Spanish Dancer As on all its sides a kitchen-match darts white flickering tongues before it bursts into flame: with the audience around her, quickened, hot, her dance begins to flicker in the dark room. And all at once it is completely fire. One upward glance and she ignites her hair and, whirling faster and faster, fans her dress into passionate flames, till it becomes a …
Gödel’s Kōan
Just finished reading the 2001 edition of Gödel's Proof by Ernest Nagel and James Newman, edited by Douglas Hofstadter. This is an excellent introduction to Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem, written in mostly non-technical language—which means that you don't have to be a professional mathematician to (at least mostly) understand it. Though still a challenging read, I'd say it's well worth the …
All This Affluence … Inexhaustible!
The Taste Of Truth When a young child—still mostly unfamiliar with spoken language—tastes something sweetly delicious—say a piece of candy or a perfectly ripe peach—their delight may be expressed spontaneously by a giddy smile and/or eyes wide with astonishment. This is how we—while observing the child—might infer his or her pleasure, satisfaction, unspoken contentment. But mostly the taste of …
Practice Notes: Magic Trick
Imagine ... taking your son or daughter, or niece or nephew, or younger brother or sister to a magic show. One of the acts performed by the magician is the well-known "sawing a lady in half." You and your child-friend watch as the magician opens the coffin-like wooden box, and helps his lovely assistant to lie down in it—with only her head and her feet protruding, on opposite ends. With The …
Oh Yeah
Rhapsodizing the Warriors ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=200&v=hvP4N_nnLu4 …
Couch Of Leaves: Reflections On Power
The Tao can't be perceived. Smaller than an electron, it contains uncountable galaxies. If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao, all things would be in harmony. The world would become a paradise. All people would be at peace, and the law would be written in their hearts. When you have names and forms, know that they are provisional. When you have institutions, know …