09 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
The Earth Speaks
The Earth Speaks, clearly, distinctly, and, in many of the realms of Nature, loudly, to William Jennings Bryan, but he fails to hear a single sound. The earth speaks from the remotest periods in its wonderful life history in the Archaeozoic Age, when it reveals only a few tissues of its primitive plants. Fifty million years ago it begins to speak as "the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creatures that hath life." In successive eons of time the various kinds of animals leave their rema... 1 
notes
notesThe evidence is there, but biblicalists refuse to see the it.
05 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Rocks Contain Impressions of Irreversible Events
Historical chronology, human or geological, depends... upon comparable impersonal principles. If one scribes with a stylus on a plate of wet clay two marks, the second crossing the first, another person on examining these marks can tell unambiguously which was made first and which second, because the latter event irreversibly disturbs its predecessor. In virtue of the fact that most of the rocks of the earth contain imprints of a succession of such irreversible events, an unambiguous working ...
1 Like drawing two strokes on a clay tablet.
02 FEB 2012 by ideonexus
The Positive Mind
In the final, the positive, state, the mind has given over the vain search after absolute notions, the origin and destination of the universe, and the causes of phenomena, and applies itself to the study of their laws—that is, their invariable relations of succession and resemblance. Reasoning and observation, duly combined, are the means of this knowledge. What is now understood when we speak of an explanation of facts is simply the establishment of a connection between single phenomena an... 1 notes
notesDoesn't concern itself with absolute truth, but is focused on laws and how facts tie into them.
28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Better to be a Perfected Ape than Degraded Adam
As for me ... I would much rather be a perfected ape than a degraded Adam. Yes, if it is shown to me that my humble ancestors were quadrupedal animals, arboreal herbivores, brothers or cousins of those who were also the ancestors of monkeys and apes, far from blushing in shame for my species because of its genealogy and parentage, I will be proud of all that evolution has accomplished, of the continuous improvement which takes us up to the highest order, of the successive triumphs that have m... 1 notes
notesA quote from Paul Broca about being proud of our evolutionary advancement.
18 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
The Laws of Anthropology
Anthropology has reached that point of development where the careful investigation of facts shakes our firm belief in the far-reaching theories that have been built up. The complexity of each phenomenon dawns on our minds, and makes us desirous of proceeding more cautiously. Heretofore we have seen the features common to all human thought. Now we begin to see their differences. We recognize that these are no less important than their similarities, and the value of detailed studies becomes app...Folksonomies: natural history anthropology
Folksonomies: natural history anthropology
1 notes
notesAnthropologists need a firm and accurate grasp of history before they can begin to induct laws from it.
21 DEC 2011 by ideonexus
Technological Revolutions Don't Remove the Need for Chara...
During my eighty-seven years I have witnessed a whole succession of technological revolutions. But none of them has done away with the need for character in the individual or the ability to think. 1 notes
notesA nice quote.
03 JAN 2011 by ideonexus
A Reversible NAND Gate
The great discovery of Bennett and, independently, of Fredkin is that it is possible to do computation with a different kind of fundamental gate unit, namely, a reversible gate unit. I have illustrated their idea--with a unit which I could call a reversible NAND gate. It has thre inputs and thre outputs. Of the outputs, tow, A' and B', are the same as two of the inputs, A and B, but the third input works this way. C' is the same as C unless A and B are both 1, in which case it changes whateve...Folksonomies: computing
Folksonomies: computing
1 notes
notesFeynman describes a reversible logic gate, with three inputs and three outputs, one of which tracks the change in input and output, allowing the computer to reverse its operation and potentially pursue a different route.
