new evidence for event horizons surrounding
black holes
Top: Gas from the companion star is drawn by gravity onto the black hole in a
swirling pattern. As the gas nears the event horizon, a strong gravitational
redshift makes it appear redder and dimmer. When the gas finally crosses the
event horizon, it disappears from view. Because of this, the region within the
event horizon appears black.
Bottom: As above, gas from the companion star flows down onto the collapsed
star — in this case a neutron star instead of a black hole. As the gas approaches
the neutron star, a similar gravitational redshift makes the gas appear redder and
dimmer. However, when the gas strikes the solid surface of the neutron star, it
glows brightly.
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On Rationality
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It is important to distinguish rationality from logic. Being
‘logical’ can still lead to unreasonable
results! At the beginning of the age of modern science, Francis Bacon
(1561-1626) wrote about this. See also
Bacon
and Scholasticism
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Computer literacy challenges information literacy. In
computer science, we have to worry about “what computes,” not
just what pleases our presuppositions about the logic of things. This
is what Bacon means when he talks about the Idols that give us
false understanding.
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The notion of the illusion in things is central to human understanding.
In the great Hindu classic, the Bhagavad Gita,
we hear Arjuna say (Chapter II)
He who attendeth to the inclinations of the senses,
in them hath a concern; from this concern is created passion,
from passion anger, from anger is produced delusion, from
delusion a loss of the memory, from the loss of memory
loss of discrimination, and from loss of discrimination
loss of all! But he who, free from attachment or repulsion for
objects, experienceth them through the senses and organs,
with his heart obedient to his will, attains to tranquillity
of thought.
- The ‘New Economy’ generated by the computer revolution
challenges the conventional notion of ‘rationality’ from
modern times. Computer firms get names like Syntax, Inc., in honor
of how grammar has become newly important. Instead of dismissing
‘computer nerds’ as eccentric & socially limited
people, now we must engage the fact that it
is they who have the money.
- This is not to say that now “everything goes,” far
from it. But is to say that rationalities like the
DSM-IV Diagnostic &
Statistical Manual which categorizes disorders according
to a ‘logical’ scheme are suspect. The
hackers & visionaries of the Silicon Valley are falling back
from the consensus of the 17th century on
the nature of reason. We are
led back to a re-examination of the
world-view of the Renaissance humanists.
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