By Paul So ~
Deductive view on life:
1. Laws of conservation of energy: Energy is neither created or destroyed, only converted.
2. Einstein's Mass-Energy Equivalence (a.k.a E=MC squared): mass is the property of energy, and energy is the property of mass; in other words they are equivalent.
3. Entropy: Areas of the total system can lose energy/heat while other areas consequently gain energy/heat.
4. Universe is an isolated total system with its sum total of energy, including mass-objects that are simply condensed energy(Mass-Energy Equivalence, proposition 2) that remains constant but its content can change, but it cannot be created or destroyed (Laws of Conservation, proposition 1) which makes it possible for energy to leave other areas of the isolated system to others areas (entropy, proposition 3).
5. I am part of this Universe, thus governed by those laws/mechanisms (Mass-Energy Equivalence, Laws of Conservation of Energy, and Entropy).
6. I am a body (with capacity for consciousness) with mass
7. My body's mass is equivalent to the energy (Mass-Energy Equivalence)
8. My body cannot be created or destroyed, only converted (Laws of Conservation of Energy)
9. The overall structure and mechanisms of the body (content of mass, therefore content of energy) involve conversion (i.e. cells converting nutritions to stored fat, enzymes breaking down solid food into basic nutrition, etc) (Entropy)
10. This conversion (proposition 9) can lead to decomposition.
11. Death, then, is simply a specific kind of conversion of my body's energy (conservation of of energy) in which heat/energy leaves the specific area of the total system (my body) to another area (ground of earth) which in turn converts and then leaves that area to another part of the system (Entropy) such as animals, plants, etc.
12. Nothing is truly lost, only apparently so because of change; death is only a kind of change common in life.
This is pretty much how I view my life now, I am only here for a while converting energy by sleeping, walking, talking, and…doing pretty much anything that requires converting physical energy. My cells, organs, and brain are constantly converting energy to keep me alive but the sum total of that energy won’t stick there forever. Someday the energy that is the vitality of my soul (to use the term metaphorically) will leave me, when I die, back into the earth, which in turn will go to plants, animals, and bacteria. From a cosmic point of view that energy will disperse into the whole sea of physical energy that will constantly convert. It is as if the universe is circulating and recycling its sum total of energy for eternity, and I am simply part of this grand cosmic process. There is no purpose to this, the only purpose that exists are the ones that I created as my goals and personal values. This does not disturb me but rather it reveals that I am deeply connected to Nature and its laws; the energy that I have is what I get from eating and breathing, and will leave me when I digest food and exhale the inhaling air. When I die my body decomposes which is essentially another way of converting energy to another which goes to the earth, and consequently transfers to other things. I am simply part of this whole causal system of energy circulation, and to me this is amazing. There is no after-life, but the very things that constitute me will continue on after I die into this universe. This way of thinking puts death in an entirely different light that is less threatening and more natural. I am still scared of death, but I do not have a negative belief about death. While Christianity teaches that death is a byproduct of sin, I think death is a natural consequent of how the universe (and life) works. Instead of ultimately resisting by living in denial and self-infantilizing myself, I’d rather be in harmony with Nature by accepting my ultimate cosmic fate, which I think is a sign of true spiritual maturity. Nonetheless, while I am living I will meditate on life and live fully before this life returns to the circulating arteries of Nature.
Deductive view on life:
1. Laws of conservation of energy: Energy is neither created or destroyed, only converted.
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| "Relativity", the sixth and last sculpture of the Walk of Ideas in Berlin, on the occasion of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany. The sculpture was unveiled 19 May 2006 in Lustgarten. The Altes Museum (Old Museum), built between 1825 and 1828 by Schinkel, is visible in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
3. Entropy: Areas of the total system can lose energy/heat while other areas consequently gain energy/heat.
4. Universe is an isolated total system with its sum total of energy, including mass-objects that are simply condensed energy(Mass-Energy Equivalence, proposition 2) that remains constant but its content can change, but it cannot be created or destroyed (Laws of Conservation, proposition 1) which makes it possible for energy to leave other areas of the isolated system to others areas (entropy, proposition 3).
5. I am part of this Universe, thus governed by those laws/mechanisms (Mass-Energy Equivalence, Laws of Conservation of Energy, and Entropy).
6. I am a body (with capacity for consciousness) with mass
7. My body's mass is equivalent to the energy (Mass-Energy Equivalence)
8. My body cannot be created or destroyed, only converted (Laws of Conservation of Energy)
9. The overall structure and mechanisms of the body (content of mass, therefore content of energy) involve conversion (i.e. cells converting nutritions to stored fat, enzymes breaking down solid food into basic nutrition, etc) (Entropy)
10. This conversion (proposition 9) can lead to decomposition.
11. Death, then, is simply a specific kind of conversion of my body's energy (conservation of of energy) in which heat/energy leaves the specific area of the total system (my body) to another area (ground of earth) which in turn converts and then leaves that area to another part of the system (Entropy) such as animals, plants, etc.
12. Nothing is truly lost, only apparently so because of change; death is only a kind of change common in life.
This is pretty much how I view my life now, I am only here for a while converting energy by sleeping, walking, talking, and…doing pretty much anything that requires converting physical energy. My cells, organs, and brain are constantly converting energy to keep me alive but the sum total of that energy won’t stick there forever. Someday the energy that is the vitality of my soul (to use the term metaphorically) will leave me, when I die, back into the earth, which in turn will go to plants, animals, and bacteria. From a cosmic point of view that energy will disperse into the whole sea of physical energy that will constantly convert. It is as if the universe is circulating and recycling its sum total of energy for eternity, and I am simply part of this grand cosmic process. There is no purpose to this, the only purpose that exists are the ones that I created as my goals and personal values. This does not disturb me but rather it reveals that I am deeply connected to Nature and its laws; the energy that I have is what I get from eating and breathing, and will leave me when I digest food and exhale the inhaling air. When I die my body decomposes which is essentially another way of converting energy to another which goes to the earth, and consequently transfers to other things. I am simply part of this whole causal system of energy circulation, and to me this is amazing. There is no after-life, but the very things that constitute me will continue on after I die into this universe. This way of thinking puts death in an entirely different light that is less threatening and more natural. I am still scared of death, but I do not have a negative belief about death. While Christianity teaches that death is a byproduct of sin, I think death is a natural consequent of how the universe (and life) works. Instead of ultimately resisting by living in denial and self-infantilizing myself, I’d rather be in harmony with Nature by accepting my ultimate cosmic fate, which I think is a sign of true spiritual maturity. Nonetheless, while I am living I will meditate on life and live fully before this life returns to the circulating arteries of Nature.
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