Category: "Philosophical"
Time Marches On
In recent days I have had a couple of discussions about "getting old" – and more specifically about a slight feeling of disbelief about how old we actually are. Is "oldness" a state of mind – quite separate from "age" which is clearly a measure of time?
Categories: Philosophical, Friends, Cognition, Worldview, Books, ----------
What Is Not Real?
Has there ever been a work of fiction that didn't - in some way - draw on reality? This is, of course, sort of the reverse of my previous thoughts on whether our memory of reality is accurate or intermingled with its own fictions. In some cases the "fictional" world is created within a reasonably accurate representation of a specific environment. In others a "new world" is imagined in which the characters interact - often in a very similar way to what we are used to.
Categories: Philosophical, Cognition, Worldview, ----------
A Different Sort Of Madeleine
This is not the first attempt to put this into words. Usually, my blog posts are triggered by a thought that develops easily into a stream of ideas that are (hopefully) connected and lucid and coherent. Most times the writing is easy - perhaps too easy - as that doesn't always lend itself to reviewing to ensure that it is expressed in the correct way. This one is a bit different....
Categories: Philosophical, Systems Thinking, Complexity, Cognition, Worldview, ----------
Time To Talk
Today is "Time to Talk" Day (as well as World Cancer Day) and I think that writing something on the topic is near to essential for me. It is shocking to think that the figures show that 1 in 4 people will be afflicted with Mental Health issues in their lifetime. Once upon a time that sort of thing was taboo to talk about - not now, when it seems to affect everyone - one way or another.
Categories: Philosophical, Systems Thinking, Friends, Complexity, Cognition, Worldview, Health, ----------
Inadvertent Algorithmic Cruelty
I hadn't come across this phrase until today, however it was coined (as I understand it) late last year when Facebook chose to 'push' their "Year in Review" feature to users by choosing a picture to illustrate the year and surrounding it with (generally) happy and joyous borders and the words "its been a great year". Now - it doesn't take much intelligence to realise that while - yes - most years are great in some respect - for some people the year will only hold bad memories whilst, for most, there will have been some low spots in an otherwise good year.
Categories: Philosophical, Web, Decision Making, Cognition, Worldview, ----------
A New Music Memory
I have written before (in Music Memories) about the different ways in which various pieces of music trigger very specific recall about some past event. Just the other day I had an experience which both reinforced my previous ideas and caused me to think about a new aspect of this.
Categories: Philosophical, Music, Cognition, ----------
So What Really IS Important?
We are only a few days into the new year and already items in the news have shocked me - have inspired me - have worried me - have surprised me - have saddened me - have ..... What we find out about the happenings around the globe has the capacity to affect us in a huge number of ways. What about - and this is entirely in keeping with the blog theme - the things we don't know about?
Categories: News, Philosophical, Systems Thinking, Decision Making, Cognition, Worldview, ----------
Out With The Old!!
Having just checked back I discovered that since I started on this blog I have a woeful record when it comes to writing anything at the start of the year! Not a single post (until now) written in January of any year. I don't think there is any particular reason for that - but it is time I broke the pattern. The other good reason for a post this month is that it completes 12 consecutive months with at least one post.
Categories: Philosophical, Fun, Worldview, ----------
Discworld - The Next Chapter
Just yesterday I wrote about how I like to visit different "worlds" when I am reading. Last night I got to the end of the story of one of those worlds. Knowing that it was his last novel, getting to the end of Sir Terry Pratchett's "The Shepherd's Crown" was always going to be tinged with disappointment - not in the story itself, but because we will never know what happens next to the many characters that we have met through the Discworld series.
Categories: Philosophical, Fun, Cognition, Books, ----------
Just - WHY?
As we progress through life there is - at least for me - an increasing realisation that there are things that we do - that we enjoy doing - that are seemingly unproductive, unnecessary or just a "waste of time". Yet we persist in doing them. For some people these can be harmful - to themselves or others - for others they are entirely benign - and yet the question remains - WHY?
Categories: Philosophical, Systems Thinking, Complexity, Cognition, Worldview, ----------
