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Post by 89smeyer on Apr 27, 2015 20:13:50 GMT
22-2
1. We understand today that the universe around us is made up of small pieces of matter called atoms . Richard Feynman, the famous physicist who claimed that "things are made of littler things that jiggle", is responsible for helping me in understanding that I am made up of these tiny building blocks. Now understanding that I am nothing more small bits on atoms and material stuff I feel that nothing has truly changed about me. I do, however, feel grateful that I am evolved enough to understanding this reality on a more fundamental level. With the possibility that we live in a infinite realm called a mulitverse the idea that I would feel different about the world around me does not make any since. I would still wake up the next morning in the same place I woke up the day before, I would just have a clearer understanding of the world around me. Those who can not accept this reality would be the ones that feel the most unease.
2. In understanding the idea of quantum mechanics one would also have an understanding in the idea that everything happening around us is based of chance happenings at a quantum level. Understanding this I feel that it is quite possible that the universe, as we know it, is here purely by chance. In a way this is a little upsetting in that this would mean that we, as humans, have no true purpose in life other than to just exist. Albert Einstein shared a belief that quantum mechanics is an incomplete model. Einstein believed that there was more to the model that we have yet to uncover and understand. I share this belief with Einstein that one day we will find the link between quantum mechanics and Einstein's Theory of Relativity. This link, assuming it exists, will be answer to everything, thus named the "Theory of Everything". Life for me has not changed knowing these theories, however, having a clearing understanding of the universe around me make me more proud to be part of it.
3. When I was DJing years ago I asked my friend if he wanted to learn how to mix music together to create a beautiful sounding mix. He respectfully declined stating "I do not wish to know how you DJs create your work, it will take away the excitement I feel whenever I go out on the dance floor." This answer got me thinking more about the level of knowledge one has over the object he or she is observing. My friend is an artist who enjoys seeing the world for the beauty it is. I have the mind of a scientist who wishes not only to see the world but also to see how the world works. Richard Feynman shares the same view in that knowing the details of what these objectives are made of or how they work only adds to the beauty of the object. As I watch a sunset today I understand that it is not the sun setting but instead the Earth rising, I understand why the sky changes colors from blue to orange to red and finally to a black filled with stars, knowing these facts has not made this experience dull in anyway, but instead has increased my curiosity in seeking other events showing the same magic and beauty.
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Post by mountianman on Jun 14, 2015 6:31:18 GMT
1. How does the conception of a multiverse (where we find ourselves living in an almost infinite realm that cannot be defined) make you feel? Knowing that you are made up of atoms and material stuff, how does it change the conception you have of yourself?
Well Knowing that through quantum mechanics an super placement that there could be a infinite different universes that are slightly different based upon an atom being here or there or even a light particle changing its course and changing the out come of what it could be. I don't really fell like it changes how I look at myself because no matter how I look at I I will always just see the me that was made and the path that those atom took to get me where I am today but that there could be another Daniel writing the same thing with maybe a little different way of writing it.
2. Quantum Mechanics is based on probability. How does a deep understanding of chance alter your philosophy on life?
Well a deep understanding based off quantum mechanics and probability alters how I see life because what if in a far off distant place there isn't a different my that is slightly different based upon this slight difference of how I reacted of how a situation occurred and for me just to be here as I am is amazing in itself.
3. Relating to "Feynman's Flower" how does science broaden your appreciation of life and beauty? Give examples of your own life where you found something out from science that made you appreciate an ordinary thing or object much more?
Ya, the "Feynman's Flower" is a more broad view of beauty that you can appreciate the full view of all the atom together as a whole but also being able to see the beauty it interaction of each of the atoms with each other. A good example of this is how some of us love the beauty of the car as a whole then there are others who love seeing how it all works together to combust and move the parts to make the car be able to move and be driven around and that it just adds the beauty of the car in total as a whole.
code 22-2
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Post by Cindy Dice on Sept 28, 2015 5:49:45 GMT
Film Exam Responses #3 Code#: 1956-7
1.) The conception of a multiverse makes me feel strange. It makes me question whether or not we're the only humans or living beings that exist in the entire universe. There's a part of me that believes we're not alone and hungers for that proof. The other half is either afraid to find out or doubts the existence of a thriving community that resides light years away from our solar system. It's even disappointing to realize that we probably would've been contacted by other life forms by now since we know it is ignorant of us to assume that we're mentally superior compared to the rest of the universe.
Knowing that I'm made of atoms changes my conception of myself in a way that causes me to have an out of body experience. I realize that my body is nothing without my brain and vice versa. It's bizarre to think that something so tiny makes up everyone and everything. I'm amazed at how I was born with a body containing organs made up of trillions of cells which are intricately placed in specific areas inside of me in order to function properly. It's also fascinating how it is capable of repairing itself so it can protect me from various infections. Sometimes I feel bad about my stomach cells constantly having to replenish themselves from the acidity of my stomach acid, especially when I have a stomachache, or even my liver having to work overtime whenever I decide to indulge in an alcoholic beverage.
2.) By having a deep understanding of chance, my philosophy on life is altered in such a way that sometimes I find it difficult to grasp the concept of life itself. There are days when I catch myself thinking that my whole life is a dream. It's amazing that out of all the times that my parents tried to conceive a child, I ended up becoming the second, and final, successful birth. My mom had a miscarriage before I was born and, to this day, I still wonder what life would be like with more than one sibling. I bet my life would be extremely different if I had a brother, and I will admit I wish I did have one. I would imagine that he would help me better understand how men think and feel and would be comfortable enough to offer sex advice. My sister and I will even occasionally have dreams where our mother is pregnant with one or multiple children.
There are times when I wonder what life would be like if I were born a boy or in a third world country. Eventually, my questions become more abstract and detailed by expressing different variations such as asking what life would be like born as a particular ethnicity, other than Caucasian, born with a physical or mental disability, or born as a homosexual in a strict religious household.
3.) Science broadens my appreciation of life and beauty by offering me explanations for certain phenomena, such as how the ecosystem works and how we evolved as humans. I love how nature is mostly based off of self-sustaining cycles, such as the Nitrogen and Phosphorus cycles, because they give us an idea of how we can provide ourselves with a livable environment. An example would be a bee pollinating a flower, the flower growing into an orange, a fruit-eating animal defecating the seeds of the orange, and the seeds growing into an orange tree from the nutrients contained in the fertilized soil. It's important that we observe animal and insect behavior because it helps us understand ourselves and learn how to thrive as a species. It's heartbreaking to see how we're treating our environment and the organisms that are a part of it. It's as if a bee suddenly decided it's a good idea to destroy every flower it pollinated from.
It's also beautiful and exciting to see others so dedicated to researching the past by discovering fossil and skeleton specimens that belong to animals that have been extinct for millions of years. As we document the progress of human evolution, I feel that we'll want to continue to live fulfilling lifestyles by passing our knowledge down to future generations. The proof of our findings should encourage those to want to prevent the human race from going extinct as long as possible.
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Post by michael on Sept 28, 2015 7:43:19 GMT
Michael Woo Code: 1956-7 Film Exam #3
1. I think the idea of multiple universes where there is an almost infinite realm that can't be defined makes me feel very insignificant. However, me feeling insignificant isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I feel humbled that I could even be alive and the fact that I could be alive in multiple universes is almost inconceivable to me. Realizing that everyone is made of atoms and material stuff has taught me not to take life too seriously. For example, obsessing over a new pair of shoes seems silly when it turns out that it's just a combination of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Or even that jerk that cut me off today in traffic was just a fat carbon based life form like everybody else. 2. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I really like the fact that everything revolves around chance. After all, chance is why everyone on this planet exists. Because the sperm that managed to reach their mother's egg just so happens to be you. And over the course of billions of years, you have come into existence. I feel lucky just to be born alive. Of course, chance isn't always the best. It could take away loved ones, or put you into financial hardship, but I think there's something very special about not knowing what is going to happen next, whether it's for better or for worst. 3. I agree with Feynman in his about his opinion about learning more about the science of a flower makes it more beautiful. I think the science behind Kinesiology is extraordinarily fascinating to me. For example, in order to perform a deadlift without injuring yourself takes an incredible amount of technical skill that is not visible to the human eye. The fact that the brain has to train itself to create a mind-muscle connection in order to move the body a certain way makes me feel like it's something that only humans can do and that's pretty awesome.
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Post by Leslie Jumonville on Sept 28, 2015 20:25:12 GMT
1. How does the conception of a multiverse (where we find ourselves living in an almost infinite realm that cannot be defined) make you feel? Knowing that you are made up of atoms and material stuff, how does it change the conception you have of yourself?
It's almost an unsettling feeling. What is life? Why are we here? Everyone dies. So, what's the point? We're in this giant realm of life for what? to prove what? The very fact that you're a living breathing thing, with no real "reasoning" behind it is scary. And maybe one day it won't be so scary for me. Maybe one day I'll figure out why I was put on this Earth. But for now, I'm constantly in search of finding that reasoning for myself.
2. Quantum Mechanics is based on probability. How does a deep understanding of chance alter your philosophy on life?
I think if you understand chance, you're more of a "risk taker" or gambler. You can win, you can lose. Some people love it, some hate it. If you understand it, the easier it is to get through and handle this crazy life. Personally, I'm not much a risk taker. I like order and knowing the outcome of things. The unknown scares me.
3. Relating to "Feynman's Flower" how does science broaden your appreciation of life and beauty? Give examples of your own life where you found something out from science that made you appreciate an ordinary thing or object much more?
I say this to my wonderful Mother all the time. I say, "Isn't it crazy to think that I came from you?". I mean literally. This woman carried me around for 9 months and gave life to me. LIFE. It blows my mind. My Mom always says, "It's hard not to believe in a God after you've had a child, because it's really a miracle.". Science is so wicked cool. It's completely underrated. My Mum is a petite woman. I'm quite a bit taller than her, so to think I evolved from such a tiny thing is just insane and like my mum said, a "miracle". I joke with her and tell her to hold me like when I was a baby.
CODE: 1951-7
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Post by dhennessy on Oct 5, 2015 2:15:30 GMT
Film Test 3
1. I find the idea of a multiverse both confusing and a bit overwhelming. Trying to wrap my brain around the impossibly vast scale of an infinite number of universes is extremely difficult. While I am sure my limited understanding is a large factor, I find the subject raises a number of questions: How would an infinite number of universes exist in relation to one another? If there is an infinite number, would that mean that there are a number of universes exactly the same as our own, minus one extremely minute detail (for example, a universe exactly the same as our own, except I decided to wear a red shirt today instead of a blue one?)? While I find the topic very interesting, thinking on the implications of a multiverse tends to leave me a bit more perplexed than when I started.
2. On the other hand, considering the fact that we are made up of atoms makes me feel similar, but for the exact opposite reason. While I’ve known for a long time that I am, and everything else for that matter is, made up at the smallest level of atoms, the incredibly small scale of our atomic structure makes it nearly as difficult to grasp as the infinitely large scale of a multiverse. Not to say that I don’t have a good understanding of the subject, but I think humanity in general lacks the ability to properly visualize something of that magnitude. For this reason, I would say that my image of myself is not affected as much as it perhaps should be, though after considering both of these topics, it does give me quite a bit of perspective considering that the reality I perceive daily is only a miniscule part of an infinitely large universe (or multiverse), While at the same time made up of a near infinite amount of unthinkably small particles.
I believe that all of us (myself included) have a tendency to create emotional attachments to objectively random events. A great example of this is how many of us conceptualize gambling. A person who has won his last 10 bets at a roulette table might keep playing because he thinks he is “on a hot streak”. At the same table, another person who has lost his last 10 bets may keep playing, thinking “my luck is due to change any minute!” Both players rationalize that their past results will influence the next bet, even though the probability of winning remains the same. Considering this, I believe that a better understanding of chance would help us make more logical decisions by eliminating some of the emotional weight we put on random events unnecessarily.
3. I’ve been learning more about music lately, and having a better understanding of musical structure in particular has given me a much larger appreciation for music in general. I was surprised to find that most music I listen to, regardless of genre, shared a similar structure (for example, four beats per bar, with eight bars per verse and chorus). While this allows for endless variation, each song shared the same simple and symmetrical framework. I found this particularly interesting, because while I could always identify if a piece of music sounded good or “off”, I could not articulate why. It would seem that since a large majority of popular music shares a very similar form, we must all have a natural inclination towards a certain musical structure
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Post by jomel28 on Oct 9, 2015 22:13:59 GMT
Film Test 3
1. The multiverse theory is something that fascinates me ever since I first read about it. Till this day it still boggles my mind that there are an infinite amount of universes out there. In another universe I could have wrote how I hated the idea of multiverses while riding a giant turtle in the middle of Australia. Ever since my early teens I have been a strong believer of science. I think it is probably the greatest discovery that humans ever came across. It explains the world around us and to me it is more than a body of knowledge but a way of thinking. So knowing I am made up of atoms, I think it is beautiful. It is an example of the complexity of the universe. Till this day we still do not know the answer to most quantum mechanics questions. The universe is one big giant puzzle waiting to be solved and it will always be a mystery in our life time. No one knows what the next big breakthrough in science will be. But that’s what makes it exciting.
2. Quantum mechanics explains that everything in the universe is governed by a rule called “probability”. This definition does not really have a negative effect on my life. In fact it makes me a view life in a more positive outlook. I have always believed that things just happen for no reason and out of just pure randomness. The theory supported my belief so I was very pleased when I first read about it on an article. Just as Murphy’s Law states “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong,” this may seem a very pessimistic mindset but that is what the universe is. Although there is one thing that bothers me about this rule and most of the human population can relate. It is when we wish we could change the outcome of an event. An example is when a loved one or anyone significant dies in our life we always ask the question “Why did this happen to me?” and “I haven’t done anything horrible what did I do to deserve this?” Everyone eventually dies and sometimes the death of loved ones could be a time we do not expect. This unfortunately is something we cannot control but that is just how probability works.
3. I do not even know where to begin with this giant question about how science broadened my appreciation of life. I could write a book about the copious amounts of science discoveries that expanded my views on life. The ones I will be describing are the most influential discoveries that impacted my life. I will start off with the earliest memory I have of a science subject that blew my mind. When I was about 5 years old, my father would carry me and bring me outside to watch the stars. I would marvel over these bright celestial objects but I did not know what they were. So I asked “Dad what are those bright things in the sky?” He answered “Those are stars just like the sun! But are very very far away!”. I was fascinated by this knowing that there are other suns out there. As I grew older I realized more about these stars that were thousands or even millions of light years away. These stars could have a solar system like ours and could have planets. Within those solar systems could have habitable planets that could harbor life just like Earth. Figuring that out blew my mind because there could be life out there. Another idea that blew my mind was when I read about that it takes light years to travel. So one light year meant one year. Looking at a star in the sky meant that I was looking at the past. Imagine an alien planet had the power of a telescope that could see millions of miles away and these aliens were 65 million light years away. This means that if they look through their telescope they would see dinosaurs! These ideas made me appreciate the night sky more and gave me a little taste of what the universe is. Two other things that blew my mind were knowing the sizes of celestial object compared to Earth and our cosmic address. When you think of the sheer size of the Earth on how some plane flights even take 22 hours. Some people that may be ignorant on the size of cosmic objects may think that “Man the Earth is so huge that there are flights that could take even 24 hours!” I had the same mindset when I was a child. I never really thought of the size of the Sun or Mars or anything else. Upon discovering the size of the Sun compared to the Earth, I was very shocked. 1,000,000 Earths could fit inside the Sun and Jupiter could fit 300 Earths inside it! I was even more shocked when I discovered our cosmic address and how big everything was! From the Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Supercluster then the observable universe! It is crazy how massive everything is compared to our tiny Earth. Just as Carl Sagan said “think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.” Our actions seem to not matter at all if seen from a universal perspective. This idea gave me more an empathetic view on life. I realized that problems that I thought were big are not so bad after all. Getting a C in a test is not the end of the world. Disappointing your parents is not so bad; there is always time to make them proud. Ultimately these moments of epiphany have led me to want to pursue astrophysics.
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