A Follow Up Thought on Mr. Jobs' Speech

One additional thought on my last item, the video from Steve Jobs at Stanford. Clearly, he believes that there is an underlying purpose for his life. He is also willing to consider that some choices are not accidents, but part of a plan. Such as, for example, his choice of a typography course after he had "dropped in" on the college he dropped out of.

Because he enjoys remarkable goodwill with the students as an icon of creativity and inventiveness, it seems unlikely that he will draw the ire of any skeptics who doubt the existence of providence and wonder why he is turning these impressionable young minds into believers in the unseen forces of reality. These skeptics have bigger, and easier fundamentalist fish to fry. In other words, they might also be cowards.

The skeptic Michael Shermer said we are "pattern seeking beings" in the video I posted below. Seeking a pattern, he argues, must be restricted to the observable world of science.

While I have become much more suspicious of superstitious thinking about seeing "signs" in your life, I find it unsurprising how deep the hunger is to see such signs. The concern here is not with Darwinian survival, since purpose suggests finality. The concern is with meaning.

Try to deliberately not look for patterns in your life, as I have now, for a while. It's a remarkably difficult thing to do. Maybe you're in a casual habit of doing it yourself. Stop yourself for a while and see what happens.

As a young person, I looked for signs in everything, concerning my career, my romantic relationships, and more. I have stopped looking for signs in these areas because 1) I was often disappointed, and 2) (perhaps because of 1) I have stopped putting so much stock in these things to complete me as a person.

But sometimes, I also wonder if I'm not just clearing away the superstitious noise about every little thing so a bigger sign can make its appearance. LOL

Steve Jobs on Lessons Learned

This is a very nice, concise speech from Steve Jobs based on stories from his life. His remarks to the graduating class at Stanford on the need to have faith in something that connects the dots of your life, and on the importance of death for making something of your life, are particularly interesting and inspiring. Thank you, Mr. Jobs.

Today's Arrogant Atheists

Excellent piece by Sam Schulman in the Wall Street Journal online about the arrogance of today's high-profile atheists.

Schulman notes that Christian apologists like C.S. Lewis could extend some sympathy to atheist arguments because they had been there themselves. They could also take philosophical arguments about science and belief seriously. Yet, today's crusading atheists do not reciprocate and are remarkably "incurious" about anything beyond their own materialism.

Highly recommended.

Ride the Shuttle

We live in amazing times. That's all I can say. Take a ride into space and back to earth on the Space Shuttle booster rocket. Just unbelievable.

Deutsch on Uniqueness and Knowledge in the Universe

Here's another fascinating TEDTalk, this time from physicist David Deutsch, who examines the question of what is typical and not typical about humanity in the universe, and shows the connection between the mathematical properties of the universe and our minds. Recorded in 2005 in the U.K. About 20 minutes.

Shermer on Critical Thinking

Here's a fun twenty minute video from the always interesting TEDBlog.com and TEDTalks featuring Michael Shermer of Skeptic magazine, who demonstrates the importance of critical thinking. This video has been around for a while, but my blog has not. Hence, I'm posting a link to it now that I've thought of it.

I don't endorse Shermer's entire worldview, which is atheist and naturalist, but he is clearly a sharp mind worth listening to. My favorite part is about the alleged satanic lyrics in the backwards Led Zeppelin songs.

Einstein on Mystery

As part of a great online exhibit from the American Institute of Physics about the life and works of Albert Einstein, one section contains his views of the relationship between science, philosophy, art and religion. Einstein notes:

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed."

I think this sums up the mindset one would hope to find in any philosopher, theologian or scientist. Check out this online exhibit when you get a chance. It's very interesting.