I have been reading or trying to read Douglas Hofstadter book "I AM A STRANGE LOOP". I tried "GEB", the conversations were nice ,yet i am phobic of maths and was overwhelmed soon. The present one is more readable and yet as i approach Godel Encounters Fibonacci i have started to give reasons to re read the earlier parts and this will lead to an abrupt cessation of perusal of the book. I will deem it difficult and not pragmatic enough to be read. And as i write this there is a frisson( as the author puts it repeatedly) to get to the part which also entices me, that being how does the self, me or" I" arise from a collection of atoms,molecules which do not have the ability to even understand that they are a part of this big"I". They are clueless ,the same as in any other species or object yet they give rise to a property that not only wants to know the purpose of the collection but also how each part contributes. This introspective ability, this judgemental capacity, this cognition of self and non self,these tears ,these remembrances, the ability to plan, check, cross check and wonder........
Why only with this species, why did we evolve in this manner? Is there any other path? Was it concieved when the universe began ? Or did this chance occur serendeptiously?
We take the aura or I out and its just dust nothing else. Magic. Yes it seems and no one has an understanding how it came about. Some one tries and i get scared of maths. Thats abominable, i am too lazy, the effort will have to be more. Keener. Its astounding that that the whole humanity nearly takes it for granted this abstract concept of "I". If its just a process and not a concrete object and this process depends upon 1.5 kg of goo, then this is liable to dysfunction easily. Either by way of the goo being spoilt or the process malfunctioning. Also this process would have a basic sound framework and newer processes would be developed as the organism evolves. Hey i am shooting in the dark, let me finish the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment