peace – An Autonomous Agent

The Myth of the “Clash of Civilizations” – Edward Said

anautonomousagent — Sun, 17 Jul 2016 15:26:13 +0000

But the work of Man is only just beginning, and it remains to conquer all the violence entrenched in the recesses of our passion… and no race possesses the monopoly of beauty, of intelligence, of force. And there is a place for all at the rendezvous of victory.

— Aime Cesaire

The Philosopher’s Stone – LSD documentary

anautonomousagent — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 01:08:13 +0000

A wonderful collection of talks given at the 100th birthday celebration of Albert Hofmann in 2006.

The Philosopher’s Stone – LSD documentary : Part 1

The Philosopher’s Stone – LSD documentary : Part 2

Natural Resource Depletion – Solution: Algae Oil and Water Cavitation

anautonomousagent — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 23:05:00 +0000

I recently read Phase Transitions, by Ricard Sole. The last chapter talks about societal collapse due to resource depletion. Under some assumptions, modelling the per capita consumption rate of natural resources shows that there exists a phase transition between stability and collapse. In other words, a gradual increase in the per capita consumption rate (or an increase in population, given a fixed per capita consumption rate) will result in a sudden and extreme phase shift — from stability to instability, i.e. collapse.

Interestingly, the book Why Stock Markets Crash, by Didier Sornette, mentions the same phase transition, or critical point as he refers to it, occurring due to an increasing rate of population growth and dependence upon technology. The rate of population growth implies the occurrence of a finite time singularity. Upon reaching this critical point, a change from one regime into another will occur. What this change will be is unknown.

There have been numerous large civilizations of the past whose existence was relatively brief on the face of the Earth. Will modern civilization have the same fate? These two books suggest an impending change. However, there is a chance that this time could be different. No other society in history has been able to predict its own demise. Is this the key? The knowledge of one’s own collapse could be sufficient to prevent it.

I believe to at least postpone the arrival of this phase transition requires only that we have a full dependence on renewable resources and find a revolutionary way to produce and distribute fresh water. Once these are accomplished, other issues which could lead to collapse can be fixed in due time.

Surprisingly, there already exist potential solutions which I believe can solve the problem: Algae Oil and Water Cavitation. Growing algae in deserts near the ocean seems like a terrific idea for generating fuel. Not to mention the fact that the algae remove CO2 from the air. However, I can foresee that this could actually create a problem, since too little CO2 in the atmosphere is also a problem.

Water Cavitation, as mentioned in the link above, provides a reliable mechanism for removing chemicals and organisms from water. A perfect source of clean, fresh water for the world. However, there still exists the problem of water availability. Perhaps there are good ideas for this, I am not sure.

Volcano Vaporizer

anautonomousagent — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:46:00 +0000

Created by the German company Storz and Bickel, the Volcano Vaporizer is the best on the market. Highly recommend for anyone wishing to aromatically flavour their food.

Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing – Thich Nhat Hanh

anautonomousagent — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:55:00 +0000

In his book Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, Thich Nhat Hanh supplies a commentary on the Anapanasati Sutta. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in learning how to achieve a state of well-being and health.

The Way of Zen – Alan Watts

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:14:00 +0000

The Way of Zen, by Alan Watts, introduces the western mind to the ideas of Zen. The book does a great job, almost as good as any Zen master. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Zen and its history.

The Wisdom of Insecurity – Alan Watts

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:04:00 +0000

My favorite book by Alan Watts, The Wisdom of Insecurity, will change the way you view yourself and the world. Its views and concepts, made clear through the elegant prose of Watts, shake the foundation of traditional western thought.

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are – Alan Watts

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 21:57:00 +0000

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, by Alan Watts, was the first book that I read by Watts. The insight into Vedanta and eastern philosophy given by this book will impress you and possibly alter your entire outlook on life. This book provides a great starting point for the rest of Watts’ works.

The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation – Thich Nhat Hanh

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 21:28:00 +0000

I was introduced to meditation in a college class on the subject. The teacher recommended The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation, by Thich Nhat Hanh. This book provides the reader with a wonderful way to start a meditation practice.

The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation – Thich Nhat Hanh

anautonomousagent — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Thich Nhat Hanh stands as a foundation for peace in the world today. His book, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation should be read by all people interested in the teachings of the Buddha. The book provides a detailed description of many concepts central to Buddhism.