slomo » Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:39 am wrote:Fundamentally, I believe consciousness is the substrate for physical reality, so that any violation of any physical law is possible given a powerful enough consciousness (not necessarily or even probably human). This is why I do not distinguish between "aliens" and "spirits", since to interact with either of these classes of intelligences necessarily entails a violation of physical laws as we understand them. Reality is ultimately non-physical, although asymptotically/macroscopically/day-to-day it serves us better to pretend so.
Well written, I'm in complete agreement. In fact, if you wouldn't mind indulging me I'd like to share a silly story I wrote a few years ago on the subject:
(setting: Luke and Matthew playing monopoly, in the midst of a discussion.)
"Yes, in fact. Man can fly, I've seen it."
Matthew raised his eyebrow as he rolled the dice. "I'd really love to believe you, but the laws of physics simply make that impossible."
"Those laws might," Luke replied, "but there are laws of awareness, of which your cherished laws of physics are only a sub-set, which tell me otherwise."
Matthew slid his wheelbarrow piece over to St Charles Place. "Ok, I'll play along with you. What exactly are these laws?"
"Well in a nutshell, I'd say that the scope of your awareness determines what's possible and what's not. The laws that restrict you represent the boundaries of that scope. By the way, you owe me $53."
Matthew frowned, looking back down at his place on the board. He handed over a few orange and white bills from his pile of fake money. "Don't take this as an insult, but what you're describing sounds a little like metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, without conveying any actual meaning."
Luke looked up from the board. "I thought you might say that. Well then, would you prefer an illustration?"
Matthew raised an eyebrow and replied, "Yes, by all means."
"Ok then, let's take this game as an example. I'll tell you what space I'm going to land on next. On my next turn, I'll land on Boardwalk."
Mathhew looked down at the board and smirked. "Well that would definitely be an impressive show of prognostication, you're gonna have to roll double sixes. Go for it, show me some magic."
Luke smiled and shook up the dice in his cupped hand. Throwing them onto the board, Matthew watched carefully as they rolled to a stop.
"Ah, too bad," Matthew sighed, a little disappointed. "A seven. Looks like your mystical law didn't work after all."
"Oh yeah?" Luke picked up his dog piece and dropped it on Boardwalk.
Matthew sat up and crossed his arms, lowering his brow. "Well of course you can land there if you cheat."
"I don't know why you're so disappointed," Luke shrugged. "It's not every day that you get to see a dog fly."