Sia - Breathe Me

Verloren, vielleicht.

Every time I return from visiting my grandmother in Germany, I have an almost irresistible urge to flee the states for my birthland, and I often feel a tinge of treason for not doing just that. But I don’t use “treason” in any political or nationalistic sense; perhaps only intellectually. Since my first language was German, my mind must have the vestiges of a neural component that would allow me to excel linguistically should I choose to immerse myself in the language once again. Despite opportunities abounding, however, which admittedly increase the attraction of relocating, I can’t seem to bring myself to take the steps that would result in foreign residence. I suppose it all comes down to a reason that’s simple yet inescapable: I don’t want to leave those I love, whom I see rarely enough as it is. 

Tutor: Chemistry Lab - Session 1.

Lab I: Investigate the properties of a mixture: cornstarch and water. 

Success. The student is hooked. 

Sigh

ex nihilo omne ens qua ens fit: A brief thought on a Dawkins' quote.

themattscott:

“We have brains: it’s brains that do the thinking, our brains are going to decay, that’ll be that. But when you say, “Is this it?” Well, how much more do you want? This is wonderful.”

- Richard Dawkins

I’m unsure of the context surrounding this statement, but as a standalone proposition, I…

I think Dawkins’ statement should be taken, in part, somewhat like this: I don’t require the concept of an afterlife because my corporeal existence is sufficient in providing meaning to my life. He’s not saying that there aren’t horrible things that occur in the world that need to be addressed. He’s saying that his temporally limited physical existence is enough for him—he doesn’t need the promise of eternity. “This is wonderful” and its implicative, “this is enough,” means “I don’t need an afterlife to find meaning,” not “there is no/I don’t care about the pain in suffering in the world.” Also, his statement about brains is merely intended to emphasize the physical limitations of consciousness—when our brains die, we die. 

I think Dawkins would agree with most of the positions you hold, Matt: Revulsion at pain and suffering, rejection of a myopic world-view, understanding and acknowledgement of the importance of emotions in motivating thinking, and the encouragement to focus on making this world a better place as opposed to looking to another. These are not positions that Dawkins rejects by any means. 

Anyway, I hope that cleared things up a little. 

(Reblogged from matt-scott)

gesophrosunt-deactivated2012011 asked: Dear Human Friend - I herein submit to you a personal request that you might in the future times employ this webpage to post select thoughts, ideas, rants, ramblings, and whathaveyou's of your own creation and patronage, so that your peers and friends might peruse them. What say you?

I shall consider it. ha. 

(Reblogged from videopalindrome)

Radiohead - Lotus Flower

Local Natives | Who Knows Who Cares | A Take Away Show

The Antlers - Two / Epilogue