How do I know I'm a living system? I am actively engaged in the process of becoming myself, all the time. I have to eat, drink water and sleep to maintain my body, I have thoughts about who/what I am in the context of the world I live in. I am constantly maintaining a balance in order to be me. Like the definition of 'autopoiesis' from our packet explains, I am both producer and product, ceaselessly.
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine can have a lot in common. Acupuncture is the revitalization of living energies, currents, through the body. Biophysics studies these living energies. I appreciated the article that we read on acupuncture and neuromuscular stimulation working together to produce even greater healing results than acupuncture alone in patients with hemiplasia (paralysis on half of the body). This is an example of the healing potential of energy. It is funny that they did not do a study with only the neuromuscular stimulation, which would have better elucidated the effectiveness of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and scalp needling.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Biology Week Eleven
I think that the reintroduction of the American Bison is important, as we saw in an earlier week (deep ecology I believe) that there are so many benefits to a thriving ecosystem, and grasslands making up much of land environment being vitally important. At the same time, I wish that there were some other issues that need addressing getting as much attention as it appears American Bison are receiving. Like the real harms of consumer capitalism. Or the frightening lack of education/awareness of global concerns (or miseducation/brainwashing) in the majority of middle america.
I think that Bison are important to Native groups that deserve to have as many aspects of their culture restored as possible. And I believe that Bison are more sustainable than cattle, and could potentially create a more sustainable meat for general consumption? Not entirely sure this is feasible.
In my opinion, I think we need better/more/more hours of/more options for public transportation. I think we need to be doing more to satisfy our own needs locally, like growing our own foods, making our own products, instead of buying goods that come from overseas. I think we should be shifting away from burning fossil fuels. I think we should be educating drivers about the rights/safety of bikers, and creating more routes for only bikes. Consumption needs to decrease, in so many different areas.
I think that Bison are important to Native groups that deserve to have as many aspects of their culture restored as possible. And I believe that Bison are more sustainable than cattle, and could potentially create a more sustainable meat for general consumption? Not entirely sure this is feasible.
In my opinion, I think we need better/more/more hours of/more options for public transportation. I think we need to be doing more to satisfy our own needs locally, like growing our own foods, making our own products, instead of buying goods that come from overseas. I think we should be shifting away from burning fossil fuels. I think we should be educating drivers about the rights/safety of bikers, and creating more routes for only bikes. Consumption needs to decrease, in so many different areas.
Biochemistry Week Eleven
The discussion on Placebo effect was very interesting. The power of belief seems to be an effective healing tool. Both the belief of the patient and the healer are required (double blind). What is even more bizarre is the experience of side effects in placebo studies. I am curious to see how this can be used to facilitate healing in the future.
This definition puts Biochemistry at the center of all science! As far as I understand it anyway. This is saying quite a bit. It is interesting to me in the light of this definition that we only study biochemistry for five weeks at our school.
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This definition of biochemistry defines the discipline in terms of other things, so really it is just speaking to its position within the hierarchy of science. The definition does not actually describe what it is.
I watched the Fire from Water animation. Although I did not understand what was happening from the video (on a chemical level) it was amazing to see water being throw into a big beaker causing flames to erupt! Very cool.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Week 7 Physics assignment
Ordered Chaos - yes it sounds familiar, it is the way my life works! haha. but seriously.
Fractals as patterns of complex systems, this is a very cool thought. Little changes in the variables can have great effects on the outcomes. Once again, this resonates with me in terms of what my experience has been.
Consciousness. The quote at the top of the page in the packet on chaos and consciousness sums up my feelings very well. "The problem of consciousness is perhaps the largest obstacle in our quest to scientifically understand reality."
What is consciousness and what is reality? How can we know anything about reality while operating through consciousness and perception? Is the entire universe conscious? Or are only living systems conscious. I had a discussion with a scientist the other day. He works on molecular biology and foods, cellulose... and he was causally letting me know that insects are not conscious... When will the division between human consciousness and animal/plant/environment consciousness drop away enough for the majority of people to have a different understanding of what makes up consciousness? Yikes.
I tried the silverware experiments. Very fun :)
Fractals as patterns of complex systems, this is a very cool thought. Little changes in the variables can have great effects on the outcomes. Once again, this resonates with me in terms of what my experience has been.
Consciousness. The quote at the top of the page in the packet on chaos and consciousness sums up my feelings very well. "The problem of consciousness is perhaps the largest obstacle in our quest to scientifically understand reality."
What is consciousness and what is reality? How can we know anything about reality while operating through consciousness and perception? Is the entire universe conscious? Or are only living systems conscious. I had a discussion with a scientist the other day. He works on molecular biology and foods, cellulose... and he was causally letting me know that insects are not conscious... When will the division between human consciousness and animal/plant/environment consciousness drop away enough for the majority of people to have a different understanding of what makes up consciousness? Yikes.
I tried the silverware experiments. Very fun :)
Chemistry Week 7 Assignment
My semi-conductor is Silicon. It is the main constituent in sand and quartz as well as many other stones, including jasper, opal and chalcedony. Obsidian is less pure silicon, and silicon is the main constituent of tektites. Silicon is the second most abundant Earth element after oxygen. It appears to be a metal, with a metallic finish when crystalized (in diamond cubic crystalline structure), but it is not a metal.
The Chemical symbol of Silicon is Si. Silicon has an atomic number of 14. It has 14 protons and 14 electrons. Its atomic mass is 28, meaning that it has 14 neutrons.
Silicon has five electron orbitals in use. 1s, 2s, 2p and 3s orbitals are completely filled. The 3p orbital has 2 electrons out of six filled. Its electron arrangement gives it many opportunities to bond with other elements.
In order to turn Silicon into a conductor (which allows it to be used in electronics) it must be 'doped' or combined with another element which creates a different arrangement of electrons and allows it to conduct electricity.
Alchemy
I would say that alchemy is all three. Science and art and magic.
Discussion
I really enjoyed the discussion that we had about alchemy in class week 7. It relates to the question above about alchemy so I thought I would dive into it here. We discussed the meaning of the word alchemy, and its root in change. Science deals with change, physical, chemical changes. Art deals with change, emotional, mental, perceptual changes. Magic deals with changes, whatever type those would be, it seems the range is bigger for magic.
The thing that Larry said about the root of the word for alchemy in hebrew coming from the word for yearning was really cool. I like the association of those two. Desire for change. Very nice.
The Chemical symbol of Silicon is Si. Silicon has an atomic number of 14. It has 14 protons and 14 electrons. Its atomic mass is 28, meaning that it has 14 neutrons.
Silicon has five electron orbitals in use. 1s, 2s, 2p and 3s orbitals are completely filled. The 3p orbital has 2 electrons out of six filled. Its electron arrangement gives it many opportunities to bond with other elements.
In order to turn Silicon into a conductor (which allows it to be used in electronics) it must be 'doped' or combined with another element which creates a different arrangement of electrons and allows it to conduct electricity.
Alchemy
I would say that alchemy is all three. Science and art and magic.
Discussion
I really enjoyed the discussion that we had about alchemy in class week 7. It relates to the question above about alchemy so I thought I would dive into it here. We discussed the meaning of the word alchemy, and its root in change. Science deals with change, physical, chemical changes. Art deals with change, emotional, mental, perceptual changes. Magic deals with changes, whatever type those would be, it seems the range is bigger for magic.
The thing that Larry said about the root of the word for alchemy in hebrew coming from the word for yearning was really cool. I like the association of those two. Desire for change. Very nice.
Loafing without feeling guilty :)
Each day last week I loafed without feeling guilty... or at least most of the time I didn't feel guilty.
The first day I sat in my place, at a seat by a bay window. I looked outside at the trees and plants and little butterflies that came over. I spent about 15 minutes.
This first day was the hardest in terms of not forgetting what I was un-doing. I kept having to stop myself from getting up and beginning some task. Or I would begin thinking about my life and all the things that I have to do, in what order I would do them and what was going to have to go undone, like sleeping or eating good food.
I found that loafing is quite a bit like meditation. Having the purpose of just sitting and not feeling bad is hard to remember in a world where there is always more to be doing to 'keep up' or not fall behind.
I found that I like loafing in public the best. In places where people are coming and going, there is always someone to watch. People watching is a great pastime, and helps with one's constant thoughts. I had a harder time thinking about myself and my life while watching other people.
I also found that loafing outside is much better than loafing inside. There are so many more noises outside. My porch is a great place to loaf and I will be taking better advantage of that in the future. It took this assignment for me to realize how great my porch is when I need to stop running around in circles.
The first day I sat in my place, at a seat by a bay window. I looked outside at the trees and plants and little butterflies that came over. I spent about 15 minutes.
This first day was the hardest in terms of not forgetting what I was un-doing. I kept having to stop myself from getting up and beginning some task. Or I would begin thinking about my life and all the things that I have to do, in what order I would do them and what was going to have to go undone, like sleeping or eating good food.
I found that loafing is quite a bit like meditation. Having the purpose of just sitting and not feeling bad is hard to remember in a world where there is always more to be doing to 'keep up' or not fall behind.
I found that I like loafing in public the best. In places where people are coming and going, there is always someone to watch. People watching is a great pastime, and helps with one's constant thoughts. I had a harder time thinking about myself and my life while watching other people.
I also found that loafing outside is much better than loafing inside. There are so many more noises outside. My porch is a great place to loaf and I will be taking better advantage of that in the future. It took this assignment for me to realize how great my porch is when I need to stop running around in circles.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Biology Week 7 Assignment Considering Cancer
Well, Im not sure how well we understand cancer, we seem to have some sort of grasp with what is happening, but we do not know exactly where the cellular impetus for cancer lies... We can see a couple of ways in which cancer can be fought, but the ways that contemporary medicine has come up with to combat cancer are pretty intense and damaging to the human system as a whole, these techniques do not only target the cancer cells.
I would say that there is still a lot to be discovered about cancer. And a lot left wanting in terms of treatment. My mother went through breast cancer a few years ago and is still receiving chemo for it. It is so hard to watch her suffer from the medicine. She was on a couple of the oral chemo drugs that were mentioned in the articles we read. The articles did not mention any of the tremendously debilitating side effects that she and many others on these drugs experienced.
Based on the treatment offered by western science, I would say that we do not understand cancer.
TCM's approach to cancer differs from western Medicine's approach in that TCM strengthens the entire individual, addressing overall imbalance and weak qi. Western Medicine attempts to isolate the cancer and destroy it, but fails in this an causes further damage to the individual. TCM facilitates the development of the immune system so that the body can become stronger and heal itself. TCM is concerned with the emotional, digestive, immunological, psychological and spiritual aspects of dis-ease.
I was very interested in the article that compared the treatment of cancer in various countries around the world. It is a great example of how a question can dictate an answer. When we approach cancer treatment and survival from a particular perspective, it appears that the US does ok, but when we examine the parameters of measurement, questions of quality appear. Where is the qualitative study of the experience of cancer and its treatment? Is the number of years a person continues to live after diagnosis an appropriate way to think about successful treatment? After wintnessing my mother's experience, I am not convinced cancer treatment is being approached and practiced humanely by the medical industry in the United States.
I would say that there is still a lot to be discovered about cancer. And a lot left wanting in terms of treatment. My mother went through breast cancer a few years ago and is still receiving chemo for it. It is so hard to watch her suffer from the medicine. She was on a couple of the oral chemo drugs that were mentioned in the articles we read. The articles did not mention any of the tremendously debilitating side effects that she and many others on these drugs experienced.
Based on the treatment offered by western science, I would say that we do not understand cancer.
TCM's approach to cancer differs from western Medicine's approach in that TCM strengthens the entire individual, addressing overall imbalance and weak qi. Western Medicine attempts to isolate the cancer and destroy it, but fails in this an causes further damage to the individual. TCM facilitates the development of the immune system so that the body can become stronger and heal itself. TCM is concerned with the emotional, digestive, immunological, psychological and spiritual aspects of dis-ease.
I was very interested in the article that compared the treatment of cancer in various countries around the world. It is a great example of how a question can dictate an answer. When we approach cancer treatment and survival from a particular perspective, it appears that the US does ok, but when we examine the parameters of measurement, questions of quality appear. Where is the qualitative study of the experience of cancer and its treatment? Is the number of years a person continues to live after diagnosis an appropriate way to think about successful treatment? After wintnessing my mother's experience, I am not convinced cancer treatment is being approached and practiced humanely by the medical industry in the United States.
Biology Week 6 Assignment
I would distinguish between living and a non-living systems by whether something reacts. Does the system make changes when acted upon? Something that is alive adjusts itself after an event takes place, reconfigures. Living things grow. Non-living things remain the same.
I agree that society determines race. Race is a system of categorization. Like other categories, its limits are determined more or less arbitrarily. The boundaries of race differ in different cultures, just as the perception of colors differ in different cultures.
DNA studies reveal that there are more genetic differences within given 'races' than between them.
Given this, 'race' is a very real thing sociologically.
I agree that society determines race. Race is a system of categorization. Like other categories, its limits are determined more or less arbitrarily. The boundaries of race differ in different cultures, just as the perception of colors differ in different cultures.
DNA studies reveal that there are more genetic differences within given 'races' than between them.
Given this, 'race' is a very real thing sociologically.
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