Some threads here have (of necessity) spoken of what has been called "pathological skepticism." Debunking, disinformation, ad hominem attacks, straw men, etc. etc.

I recommend Daniel Drasin's essay on this topic, ZEN. . . AND THE ART OF DEBUNKERY

For anyone wishing to learn that sad art, it's a useful instruction set. It's also invaluable for anyone who wants to learn to recognize the beast when it sneaks into the conversation.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 04, 1999

Answers

Excerpt from ZEN...AND THE ART OF DEBUNKERY:

Like all systems of truth seeking, science, properly conducted, has a profoundly expansive, spiritual impulse at its core. This "Zen" in the heart of science is revealed when the practitioner sets aside arbitrary beliefs and cultural preconceptions, and approaches the nature of things with "beginner's mind." When this is done, reality can speak freshly and freely, and can be heard more clearly. Appropriate testing and objective validation can--indeed, *must*-- come later

-- Critt Jarvis (Wilmington, NC) (critt@critt.com), January 04, 1999.

Thanks Tom. Great post.

Yep. Many of us fall into the passion for following clues that seem to point toward the existence of a greater reality crowd. At many levels. Its big. So is Y2K.

As anomalies mount up beneath a sea of denial, defenders of the Faith and the Kingdom cling with increasing self-righteousness to the hull of a sinking paradigm.

"Occam's Razor," or the principle of parsimony, says the correct explanation of a mystery will usually involve the simplest fundamental principles.

Boiling down to a problems essence is one way of finding the core, so a feasible solution can be extended. Sometimes a simple solution, is outside the box completely.

Beautiful writing, coget and intelligent -- decidedly Y2K relevant observations here.

Diane

(P.S. Try backing up the URL one forward slash at a time and see what you find.)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 04, 1999.