide bombing and jihad. Because of the political power, religious moderate gets religious fundamental not to critic others. It has been set that it is taboo to criticize between religions no matter how irrational or insane their beliefs are. Even when we know that it is not right to kill other for one’s religion, but there is not much we can do.

Actually we do not respect other’s religious believe, we only believe their reason. Harris gives an example of the diamond buried in his back yard. When one hear that he said that, we might think that he is insane. After he explains the reason why he dares to leave the universe, we respect him now. Based on his illustration, it is clear that one only respect when other explains their reason to believe. It is not because of lack of education or knowledge, it is one’s belief that imply through reality.

Glorious Peace of Meat

Neuron vs consciousness is difficult to be separated. We can not tell which is go first, neuron or consciousness. We always say that consciousness is the work of neuron. How do we know that? The answer is because of our consciousness that creates awareness. Once again, how can we come up with that answer? The true is really hard to explain the consciousness because we actually do not know exactly what’s happened. Maybe we’ll be able to explain it comfortably if we gain more knowledge about consciousness. The only thing that we know now is cells of the neuron is the central nervous system of our whole body, therefore we can not survive without it.

When our eyes (vision) see or capture an imaging, it sends the message to the brain. The cells in our brain fire and send the command back to our body. Thus, creates the movement of our body. Therefore, we feel hungry when we see meals on the table. Then, we tend to reach out and get the food. It is an ordinary survivor behavior our body has. Besides that, do we really know why it happened? Why when we see food, the brains give a message “hungry” or “eat” or “why we have to eat?” The simply answer is to survive. We have not fond the answer to explain all the phenomena yet. Therefore we always refer it back to the neuron.

Vegetarian Argument

The major issue of neuro-ethical argument for vegetarian is the moral consequences. The vegetarians believe that all creatures that have central nervous system can feel pain, so we should not eat them. The idea is the consciousness is created by the neuron and synapses. We can feel pain, think, taste, and aware of the surrounding because of consciousness. Animals can move, run away, and feel pain. Do they have consciousness? The answer is yes. We just do not understand their languages, besides they can not tell us or explain their pain and feeling.

Maybe we forget one major thing here, human and animals are totally different. Human have much more consciousness such us thinking, therefore we can improve our life. We can create varieties and delicious meals. Animals have more bind situation, most of the animals do not have finger that can be used to hold thing, or language that can be understood by human intellectual. Animal can not improve their life by themselves. Human can build house to protect them from extreme weather, but can animal do the same? If animals are not to be eaten, why they are created differently?

It is true that eating flesh or vegetarians is a choice. Researches and foods are two different things. If we have to use animal as an object research to save more animal or even human life, are we wiling to do so? Many arguments come into this issue. Most of them argue that we have to treat animal humanely. If the research can save hundred thousand lives or someone husband, wife, children, mother or father, why we don’t do that? If an animal is sloughed in order to save other life, isn’t it a noble thing to do?

Evolutionary Philosophy

Steven Pinker believes that human nature not only depend on natural selection because some part of it is form by the genes. Human has a guideline which is the moral standard that can not be replicated by any computer program or the most genius robot ever made. There are a lot of daily actions that human take for granted. He gives an example of a holding glass of water that can be done by four years old without any drop but can not be done perfectly by any robot in action.

The point is that neural in our brain can’t be created by human like us. Human may have the ability to create an advanced robot to do some amazing math calculation which is hard for our brain. Even though human can do the same calculation with their brain, it will take at least several hours and pages of calculation compared to computer that only needs second. Human can create any programs to computer thus make our life easier such as security device, computer, calculator, notebook, etc. No matter how perfect and advanced the technologies are, human still can not duplicate some human nature such as thinking, feeling, and tasting.

Other aspect that influences human nature is the gene. There are complexity interests based on the gene itself. We tend to be physically attaches to our gene. According to Pinker, that is the reason why people are traveling miles and miles to get to their relative for the holiday or a father would do every thing for his children because we are sharing our gene with our family.

Environmental also contributes in forming human nature. This explains why people in certain area speak certain language and maintains it cultural. The differences make human nature unique.

Truth Lies

The film “Truth Lies” has a deep meaning in find the purpose of our life. It says that nature is without sentiment, but those who feel sentiment have a better chance to survive. It is definitely true that nature is without sentiment. If we think it over about all the disasters such as: tsunami that kills hundred thousand people, earthquake that ruins people’s life, tornado, etc has caused billion thousand damages without mercy.

It would be nice if nature only cares about good people, but nature is there for every one. Plants grow from the seed, after a long way through; its leaves are ruined by worm. Does nature stop there? Maybe not, because chicken consumes worm, then we eat chicken. Does it stop now? No, people are killing each other in return. Why? If we care about others, will we kill and create another disaster to other human being? No. If we care, we’ll stop the war and live in peace. If we feel sentiment, we’ll have a better chance to survive.

Now, we know the truth, do we do anything to it? The answer is probably no. When we know the truth and reality, we stuck there and only know how to criticize other. We can not think of any thing because we do not know what to do. We are confused because we want to live in peace and yet do not how to make it. Finally, we live in peace and yet still not satisfied. We think our life is boring and need something more exciting. Then new disasters “nature is without sentiment” establish one more time. We are back to the circle again. As a matter of fact, we have been manipulated by the truth, the truth lies to us.

India Classic Film "Pather Panchali"

This India classic film is very interesting to watch. The title “Pather Panchali” or the path of old folk story describes rural life of India in 1920. The setting is very natural and touching. When we follow Durga and Apu daily life, we can feel their scarcities and courage. Those poor kids only can see their friends enjoy the life and food. As an oldest child, Durga has learned to manipulate her friend and family for her own advantages. Her brother, Apu, is a naïf and does not know exactly what’s going on in their life. The only thing that he understand is scare and alone, but he feels save with his sister’s love.

Sarbajaaya (the mother) has her own sadness and happiness with a big responsibility of the family especially her children. She is a pride wife and does not want to admit her weakness. Even though she knows that her life is hard, she tries to make the day through without thinking of the children’s wealth fare and happiness.

When we find out that Harihar (the husband) is well educated and has a dream to be a writer, we maybe wonder why he wastes his time in that poor village. He might have a bright future and does not have to starve anymore. Again, living in a simple and old village required a big commitment. Harihar is an example of a wrong interpretation of keeping family tradition. Even though he has a better life in Benares, he chooses to back to his home town because his family spends its whole life in that village. What’s an irony? He is trying to be idealism for his family, but the other hand, he wants to keep the family tradition and burry his dream.

The only thing that makes him changed his mind is when he is losing his precious daughter. He just likes a blind man that gets the eyes to see the reality. How their family go through difficult days in that poor condition house. He realizes that family tradition is not the only purpose of life. His wife and son are the purpose of his life; their weatlhfare and happiness is the most important thing in his life.

Human Evolution

Since it first defined, evolution theory has been a debate. According to Charles Darwin, our ancestor is chimpanzees, but is it true? Darwin believes that chimpanzees evolves and become who we are today. If it is true, then why the chimpanzees still share the habitat with us. The controversial theory is in a denial. More scientists do research to evolution and provide some answer to the evolution process.

The world widely known giant reptiles such as dinosaurs has been wiped out from the earth sixty mya. Due to the lack of water, some of the dinosaurs shrinks them selves and become small reptiles that live underground. The fossil we’ve found and some modern birds and reptiles today share the same gene. Based on the research and evidences, we have to agree with the evolution theory.

Animal evolutions have been proven, what about human? Scientists try to trace back to find our ancestors, and finally making a conclusion that we share gene with chimpanzees, gorilla, other creatures, and even plants. Our characteristics derive us into groups that vary across lineages; therefore, we can build our phylogenetic tree that represents our ancestry.

Strangeness of Science

Prof. Richard Dawkins says that there is strangeness of sciences. He gives a wide explanations and examples from atom to “make believe” computer games of that queerness. Why we only breathe through our lung? Why there are neurons in our brain? The point is why there is strangeness? Is it because we live in this unique universe, so every thing is special? Or is it because we can not find the answer, and we just decide to make an assumption to it.

I definitely agree with Prof. Dawkins that all that strangeness is required in order to primitive selection. Animals only need food to survive, but human need more than that. We need our brain and all the supporting system to survive. If we only have a simple brain likes monkeys’ brains, we maybe still live in a cave. Maybe we turn out to be vegetarian and do not how to cook our food. In fact, we know how to use our brain and create a civilization.

From the beginning there is a substantial different between us and other creatures. We can stand up, walk with two legs, speak, think, have friends, and improve our life. Some of the creatures maybe can stand up and walk, some may not move at all. Can they speak? Can they make their life better? Only human that has been created with those highest skills, so we have to use it properly to find the meaning of our life and not just dream about it.

Gods too Decompose

If God exists, then where can we find him? Does he live among us? Why no one ever meet him? How are we going to find him when we do not know where to start? In our desperate, we make an assumption, God is dead. Yet, there is a question, if God is dead, who killed him or where is his grave? Where the remaining of his body that at least tells us that he once exists.

We keep asking and yet never find the truth and final answer that satisfied us. With a limited knowledge, we only can make an assumption. Even though it is just a theory, but it is our guideline and maybe clues to find the meaning of our life. As we ask what is the origin of the universe? Many physicists and philosophers create an assumption, but how many that has been proven? Big Bang expansion maybe one of them when Einstein gives the equation to find the matter, size and time of the expansion.

Yet, human never satisfied, we are wondering why there is a big bang. This question remains still for the next physicist to solve. In the mean time, we stick with our current knowledge that “Big Bang” creates the universe. Typical human, when they can not satisfied the answer, they said “God is dead and too decompose”.

Origin of Universe

From the beginning of our life, we always have a question about where we come from. Then, we learn that there are a lot of theories about the origin of the universe. Rene Descartes starts with “God” and tries to prove his existence. Next, the “Big Bang” theory where is known widely. Some believe it has both theological and philosophical implication. Many religions have their own interpretations about the Big Bang theory. Some religion believe heaven and earth join together as one unit creation, some believe that expansion, destruction, and creation of the universe within the paradigm. When there is an assumption, then there is a question. Why there is a big bang?

The big bang expansion starts billions years ago from small hot matter. Einstein equations can help us to find out how fast, size and time of the expansion. Again, is it answering the question why there is a big bang? Physicists try to find the answer with the mathematic, and yet it is remain question.

Plato says that prisoners that live in the darkness can not see the reality. Even when they see the shadow, they still can not think of the real object. Why? When one prisoner stands outside the cave, he sees the real object in the light. If we are like the prisoners in the dark cave, can we breach out to the light and how? Well, maybe the answer is time and knowledge, we are learning the universe and in the future, hopefully we can find the answer.

Extra Dimensions

Prof. Lisa Randall introduces an interesting theory about the hidden extra dimensions in her book “Warped Passages Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions”. In the interview she keeps her assumption open, so some one with a better knowledge can prove it. According to her, it could be very well hidden dimension in the universe. She explains several figures regarding this matter. If we compare what we see and what is really out there, there is a big question mark in the middle?

It is definitely true that our knowledge is limited. When we look at a box in two dimensional views, we might think it is a square. Later, in three dimensional views, it is a box, thus our understanding stop there. Why? Because we can not see through the box, there could be another box hidden inside the first box. Maybe there is another box again inside the second box, and so on. If we have gathered a better knowledge to solve the problem then all of our confusions become clear.

Mistery Script

All nature that happened in this world is beyond our understanding. We are wondering; who is the Master Art that creates an amazing design to our body? How a single cell can grow and be a human? Why our neurons always fires? Scientist may have found some of the answers, yet we are still not satisfied. We are eager to know exactly why and how it happened. In order to find the answer, we face a lot of unexplainable knowledge. If everything is like a simple math, such as 1 + 1 = 2, it will be easy for us to understand. In fact, there are several advanced formula and theory involved. This make us give up and just think, it is the way it should be or maybe because we do not know.

Life is different from math because it will not provide a fixed answer. Number is constant, one is one and two is two. Life is variable and will always change depend on our understanding. It is funny that people make a lot of wrong assumptions just to satisfy other’s inquiries. Imagine that we used to thing the earth is flat; now we find out it is round. Will we able to find out what is hiding far beyond Pluto? When we can not figure out the answer, we always say “Life is a mystery”.

After Life & Existence of God

When some one asks you, "Does God exist?" Would you answer "yes" or "no"? The answers of some prominent philosophers in CA are three types: yes, no, and confuse. It is tricky and difficult to answer, just like the question "Is egg or chicken the first form of the life?” Well, in my opinion, the answers could be varies depend on the listeners. If the questioners are kids, we may answer yes. People believe in something or someone, thus establish a religion. Religion guides our moral, so we know which is good and bad. For scientists, the answer maybe “no” because they can not scientifically proves the existence of God. The bottom line is God exists or not depend on our belief.

Human seems never satisfied with the life, next thing they want to know is what happen after death. I definitely agree with most of the answers that our body decompose-all the neurons die. Yes, it is proven. If we have done a lot of good things in our life, our friends or neighbors maybe remember us for quite some time. If not, we just gone and forgotten. Some religion belief in reincarnation and "karma", therefore they try to do a lot of good things.

Science and religion have its own explanation about what have happened. So it is depend on our belief. There is no final answer.

Intelligence and goodwill

According to Aldous Huxley, there are two significant things in men’s life which are intelligence and goodwill. These are important to maintenance a relationship with others. Huxley's opinion about the intelligence and knowledge is surely true. Because of knowledge, we can make the best for our life. We do not know how to build a machine before, but knowledge make it happen. Before the industrialization, we used to have home productions which only make small profits and benefits. After the industrialization, there are mass productions where new jobs are created and we can improve our life and satisfy most of our needs.

Huxley’s opinion about the goodwill can create some kind of prejudices in question. Why goodwill can cause such a thing? Goodwill is helping others to reduce their burdens and making a progress to the next step. For example, the tsunami disaster in Indonesia South East Asia on December 2005 that needed help. When the whole world helped the tsunami's victims; did they help them or create a prejudice? If we follow up with the update, we know those aids really important to survive. Those people are losing their home and family, and they do not have any hope to live longer. The whole world helps are their light in the darkness. We may not able to solve the whole world problem, but at least, we cans lower the progress. If one hand can help 10 people, we have created 10new life and hope. If that 10 people help another 100 people, 100people create another new life and hope. What will happen when people stop helping others? It is the end of the world.