Water as Fuel in Near Future?

While writing Evolved I have had my ears wide open about novel new energy sources. After all, thrusting a good portion of mankind to far away planets (as I do in Evolved) is simply not feasible with current energy sources.

Recently an old friend mentioned his company was getting close to making water into a viable energy source. When I asked on what scale he shrugged and replied any scale and that he actually felt bad for current dependents of oil and gas. He would not disclose anymore than that since the company is currently in the development stage and working on a round of financing.

My old life as a Chartered Financial Analyst working on Wall Street roared to life and merged into my writing self. Game changing technology? I’m in! After living in San Francisco through the dotcom era, I have experience with how thrilling these paradigm shifts can be.

Now the idea of using water as an energy source isn’t new. Hydrogen has long been recognized as a viable and plentiful energy source. The problem has always been how to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in an energy-efficient manner. A quick search on the internet showed that researchers have been experimenting with bacteria and solar-thermal techniques. The U.S. Navy has also been doing its own research into the matter.

Maybe fate is guiding us, melting the oceans into a readily available supply of water to fuel our interstellar aspirations. If so, traditional oil and gas companies will have a tough go, as will oil exporting nations. But, maybe humanity will be saved, or even enabled to spout into space. Fun stuff to flip over in the mind.

Gaylord

  It is 2:30 in the morning and my mind and heart will not let the day dissipate into dreams. Emotionally wrung out, wishful for sleep, yet helplessly tied to the events that have unfolded.

The mourning process is fickle, I’ve found. It was said today that the hardest part is when you are alone with your thoughts at night. I should have heeded those words more closely.

Most everyone else stayed at the celebration, raising their voices in song as they let out the raw emotions bottled up inside. Tears and laughter flowed in copious amounts. Yet by MC’ing the event I had said my peace, squeezed as much out as I could in one time. 

Weary and emotionally strung out from the eight hours, my wife, daughters and a family friend quietly said good bye and came back to the hotel room. Looking for peace but finding a restlessness instead.

When a loved one dies you think you will get to a point when you can “turn the page,” move forward in life. There is no singular point in time.

One conversation tonight suggested to think about our existence in terms of constants, implying time does not exist. Deep metaphysical thoughts at a most unexpected “time.” I warned him this would keep me up at night, a promise I seem all to able to keep.

Love is the most fundamental constant I can think of. For it alone taps into our deepest and most remote inner reality. Love pushes aside the false face we present to the world, brings out our inner goodness and makes us confront those parts which are not.

Love washed over the celebration today. Warmed us in the chilly Quebec air that tried to seep into the tent. Endless stories of good times and laughter banded us together, bonded us into one. False pretenses cast out.

Our voices broke, eyes melted, as we remembered Gaylord Watkins. We leaned on one another emotionally and physically. Letting out what needed to be released. Healing in our own ways.

When we were in a low, we took a break for food and wine while the jug band lifted us back up, enabling us to push forward through the heartache.

We will miss Gay. Miss his infectious laughter and good nature. Miss his adventures, whether we were a part of them or simply his telling of them. He embraced life fully, embraced people. He brought out the best in people, and maybe that is what we will miss the most.

If there is one constant in our world, it is love. Yet, the active love of Gaylord was special. It is the love that reaches out and penetrates through the doubt, worry, anger, or whatever self absorbed feelings consuming us. It raises our spirit, brings us close in mutual understanding, overcoming the false barriers we construct around ourselves.

I will miss Gaylord deeply, but love him always.

Changing Seasons

All Because of You

My life is changing
The life that I’ve had
It’s changing forever
But no need to be sad

It’s time to move on
Time to start over new
I jumped from the nest
With some trouble, I flew

I might hit a few bumps
Maybe make a wrong turn
But all of those troubles
Are lessons I’ll learn

So as my life changes
I hope that you’ll see
It’s you who I’ll credit
For the life that I lead

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/all-because-of-you#ixzz3owRi25Ju

You are ever present of the changing seasons when living in New England. The Fall is filled with glorious yellows, reds and oranges as the leaves change color and cover the ground. A frost on the grass reminded us this morning that winter is not far behind.

A transformation has been happening within me as well, complete with explosive colors and chills. The world around me seems to mirror what is happening inside, an odd meeting of the objective and subjective I discussed in my last post.

My life is about to change course, I know. Towards what, I’m not exactly sure.

The first sign was this morning in church. A beloved minister is moving on to another church. The sermon focused on change, and how it has led to good things.

The next mile post is later this week, when we travel to a memorial service for a man who was a father figure to me. I have the honor of master of ceremonies, which scares me more than a little. Holding it together will be hard because imagining this world without him is difficult. A change in my reality.

The following week I begin a new job, my first real job in about eight years. It is only part time and flexible, allowing me to drop-off and pick-up my daughters from school and all their activities. At this point in my life, flexibility to spend time with my girls is what I value most. Shed what is hindering you and protect what is important.

The new job is something I believe in, something important in my eyes, something that complements the rest of my life. The extra money will take some of the financial pressure off my wife and provide a source of income to cover publishing expenses. For if there is one thing I’ve learned so far about the business of books, it is expensive to launch yourself. (Barriers to entry, as my old CFA self would call it)

Driven is not the right word to describe the change. More openness to it. Allowing it to happen. Not trying to direct it so much as listening intently to where the signs point.

So a new road with many new people to meet and understand. I look forward to meeting You in my future, and experiencing the on-going change.

Objective vs. Subjective – Are We Becoming Zombies?

Science and religion have historically had a tension between them. Science’s goal is primarily to explain the world objectively (how do things work?), which often is extrapolated using subjective narratives (Lawrence Krauss). Religion’s primary goal is to understand the world subjectively (more the “why me” question), which often uses objective language as a basis of evangelical and fundamentalist belief systems.

As science has progressed it has increasingly infringed upon the objective belief systems of certain religions, explaining such things as why earth is not the center of the universe and evolution did in fact occur. Followers of more fundamental belief systems have had to adjust their message, which has created somewhat of a siege mentality. Religious belief systems that have remained more subjective, or internally focused, have been impacted less. The more contemplative aspects of belief system like Buddhism, Hinduism and parts of Judaeo-Christianity have been able to integrate the progression of science, often opening up deeper understanding.

The on-going progression of scientific knowledge suggests the tension between the two sides will continue. But will science ever explain subjectivity, or the feeling of self and all the creative initiatives produced by it? Many neurologists would argue yes, our feeling of self is simply a product of a very complex physical system we do not yet understand. (Materialism or Physical-ism)

My reading has largely focused on the science side, trying to understand the theories and predictions of how we will understand consciousness. What I missed was a slide backwards on the subjective side. If our society is becoming more objective in its focus (possessing things and explaining our world objectively in the third person), are we losing hold of our subjectivity?

Franciscan monk Richard Rohr argues we are not truly conscious when we are focused on the objects around us (including objectified other people), as opposed to truly seeing the life present around us.

“To love is to be conscious, and to be fully conscious would mean you are capable of loving. Sin always proceeds from lack of consciousness. I don’t think most people are sinners; most people are just not aware and not fully living in their own present moment.” – Richard Rohr

It is a message fairly consistent within religions: avoid the distractions of the objects around us. In other words, focus on the subjective view. A quote from the approximately 2,400 year old Bhagavad Gita:

“Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and give birth to misery. The wise do not look for happiness in them.” – Bhagavad Gita 5:22

Yet this raises a quandary and a concern. If we are only conscious in a religious way when we do not focus on the objects of this reality, how can science, which bases its theories on objects, understand the high level of consciousness offered in religion? More concerning, does humanity lose its ability to reach higher levels of consciousness as our society relies more on object-oriented scientific theories to explain our world? Is scientific research a self-fulfilling prophesy? Rely on objects to understand our world, thus losing access to our duality, or higher consciousness!

In this way both science and religion are right. Human consciousness will become simply a physical manifestation, leaving behind the spiritual gateway to something greater. Pulling up the analogy from a previous post, we become zombies lacking a higher consciousness! (Has anyone else thought of people on their “smart” phones as zombies? Considered them self a zombie when on it?)

Alternatively, will science either hit a wall or discover new dimensions and develop new theories that make religious consciousness more scientifically feasible?

To put in in terms of my book Evolved, a silicon human could then reach the same level of consciousness as an organic human.

Objects Through the Eye of the Needle

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” – Mark 10:25

Lots of ways to interpret the above passage in the bible, which is offered as a quote by Jesus. For me, it is simply that an obsession with the objects around us in this world distracts us from finding a greater source of happiness present within us. Being rich is not a sin, but not actively giving of yourself and using your resources to help others is a form of purgatory.

My wife and I finally finished cleaning out our house. We went through every closet, cupboard, eave, attic and corner in both the basement and garage. We pulled everything out, cleaned it, and put back only the things we “need” or love. This has taken two months and as I described in an earlier post, has been both spiritually cleansing and a source of shame that we had accumulated so much stuff that was unhelpful to us.

The number of trips to the town dump has been numbing. We’ve made about a half dozen large donations of clothing to goodwill. We took many usable items to the “take and leave” area where individuals in need can pick them up for free. Crates of books (a personal weakness) were dropped off at the book swap. We tried to recycle as much as we could, but the amount simply going into the compacter was still staggering.

Where does this leave us? Liberated is one feeling. We can find the things we truly need much easier. A calmer feeling now exists in the house, although I’ll confess I still get grumpy when my daughters leave their toys out. Determined is another feeling. Determined not to willfully bring unnecessary objects into our lives. Put differently, intention to remain focused on what is important.

It was with some surprise and amusement that I listened today to our minister preach on the lesson to the rich man in the gospel of Mark. Perhaps it was a not-so-subtle reminder that we still have work to do. We cannot sit back now and passively enjoy the new found space within our home. All we have done is removed distractions. The hard work of seeking truth and actively helping others remains in front of us.

I may still be a camel, but perhaps I only have one hump now.

Metaphysical “Choices” – Consciousness, Part 2

Can a silicon-based machine achieve consciousness? It is becoming an increasingly pressing question as scientists move closer to artificial intelligence. Yet we don’t understand our own consciousness, so how would we know? Maybe it already has happened…

We don’t understand what is consciousness, how consciousness came to exist, or why it exists. Because we don’t understand why it exists, we can’t answer whether it has any causal impact on the world. Aspects of human consciousness include:

• Consciousness appears to offer a more flexible and sophisticated control, at the expense of speed, which is important when encountering novel situations.
• It also appears to enhance social coordination through better understanding of other minded creatures.
• Consciousness may improve the unification and integration of reality, or at least the perception of the reality required for primitive survival.
• It may provide more global access to information within the brain.
• Does it enable free will? Or, just create the illusion of free will?
• Intrinsic motivation seems to be created by consciousness, or at least the perception of will.

Are all of these aspects possible within a silicon consciousness?

Another problem to consider. If consciousness is by definition subjective, then only a machine would know if it is truly conscious. This assumes objective and subjective are completely separate, with which a monism materialist might disagree (arguing the feeling of consciousness is simply the result of billions of neurons firing in a complex system).

Assuming a machine tells you it is conscious, do you believe it? A functionalist would argue “yes” since thoughts, beliefs, and even subjective states are simply functional states. A skeptic who believes there is something non-material about consciousness would simply argue the machine is a zombie, missing the essence of consciousness. Would the “conscious” silicon zombie then try to eat the skeptic’s brain? Maybe the kernel of an idea for my next book…

In an effort to understand consciousness I have been reading “Consciousness: An Introduction,” by Susan Blackmore. It offers a broad arc through research and experiments about consciousness, methodically building a case that there is little evidence supporting a dualist view of consciousness (implying humans have a soul or something other than matter that passes on). I believe she is an atheist, or someone who does not believe there is a God or gods.

Getting back to silicon-based zombies gobbling up human brains. There are several arguments why machine consciousness may ultimately prove different than human consciousness, although each are inconclusive:

1. Neurons could never be replicated by artificial means to replicate the information processing speed within the space and thermodynamic limitations, or the chemical interactions cannot be replicated to sustain the emotional response required of consciousness.
2. Consciousness requires a long period of learning, interacting with its environment. “Biological capacity to produce experiences, and these experiences only when they are felt by some human or animal agent.” (Searle, 1997)
3. Consciousness involves something greater than the parts (Holism), whether that is interpreted as a soul, a physical aspect in our universe we have yet to discover in our reality.
4. Before artificial consciousness could become a reality, a new type of physics is required to explain consciousness, including quantum entanglement and wave function collapse in a complex system.
5. A spectrum exists of consciousness, defined either by self-awareness, ability to imitate another, awareness of time, or intentionality to originate. Silicon may reach low level consciousness, but not high level.

All of this dances around the central issue, which is the gap in our understanding of consciousness. The large bulk of scientific research suggests consciousness is a product of the material activity of our minds (monism/ physicalist). But… the answers you find are determined by the questions you ask, and scientists ask decidedly objective questions. Therefore there is little surprise they arrive at objective answers.

Put differently, if scientists discovered tomorrow a reality beyond what we perceive (either quantum or cosmological), a reality the mechanisms of the mind can utilize, then all the scientific research into consciousness becomes lacking and religious teachings on consciousness again offer guideposts to follow.

In Evolved I take this path because well, science fiction is a wonderful platform to explore what could become main stream in science.