myth – An Autonomous Agent

Digital Blasphemy

anautonomousagent — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:07:00 +0000

Ran across this website where Ryan Bliss posts stunning digital images.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces – Joseph Campbell

anautonomousagent — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Joseph Campbell does a great job explaining the origins of myths and religious belief. Even influencing the story of Star Wars, The Hero with a Thousand Faces provides profound insight into human consciousness and culture.

I have included some links to several videos related to Joseph Campbell:

Star Wars and Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell – Mythology of the First City States

Joseph Campbell – Circumcision

The Future Materials of Earth’s Life-Forms

anautonomousagent — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 02:47:00 +0000

In Investigations, Stuart Kauffman writes about the adjacent possible. While reading this section I couldn’t help but wonder whether the idea of pollution needed revision. For example, imagine 700 million years into the future and the organisms which may exist. At this time the adjacent possible will have explored one long path in the space of possible paths. I think it would be extremely likely for there to be life forms which incorporate materials which humans have deemed “pollution.” Fish or insects may roam the planet with polyethylene skin or shells. Or imagine a creature with a defense mechanism made of concrete or steel, much like an ankylosaurus — but with a concrete ball at the end of its tail, instead of a calcium bone. I can envision such possibilities but could they actually occur? As long as materials like concrete, polyethylene, or steel ended up in the food supply, I think this is a potential outcome of evolution.

Thus, are the materials we consider pollution a bad thing for the environment? Because in the future they could be a valuable resource for an organism. Certainly these materials may be toxic to modern life-forms, but what about evolution. Polyethylene never existed in the universe before and neither did concrete, steel and many other materials created by man.

Maybe the young parts of the universe, like the outer arms of spiral galaxies, look at the old galactic center and think “wow! look at all the pollution in the center of the galaxy. There is so much carbon, copper, iron, and oxygen which react with our precious hydrogen.” In other words, pollution is only relative.

Marijuana Reconsidered – Lester Grinspoon

anautonomousagent — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 04:56:00 +0000

For a remarkable and insightful book on cannabis sativa, I would suggest reading Marijuana Reconsidered by Lester Grinspoon. The book provided the first real scientific investigation into the psychedelic properties of cannabis sativa. I found the section by Mr. X (Carl Sagan) to be informative, accurate, and humorous. The fact that marijuana was documented, by William Osler, long before the 1930’s to be the most effective cure for a migraine was a complete surprise to me. I highly recommend this book and any other by Lester Grinspoon.

Aquatic Ape Hypothesis – Elaine Morgan

anautonomousagent — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:35:00 +0000

Elaine Morgan suggests that humans evolved from an ape ancestor who lived in an aquatic environment. This explains the recession of hair on the skin, bipedal motion, large brain development, and other unique features. Check out Morgan’s TED talk here. Its interesting but there is little support in the academic community.

Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilizations – Graham Hancock

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:59:00 +0000

In Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization, Hancock raises an excellent point — sea levels in ancient times were mush lower than they are now. Thus, many ruins may lie under the water a theme which he fully explores in this novel. The novel is a bit lengthy.

Fingerprints of the Gods – Graham Hancock

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:54:00 +0000

My favorite novel by Graham Hancock, Fingerprints of the Gods takes the reader on an archaeological journey. Traveling to almost every ancient civilization, Hancock searches for clues which reveal a lost civilization. Here is a good summary.

Heaven’s Mirror: Quest for the Lost Civilization – Graham Hancock

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:44:00 +0000

Graham Hancock does not disappoint in Heaven’s Mirror, a book about lost civilizations. Containing hundred of beautiful images and graphs, the reader will be convinced that perhaps there do exist civilizations that have vanished from the history books. In addition, Hancock does a great job in this book, and in his other books, at describing the astronomical phenomena of precession. Here is brief video of Hancock talking about the book.

The Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids – Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:29:00 +0000

There exists a theory, called the Orion Correlation Theory, which claims that the Egyptians built the pyramids to mimic the asterism of Orion’s Belt. Thus, the Nile River would correspond to the Milky Way. This theory was first publish in a book, The Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids, by Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert. This work provides a new perspective on the importance of astronomy to the ancient Egyptians. Anyone who loves ancient mysteries should give this book a read.

Cymatics in the Great Pyramid

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:18:00 +0000

There are some interesting theories about Egyptians and Cymatics. Check this link for more information. Perhaps the Egyptians knew about the formation of such patterns (as can be seen in this video) and thought them “holy.”
More information and links here.