Aug 31

The Magic of Space Science

by Chris Billows in Mental Mischief 0 comments tags: Human Condition, Quotations
Fascinating news this week. We have intercepted an alien signal and the speculation is that it is so strong and intentional it is thought to come from a civilization that is more advanced than our own. Not a Drill: SETI Is Investigating a Possible Extraterrestrial Signal From Deep Space “The signal’s strength indicates that if it in fact came from a isotropic beacon, the power source would have to be built by a Kardashev Type II civilization. (The Kardashev scale is used to determine the progress of a civilization’s technological development by measuring how much energy was used to transmit an interstellar message.) An ‘Isotropic’ beacon means a communication source emitting a signal with equal power in all directions while promoting signal strength throughout travel.” The news is remarkable, but just as remarkable is that somebody has created a civilization scale that borders on the absolute fantastic. The Kardashev Scale says that we are possibly receiving the signal from a civilization that has encased its sun with some kind of material so that no energy escapes the solar system! That is so amazing it sounds like magic, but what is just as astounding is that this level of civilization is […]
May 04

Depths, Mirrors, and Mine Detectors

by Chris Billows in Republic of Bloggers 0 comments tags: Human Condition, Virtuous Discourse
An open letter to Chris Bateman responding to his blog-letter Wisdom in Practice at Only A Game as part of the Republic of Bloggers. Feel welcome to provide your own input via the Comments! Dear Chris, Thank you for your response on December 8, 2015. My apologies for the tardiness of my reply. It is an undertaking to write a response that captures something I feel convinced off but struggled to articulate, especially something that I find to be complex. These letters have offered an opportunity to validate my biases and convictions so many thanks for engaging with me on this matter. We both agree that Modern Philosophy does have practices where smartness is placed above wisdom (the tone of your response in places is *smart*, but that’s fair given you’re a Philosopher practicing in Modern times – Ha!). It is at these times I would argue that Modern Philosophy could be ‘missing the boat’ despite claiming to be a vehicle of transport. Modern Philosophy is a cognitive exercise, which you consider to be a virtue as it provides a playground for nerds, intellectuals, and thinkers. This is the rub for me. While I value the cognitive intellect, I do […]
Nov 15

Modern Philosophy and Its Loss of Wisdom

by Chris Billows in Republic of Bloggers 0 comments tags: Blogging, Components of Human Nature, Contrarian, Human Condition, Human Misery, Self Analysis, Virtuous Discourse
Some Background This blog-post is an indirect response to a blog-letter discourse that Chris Bateman and myself recently concluded that was about knowledge and how we know that we know. You can read it if you are so inclined at https://onlyagame.typepad.com/only_a_game/2015/09/knowing-that-we-know.html In reading Chris’ response, I was struck by the examples he used, particularly how he refers to John Haidt’s bias against philosophy. This got me thinking… I too have a bias against philosophy. It is apparent that Chris Bateman and I have different approaches about this question of knowledge. His focus on knowledge is cognitively and philosophically (epistemology) based, mine was emotional. This difference is likely from divergent backgrounds: Chris is a game designer, author, philosopher, and professor, while I am a social worker, ex-politcal party activist, and a wanna-be game designer. It was my game design interest that led me to Chris Bateman’s blog, where he taught me the value and practice of Virtuous Discourse. Enough background; the intrigue for me and the focus of this post is about my bias against philosophy. The Folly of Modern Philosophy As a part of my university coursework, I took Introduction to Philosophy which I enjoyed and did well in, but […]

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Nov 14

Emotions Are Not A Compass

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Components of Human Nature, Human Condition
Emotions are powerful experiences. They can have the subtle feeling of a gentle breeze or the violence and power of a hurricane. And its no coincidence that my analogies are references to weather. I see emotions being the equivalent to an internal weather system. They change and can be fleeting. Its for this reason I see emotions having an important role in one’s life, but should never be used to guide you. Emotions cannot guide, they are not a compass. They are more like a temperature gauge. So whatever emotions you experience you need to remember to 1) not take them too seriously since they will change like the weather, and 2) never use them as a compass but instead use your intelligence and wisdom.

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Sep 29

How I Found The Subtle Line In The Assisted Suicide Debate

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Facing Death, Human Condition, Stages of Realization
The late Dr. Donald Low made some news headlines when he requested in his last days the right to end his own life in a fashion that is legal. Whenever this issue gets raised, there are always two sides that gets formed to argue their position. And in typical fashion, the media establishment loves to embellish the issue to attract interest so it can sell its advertising. On the one side, we see people who are faced with their own death, arguing that they should have the right to request a doctor to prescribe a lethal dose of medications to suppress their breathing and thus end their life in a manner that is considered to be more peaceful. On the other side, we see people who believe that life is sacred and any action that brings about death more quickly is unethical or immoral. In addition, there is a group of young disabled people who believe that this could lead us down a slippery slope of towards the euthanasia of people with disabilities. After all, if a person does not want to experience the chronic disability that is found in the final stages of one’s terminal illness, it can also […]

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Feb 09

Middle of the Muddle

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Human Condition, Poem
In turning 40 years old, I am sharing a personal poem to celebrate my arrival of middle life. Now that I am middle-aged, I can start acting even more eccentric and get away with it. 😉 … Middle of the Muddle: A Poem About Mid-Life by Christopher Billows … I have learned, that facts and theory, found in degrees and libraries, do not grow or touch our psyche. … I have met many, the brilliant and the dull, and the rich and the poor, and found happiness being the pursuit of all. … I have worked for years, seen the capable abhorred, found leaders be the first to hide, and watched justice be ignored. … I pursued self-actualization, and have always been stung, that the pursuit of the perfect, is the cause of all wrong. … I have loved and adored, witnessed another’s death, fathered and seen birth, and now ponder the drama of a final breath. …
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