Updates.

I've gotten a bunch of really great questions recently and have just been doing a poor job of answering and posting them. I can assure you that I have several interesting upcoming posts :)

The origin of my love for Space.

From Louis Warren:

"Well, I'm going to ask you the most common question I get about my love for Video Editing...what turned you on to the science of space?"
July 20, 2010

I can actually remember the specific moment very distinctly, I was in the sixth grade, in the Ingenuity Project at Robert Poole Middle School, the year was 1999-2000. Our science teacher was named Mr. Fireside and he began a lesson about the Solar System. I remember being so intrigued and fascinated since this was the first real learning experience I had about space, these topics were never encouraged at home and I didn't encounter them much at school beforehand. To this day, I can remember parts of his lesson word for word, especially as he moved from talking about the planets to the Big Bang. One thing I can recall making this experience so special is that this was the first time I had seen a DVD used in the classroom, and this was around the time I began questioning religion and creation and the big bang just really turned me on to QUESTION EVERYTHING. I went to high school at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute where I studied Engineering. I loved Engineering, but when we got into Physics, I got the feeling all over again when I started learning about space. I joined the Physics club, competed in the Physics Olympics at the University of Maryland and took AP Physics my senior year.
Aside from schooling, I have always asked questions about our existence. At four years old, I recall wondering if everything was someone's thoughts or dreams or if perhaps we were in some way their memories as they flipped through a photo album. This was because at the time I would have frequent recurring dreams and I thought that maybe I was just someones recurring dream. I have always had a keen sense of curiosity, I suppose. I didn't really start studying Astrophysics until last year, up until then I was taking Psychology because I didn't feel like I was smart enough. I had a period of time where I just KNEW that Psychology was selling myself short so I took a year off of school to figure it out. During this time I became so engulfed in books and documentaries and programs like The Universe that I decided to make the switch. To answer your question, it started at a fairly young age but the confidence to actually pursue the space sciences is fairly recent.

University of Maryland, Physics Olympics, 2005.

Revised theory of gravity.

I have decided to turn my blog into a sort of Science, Philosophy and Religion Question and Answer. If you have something you would like to get my thoughts on, feel free to send me a message on Facebook, and if I like your question and it is relevant, I will turn it into an entry :)

From Stan Carey:

"I'd love to hear your opinion on that new cosmological model that doesn't begin with a singularity and therefor has no big bang.

http://www.physorg.com/news198135631.html"

July 19, 2010

First, I would like to state my position and opinion on the Big Bang Theory. To be quite honest, I have never really put 100% confidence in the theory. My reasoning for this is that like the opposing creationist theory, it is somewhat driven by the need FOR and to PROVIDE proof for other theories. For example, there are some implications that are only valid if there existed a period of "inflation" after the actual big bang explosion. I feel as though sometimes physicists and other scientists will concoct theories to provide the proof for a phenomenon, rather than a means for actually explaining it WITH proof. In a sense, a sort of fabrication of validity to secure explanation.

Personally, I like this theory and how there is no singularity, nor the problems involved with it. I feel like the big bang has become accepted and for the most part "unquestioned" simply because it has been accepted for such a long time, aside from the rise of theories such as M-Theory (which would need to be a whole other entry to even touch on the subject) which uses the collision of "branes" to initiate the explosion that is the big bang.

I would love to see where this theory goes and how it develops alongside the search for the Higgs-Boson. You have to take into consideration that science does not explain everything. There has yet to be a testable experiment for string theory. The only proof for black holes is the motion of objects around something they can't see. And for everything in the universe they can't explain they simply call it "dark matter." Did you know that a large portion of Darwins work was nonsense? Einstein's theories now more than ever may be proven wrong. Also, take into consideration this book was published in the early 90s, any theory or model gets built upon and broken down over time.

My Stance on Religion.

To begin I would like to ask if you believe in a God? What about more than one God? What about Santa Claus? Perhaps the Tooth Fairy? What is the difference? They are all unfortunately and wrongfully taught and forced as truth at a very young age and even birth, they are all said to accomplish amazing and unrealistic things in short amounts of time. Why is it that of all the many fairy tales and fictional characters that we talk about, God or Gods are believed to be true? There is little to no proof for god in the same way there is little to no proof that Santa Claus exists. Many people look towards the bible and say that these are the words of God and they alone are proof that there is a God and that the stories presented are true. I think the bible is great--if you're up for a fairy tale, it's amazing how there is a whole book of ambiguous passages which can be interpreted no matter how you wish. FYI: wars, famines, killing, rape, fire, etc existed LONG before the bible was written. Once you know the patterns of history it is quite easy to replicate it.

Also, many people use bible passages to prove something that it apparently predicted while ignoring other passages in the bible which contradict it. What is true is that the bible makes absolutely, unarguably asinine claims. People actually believe there has existed a talking snake, but dinosaurs have not (and fossils were placed there by the Devil to test your faith), the Universe was created in a matter of days, but the Earth is no more than several thousands years old. Many religious individuals also reject the theory of evolution despite the heaping amount of evidence which actually shows any kind of proof about it's validity. How is it that you reject the idea of Evolution and Natural Selection for not the existence of life but how it became what it is today? And if you reject Evolution and Natural Selection because these theories suggests that life is the result of a single organism, why is it that you believe whole heartedly that an all knowing-all powerful cosmic being created the universe, the earth and it's lifeforms, but this being which is so intelligent and magical exists from absolutely nothing and there is no proof whatsoever that it exists? Yes, life on earth is absolutely fascinating in the way it works out, but if God created life, and the Universe, than why is it that in our Solar System it is simply impossible for humans and other life to exist on any other planet or in space alone. Earth has all of the things necessary for life including the correct distance from the sun which gives a liveable temperature and light exposure, water, etc. But these should not be seen as reasons at why life exists on Earth that Earth is able to sustain life. If god was so great and did create life on earth, why is it we are the only planet in the Solar System as we know it to have life. If god loved people so much and he created the universe, why would it be that one planet out of the WHOLE universe is the only one to have life? If God loved us so much he would not damn us to a fire pit for questioning if he (or she/it for that matter) is real. A very insightful thought by Epicurus also suggests that that the being which we worship is far short of deserving such praise when he says "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" If we are not the only beings in existence, you must also question how a God has created in a matter of days BILLIONS of different galaxies, planets, stars and other celestial objects. Billions of completely different worlds. This in itself and mind blowingly impossible. Our planet, let alone the entire universe was not formed with the intention to inhabit life or to cater to human ambition, but rather life has changed or evolved over billions of years to exist in these conditions. Over 99% of all species that have ever existed on this planet are now extinct. Where is the intelligent design in this?

Many people are so easy to turn to 'God' to explain everything. God created the earth. God created life. God created evil. God told people to write the bible. Bad things happen because God is trying to teach us something. A lot of you will probably say earth is the only planet with life because God chose it. Many people will argue upon being asked who created God, that God was not created because he has always existed. If always does not exist how is that God has always existed? If God is immaterial how is it that he created a material existence? If God is immaterial, does not take up space and is an infinite being why is it that we label him as a him? Giving God a gender gives him material attributes. Saying that God is omnipotent is a cop out bigger than saying God created everything.

One of my favorite scientists and overall people is Carl Sagan, in his very popular series 'COSMOS' from the 1970s he brought up a very valid and someone existential point when he says "Men may not be the dreams of the gods, but rather that the Gods are the dreams of men." On the contrary it is suggested that there is an omnipotent divine creator that created you and a system of karma or good doing, like a behavior credit system for you to abide to in order to receive good in return. This is typical propaganda, telling people to do something in the hopes that they will get something in return, fear is a big business move, you sometimes must scare people into thinking they need your product. Once there is a shimmer of proof of it people live their lives by it. Good and bad things will happen regardless. You could live in solitude and do horrible things, but that doesn't mean horrible things will happen to you, it all depends on the amount of possibility you give yourself. How are there so many people who continually do for others, yet never receive their "reward" for it? And vice versa. Why does there need to be a "system"? Things happen, and things happen in different ways, there isn't someone or something keeping track of what you do. Furthermore, why should there be a law to abide to, why can't we simply live our lives to make ourselves and those we love happy and not need something spiritual malarky telling us to do so. Why do you need a spiritual law or moral code to abide to, all that does is stress you out and make you think you're not doing it right. Those ideas were created to find more efficient ways to teach and spread the disease they call Faith.

As I have previously mentioned, a large number of people say that their God is a just and divine creator but many people also think otherwise, scientist, author and famous Atheist Richard Dawkins has so eloquently stated that "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty unjust unforgiving control freak, a vindictive blood thirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully." (The God Delusion Page 51) I think that everyone should take the time to think about why THEY think that life exists and how, rather than accepting religion for what it is, or accepting evolution for what it is. If you are going to spend your life trying to prove something, let it be yourself. We are the only thing we know truly exists. There is not proof for god, and evolution has it's flaws. Religion is time and time again used as a fighting device and many times over it does nothing but cause fights, wars, and division among humanity in people who could otherwise obtain peace. The only thing we should do is seize the day. I respect everyone's beliefs but I simply cannot accept the fact that people are so willing to just believe anything as it is. Nothing in life is absolutely perfect. That is why we die, that is why things go extinct and that is why absolutely nothing as we know it lasts forever. Religious people think they KNOW they have the answer but, newsflash you do not, and neither does anyone else, so in the meantime, be excellent to each other. With the great extent and infinite size of our proposed Universe, comes great extent and infinite possibility. There may be a god, but there may not be, what we may think of as god is merely a great source of energy within our cosmos. There is perhaps no grand scheme to all of this, we could be dust floating adrift a deep abyss with no intent of purpose. Our bodies in themselves are their own little universe, our perception of size and achievement is far too often guaged relative to human comprehension. It is truly detrimental to simply accept that we are something great, made by something greater. The beauty of being an atheist is to persist in curiosity rather than march blindly with certainty. Only then can we truly grasp we are insignificant beings in a giant plethora of things far greater than we.

Written March, 2010.

Confessions.

Lately, more-so than ever before, I have fell into a deep depression. Sadly and admittingly this is a feeling that has pretty much plagued me for as long as I could logically remember. The reasons have varied, the feeling has temporarily been evaded, but it has always returned, and I fear that it always will despite my best efforts. I understand that happiness is a "journey not a destination" but perhaps for some it is neither. In my moments of evanescent bliss, I am ultimately overcome with the fear that like everything I know, it will soon fade and be swiftly replaced with anxiety, disappointment and an overall feeling of dissatisfaction. What is happiness really? Is it an illusion? Why won't I ever know?

Now, I would like to avoid exposing too much of my personal life and past but, basically I have not been "blessed" with a fortunate life. I have never experienced wealth, or true or unconditional love. My childhood is skewed and bruised with broken memories and my early adulthood is a constant battle with self-esteem. My life as a whole has been a consistent reminder of "not being good enough" in every aspect. Family, work and school. Family, I don't mind considering it is ultimately unavoidable, work and school is what really gets me. Not that I am against "working" for things or being "educated" but the manner in which they are enforced is deeply troubling.

On the subject of work, words simply do not give justice to how fervently I am against the whole monetary institution. Perhaps if I were fortunate enough to have a large amount of money, I would beg to differ, but I don't so I am going to be militantly against it at this point. At any rate, as I mentioned in my previous entry , we are produced without the notion of choice and not only that but we, for the most part, are forced into a job where we work for a fake system of currency only to survive. Not even to have nice or frivolous things, but to eat and have a place to rest. I am just at a loss for words as to how disconcert this makes me feel, I am washed out with a wave of anger. I hate with the biggest passion that humans have become robots, we aren't give the time to appreciate, to love and to wonder. We are given work and in turn given money, which we just put back into the pointless system, only to be redone. Our lives have become redundant, we are career-oriented machines, we are pleasing a standard that we have not created.

Today, in order to even get a job you have to be "educated." And by educated that means attend an institution where other people are teaching you by their standards. Learning in this case is an act of being told things and simply remembering them and maybe even sometimes, comprehension. What bothers me about this is that people just "learn" things and accept them, we don't challenge the things we are told. Who is to say that everything we are being told is what is actually true? And say we are successful at this, and continue to graduate through all levels up through college to earn a degree. What is a degree? A piece of paper that gives you bragging rights. Anyone can study and get a good grade, regurgitate the things they read or are told and sound intelligent, but how many people are truly intuitive? I feel like today school is a robot factory, teaching everyone the same things in order to be the same people. Einstein has a quote that I really like. He says "If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut."

So, not only are we forced to be educated so that we can work, but we have to look good doing it too! I have expressed many times my discontent with the value that people place on looks and I have always gotten the answer "That's just how society works." Yeah...it is how society works but that doesn't mean that's how it should work. I get that people should be healthy and people should take care of themselves if they would like to live a long and prosper existence, but truly, why does it matter? If you like the way you look, or if you simply do not care at all, that's what should matter. People are living to please other people, we go to school because we are told that's the right thing to do, we get a job because we generally have no other choice, and we look a certain way in the hopes that other people won't make fun of you, or will just like you. I have an idea, if people would focus on themselves and their own "happiness" we wouldn't have to worry about other people, they would be concerned with themselves as well. I realize that making others happy is an important part of some people's lives but other people making us happy shouldn't be an important part of our own.

P.S. I would just like to remind anyone who happens to read this, that for the time being I am blindly pounding away at the keyboard into an empty text box, so I apologize if my thoughts are jumbled to the point of being incomprehensible.

Greetings, Earthlings.

After much debate, consideration and convincing, I have decided to create a blog in the efforts to appease my inner ramblings and perhaps reach the lives of others. I also hope to iron out the wrinkles in my writing skills, so please bear with me. Mostly this will be used to rant and rave about science, religion (or lack thereof) and the overall irrelevance of human ambition. So, a forewarning to those sensitive to misanthropy, atheism and existentialism...but really I don't care.

First on my agenda, in a sort of Pale Blue Dot-esque diatribe, I would like to discuss the absolutely unimportant and insignificant things people become so engulfed in. Tonight, I had the unfortunate privilege of watching this new show "Jerseylicious"...against my will of course. Now, I may not even have to go any further than simply stating the title, but these types of people absolutely boggle my mind. One of the most prominent events was an argument that takes place place between two hair dressers (the show is apparently set in a hair salon). The two girls were at each other's throats because they planned parties on the same night and coincidentally both of which had an animal print theme. These girls were really bent out of shape, their worlds were simply turned upside down, and it was unimaginable that one person could knowingly do this another. REALLY? There is a war outside, there are people being raped and killed, children are going to bed hungry at night and these girls want to fight over some leopard print boots. I understand that people have their own prerogative but I would imagine that it can be widely accepted that there are far more important things to worry about in an endless amount of things that are unimportant to worry about. What I want to get at here is that ultimately, it is futile to worry in the first place. The Earth is in a corner of a corner of something the human mind can not even begin to grasp. It absolutely breaks my heart that this planet, the only one we know is run so corrupt and so unnatural. We had no choice to be here and we have no choice how to spend our time on it. We are expelled into a sea of apathetic fish. We are actors in a work where the script has been written for us and we are unable to push rewind. I almost can't even blame people for their lack of interest, from the beginning we are distracted with material things and are rarely given the opportunity to stop and stand in awe at the world we take for granted. Technology is such a bittersweet affair, without we would not be able to discover the wonders to which deserve our praise, but with it our attention is taken. Although I can divulge greatly on this subject, I am going to save it for later posts, basically this is just an introduction to an ongoing mental battle held within me.

Enjoy.