Complexity Theory - Entropy and Chaos Article Count: 1
Generational Theory - and other Cycles Article Count: 1
Truth as an Absolute Article Count: 1
Ethics and Biblical Ethics Article Count: 1
- Details
- Written by: Alan Jones
- Category: Ethics and Biblical Ethics
- Read Time: 2 mins
We are not called to look longingly at heaven from earth;
we are called to look lovingly at earth from heaven.
2 Peter 3:11 says: "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness," This is an ethics question, it is not rhetorical; and it's based on an eschatological assertion. Peter isn't theorising about the end, he is basing current ethic on how the whole material universe will end! Our eschatology matters!
Paul answers Peter in Galatians 6:10: “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” We won't always have this opportunity, doing good will eventually be default, indistinguishable from doing anything, but now we have opportunity to shine in the darkness, to go against our animal instincts to grab, hoard, lie, steal, manipulate, and murder.
- Details
- Written by: Alan Jones
- Category: Generational Theory - and other Cycles
- Read Time: 13 mins
Neil Howe's book The Fourth Turning is Here is proving to be a thought provoking read. Here are exerpts from the Preface and Chapter 1 with my thoughts in Blockquote:
Preface
This book proposes that America is midway through an era of historical crisis, which- almost by definition-will lead to outcomes that are largely though not entirely beyond our control. The prospect of such radical uncertainty may fill us with dread.
All too often in the modern West we fear that any outcome not subject to our complete control must mean we are heading toward catastrophe.
Over the course of this book, I hope to persuade you of a more ancient yet also more optimistic doctrine: that our collective social life, as with so many rhythmic systems in nature, requires seasons of sudden change and radical uncertainty in order for us to thrive over time. Or, to paraphrase Blaise Pascal: History has reasons that reason knows nothing of.
- Details
- Written by: Alan Jones
- Category: Truth as an Absolute
- Read Time: 7 mins
I am convinced that we could save billions of wasted hours arguing if we simply used absolute terms only to define absolute concepts. Concepts like “Fact” and “Truth”.
An "established fact" should be no different from any other "fact", in fact there is only one kind of fact. And the truth is that facts are rare, and we should not use fact in place of either consensus or theory. There have been a great many ideas throughout our history that have been held by the majority but have been far from true.
- Details
- Written by: Alan Jones
- Category: Complexity Theory - Entropy and Chaos
- Read Time: 17 mins
An aricle based on an AI conversation with Google's Gemini:
I am interested in Predictability! Especially in complex human systems.
To this end I would like to discuss: Generational Theory, Complexity (or Chaos) Theory, and Prophecy.
Søren Kierkegaard in his book Sickness Unto Death made the following startling statements:
"The fact that God's will is the possible means I can pray; if God's will is only the necessary, then man is essentially as dumb as the beast."
and
"Only the person whose being was so shaken that he became spirit by grasping that everything is possible, only he has had dealings with God."
Below are Michael Crichton's 7 configurations of complex systems in his novel The Lost World, as they head toward, and fall over, the Chaotic Edge.
Althought these are fictional concepts–and Ian Maclaom is a fictional character–they do strike me with certain degree of accuracy. At least they serve to describe what is a very interesting topic when thinking about human systems and complexity:
- Non-Linear progression.
- A secular linear dystopian prediction of the future is not realistic.
"Less faith in the mythology of the world, more faith in God and His story."
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebuilders/id1462274371?i=1000528831404