Thursday, 2 May 2019

Indeterminism and Determinism-An analogy with Scalar and Vector

Scalar-Having only magnitude not direction
Vector-Quantity having direction

Scalar - (minus) entropy/degree of disorder= Vector, OR, Scalar=Vector + Entropy

I will equate scalar to all the possibilities of occurrence, which when loses its disorder starts manifesting directionality and hence vector properties.

Under the above "indeterminism" is like a scalar, possessing the property of infinite possibilities and "determinism" is like a  vector showing directionality.

According to advaita (non-dual) psychology/philosophy -the absolute seen through the prism of time, space and causation becomes the relative  i.e. the Universe. Since there is an arrow of time in the classical world, cause and effect coming from this arrow of time, the universe is deterministic. Even in the quantum realm -the measurements are probability outcomes, in a range of possibilities.But are these possibilities infinite?

To me, intuitively, the absolute are the infinite fields of existence which have a range of possibilities of manifestation. The unmanifest is infinite, scalar, at equilibrium (possessing no directionality) and is what can be called free. Once a perturbation/disturbance occurs in this field, waves/particles arise which have defined properties (directionality). Intentionality has direction.


"Experience" and indeterminism:

This is tricky stuff! It is all speculative.

Indeterminism can only be "experienced" when the mind with all its intentionalities and uncontrolled thoughts is done away with by concentrating thought energy on the self-the unit feeling (feeling of being/equanimity/ a reflection of the universal equilibrium) . This results in focused thought energy  via which the illumination of awareness filters through, and helps one observe and experience reality as it is with its infinite possibilities . Can this be practically experienced? Limitedness due to uncontrolled thoughts dissolve away .

Duality/Multiplicity are pertubances in an equilibrium field and hence are directional i.e. vectorial while the undisturbed field at equilibrium is scalar.
As human beings,  under the influence of uncontrolled thoughts we will never experience indeterminism, but focus the thought energy or attentional energy on this awareness mentioned above and one will experience infinite possibilities.

Tuesday, 30 April 2019

Homeostasis and Complexity

Biomolecules such as RNA,DNA,amino acids etc, arose in a sea of interacting molecules in a  primordial soup. This was followed by compartmentalization to separate out the biomolecules from their environment. This resulted in homeostasis i.e. regulated exchange of matter between systems and surroundings.

According to wikipedia- "In biology, homeostasis is the state of steady internal physical and chemical conditions maintained by living systems.[1] This dynamic state of equilibrium is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance, being kept within certain pre-set limits (homeostatic range). Other variables include the pH of extracellular fluid, the concentrations of sodium, potassium and calcium ions, as well as that of the blood sugar level, and these need to be regulated despite changes in the environment, diet, or level of activity."

Why did complexity arise then ? To provide more and more regulation for a system in varying environments. This complexity , arose perhaps through phase transition.

Homeostasis regulation may be compared to an analog knob with different possible states of being.
With a fluctuating environment, this knob has to be regulated and complexity is the hand that regulates the knob by fine-tuning to the environment.

Breakdown of regulated complexity , results in breakdown of homeostasis as in diseases like cancer. In cancer regulated multicellular organization breaks down due to mutations in genes and perturbations in environment. How do mutations  in genes occur ? Probably , mutations occur denovo and get selected for survival. But why so ? Its a mystery. The cancer seems to survive at the expense of the host.
Alternatively, environmental pertubations can cause mutations to occur in DNA resulting in higher risk for cancer.
https://www.pnas.org/content/99/25/15904

Increase in complexity results in highly evolved nervous systems. Probably these nervous systems evolved to regulate homeostasis. After a period of meditation (concentrated focus on a sound or words) I feel at calm and more relaxed. Probably meditation, by concentrating the mind, results in slowing the body metabolism resulting in greater regulation of homeostasis i.e. greater calm , lesser disturbed feelings.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25620166

Post meditation, one tends to observe things and processes through the lens of a calm , non-agitated mind.

Regulation and maintenance of homeostasis seems to me , one of the biggest drivers of evolution.



Homeostasis

Yesterday I heard Dr.  Damasio on the mindscape podcast hosted by Prof. Sean Carroll.
https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2019/04/29/episode-44-antonio-damasio-on-feelings-thoughts-and-the-evolution-of-humanity/

 It was a fascinating, insightful conversation.

The observation that "feelings" drive culture was new to me. From experience, I can say that feelings, along with thought do drive my choices.

Affect i.e. emotions and feelings play an important role in shaping societies. The hypothesis drawn  is that , homeostasis is a necessary pre-requisite to maintaining life , and homeostatic mechanisms result in feelings as adaptations to the environment.

Nervous systems could have evolved to regulate homeostasis. This is a strong argument from the evolutionary biology point of view, because the questions being asked today are-what are the environmental selection pressures that drive evolution.

Exchange of substances occur between the living organism and the environment to maintain homeostasis. Regulation of this process resulted in the evolution of nervous systems.

The conversation with Dr. Damasio compels me to read his book-"The Strange Order of Things".

Saturday, 27 April 2019

Expansive mindset

Limited thinking resulting in human centeredness could be an anthropocentric bias.

The only way out is to expand your horizon , by exposure to the unfamiliar.

Exposure to and exploration of unfamiliar environments, literature, art,  technologies, sport activities help in developing an expansive mindset.

An introspective, meditative mindset helps focus and channelize the distracted energy in the desired direction.

Irreversibility

Irreversibility-Does it arise due to emergence of properties via phase transition ? Is it a numbers game ?

Ref:
https://www.quantamagazine.org/emergence-how-complex-wholes-emerge-from-simple-parts-20181220/ 

Friday, 26 April 2019

Finding Balance-Personalized Precision medicine

Homeostasis maintenance is a fine line between order and chaos. One needs sufficient amount of order to perform a function in a focused manner. Simultaneously chaos is required for robustness , i.e. fine tuning inorder to adjust to the changing environment.
Personalized Precision  medicine is about finding this balance.
When homeostasis is disturbed in a living system, one has to diagnose the degree of disorder/chaos and concommitantly administer a drug at the required dosage and time intervals to restore the "balance" between order and disorder.
Swinging the pendulum in favour of order or disorder does not favour "life". Life is a fine balance between order and disorder.
AI or artificial intelligence in medicine can be used as a tool to swing the pendulum to either side, so it has to be used carefully.
A tool is not good or bad in itself . Its how one uses it.
In the nervous system it is the combined synchronous and asynchronous firing of neurons that results in robust brain activity.
Nature is showing us-"Balance is the way"

Refs:
1.https://aeon.co/essays/the-music-of-all-time-is-a-duet-between-order-and-disorder
2. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/03/ai-versus-md
3.https://www.quantamagazine.org/physicists-discover-exotic-patterns-of-synchronization-20190404/

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Questions

Looped fields=Strings ??
Dimensions = Fields ??
Strings form Knots/Particles-??
Particles interact resulting in matter from phase transition-??