Week 1: Post 1

Aldous Huxley: Overpopulation and Over-organization

During the interview, Aldous Huxley coincidentally talks about one of the major issues
that are inflicting today’s society all over the world. Overpopulation has made resources even
scarcer for people in third world countries and has widened the gap as the rich get richer and the
poor get poorer. In his essays called “Enemies of Freedom” and his reference to a book by
Harrison Brown, the quality of living and per capita in these poor countries are declining as the
unequal distribution of resources is growing. Overpopulation is seen as more of an
environmental issue, however according to Huxley it’s a crucial social problem and I agree with
him. It affects so much more than the environment that even China had to curb its population
growth to be stable economically, socially, and politically. Overpopulation will be even more of
an issue within the next two decades because of rapid growth in countries such as India. We have
to find and use technology to our advantage to find alternate resources so we can have a
sustainable population in the world.
The second driving force that Aldous Huxley highlights is the idea of over-organization
because the science of organization has grown. Due to the elaborate organization we have
resorted to within society, we are living our lives out as subordinates to such hierarchical
organizations. They are so large they encompass so many aspects of our life without us even
knowing at such a large scale. Over-organization allows us to be a cookie-cutter society and even
with technological advances Huxley talks about the price that Western world has had to pay and
will go on paying for technological progress. I agree with Huxley that democracy can hardly be
expected to flourish in societies where political and economic power is being progressively
concentrated and centralized. But the progress of technology has led and is still leading to just
such a concentration and centralization of power. Huxley believes in a decentralized government,
but I believe you need both to have a successful government in modern day society to function
within both realms of centralized and decentralized.

Week 1: Post 2

Aldous Huxley: Dictatorial Advertising

The interview has a segment that really caught my interest because it really makes you
wonder how many decisions we truly make on our own without the influence of social
influences. For example, the presidential campaign can merely send a personable candidate up
there that wouldn’t have an ounce of political knowledge yet control the image of this candidate
as the best for the country. Huxley labeled this as a dictatorial advertising technique that would
make the candidate look like the right choice when in fact it is the influence of propaganda and
how the potential president is portrayed. I agree that due to all these technological devices and
their advancements it could be used for malcontent such as having a strong influence on our
opinions. The danger of democracy as he points out is that the individual citizen has to make a
rational choice however we are not making a conscious choice with big advertising influencing
our decisions. The political system is controlled by big corporations through advertising and
lobbyists unfortunately for America because the agenda of these corporations are put forward
without considering the little people.
 This dictatorial advertising is extended to our children and future generations because it’s
conveyed through the technological devices we cherish the most. The television is a big culprit
of supposedly “brainwashing” our children and making them relate to buying certain products.
The brand names for these products are important and necessary because that’s what advertising
makes us believe in this consumer culture today. Huxley was wise beyond his years and time
period because he predicted that advertising and a centralized power such as these big
corporations would have more of a negative influence as they try to “brainwash” society as a
whole. I have to agree with him that advertising and the methods they use have diversified
making it hard to escape from the confines of these corporations, however we as citizens should
be more conscious of our decisions and be more self-aware. With more technological advances
like the internet we should be able to be smarter and more aware of our surroundings and how
they affect our decisions in life. That is why understanding both sociology and philosophy can
get us educated about these issues and Aldous Huxley reiterated the fact that education is most
important component in battling the overall outside pressure of society on the individual.

Week 1: Post 3

Francis Fukuyama: The End of History

Dr. Fukuyama has a thesis that the end of history occurred because we have been
gradually moving or evolving towards a certain direction of peace and harmony within the world
besides some exceptions such as the Bosnians and Rwandans. He argues that the problem with
the popular understanding of the thesis was that history was just meant as things happening or
happened. His thesis dealt more with the evolution of human societies, the direction they were
moving in and the likely final destination in terms of forms of government. Authoritarian
revivals in Russia and China were revelations; however liberal democracy is still the only
legitimate form of government broadly accepted. The failure of communism and totalitarian
regimes has left no challenge for democracy and capitalism, allowing the world to live in peace
and causing little or no trouble. With this new period of boredom and monotony in comparison
to the first half of the 20th century, he argues that history has ended due to this time of peace.
Fukuyama argues that with the victory of liberal democracy it is history that has died and the
installation of Western institutional ideas all over the world we are finally satisfied with the
results and progress.
I would have to disagree with Dr. Fukuyama on many generalizations of his thesis. His
premise of the end of history began when democracy and capitalism had totally annihilated their
only challenger seen in communism, is not a cogent argument because history has shown to
repeat itself. Maybe another challenger will arise from the world’s current society which I
believe to be terrorism. Terrorism poses a huge threat to democracy and capitalism because it’s
widespread, very influential, and sometimes popular among local people. History is very cyclical
and that is why it is a very important subject to study because we can learn from past experiences
and have that as a guideline to predict what might happen in the future. Dr. Fukuyama is very dry
and cut with his thesis and allows for no exceptions when in fact there have been so many
exceptions such as the Middle East and Africa. We should probably interview him again and
give him a chance to research more and revise his thesis that the end of history has already
happened.
Week 1: Post 4

Socratic Universe: Does God Exist?

I am a Hindu and have been that my whole life. My beliefs were inherited because for
generations my family has all followed Hinduism and I do believe in my religion however I must
ask myself whether anyone can prove that God exists with empirical evidence. When religion is
argued it is preposterous and illogical because there is no method to prove whether one is right or
wrong and it’s pointless to argue for or against the existence of God. There are many religions in
this world that have different views, opinions, and philosophies to explain our existence,
however we are so infatuated with the ideology that is God and his/her existence. Hindus believe
in a cyclical nature for everything when it comes to reincarnation of life, karma, and dharma.
Also we have many gods that represent tangible things that are related mostly to nature such as
the God of Wind (Vayu), God of Fire (Agni), and many others. We pray to idols usually at home
everyday after we take a shower and have clean clothes to put on or if we have time we attend a
temple where they would hold service at certain auspicious times. I respect my religion and
tradition, however Hindu condones many other religions and we believe there is no wrong
religion because we are accepting of every religion just as a different form of God(s). The
respect for other religions is a lesson within Hinduism.
The many philosophers have differing views on the existence of God but the one that I
most relate to is Dumont who says “I believe in God but not in the traditional Western European
male sense. I think there is a power or force greater than myself. I think of it in very female and
earthly terms.” This ideology is a basis of Hinduism because the Goddess (Devi) is the most
revered as the God of Wealth, Health, and Intelligence. Nature plays a big role in our religion
and many of the older religions because it was such a phenomenon and I believe the easiest way
to explain such events. Some of these philosophers believe that God exists but what being?
Either God could come in various forms of a male/female, animal, or even an inanimate object.
One philosopher believes that God truly exists because of certain indications and others believe
there is no God because of the lack of empirical evidence to prove otherwise.

Week 1: Post 5

Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Intelligence

How is intelligence measured? That is the main issue with determining whether artificial
intelligence can surpass the human intelligence because it matters on how one perceives what
true intelligence is. Some say the IQ tests are sufficient because they are a standardized test and
create a fair comparison between man and machine. Others believe that intelligence is based on
the speed of computations and problem solving which machines have mastered thoroughly. In
that sense, artificial intelligence has surpassed human intelligence. However, another aspect of
intelligence is rationality and “consciousness which technology could never duplicate the human
brain in that realm of knowledge. “Consciousness” is decisions based on more than technical
factors thus limiting the scope of artificial intelligence in this area. Most philosophers on the
Socratic Universe agree with the fact that human brain is so hard to duplicate with technology
because we haven’t discovered all the intricacies and complexities of our own brain to even use
technology to make a copy of it.
 I agree with most of these philosophers because the human brain has many hidden
mysteries on how it works and only now psychologists are figuring out some things but not all
the factors within the human brain to explain many of the amazing things we can do. The realm
of intelligence is so vast and broad, however we have qualities that artificial intelligence can’t
replicate, for example, creativity, insight, love, and happiness. Those qualities give us a distinct
advantage over artificial intelligence because we can implement these characteristics into making
rational decisions rather than only empirical data and numbers. I believe the creator always has
the advantage over the created but eventually the created has some leverage which the creator
has to recognize its dependency on the created. In all those sci-fi movies such as A.I., I-Robot, or
even the Matrix, it shows us at the mercy of technology, however I believe the human
intelligence can come through for us if it ever reaches those points of artificial intelligence trying
to be human-like because we are the creators and we have amazing cognitive thinking skills that
artificial intelligence could never duplicate.

Week 1: Post 6

Socratic Universe: What Happens to us After Death?

This question can be approached by both the religious perspective and the science view
of point, but one should consider both when answering this question. As a Hindu, I agree with
some of the theologies within my religion that there is a sense of reincarnation and a way to
come back to earth in a different life form. However, I don’t truly believe that our full
consciousness is retained in this other life form as we start a new life whether it is an animal or
another human. The philosopher that I truly agree with is Paul Churchland (U.C. San Diego)
when he says “I think that we disintegrate. I think that structures which make up our
consciousness and mind and our moral consciousness. . . these can survive in a sense that they
are recreated to a degree in our children, or in our friends or in our students.” Our lives are seen
through future generations by what we do in this lifetime, our impact on others, and are footprint
on this world hopefully in a positive way. We exist through people who we have affected or
influenced however physically we cease to exist.
I agree with the philosophers who believe in the notion that we cease to exist because
there is empirical evidence that our bodies decompose. But some philosophers within the
Socratic Universe believe that we completely cease to exist both physically and mentally. I truly
believe that we cease to exist physically because of the scientific supportive evidence, however
mentally I could see our consciousness still surviving through others and maybe coming back as
a different life form. No one can disprove or prove the fact that there might be a life after death
because no one has ever come back to tell the story. Some may have claimed to have a near
death experience and claim to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s probably a glorified
false account because their mind may already be set to their beliefs that there is light at the end
of the tunnel. The heaven or hell experience is very cut and dry, but it could be very possible
because there is no way to disprove it and people who believe in heaven or hell. Sometimes
religion could make you have a narrow-minded vision of what is going to happen after death,
and we should allow ourselves to believe in other options, maybe if it does mean just
decomposing in the ground.

Week 1: Post 7
History of Philosophy

Philosophy is very diverse because of is origination from many cultures whether it be in

the Western world or the Eastern world. Each region, time period, and culture had a unique
school of thought because they learned from past generations, discovered new ones, and learned
from other schools of philosophy like the Muslims did with Greek philosophy. The different
theories and approaches to philosophy are due to the diversification of cultures and the impact of
religions as well. In the Western world it originated from the Greeks and especially the
Athenians who encouraged philosophy through society and was revered as a great profession
because they were paid well by their students according to Plato. Socrates got into trouble
because his school of debate was corrupting the youth; however he was still acknowledged as an
intellectual. Next was the medieval period which was infatuated with the idea of God and the
existence of this super-being. They also used Aristotle’s logic and thought to their daily life.
Then the modern philosophy time period began in the 18th century called “The Enlightenment”
which was highlighted by the use of empirical data including Sir Isaac Newton’s natural
philosophy. Contemporary philosophy deals with finding, preserving, and the overturning of
classic philosophical ideas because during this contemporary period there is much argument over
the basis of knowledge.
The Eastern world provided much insight into different areas of philosophy that maybe
the Western world tended to overlook in their discovery of bigger and better things. I believe that
the Eastern world concentrated more on the lifestyle of everyday people or even referring to
Confucianism, proverbs in directing our way of living into a happier and more peaceful manner.
The Upanishads are scriptures that would be the base of such religions as Hinduism, Jainism, and
Buddhism. Most of the ancient philosophy in the Eastern world derived from the regions of India
and China; however the philosophies were not world-known because of the lack in trading and
transportation. Now a popular trend is for people to recognize Hinduism or Buddhism and
assimilate it into their own lives as mediation has been a driving force and a popular mechanism
to relax and also exercise. Religious philosophies have played a major role also in the shaping of
modern day philosophy as there is the presence of Islamic, Abrahamic, and other philosophies.
The intertwining of cultures such as the Muslim conquests of the Greek world also led to
creations of even more philosophies that can be seen in contemporary philosophy.
Week 1: Post 8

Life of Pythagoras and How Socrates Died

Pythagoras is recognized for being the father of mathematics because his philosophy was
that numbers were definite and could explain all forms of philosophy through empirical
evidence. Even though his most famous invention is the Pythagorean Theorem, he was a great
philosopher started a movement where he established a secret religious society that would follow
his school of thought called Pythagoreanism. With all his knowledge from other philosophers, he
applied his newfound knowledge and created this society which followed religious teaching, had
common meals based on a vegetarian diet, had no personal possessions, exercise, reciting music
and poetry, and many other attributes that even influenced Freemasonry. His staunch beliefs
within his school of philosophy was that philosophy can be used for spiritual purification, that
the soul can rise to the union with the divine, that certain symbols have a mystical significance,
and that all brothers of the order should observe strict loyalty and secrecy. Pythagoras was an
intellectual beyond his years because mathematics is one of the most substantial forms of
supportive evidence for a conclusion and it would’ve been beneficial to society as a whole if he
had any writings to refer to his work more.
Socrates was one of the founders of philosophy and was tried for corrupting the youth
and being malicious towards the authority of Athens. In his pursuit of virtue and truth which is
his utmost important philosophy, he was stubborn in praising Sparta even after the Spartans
defeated the Athenians in the war. He questioned the religious beliefs and democracy of Athens,
which irked many of the authorities and finally led to his death when he had to drink the poison
that was given to him. The funny part he was appointed the social and moral critic of society in
Athens, so he was merely fulfilling his duty with his paradoxical wisdom. We owe Socrates
many of our modern philosophical ideas with the foundation he laid for us in ethics, logic, and
the Socratic Method. The Socratic Method is used when one asks a question and then one infers
the answers. He was wrongfully put to death because he was trying to attain truth, knowledge,
and logical explanations for things, and that’s what feared the authorities and common people the
most. During that time period they could not comprehend the importance of his work, thus his
ideas are only recorded by his student Plato.

Week 1: Post 9

Nicholas of Cusa: De Docta Ignorantia

The video was hard to comprehend because to me it was pretty abstract and I couldn’t
grasp the whole concept to what connection was trying to be made till the end of the video. I’m
not sure I fully understood the idea but my interpretation of the video was really defined when
the quote “The more he knows that he is unknowing, the more learned he will be.” Nicholas is
trying to explain the more we understand that we don’t know, the more knowledge we want to
gain and the drive for seeking that knowledge makes us less ignorant. By understanding that we
do not know much, like Socrates saying he knows nothing, we strive to gain more information
and that makes us a better learned society. Ignorant people who don’t acknowledge other ideas or
philosophies because they think they’re the center of the universe really irritate me because they
don’t have the decency to respect other cultures or religions.
Another quote that caught my attention was near the end of the mini-film and says “If we
can fully attain unto this knowledge of our ignorance, we will attain unto learned ignorance.”
This is followed by the explanation of how mathematics could be one of the most logical forms
of reasoning which I agree with because as humans we have so many flaws and we could correct
this with better logic thus we should use more mathematical definitions rather than
generalizations. The agnostic illuminations of Nicholas really drive the point that that we don’t
really know anything except what is second-hand to us because we are just gathering
regurgitated information from supposedly “reliable” sources. We aren’t able to obtain real
information unless we observe it first-hand or do experiments to test known fact but they’re just
ideas and there are no real answers. The idea of learned ignorance is very true and still applicable
to society today because the more you think you know, the more you know of the unknowing. To
actually gain knowledge we could use the power of numbers.

Week 1: Post 10
Java Philosophy

The “Who are You?” video captured my attention with very interesting quotes and
images that I could definitely relate to and actually see in today’s society. When talking about
the “cool” people it is just an image created by society and leads many individuals to conformity
because they want to be “cool.” The message being conveyed in the video is that a person looses
their individuality when they try to fit in and that is unfortunate because we are a very unique
species in that we have very high intellect, creativity, and many attributes that set us apart. When
the social influences lead us towards conformity to try to be “cool” there is really no other
alternate otherwise you’re an outcast of society itself. One of the quotes that really stuck with me
is by Jean Paul Sartre who said “Everything has been figured out, expect how to live.” This
quote signifies the positive and negative influences on our decisions we make in life.
I believe that there are major influences are hidden and that philosophy ties in well with
sociology because they both look at the underlying factors that affect our daily lives and the way
we live due to the social pressures of society. Socialization consists of the social learning we
have when we interact with others within society. Many people think that socialization is
especially important for infants and children, somehow ceasing after childhood but I think that
socialization continues all across the life span, as long as people continue to learn from social
experiences. Philosophy comes in and tells us that we absorb this knowledge and we only retain
what is widely accepted rather than making choices on our own. For example, you have a big
philosophy midterm and another option of going to the biggest party of the year. You want to be
“cool” so you attend the party when you are fully aware you will fail your midterm the next day.

Week 2: Post 1

Owen Gingerich

Owen Gingerich believes that humanity exists for a reason and I agree with that notion
because we have a purpose for our existence rather than placed here. God made us not to
understand the vastness of the universe even though we still try to comprehend it God has made
the universe too complex for us to even relate to because we are only little mortals. Gingerich
refers to the periodic table as a reference because he points out that there isn’t a mass of 5 so that
humans can’t make life and thus proving his theory there was no big bang theory. Gingerich
gives a lot of credit to God as a being that is so intricate, that humans can only wish to
comprehend and he uses the example of what happened before the big bang if it happened and
how it relates to Einstein’s idea of time and how it requires change and motion. Humans can’t
understand what happened during that time because there was no reference point for change or
motion and he explains that is how complex God really is. Time is everything to us because that
is our reference point for all things in our life including past, present and future so we couldn’t
relate to this idea even if we tried or explored more about the big bang theory if existed.
Gingerich has a philosophy on God that he is so powerful that he comes in different
forms, shapes, and reveals to us only small fractions of himself. His entirety again is too much
for us to handle and comprehend that he may have only come in one form even close to himself
and that was supposedly Jesus Christ. I do believe and agree that God has many different forms
he could appear in, however I don’t truly believe in only one God and that’s the only difference
in his argument of God and what I believe in. Even though the widely accepted form is of an old
white man with a beard, I can see how Gingerich believes the all-powerful nature of God and it
is so far beyond comprehension that we cannot begin to wrap our minds around it. The last moral
lesson that Gingerich highlights is that we must lessons of being good towards our neighbors
with the lessons of sharing and forgiving others. Even though the answers are laid before us by
God, we must make the right choices to improve our society and the world as a whole.

Week 2: Post 2

Lisa Randall and Edward O. Wilson

Lisa Randall makes a valid and cogent argument about whether more than one dimension
could exist and I believe it is very possible because the phenomenon of life on Earth can exist
and that alone allows us to believe that there could be life and other dimensions. The questions
that Randall proposes and makes me wonder even more about what exists in outer space. Is there
a possibility of other dimensions? Is all that exists will be visible or not visible eventually? I
believe our dimension is one of many because what we don’t know doesn’t necessarily mean it
doesn’t exist. This is one of the principles of philosophy where unknown knowledge doesn’t
mean its existence is disproved or proved otherwise we would only consider things we observe
to be true when that is far from the truth. Eventually with the amount if progress we have had in
technology, there is a possibility to reach the ends of the universe and discover beyond what can
we see today.
Edward O. Wilson believes that sociobiology and his philosophy might allow some
valuable information about the evolution of ethics and why we make some choices. The origins
of ethics are important because it shows how we the times have changed and what values we
cherish as a society in comparison between present day and the past. He is a professor of more
than five decades and he has written more than twenty books, however his expertise is not only
in sociobiology but in his philosophy he wants to try to close the gap between religion and
science. The most important thing to him and the base of his philosophy is that the Earth needs to
be preserved and saved because we as humans can only live if only Earth survives. Wilson is an
advocate of education and he believes that science is one of the most integral parts of education
that is sometimes overlooked by Math, English, and History. Wilson also believes that the
integration of sociobiology and philosophy is beneficial to society as a whole.

Week 2: Post 3

Illuminated Geometry

Illuminated Geometry is written by Einstein and he thoroughly explains that for a long
period people didn’t challenge the notion that Newton believed light was just a vibratory in space
known as ether. However, it was disproved by Maxwell when he came up with the theory of
electromagnetic fields. Even though light was still seen as a medium through space, no once
cared to challenge Newton and that was the funny thing. Usually as a society we take into
account what authorities say and believe every word they say without verifying the information.
For example, when an expert witness on the stand such as a law enforcement officer we tend to
believe them as a credible witness when in fact eyewitness testimony is very faulty because we
are not born observers. Science is based on testing hypotheses, proving theories as fact, and
implementing calculations. They didn’t want to go against such an important science figure as
Sir Isaac Newton however they later discovered that ether does not exist after much
experimentation and lack of evidence to support such a thesis.
This example of ether is an important lesson because it shows that people have a
tendency to follow authority, and that we should prove theories before actually following them.
Einstein talks about steps and this leads to the idea of the scientific method, because he uses the
example of the theory of light and how it became more refined over time. One of the questions
that sparked my interest in the reading is whether we can picture ourselves in a three-
dimensional universe that is finite yet unbounded. Einstein then goes on to explain Euclidean
geometry and how it relates to such a theory that he makes in this book of Illuminated Geometry.

Week 2: Post 4

Little Things That Jiggle

This video had many quotes that interested me including the quote that says “What I
cannot create I do not understand” by Richard Feynman. I think he is trying to emphasize that we
truly don’t understand the meaning of something till we create it or make it, and that holds true
for modern society because we have divided the factors of production and people are an expert in
their own field. In philosophical term maybe he is referring to God and how he created the
universe which makes it hard to comprehend because we didn’t create it. Another suggestion by
this quote is that we should not try to argue for something that we do not know as well as we
should or could to be arguing for something. Another quote within this short video that intrigues
me is the one made by Leon Lederman when he says “My ambition is to live to see all of physics
reduced to a formula so elegant and simple that it will fit easily on the front of a T-shirt.” If only
physics was so simple I would be physics major in a heartbeat; however that doesn’t hold true
because as we discover more on the subject matter I would think it would be more complicated.
This quote made me laugh as I ended up thinking I would love to see all of physics on a t-shirt as
well but know such convenience would never happen.
Another important quote that conveyed a message thoroughly was the quote made by
Abe Pais saying “To make a discovery is not necessarily the same as to understand a discovery.”
This holds true for many of the discoveries such as Columbus discovering
the “supposed” riches of the East or when Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin he had
accidentally found this by testing the fungus on a molding orange peel which he forgot to throw
away. Sometimes luck plays into discovering some things and that is why when someone is
lucky they might not understand the importance of what they discovered. I believe to truly give
recognition to someone once they have figured out more than what they have found but to
journalize it properly and be able to convey properly what they have discovered.

Week 2: Post 5

Gods Too Decompose

 This short film is trying to convey a message that we have killed God slowly but surely
with our immoral acts, loss in belief of God, and our culture straying away from a structured
religious society. Decomposing is just a metaphor for the slow death of God and how we have
slowly killed him; however I believe we could still recover if we really try. My family is very
religious and our lifestyle is revolved around the traditions we have learned from the ancestry of
our Hindu heritage. I believe some have lost God for good but it is true that our modern society
has moved away from a more religious structured society and into a more philosophical and
thinking society. I think we do have more freedom during modern times rather than the strict
following of a church, temple, or religious society.
I could see the opposite perspective of this video that God never died or decomposed
because he never existed. The reasons for atheists or agnostic believers is that they believe if
God was truly real then he would show or at least help people when they’re in dire need. Maybe
these people converted to atheism because there was a tragic event in their life because that could
be an explainable reason for them to join this belief. My opinion on whether God has really died
is somewhat true because as I attend a Green Day concert maybe I believe that, however I
believe there are many religious people still out there that truly believe in God and that they will
pass it along to future generations.

Week 3: Post 1

Andrea Lane: Brief Introduction to Evolutionary Philosophy, Darwin’s DNA

Dr. Lane in her book describes natural selection and evolution as she is in agreement with
most evolutionary biologists and philosophers, however she uses an analogy that is very creative
with a soda can lid. She says they used to have to use a can opener four decades ago and now
they have a mechanism that is evolved from its predecessor where it is just a pop-top. Evolution
and natural selection is very straightforward in this sense as if we are an improved technological
innovation in the eyes of God. We are not an innovation so this analogy is not true in that sense,
however we have evolved and I truly believe the fact that we have evolved. My perception of
evolution refers to change over time and that we changed from our ancestors and that leads to
biodiversity and variation. Natural selection leads to evolution because it plays off of adaptation
and variation. The definition is pretty straightforward but what side should I pick? Science or
Religion?

Why do we always have to pick one side or the other? Why can’t it be both? Maybe both
can synergize or intertwine with each other and actually come up with a plausible explanation to
the evolutionary theory; however people usually have to choose one or the other because of a
fallacious nature of society. I believe that there is DNA and that we evolved from our ancestors
and that we have adapted over time, but I think God could’ve created our DNA and this would
be a possible explanation. In my religion of Hinduism, we are very conscious of the nature aspect
and we accept all beliefs and welcoming to all types of ideas so I think evolution could be a part
of religion and that it’s compatible within a religious standpoint.

Week 3: Post 2

Charles Darwin: Natural Selection

 This book by Charles Darwin explains the relationship between plants and animals. We
have a symbiotic relationship with plants but they’re more giving then taking, however animals
are so dependent on the lives of plants because they’re essential to our survival. Charles Darwin
argues that the necessities of preservation are overlooked at times, and I agree with him because
today we are destroying our resources as we destroy the environment. Without plants, we as
animals and humans survive off of these plants so we would cease to exist because that
connection and relationship would be destroyed. Darwin did not believe that evolution follows a
predetermined direction or that it has an inevitable goal because it’s changing over time. I
interpreted that evolution occurs as a result of natural selection because a population must have
variations that will allow them to survive and reproduce. If no such variations exist, the
population rapidly goes extinct because it cannot adapt to a changing environment.
Natural selection seems logical because in a hostile environment, only the fittest survive
as we see in war or in times of famine; and we see it happening over a passage of time and
throughout history. I can’t believe this is still a hotly debated topic because even though in
Darwin’s day, no one was sure how minor variations could produce new species, but now we
have empirical evidence to prove that it is true. We all learn the theory of evolution and how it’s
driven by natural selection, but I don’t think people believe it as much because we can’t apply
that knowledge directly or it doesn’t happen fast enough for them to actually observe evolution.

Week 3: Post 3

Fundamentalism is a mental disease

God’s existence hasn’t been proven yet so we don’t know if he has any ties with
biological science. So we can’t blame God for everything. Those who do blame God blame him
for different things. Some blame him for everything that goes wrong, others might blame him for
some of the things that afflict us or others, and for sad events that have befallen groups of people
at certain times. Those who believe that everything that happens is part of God's script or plan,
logically blame things on that supernatural deity because God must have organized and pre-
ordained it. Of course, some feel that life, with all its pleasures and all its pains, is just how it is,
and we just have to make the best of it, and take it as it comes. I believe that we control more of
our destiny than we give credit for because we like to take the easy way out by using God as the
“super” excuse.

Some blame God for the bad things that people do because if God made us, then he is
responsible for what we do. That is a bunch of baloney to me because we have the ability to
cognitively think and we can make our own conscious choices. Some blame God as an excuse
for their own sins or laziness. Some feel that there must be someone who is ultimately
responsible for everything that happens, even for every random or chance event that happens. If
anyone is to blame, then it can only be God, they reason. Finally, if we do indeed blame God, we
should be asking ourselves, “What exactly are we blaming God for?” If we can focus on more
specific facts and instances, and on the circumstances that contributed to those events, then we
might find that we are better able to understand why some bad things happen. I believe that we
have control over our own actions and decisions otherwise there would be no reason for law and
the judicial system, and everyone would be excused because God forced them to do something.
Even though I believe in a religion or that we were created by God, I don’t believe in the stretch
that God controls our every move and our every action.

Week 3: Post 4

Truth Lies

This video really fascinates me because this is the essence of human nature in a nutshell.
We lie because we can’t always handle the truth and that is the truest fact of all because it’s how
we are wired and there is nothing that can change us from that because again it’s in our DNA.
There are two sides to the issue because the truth can’t turn into fact until proven or disapproved.
One side is that the truth may be that God doesn’t exist and that all things happen for a reason is
based upon chance or the probability of that event happening. If God was so merciful and caring
then why let people die? Maybe things just happen for a reason because God would have to be
all-powerful to control every single thing in this world, but I think that truth is just a quality that
is instilled us and is seen as a human quality that is coveted. Truth separates the good people
from the bad people, but truth acts as a tool to distinguish between these good people and bad
people. Truth can mean so many things to so many people it just matters on perspective.
Philosophy is based on the question what is “truth”? Mankind has persistently pursued
truth, knowledge, and understanding like Socrates which eventually lead to his death. This chase
for truth is a driving force which usually doesn't end until one finds a “truth” that is satisfying
which is comparable to the Buddhist idea of reaching “enlightenment”. However, I think the
search for truth never ends because you can always look for an alternate truth that may be even
more satisfying. This pursuit does not always follow the same path for everyone because they’re
looking for different “truth” and there is no way to obtain it. I agree with the Plato when his
philosophy on “truth” regards to knowledge obtained and when you educate yourself you
become more in tune with the “truth.”

Week 3: Post 5

Survival of the Sufficient

The survival of the sufficient solely rests on the role of nature and how we fit in. We as
humans are fortunate because Mother Nature has given us so much yet we are parasitic because
all we care about is taking and taking. The way we are created gives us a substantial advantage
over the other organisms on this planet. We have many wonderful qualities that have been given
to us because we come from simple self-replicating chemicals to trillion-celled mammals. With
our distinct advantages we have free rein of the planet and unfortunately as a species we have
become more than sufficient, we have been overbearing and ravenous. Humans have a life span
longer than that of almost any other animal and have been given a complex brain giving us the
capacity for language, reason, foresight, curiosity, and creativity. We also have the capacity for
self-understanding as well as empathy for others.
The quote used in this video of “natural selection is really natural editing” is absolutely a
true statement because as we have seen from history and empirical evidence, some species
survive and others are meant to extinguish. However, due to the large negative impact we have
had on this world, we could say that there has been some man-made extinction by destroying
other species’ habitats. An example of natural editing, we could see this in the dinosaurs because
they weren’t adept to all the geologic and planet changes that occurred and thus went extinct. If
they had survived would we be the dominant species? Was this a grand plan by God? We have
so many questions but very little answers, however we should be thankful for all the advantages
we have for survival on this planet and maybe the next planet.