I Think Therefore I Am and I am therefore I Think?

 I Am Therefore I Think?

Okay…It’s the birthday of one of my philosophical/mathematics hero’s Mr. Rene Descartes.   Oh so you say he said “I think therefore I am.”  Yes he did and perhaps if you read further  it might become known that this was the beginning part….a starting point in the argument of awareness.  Mr. D. Was shooting for using logic to prove consciousness or “beingness.”   Well let’s look at my version for a second.   If you are  you may as well think….right?  Oh and while we are at that why don’t we feel and my goodness imagine that others think and feel too?  

Now Descartes also gave us the notion of linear  coordinates—it is an algebra  and geometry concept (don’t start shaking your head).  These coordinates when applied to a map allow GPS to make sure you can find a bakery near you or find the nearest liquor store in relation to your  mother-in-law.   So this concept he championed  is something you use today or will soon.  You can use these  concepts to figure out the slope of a line which is the key multiplier in the equation y=Mx+b and this in turn permits you to solve for any number of variables in  nearly any two dimensional function.  In short, my affinity  for the beauty of numbers comes pretty much from Descartes to sister Gregory to me…. Where it goes from there… well if it’s a linear path you can figure it out using Descartes….lOL

Anyway so a shout out to Descartes who linked existence to thinking and allowed us to figure out  what in a line  might come next.   so using that idea …

The best time to plant a tree?   20 Years ago!  The second best time to plant a tree?  Today of course.   However…if you didn’t plant a tree 20 years ago is it worth while to regret not doing so?  Well  the next two or three blog entries will explore the idea of regrets (borrowing  from Daniel Pink”s book THE POWER OF REGRETS.  Until then here’s a free bonus bit of philosophy  brought to you by another of my favorite philosophers who reminded us. All we need is love etc….  

Don’t measure  you life in years…. Measure it in friendships…. In which case  I’m an incredibly Rich Hombre 

 Oh and as a little bonus here’s a little rhyme  I’d like to offer from a couple years back ….just replanting a seed for a tree I hope will grow a little more.

Peace

 

ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time not that very long ago

I believed  in Santa Claus because all the elders told me so

I understood that life’s not fair yet thought that we might find that neighborhood

Now instead of helping  others move ahead we just insist  on  sorting bad from good

And once bad once one shall always  be and never be someone like me

And once Judged  once then that’s enough

No need to  hear the facts on stuff

We’ve learned  some things on building tribes but some are really building cults

And acting more like  the school  yard bully than 

thoughtful fully grown adults

I think  inside “what  can  I do? as this challenge just expands?”

What is it that’s expected?  I only have two  hands?

I could scream out from the mountain top—or pray  standing idly by

Or  I could  just  surrender —for is this worth a try? 

Then I use my soul for a tiny little  mirror

And the confusion  seems to melt away the path ahead  gets clearer

As long as I have hands to write and words still leave my tongue

My joy will battle every fear and I’ll stay forever young

I’ll gather all the joy I can and  give what I can away

When shall this start you ponder?  It starts right  now today!

Find some Peace  and Joy  Come What May