Starship Asterisk*

Dangerous Knowledge.

At what point does my eagerness to understand Gravity and Time, move from A little interest, to an infernal Obsession?

I will Now take note, to this eye opener. 1st of 10 Links :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw-zNRNcF90

tc

beyond wrote:YES

beyond wrote:YES

beyond wrote:YES

And your assumption for yes is ?

tc

Because no matter what your knowledge level is, If you honestly pursue more knowledge, one thing is going to lead to another and it will not be long before you realize that you have to let go of the old assumptions that you have with your older prior knowledge and let new meanings take place because of your growth in new knowledge.
Many people find this to be a difficult task. It's not like teaching an old dog new tricks, it's more like becomeing a new dog. For some, they find it hard to leave the comfortable safety of what they have known for years and thus the new knowledge that they have put effort into learning of, just goes down the drain because of their refusal to let it begin to change them.
Depending on what is being studied, the contrast between what they have known all their life and what they have discovered after many years of effort, just may prove to be too much for them and they may go crazy or worse. Many scientists have had this trouble down through the ages, some on their own and some (a lot) inflicted on them by other people.
Of course studying a little to improve one's knowledge of a particular skill is greatly beneficial, unless it becomes an obsession.
Studying tends to become more mentally dangerous when it involves the science's. The science's tend to deal more with the things of life and many people do not like to have their view of life rattled or upset to much.

So searching for knowledge can indeed be dangerous, but most people do not really search for much of anything and like it that way.
So The Question is -- is the Question - Is searching for knowledge Dangerous? -- Really a Question worth pursuing??

I say YES -- To a certain point. It depends upon the individual and that would be YOU!!

Of course, not being a professional pursuer, i could be a tad off. Oh-well, that's Life.

Perhaps, if you were searching for knowledge on your local mob's dealings, it might be very dangerous for you.

Interesting video; I watched the first two, I will have to finish the rest later.

Though I think that the assertion that Cantor's mathematics drove him batty is fun hyperbole for making videos about "revelations from mathematics" but doesn't seem likely. Could it be that he had some other medical condition? I don't know enough about the guy. The Wiki article mentions the loss of a son and chronic depression.

The conflict between Cantor and other established mathematicians reminds me of the effect quantum mechanics had on physicists who still believed in classical determinism. I will have to learn more about Cantor; he sounds like an interesting cat.





Is searching for knowledge dangerous? Only to preconceived ideas and rigid belief systems.

I've always preferred to believe that
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

Beyond dangerous

A better option though less blissful than ignorance

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

When you stop feeding yourself ? Because Feeding on Knowledge is more important ? (watch the Vid)

tc

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

Enlightenment.

owlice wrote:

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

Enlightenment.

Ahhh, the wise ol-er ah young owl posts some truth again

swainy wrote:

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

When you stop feeding yourself ? Because Feeding on Knowledge is more important ? (watch the Vid)

tc

Swainy, i just finished watching the video again, but I'm just not getting what you are saying. Could you repeat it again but differently?

beyond wrote:

swainy wrote:

beyond wrote:Then what is a "lot" of knowledge

When you stop feeding yourself ? Because Feeding on Knowledge is more important ? (watch the Vid)

tc

Swainy, i just finished watching the video again, but I'm just not getting what you are saying. Could you repeat it again but differently?

They said, "The Last guy starved himself to death" His understanding, perception,intuition and logic, became more important than looking after himself.

Ahh, ok. No problem like that here except for a lack of Sno-Balls.::sigh::

swainy wrote: They said, "The Last guy starved himself to death" His understanding, perception,intuition and logic, became more important than looking after himself.

No. I think mentally healthy people don't starve themselves to death (unless they are engaged in a hunger strike/decide they don't want to live anymore, as some chronically ill people have done). It is not the subject matter that makes one unstable; rather, the instability exists first, and the subject matter is simply fodder feeding the underlying mental issue(s).

beyond wrote: Ahhh, the wise ol-er ah young owl posts some truth again

Oh, I'm old! Not as old as neufer, but certainly not young!!

owlice wrote:

beyond wrote:
Ahhh, the wise ol-er ah young owl posts some truth again

Oh, I'm old! Not as old as neufer, but certainly not young!!

You young whipper snappers better show some respect!

owlice wrote:

swainy wrote: They said, "The Last guy starved himself to death" His understanding, perception,intuition and logic, became more important than looking after himself.

No. I think mentally healthy people don't starve themselves to death (unless they are engaged in a hunger strike/decide they don't want to live anymore, as some chronically ill people have done). It is not the subject matter that makes one unstable; rather, the instability exists first, and the subject matter is simply fodder feeding the underlying mental issue(s).

beyond wrote: Ahhh, the wise ol-er ah young owl posts some truth again

Oh, I'm old! Not as old as neufer, but certainly not young!!

Geeze - i knew I'd get in trouble if i used the "wise old owl" refference, but i didn't think i would by changeing it to a "wise young owl". If i ever have the chance to use it again, I'll have to remember to use "middle-aged owl".

Try "Perfectly Aged Owl"

lol, BMAONE23! Reminds me a bit of the standard response to, "Are we lost?" "No, we're not lost; we're right here!"

beyond, "wise old owl" would have made me laugh, too! I don't mind getting old; not everyone gets the opportunity to do so.

neufer wrote:You young whipper snappers better show some respect!

The Word Detective wrote: Dear Word Detective: While surfing on the Web, I found your valuable service. Can you give me the origin of the word "whippersnapper"? The dictionary refers you to "snippersnapper," and gives no etymology. Can you help? -- Roy, via the Internet.

Why certainly, sir. I am a valuable service, aren't I? Neat, friendly, always professional. Most people don't know this, but I actually wear a crisp white uniform and a name tag while I'm sitting at my computer answering readers' questions. I also wear a pith helmet lined with tinfoil, but that's another story.

"Whippersnapper" is a somewhat archaic term, rarely heard today outside of movies, and then usually from the mouth of a character portrayed as chronologically-challenged and hopelessly old-fashioned to boot. A "whippersnapper" is an impertinent young person, usually a young man, whose lack of proper respect for the older generation is matched only by his laziness and lack of motivation to better himself.

One might imagine that the term derives from the understandable temptation among more productive citizens to "snap a whip" at such sullen layabouts, but the whips in question actually belonged to the whippersnappers themselves. Such ne'er-do-wells were originally known as "whip snappers" in the 17th century, after their habit of standing around on street corners all day, idly snapping whips to pass the time. The term was been based on the already-existing phrase, "snipper-snapper," also meaning a worthless young man, but in any case, "whip snapper" became "whippersnapper" fairly rapidly.

Though "whippersnapper" originally referred to a young man with no visible ambition, the term has changed somewhat over the years, and today is more likely to be applied to a youngster with an excess of both ambition and impertinence.

I'll admit to impertinence, but ambition?!? SO not me!

owlice wrote:I'll admit to impertinence, but ambition?!? SO not me!

I have the ambition, just not the means. I'm always pertinent and, alas, no longer young.

Life, it's what happens while your busy making plans.

BMAONE23 wrote:Try "Perfectly Aged Owl"

Nobodys perfect

beyond wrote:

BMAONE23 wrote:Try "Perfectly Aged Owl"

Nobodys perfect

But one can be, like cheese or Scotch, perfectly aged. (Just ask bystander!)