tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post3497874349729043238..comments2024-03-19T18:44:15.041+08:00Comments on Little Stories: Time is an IllusionGilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-44660397402206331822007-06-23T11:55:00.000+08:002007-06-23T11:55:00.000+08:00Mr Wang, I like your series on personal developmen...Mr Wang, I like your series on personal development.<BR/><BR/>Like you, I believe that enlightenment can be achieved through many fields and avenues.onekellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17377457351312091271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-1499885152195026892007-06-22T00:23:00.000+08:002007-06-22T00:23:00.000+08:00much as i'm a big fan of mr wang, i'll have to agr...much as i'm a big fan of mr wang, i'll have to agree with anon 10.21 & 8.54am abt E's being a determinist.<BR/><BR/>"How then do u explain that a junoir clerk in the Swiss Patent Office could have come out with such a major scientific discovery?" - this remark is so stupid i dont know where to begin. go read up on E's biography before you talk crap la pls.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211495630635304515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-28015097645617430562007-06-21T20:34:00.000+08:002007-06-21T20:34:00.000+08:00i really like the way you write!you are the few wr...i really like the way you write!<BR/>you are the few writers that can keep me occupied with their articles!<BR/>your ideas get across simply and easily, yet they are thought-provoking.<BR/>i'm not a good writer, but i thought i should let you know you are really good!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-48721956509833067012007-06-21T18:44:00.000+08:002007-06-21T18:44:00.000+08:00"I repeat my assertion with a straight face and pl..."I repeat my assertion with a straight face and plenty of evidence to back it up: Scientific literacy in Singapore is a big fat zero." <-- Using selected sample size? Is your sample size big enough to be conclusive? Or is it a selected sample size to let you make your claim? To say literacy is low, maybe, to say zero, that means it include you as well? Not very smart way of putting it, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-83074595994914801972007-06-21T18:23:00.000+08:002007-06-21T18:23:00.000+08:00I repeat my assertion with a straight face and ple...I repeat my assertion with a straight face and plenty of evidence to back it up: Scientific literacy in Singapore is a big fat zero.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-67641579000122921222007-06-21T14:57:00.000+08:002007-06-21T14:57:00.000+08:0012:10pm anon, dont bull me with your "standard tex...12:10pm anon, dont bull me with your "standard textbook" crap. I happen to be a physicist by training. You can't scare with me with your mumbo jumbo. I challenge you to tell me exactly what Einstein means when he said THAT PARTICULAR SENTENCE and state your source. I can't do that for you because the onus lies on you since you insist that there is another "interpretation" to THAT PARTICULAR SENTENCE.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-66288954050247185242007-06-21T13:04:00.000+08:002007-06-21T13:04:00.000+08:00Quote :Einstein was a damnably smart chap. Through...Quote :Einstein was a damnably smart chap. Through his physics and maths, he actually figured out lots of things which Buddha only found out through getting enlightenment.Unquote<BR/><BR/>1.Buddha existed more than 2,000 years before Einstein. No body knows for sure whether Einstein was aware of Buddha's teaching before he made his discovery.<BR/>2.How then do u explain that a junoir clerk in the Swiss Patent Office could have come out with such a major scientific discovery ?<BR/>His academic record was not exactly excellent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-76515296571425989512007-06-21T12:10:00.000+08:002007-06-21T12:10:00.000+08:00To the anonymous at 11.40am,Oh my god. This blog i...To the anonymous at 11.40am,<BR/><BR/>Oh my god. This blog is full of idiots. What do you mean my own interpretation. I gave you an interpretation in ANY standard physics textbook. But reading a textbook is too hard, you'd rather read blogs.<BR/><BR/>Scientific literacy in Singapore = a big fat zero.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-32967494170048005982007-06-21T11:40:00.000+08:002007-06-21T11:40:00.000+08:00"Your quotes of Einstein are taken out of context...."Your quotes of Einstein are taken out of context."<BR/><BR/>The 2 anons who supported each other: care to tell us the context and what Einstein really mean then? And I don't mean YOUR own interpretation based on your own understanding of Physics. I mean, point out what EINSTEIN means. <BR/><BR/>For eg, when Einstein said: <B>"...for us physicists believe the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one"</B>. To me, it is quite clear that Einstein is simply saying that he viewed the past and the present and the future as a continuation of one into the other and therefore cannot be separated into discrete distinct parts: t1, t2, t3...<BR/><BR/>Now tell us, what other meaning could EINSTEIN (not you) have meant if not that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-14642872731300896872007-06-21T11:04:00.000+08:002007-06-21T11:04:00.000+08:00This is the anonymous of 8.59am speaking ...I agre...This is the anonymous of 8.59am speaking ...<BR/><BR/>I agree with what anonymous of 10.21am said.<BR/><BR/>Mr Wang should stay away from making scientific statements.<BR/><BR/>Religion is fine, until it starts to cherry pick what it wants to believe from the quotations of famous scientists out of context.<BR/><BR/>Scientific literacy amongst bloggers is low. I say this without reservation.<BR/><BR/>And everyone has a religion: some just don't know what it is yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-68179200842781263272007-06-21T10:53:00.000+08:002007-06-21T10:53:00.000+08:00" tried to justify your religion with it."I don't ...<B>" tried to justify your religion with it."</B><BR/><BR/>I don't have any religion. LOL.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-66619085680642368102007-06-21T10:21:00.000+08:002007-06-21T10:21:00.000+08:00Mr Wang, I admire your previous work, but when you...Mr Wang, I admire your previous work, but when you begin to make scientific statements, I think you should stop. Your past few articles in particular, showed the depths of your misunderdstanding, when you bandied about grand notions of the multiverse and tried to justify your religion with it.<BR/><BR/>Your quotes of Einstein are taken out of context. Furthermore, in his later years, Einstein was not very good at making good models of the universe and physical reality. I disagree with physics, phd. Anonymous 8:59am gave the correct interpretation of Einstein's quote.<BR/><BR/>Science is not a belief system, based on conviction, but based on the evidence. It is about making good testable models of the universe. Speculation is welcome, but unless it leads to an improvement in the model, it is useless.<BR/><BR/>Religion, even Buddhism, is not based on evidence, no matter how you wish to think otherwise. At most, religion can be an inspiration to doing science. I think Mr Wang might have benefited from taking a few cross-fac modules in his undergrad days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-79601918695669653532007-06-21T10:08:00.000+08:002007-06-21T10:08:00.000+08:00The aim of a buddhist is to reach the highest pos...The aim of a buddhist is to reach the highest possible life conditions.Henry Leonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06153981481480197789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-74269773851554029522007-06-21T10:01:00.000+08:002007-06-21T10:01:00.000+08:00Anon of June 21, 2007 8:59 AM,You are the one who ...Anon of June 21, 2007 8:59 AM,<BR/>You are the one who is really NUT!<BR/><BR/>Einstein was talking about his philosophical view of the relationship between the past, present and future. (Hey, can you read that Einstein said those things when his friend died???)<BR/><BR/>Can Einstein not give his opinion on topics outside of his General and Special Relativity subject?<BR/><BR/>Singaporeans are scientifically literate AND they also know that it is possible for a physicist to give his opinion on the philosophical meaning of time!<BR/><BR/>But alas, you can't tell the difference and waste no time in boasting to us about your supposed superior scientific knowledge.<BR/><BR/>Deterministic classical mechanics versus quantum mechanics, indeed! Please lah, we know as much abt that as you do - want to talk about the grand unified theory that will unite both the big deterministic General Relativity, and the small underterministic Quantum Mechanics? ZZzzzzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-85651691259877170902007-06-21T09:46:00.000+08:002007-06-21T09:46:00.000+08:00>"There is a fundamental spiritual truth here, but...>"There is a fundamental spiritual truth here, but it's difficult to express it in words"<BR/><BR/>One way to express it in words is like this:<BR/><BR/><I>"They sorrow not for what is past,<BR/>They have no longing for the future,<BR/>The present is sufficient for them:<BR/>Hence it is they appear so radiant.<BR/><BR/>By having longing for the future,<BR/>By sorrowing over what is past,<BR/>By this fools are withered up<BR/>As a cut down tender reed."</I><BR/><A HREF="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.010.irel.html" REL="nofollow">Aranna Sutta</A><BR/><BR/>I am sure all religions have similar versions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-42760709757875742372007-06-21T09:34:00.000+08:002007-06-21T09:34:00.000+08:00Mr Wang,Your blog is getting more and more interes...Mr Wang,<BR/>Your blog is getting more and more interesting. You have so many topics to blog about and share with us. I really enjoy reading your blog a lot. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-32263418232326867772007-06-21T09:24:00.000+08:002007-06-21T09:24:00.000+08:00Ah yes. Reality is indeed an illusion, albeit a ve...Ah yes. Reality is indeed an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. ;)Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-66608757226674442792007-06-21T08:59:00.000+08:002007-06-21T08:59:00.000+08:00All of you are nuts.Einstein believed in determini...All of you are nuts.<BR/><BR/>Einstein believed in determinism. That is the right way to understand how "past, present and future can exist simultanously". And classical physics is deterministic, which lends weight to this believe.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, Einstein also does not believe Quantum Mechamics, a science which he himself helped father. He did not believe in QM becuase it was nondeterministic. And QM, the ondeterminstsics theory, has been shown consistently to be the correct description of matter at the small scale. So you see, ultimately, QM says nature is nondeterministic. The future is not written.<BR/><BR/>Singaporeans are not very scientifically literate. Even a hotshot lawyer like Mr Wang doesn't know the science.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-20865200929137515062007-06-21T05:59:00.000+08:002007-06-21T05:59:00.000+08:00> Through his physics and maths, he actually figur...<I>> Through his physics and maths, he actually figured out lots of things which Buddha only found out through getting enlightenment</I><BR/><BR/>Aha, but from a Buddhist's perspective, what Einstein "figured out" is superficial, in that he was <I>only</I> able to talk the talk, but not walk the walk. So he could say: "reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.", but he would still cling on to this "reality" (i.e. not able to give up craving of those impermanent worldly stuff completely) and be subjected to rebirth again, and again.<BR/><BR/>The Enlightenment of the Buddha however is a real "figuring out", in that it resulted in him no longer clinging to "reality" and thus no longer subjected to rebirth. Such true "figuring out" (called Right Understanding in Buddhist terminology) requires life after life of training, and is hardly something that can be done in one life time.<BR/><BR/>Also, in Buddhism, enlightenment is not equivalent to becoming a Buddha. (An Arahant (Ah Luo Han) is enlightened too). There are different level of enlightenment and a Buddha is a <I>supremely</I> enlightened Being (sammasamBuddhasa). Being a Buddha brings other benefits, chief of which is he is able to read the mind of others and look into their past lives. This enabled him to tailor his teachings to each individual according to the latter's temperament and ability. Which is why he is known as the Teacher of Gods and Men. In fact, that's the main reason for anyone to want to become a Buddha - to be a supreme teacher. If it is just for enlightenment, it could have been achieved billions of lifetime ago, as an Arahant.<BR/><BR/>My personal analogy would og like this: Einstein is like a patient, who is clever enough to understand what his illness is, but who is not cured yet. An Arahant would be a cured former patient. A Buddha, in addition to having been cured, is a doctor who can treat other patients.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-62988934431926717032007-06-21T04:53:00.000+08:002007-06-21T04:53:00.000+08:00mr wang, this may seem like a cop-out, but i am on...mr wang, this may seem like a cop-out, but i am one of the few who subscribe this set of beliefs as you have articulated through the examples of buddha and einstein.<BR/><BR/>thank youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-15794528200109037292007-06-21T02:35:00.000+08:002007-06-21T02:35:00.000+08:00For those people who thinks about the n-th dimensi...For those people who thinks about the n-th dimension stuff, see this site:<BR/><BR/>http://www.tenthdimension.com/flash2.php<BR/><BR/>If you can envision and embrace the 10th dimension, you are Buddha. :)<BR/><BR/>The thing is, after seeing the Flash file, your heart sense you are aware of that feeling, but someone our 3-dimensional brain just aren't able to absorb it via the conscious mind. It will require the sub-conscious mind to awaken your true nature.<BR/><BR/>So ... in essence, there is no past, no future, no present. The present is actually the past and the future. It is just ... IT.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-52813122697221294812007-06-21T01:57:00.000+08:002007-06-21T01:57:00.000+08:00This is probably an aside from your original pt, w...This is probably an aside from your original pt, which i gather is about mediation and more specifically, present moment awareness. Regarding the conception of space-time, it is true that physicists regarding space-time as a 4 dimensional world. However, there is also this concept of the "arrow of time" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_of_time which seems to suggest that we can only move in 1 direction for time, i.e. forward, rather bi-drectional as is the case for the other 3 dimensions. So it does seem that it is not so clear cut to view our world as a 4 dimensional static world in which past and future have no meaning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com