PsiPog.net

So I was reading SheepKing's Blog - more specifically, his post "Meditation on Psi Manipulation". In it, he mentions how focusing on areas will make psi appear there, and compares it with moving psi to that location instead.

So that got me thinking a little bit . Please be aware that these are just random thoughts.

Realistically speaking, our theories on what psi is could be completely wrong. In that I mean, looking at the raw evidence, there could be a million explainations for what's going on. Literally. The mind has an insane creative ability to "explain" things. The thing to realize is that this action of "explaining" is a creative process - like writing a story, or painting a landscape. Since we are so clueless about reality in general, it takes a large creative process to formulate theories on how reality works.

One problem I notice is that people will create a theory, and then be very proud of that theory. They will think that since their artwork is so beautiful and fits together so nicely, that it must be true, and that there can be no other truth. If you argue in favor of another theory, then they feel like you are telling them their artwork isn't beautiful, and will get upset.

People will get into arguments over how beautiful a theory is. But this is just like any other art - it's completely subjective and personal. One beautiful theory to me could be really ugly and boring to someone else.

Since humans have this awesome creative ability - what is the problem? Well, the problem is introduced when people equate beauty to truth. The more beautiful a theory is, the more true it must be. This logic doesn't make sense. I will agree (on an emotional level) that the entire truth is probably very beautiful and elegant. However, that doesn't mean that if your theory is beautiful and elegant, that it must also be true.

So we have to stay focused on our goal. If our goal is to theorize about reality, then we must test our artwork against the artwork of truth. If our artwork doesn't match up, that doesn't mean our art isn't beautiful or elegant - it just means that it isn't true. We must focus on testing our ideas against reality.

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Bringing it back... Psi is unknown. I notice a lot of theories about psi coming from different sources. I theorize in my own head, and critisize the theories of others. Those who paint pictures similar to my own I like. Those who paint pictures drastically different, I don't like. I own my beliefs, and therefore take pride in them. This pattern is dangerous.

The creative process is what makes this dangerous. I suppose the danger is that we think our creative minds generate truth, and that our creative conclusions must be the only possible conclusion of an "intelligent" mind. If you reach a different conclusion, then you aren't intelligent. Hmm.

You know where the real problem exists? In that reality is a fucking enigma . Just kidding .

Anyways: I like SheepKing's new focus on testing his beliefs against reality. I think that when we get a lot of experience, we sort of forget to do that. We slowly build up ideas over time, and create a rift between ourselves and reality because of our desire to have definite answers. We creatively explain things, and get so hypnotized by our own creations, that we forget to bring the focus back to reality. It's funny how we are constantly surrounded by reality yet we can't figure anything out. It feels like if we could escape reality, and look at it from a distance, then we could see it all working together. Since we can't separate ourselves, we are forced into subjective experience and understanding. Anyways - some things to think about.

~Sean