Earthseed 11-20
11. The Paradox
Why is the universe?To shape God.
Why is God?To shape the universe.
∞ = Δ
12. A Tree
A treeCannot growIn its parentsʼ shadows.
∞ = Δ
13. The Destiny of Earthseed
Destiny of EarthseedIs to take root among the stars.
∞ = Δ
14. Consequences
To get along with God,Consider the consequences of your behavior.
∞ = Δ
15. Power Struggles
All strugglesAre essentiallypower struggles.Who will rule,Who will lead,Who will define,refine,confine,design,Who will dominate.All strug...
notes I am my connectome
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11346470-connectomeWe know that each of us is unique, but science has struggled to pinpoint where, precisely, our uniqueness resides. Is it in our genes? The structure of our brains? Our genome may determine our eye color and even aspects of our personality. But our friendships, failures, and passions also shape who we are. The question is: how? Sebastian Seung, a dynamic professor at MIT, is on a quest to discover the biological basis of identity. He believes it lies in the pattern of connections between the brain’s neurons, which change slowly over time as we learn and grow. The connectome, as it’s called, is where our genetic inheritance intersects with our life experience. It’s where nature meets nurture. Seung introduces us to the dedicated researchers who are mapping the brain’s connections, neuron by neuron, synapse by synapse. It is a monumental undertaking—the scientific equivalent of climbing Mount Everest—but if they succeed, it could reveal the basis of personality, intelligence, memory, and perhaps even mental disorders. Many scientists speculate that people with anorexia, autism, and schizophrenia are "wired differently," but nobody knows for sure. The brain’s wiring has never been clearly seen. In sparklingly clear prose, Seung reveals the amazing technological advances that will soon help us map connectomes. He also examines the evidence that these maps will someday allow humans to "upload" their minds into computers, achieving a kind of immortality. Connectome is a mind-bending adventure story, told with great passion and authority. It presents a daring scientific and technological vision for at last understanding what makes us who we are. Welcome to the future of neuroscience
Genes versus Hormones in Homosexuality
It is clear, however, that the cause of homosexuality lies in some unusual balance of hormonal influence in the womb but not later on, a fact that further supports the idea that the mentality of sexual preference is affected by prenatal sex hormones. This is not incompatible with the growing evidence that homosexuality is genetically determined. The "gay gene" that I will discuss in the ext chapter is widely expected to turn out to be a series of genes that affect the sensitivity of certain t... notesAre the genes for homosexuality like the genes for height? Not a predetermined thing, but putting us in averages?
If Nurture, Why Not More Variation in Human Culture?
Humanity is, of course, morally free to make and remake itself infinitely, but we do not do so. We stick to the same monotonously human pattern of organizing our affairs. If we were more adventurous, there would be societies without love, without ambition, without sexual desire, without marriage, without art. without grammar, without music, without st smiles—and with as many unimaginable novelties as are in that list. There would be societies in which women killed each other more often than... notesIf humans have free will, then there should be cultures without love, musics, and other social norms.
