Well, scientifically speaking I fit the criteria for what is considered to be living as in I breathe, eat, move, can reproduce, etc. But if the question is asking for a better reason why I know I'm alive and not the dream of something else, I would say I don't know. Maybe I'm not here. Maybe you're not here either. But I have to trust that I think and am able to interact with others I observe to be living and therefore I am alive.
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine
The articles we read in class were very interesting and exciting but they also reminded me of a Gandhi quote I enjoy: " Speed is irrelevant if you are going in wrong direction." I'm not necessarily saying that these new technologies are bad, but they are #1 not preventative and #2 not holistic. Oriental medicine seems to primarily focus on those two things. My understanding of Biophysics is that it is the study of matter and energy as it applies to living systems. My hope would be that Biophysics is used to help us understand and honor our own living systems and those we find around us, and not as a way to conquer or subdue that which makes us alive and vulnerable and mortal.
Where's the "Like" button? Oh, well... Really well put, though, Poppy. Thanks for sharing... B-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Poppy, yes, very beautiful subtle critique of perhaps going in the wrong direction. I think ethics should be part of science from the get go. Just because we can do something doesn't mean that we should. But western science usually sees it differently. If the possibility is there, the door should always be opened. A great string of affairs with matter.
ReplyDeleteYes, I love that ghandi quote!
ReplyDeleteVery on point - these new technologies are cool, but they aren't holistic!