phew... just finished typing a philosophy paper. Have been on it the past few days, and that perhaps explains my previous post. Anyway, I'm going to try to submit it to a couple of undergraduate journals. Though the chance of publication is scant, just thought i'd give it a try. I have a small problem at hand though... For whatever reason, i can't come up with a title that sounds nice and is relevant. Right now, the working title is rather dubious:
"From Logical to Epistemic Circularity: The Cartesian Circle Remains"
Hmmm. Ok. I'm sorry if that didnt make too much sense to you. It does make sense to me, but it just doesnt sound nice. Sounds a bit clunky (is there even such a word?) to me at the moment. Hopefully a good night's sleep will provide some inspiration.
Ok, on a totally different note, seems like Chinese New Year isn't really very chinese. But it seems to me that there are 2 things which are guaranteed each year. One which we are desperate for and the other which we just have to put up with. Make a guess?
Too late - the answer is here: Hong Bao and Very HOT weather.
Now I'm sure that we dont uphold the giving (or rather, the taking) of those little red packets because of some proud Chinese culture/tradition/spirit. You don't see other traditions being upheld as so sacrosanct.
Hot weather, on the other hand, seems to always go hand in hand with a picture of anything Chinese. Try it. Just imagine Chinatown in the afternoon in your head. Is it raining, snowing, cloudy, or scorching hot? I'd bet on the last one. Imagine those period dramas which are shown on television - e.g. those with justice Bao or some Emperor or some pugilistic kung fu show. 99% of those scenes give you the impression that it's really hot.
So, true to the above observations, this Chinese New Year has ushered in the merciless, searing, scorching, burning hot sun and chased away the rainy days. I wonder if there are statistics done on the number of people down with heat stroke. And as if it were not bad enough, every house is stocked up with those pseudo goodies like bak kwa and lots and lots of other heaty stuff. Eat at your own risk!
Even so, the visit to my grandma's place was lightened up today by Xiao Bai - Jing Yang's very own cute dog. Finally, the funny action it does - standing up on it's hind legs and waving it's front feet up and down - finds an appropriate time. This year, our entrance was greeted by this "gong xi, gong xi" action which made it such a darling to everyone. Xin En had a ball of a time throwing balls for it to fetch. Just highlights the difference between cats and dogs. Cats are so self-absorbed, nonchalant, indifferent, and well, boring because they're bored. They survive (as pets) just based on looking pretty. Dogs, on the other hand, are inquisitive, hyperactive, excited, ready to please, and interested in what's around them. As the book "Cat and Dog Theology" exhorts, let's be dogs and not cats. Maybe I should learn something from Xiao Bai, take a reminder from God's creation, and try to be less self-centred this year. :)
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
knowledge, epistemic circularity and presuppositional apologetics - part one
Consider the following: How do you know anything?
In epistemology (theory of knowledge), we seek to find a criteria for what counts as knowledge. Obviously, what counts as knowledge must at least be:
1. True
2. Believed
For example, consider the statement: "Grace Baptist Church is located at 17 Mattar Rd." If a person knows this, it means that it must first be true, and the person himself/herself must belief this statement.
But problem is that those 2 conditions are clearly necessary but NOT sufficient. There is something about knowledge, such that we distinguish it from mere lucky guesses. For example, a madman thinks that the address of every single church is at 17 Mattar Rd. Obviously, in the case of Grace Baptist Church, he happens to be correct. But so what? Does he really know anything? Isn't it just a lucky belief?
Thus, we need a third criterion - that something that makes a belief worth believing in. For the above example, we can say that a person only truly knows if he has a good reason for believing in the statement, such as checking the Singapore Street Directory.
The biggest problem in philosophy of knowledge (epistemology), is to find this elusive something that makes a mere true belief become knowledge.
Many suggestions have been put forward as to what something may be. The most obvious is simply good reason that the person has access to. But then comes another problem!
Let's say I tell you I believe something. Let that belief be represented by P (e.g. cats are mammals). You may then ask, why do you believe that P? I will probably give you a reason Q. But Q is just another belief you can question. I will have to give you another reason R, for believing in Q. But R itself is just another belief... and the process goes on.
So we have
So, what can we do?
Some people propose that the chain ends with something that is self-evident, that does not need an explanation itself. For example, it is self-evident that 1+1=2. It is self-evident that reason does not allow for contradictions. So, when the reason comes to something that is self-evident, we can stop there and give ourselves a pat on the back. We have that as our foundation. Our knowledge is secure!
In epistemology (theory of knowledge), we seek to find a criteria for what counts as knowledge. Obviously, what counts as knowledge must at least be:
1. True
2. Believed
For example, consider the statement: "Grace Baptist Church is located at 17 Mattar Rd." If a person knows this, it means that it must first be true, and the person himself/herself must belief this statement.
But problem is that those 2 conditions are clearly necessary but NOT sufficient. There is something about knowledge, such that we distinguish it from mere lucky guesses. For example, a madman thinks that the address of every single church is at 17 Mattar Rd. Obviously, in the case of Grace Baptist Church, he happens to be correct. But so what? Does he really know anything? Isn't it just a lucky belief?
Thus, we need a third criterion - that something that makes a belief worth believing in. For the above example, we can say that a person only truly knows if he has a good reason for believing in the statement, such as checking the Singapore Street Directory.
The biggest problem in philosophy of knowledge (epistemology), is to find this elusive something that makes a mere true belief become knowledge.
Many suggestions have been put forward as to what something may be. The most obvious is simply good reason that the person has access to. But then comes another problem!
Let's say I tell you I believe something. Let that belief be represented by P (e.g. cats are mammals). You may then ask, why do you believe that P? I will probably give you a reason Q. But Q is just another belief you can question. I will have to give you another reason R, for believing in Q. But R itself is just another belief... and the process goes on.
So we have
P because of Q.
Q because of R.
R because of ...
.
.
.
indefinitely?
Obviously the chain of reasoning has to end somewhere. There can't be an infinite regress of reasons backing up each previous reason, because our capacity for knowledge is obviously finite.So, what can we do?
Some people propose that the chain ends with something that is self-evident, that does not need an explanation itself. For example, it is self-evident that 1+1=2. It is self-evident that reason does not allow for contradictions. So, when the reason comes to something that is self-evident, we can stop there and give ourselves a pat on the back. We have that as our foundation. Our knowledge is secure!
BUT IS IT?
Another question arises: what is our reason for supposing that something that is self-evident does not need reasons to back it up?
Clearly, I can think of examples when something appears to be self-evident to the subject and yet is false. Consider Neo in the Matrix. Neo thinks he's living in the 20th century in a metropolis, when in actual fact all that is just a simulated illusion caused by some very advanced computers. In reality, his body has been trapped in a machine since his birth.
In other words, it is not self-evident that self-evident beliefs can serve as the foundation of knowledge. In order to justify that self-evident beliefs can serve as a foundation, we need other reasons again! So are we condemned to not being sure of anything? It seems that if we just end at things which seem self-evident to us, then our knowledge tends to be arbitrary. How do we know that things are TRUE, and not just evident?
And as Christians, how are we to respond to questions regarding faith? Stay tuned...
Thursday, January 19, 2006
question explained!
in response to the meagre amount of (highly appreciated) comments in response to the question I asked in my post (first hour in school), I shall attempt a better explanation.
(Those not interested, please skip, and remember that not all my entries (in fact, most are not) are about philosophy!)
in philosophy of mind, there are 2 main schools - physicalism/materialism and dualism. The first thing to bear in mind is that these are just terms that are used to refer to certain beliefs about the world and the nature of our minds. In order to be clear in discussions, the definitions of these terms tend to be a little technical, and that is why some people understandably find it difficult to understand.
Now this is (one way of defining) what physicalism/dualism holds:
Does the physical nature of the world logically necessitate its mental nature?
Ok. Just hang on and read on. I'm going to explain the terms, and then give a layman's description.
physical nature (of the world) - the objective world as discovered in the sciences, which can have several levels of description, eg. brains, cells, neurons, proteins, DNA, carbon molecules, atoms, electrons, stones, planets, and so on... Also includes the functions of such physical objects, their configurations, arrangements, interactions, etc.... You get the general idea.
mental nature - traditionally what we regard as the experience of our minds. This includes thinking, sensing, willing, feeling, and so on. For example, the sight of a blue sky, the feel of a velvet suit, the smell of freshly cut grass, the spicyness of chilli, the sound of waves crashing upon jagged rocks; emotions like the feeling of anger, the pangs of jealousy, the delight at seeing a loved one, the nostalgia while looking at old photos; the act of willing something, deciding something, or believing something; religious/spiritual experience of worship, praise, contrition and so on.
Physical nature tends to be regarded as objective. If E=mc2 is true, then it is true no matter who is investigating this fact, or whether anyone knows it. On the other hand, what characterises mental nature is the personal, subjective quality of experience (as Thomas Nagel puts it). Atoms can still be atoms whether or not there is a subject observing them. But the experience of the smell of a rose depends on there being a subject to smell it.
Next, what is logical necessity? When I say that B is necessitated by A, it means that B logically follows from A. It means that once I have A, I cannot deny B. Consider the following example:
P1. All triangles are 3-sided figures.
P2. S is a 3-sided figure.
C. Therefore, S is a triangle.
Here, we see that once we say that S is a 3-sided figure, it is logically necessary that S is also a triangle. There is NO WAY that S can be 3-sided without being a triangle.
Similarly, when we consider the above question:
Does the physical nature of the world logically necessitate its mental nature?
If you are a physicalist, you answer 'yes', and that means that all our mental experiences are FIXED by the physical structure of our bodies and of the world. It means that, given a certain configuration of your brain, there is a certain mental experience that you must have.
For example, if now you are having a visual experience of a red apple, and some scientist discovers that you current brain is in a state, say state ABC. Then the physicalist would say that whenever your brain is in state ABC, you MUST necessarily be having the exact same visual experience of a red apple.
What the physicalist says, in effect, is that in any possible world, if there were someone with the exact physical structure as you, which goes through the same physical changes and so on, then that person must necessarily have the exact same kind of mental life as you.
Ok, now on to the dualist position. As mentioned, the dualist answers 'no' to the question. Now, this means that the dualist thinks that it is possible in theory to have another world where everything physical is exactly the same as ours, down to the last atom, but where the mental life is different. For example, we could have a world of zombies, or machines, constructed exactly like humans, with the same chemical/biological make-up, but without consciousness.
In short, the dualist thinks that the mental is not completely determined by the physical. The dualist does not deny that the mental is caused by the physical, e.g. when I stub my toe, I feel a pain (because my nerves transmit the physical information to my brain, causing the firing of some neurons, etc). What the dualist denies is that mental life and experience is fully determined by physical life, not only in our world, but in any possible world.
Phew! Having said that, I hope I have not scared off my entire readership. For the brave souls who have read all the way and hopefully achieved a new level of understanding (and a headache), do feedback. :)
(Those not interested, please skip, and remember that not all my entries (in fact, most are not) are about philosophy!)
in philosophy of mind, there are 2 main schools - physicalism/materialism and dualism. The first thing to bear in mind is that these are just terms that are used to refer to certain beliefs about the world and the nature of our minds. In order to be clear in discussions, the definitions of these terms tend to be a little technical, and that is why some people understandably find it difficult to understand.
Now this is (one way of defining) what physicalism/dualism holds:
Does the physical nature of the world logically necessitate its mental nature?
Ok. Just hang on and read on. I'm going to explain the terms, and then give a layman's description.
physical nature (of the world) - the objective world as discovered in the sciences, which can have several levels of description, eg. brains, cells, neurons, proteins, DNA, carbon molecules, atoms, electrons, stones, planets, and so on... Also includes the functions of such physical objects, their configurations, arrangements, interactions, etc.... You get the general idea.
mental nature - traditionally what we regard as the experience of our minds. This includes thinking, sensing, willing, feeling, and so on. For example, the sight of a blue sky, the feel of a velvet suit, the smell of freshly cut grass, the spicyness of chilli, the sound of waves crashing upon jagged rocks; emotions like the feeling of anger, the pangs of jealousy, the delight at seeing a loved one, the nostalgia while looking at old photos; the act of willing something, deciding something, or believing something; religious/spiritual experience of worship, praise, contrition and so on.
Physical nature tends to be regarded as objective. If E=mc2 is true, then it is true no matter who is investigating this fact, or whether anyone knows it. On the other hand, what characterises mental nature is the personal, subjective quality of experience (as Thomas Nagel puts it). Atoms can still be atoms whether or not there is a subject observing them. But the experience of the smell of a rose depends on there being a subject to smell it.
Next, what is logical necessity? When I say that B is necessitated by A, it means that B logically follows from A. It means that once I have A, I cannot deny B. Consider the following example:
P1. All triangles are 3-sided figures.
P2. S is a 3-sided figure.
C. Therefore, S is a triangle.
Here, we see that once we say that S is a 3-sided figure, it is logically necessary that S is also a triangle. There is NO WAY that S can be 3-sided without being a triangle.
Similarly, when we consider the above question:
Does the physical nature of the world logically necessitate its mental nature?
If you are a physicalist, you answer 'yes', and that means that all our mental experiences are FIXED by the physical structure of our bodies and of the world. It means that, given a certain configuration of your brain, there is a certain mental experience that you must have.
For example, if now you are having a visual experience of a red apple, and some scientist discovers that you current brain is in a state, say state ABC. Then the physicalist would say that whenever your brain is in state ABC, you MUST necessarily be having the exact same visual experience of a red apple.
What the physicalist says, in effect, is that in any possible world, if there were someone with the exact physical structure as you, which goes through the same physical changes and so on, then that person must necessarily have the exact same kind of mental life as you.
Ok, now on to the dualist position. As mentioned, the dualist answers 'no' to the question. Now, this means that the dualist thinks that it is possible in theory to have another world where everything physical is exactly the same as ours, down to the last atom, but where the mental life is different. For example, we could have a world of zombies, or machines, constructed exactly like humans, with the same chemical/biological make-up, but without consciousness.
In short, the dualist thinks that the mental is not completely determined by the physical. The dualist does not deny that the mental is caused by the physical, e.g. when I stub my toe, I feel a pain (because my nerves transmit the physical information to my brain, causing the firing of some neurons, etc). What the dualist denies is that mental life and experience is fully determined by physical life, not only in our world, but in any possible world.
Phew! Having said that, I hope I have not scared off my entire readership. For the brave souls who have read all the way and hopefully achieved a new level of understanding (and a headache), do feedback. :)
Monday, January 16, 2006
OOPS! Error in previous post
Hey... upon re-reading my post dated last monday, 9th Jan, I have discovered a mistake (which I have since corrected). Minor in quantitative terms, but grievous in terms of changing the meaning I inteneded.
Recall that I posed a question relating to philosophy of mind. I said:
"Does a thing's MENTAL nature necessitate its PHYSICAL nature?"
This is not the question I wanted to ask.
The correct question is:
"Does a thing's PHYSICAL nature necessitate its MENTAL nature?"
So to those who have so kindly answered, my apologies for the mistake (which on hindsight, is rather glaring). Anyway, if anyone answers 'yes' to the wrong question, it means that you're an idealist. This philosophical position is very out of fashion and hence if you are an idealist, you're an endangered species.
Other than the question itself, the explanations I gave in the previous post were all correct and pertain to the right question. As mentioned, if you answer 'yes' you are a materialist, and if not, then a dualist.
Recall that I posed a question relating to philosophy of mind. I said:
"Does a thing's MENTAL nature necessitate its PHYSICAL nature?"
This is not the question I wanted to ask.
The correct question is:
"Does a thing's PHYSICAL nature necessitate its MENTAL nature?"
So to those who have so kindly answered, my apologies for the mistake (which on hindsight, is rather glaring). Anyway, if anyone answers 'yes' to the wrong question, it means that you're an idealist. This philosophical position is very out of fashion and hence if you are an idealist, you're an endangered species.
Other than the question itself, the explanations I gave in the previous post were all correct and pertain to the right question. As mentioned, if you answer 'yes' you are a materialist, and if not, then a dualist.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
trust
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
These familiar verses, taken from Proverbs 3:5-6, have been read countless times by myself. Even in my old primary school ACJS, I recall these words displayed prominently upon the walls.
But how difficult they are to live out.
I wonder how often we trust God, let alone with all our heart. Sometimes, it is hard to measure. But lately, I have realised that we can perhaps know through the second line - how much are we leaning on our own understanding? When a decision is to be made, when a crisis comes, when something we do not like happens, how do we react? So often, we take control ourselves. I dont mean that we take control of the situation or control the circumstances; what I mean is that we react out of our own will and understanding. We tend to grasp, to want to react our own way, to interpret the situation with our own understanding, and not pausing to let God come in.
Leaning on our own understanding doesnt refer to using the intellect and mind that God has given us. I think it refers to reliance. Do we ultimately put our reliance on our own understanding, our own 'wisdom', or in God Himself? Do we see Him as the totally sufficient, all-satisfying God, who is both sovereign and good? Many times, we may have a feeling that we should obey God in a certain thing, but we extinguish or ignore that notion by reasoning it away, using our own understanding of the situation. We either rationalize by being too practical, too idealistic, too emotional, too rational - whichever fits what we want. And when obedience goes against what we want, it is difficult to trust. It seems easy to trust God in games which you excel in, in subjects you like, in dealing with happy situations. But whether we have really that trust, only a crisis will reveal. Because when a crisis comes, the natural way, the fallen way, is to lean on our own understanding. It is only when we are truly filled with the Holy Spirit, and sensitive to Him, that we can stand a chance against our own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him. See the unequivocal statement. All our hearts, in all our ways. There is no exception, no loophole to find. I doubt anyone who truly follows this will ever find it easy. In fact, it must be impossible but for the grace of God. I suppose God demands the humanly impossible, in part so that we have to acknowledge His divine strength, to plead for His grace and depend on it, to realise how small, how weak, how foolish we are. And if we truly trust and obey, there comes the straight paths, there comes the dawning realisation of our past foolishness, there comes the emerging delight of God's glory and His wonderful ways.
Because ultimately, all good things come from above. (Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17). If we go down the wrong path, even the temporary pleasures will one day seem dull and terribly unsatisfying. But if we walk the straight path today, then even the pain and discomfort will be transformed into nuggets of His wisdom and grace, and the path shall lead ever-closer to true happiness.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
lameness personified
"Good afternoon, I'll be your torturer-erm... I mean, lecturer for today." So began the lecturer for my sociology module today. (That's supposed to be a joke.) If you think that's as lame as you can get, the next 80 minutes were full other phrases that topped that. And the worst thing was, the lecturer took his jokes so seriously, keeping that obviously deadpan expression, pausing after each delivery to wait for the laughter, and treating all of us like some audience at a talkshow.
I appreciate his efforts, but I think the jokes were one too many and basically his humour was mostly superfluous. Come on, we're not secondary school kids who need 1 joke per sentence (he was close to that) in order to pay attention. Neither are we expecting to laugh our way through a sociology module. And I wonder whether he was doing this because the cohort comprised largely engineering students. If engineering students really need such patronising in order for them to learn, then they shouldnt be trying this module at all. And the lecturer doesn't need to talk as if we can't even understand simple concepts without a great deal of effort.
Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt, I shall assume his efforts are well-intentioned and not arisen from some self-constructed picture of his alter-ego as a stand-up comedian. To be fair, some of the examples he used to bring out a point were funny and made a point. So all i hope for is, please cut out all the unrelated jokes. And for goodness sake, give a break in the middle of the lecture...
I appreciate his efforts, but I think the jokes were one too many and basically his humour was mostly superfluous. Come on, we're not secondary school kids who need 1 joke per sentence (he was close to that) in order to pay attention. Neither are we expecting to laugh our way through a sociology module. And I wonder whether he was doing this because the cohort comprised largely engineering students. If engineering students really need such patronising in order for them to learn, then they shouldnt be trying this module at all. And the lecturer doesn't need to talk as if we can't even understand simple concepts without a great deal of effort.
Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt, I shall assume his efforts are well-intentioned and not arisen from some self-constructed picture of his alter-ego as a stand-up comedian. To be fair, some of the examples he used to bring out a point were funny and made a point. So all i hope for is, please cut out all the unrelated jokes. And for goodness sake, give a break in the middle of the lecture...
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
take time and pray...
01/09/2006: Bangladesh Missionary Brutally Murdered
Gospel for Asia leaders in Bangladesh report that native missionary Laxman Das, 25, was murdered last Friday, January 6. He was found on the side of a highway near the town of Dangil, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) outside of the capital city of Dhaka. Police took his body to a hospital, where an autopsy revealed the cause of death to be a severe blow to the head.
Laxman is survived by his young wife and five-month-old child. He graduated from a GFA Bible college in 2001 and was working full-time as a missionary. He had already established a church in his village located in the northern part of Bangladesh. Laxman was returning home by bus on Friday when it was stopped. He was apparently singled out and forced off the bus, then killed. GFA leaders are still waiting for more details from the police investigation.
"This is the time of the Eid festival [when Muslims celebrate what they believe to be Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael]," one GFA leader commented. "There is no law and order in some places, and usually many incidents like this happen." The nation of Bangladesh is primarily Muslim, with more than 85 percent professing Islam. Less than one percent of the population is Christian.
Gospel for Asia is currently training 77 students in two Bible colleges in the country. GFA also has 98 full-time native missionaries in Bangladesh who have planted 75 churches and 100 mission stations. "This is not the first time we have faced such opposition to the work of the Gospel in Bangladesh," commented GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "As the Body of Christ, we must stand together in prayer for our brothers and sisters in this nation."
Please pray for Laxman's family and co-workers to know the Lord's comfort and strength as they grieve his death, and pray that much fruit will come from this "grain of wheat" that has fallen.
Gospel for Asia leaders in Bangladesh report that native missionary Laxman Das, 25, was murdered last Friday, January 6. He was found on the side of a highway near the town of Dangil, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) outside of the capital city of Dhaka. Police took his body to a hospital, where an autopsy revealed the cause of death to be a severe blow to the head.
Laxman is survived by his young wife and five-month-old child. He graduated from a GFA Bible college in 2001 and was working full-time as a missionary. He had already established a church in his village located in the northern part of Bangladesh. Laxman was returning home by bus on Friday when it was stopped. He was apparently singled out and forced off the bus, then killed. GFA leaders are still waiting for more details from the police investigation.
"This is the time of the Eid festival [when Muslims celebrate what they believe to be Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael]," one GFA leader commented. "There is no law and order in some places, and usually many incidents like this happen." The nation of Bangladesh is primarily Muslim, with more than 85 percent professing Islam. Less than one percent of the population is Christian.
Gospel for Asia is currently training 77 students in two Bible colleges in the country. GFA also has 98 full-time native missionaries in Bangladesh who have planted 75 churches and 100 mission stations. "This is not the first time we have faced such opposition to the work of the Gospel in Bangladesh," commented GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "As the Body of Christ, we must stand together in prayer for our brothers and sisters in this nation."
Please pray for Laxman's family and co-workers to know the Lord's comfort and strength as they grieve his death, and pray that much fruit will come from this "grain of wheat" that has fallen.
Monday, January 09, 2006
first hour of school (please comment!)
yesterday I had my first hour of school. well, to be exact, it was more like the first 45 minutes. I arrived in school for my Philosophy of Mind lecture, and there Pelczar was, glasses balanced immaculately on his face, with his smooth shaven head, looking primed and clean-cut for this semester's mental workout. and packed into the small, familar classroom along the AS-1 walkway were some of the usual suspects - those philo majors whom i had gotten to know the previous sems, thanks to our common fascination (or distaste) for a bunch of dead people like Descartes, who seem to exert an inordinate amount of influence upon our poor young souls.
nevertheless, the delight and anticipation was palpable (to myself) as Pelczar got through with the usual admin business and embarked on the real stuff. The rest of the lecture consisted of elucidating the basic mind-body problem, or the distinction between materialists and dualists, traditional and modern, with some side apologies to idealists and neutral monists (which we werent going to touch on).
for the uninitiated, dont be daunted by all this terminology. Just consider the following question, whether you would answer 'yes' or 'no' to it:
"Does a thing's physical nature (if it has one) necessitate its mental nature?"
In other words, consider an example. Do you think that whatever mental experience you have eg. thinking, feeling angry, see a rainbow, etc. is completely described by the physical structure of your brain and body?
Send your answers either by posting on the sidebar or adding a comment!
For the record, if you answer yes, then you are a materialist, and if not, then a dualist. And my opinion right now tends to dualism. Interestingly, Pelczar is a materialist who thinks that the best arguments are on the side of dualism.
Anyway, the lecture ended after 45 minutes instead of the stipulated 2 hours (and so ended my first day of school for this semester). Try to find such a case in engineering, and you'd still be hard pressed after graduation.
From that short lecture, I gather that we're in for a fun semester. Fun, of course, does not exclude mental torment. But the sheer joy of sinking your mental teeth into some meaty, abstract argument, attacking it, defending it, finding some loopholes and discovering new perspectives - simply delicious. For those that beg to differ, who think of it as some perverse delight, I can only say that it is an acquired taste that if acquired, would justify its acquiring well enough.
And imagine the practical benefits of philosophy class - less homework, early dismissals, no mathematics, no transistors, no cells, no myocardial infraction, no DNA, RNA, no partial differential equations, no Schroedinger's equations, no Poisson distributions - yet something more basic, more profound, more abstract, yet accessible just by thinking. (Ok, I dont mean to say you need to know nothing about modern science at all. But at least, no circuits to construct!)
and before you click away from here, try and give your answer to the above question... :)
nevertheless, the delight and anticipation was palpable (to myself) as Pelczar got through with the usual admin business and embarked on the real stuff. The rest of the lecture consisted of elucidating the basic mind-body problem, or the distinction between materialists and dualists, traditional and modern, with some side apologies to idealists and neutral monists (which we werent going to touch on).
for the uninitiated, dont be daunted by all this terminology. Just consider the following question, whether you would answer 'yes' or 'no' to it:
"Does a thing's physical nature (if it has one) necessitate its mental nature?"
In other words, consider an example. Do you think that whatever mental experience you have eg. thinking, feeling angry, see a rainbow, etc. is completely described by the physical structure of your brain and body?
Send your answers either by posting on the sidebar or adding a comment!
For the record, if you answer yes, then you are a materialist, and if not, then a dualist. And my opinion right now tends to dualism. Interestingly, Pelczar is a materialist who thinks that the best arguments are on the side of dualism.
Anyway, the lecture ended after 45 minutes instead of the stipulated 2 hours (and so ended my first day of school for this semester). Try to find such a case in engineering, and you'd still be hard pressed after graduation.
From that short lecture, I gather that we're in for a fun semester. Fun, of course, does not exclude mental torment. But the sheer joy of sinking your mental teeth into some meaty, abstract argument, attacking it, defending it, finding some loopholes and discovering new perspectives - simply delicious. For those that beg to differ, who think of it as some perverse delight, I can only say that it is an acquired taste that if acquired, would justify its acquiring well enough.
And imagine the practical benefits of philosophy class - less homework, early dismissals, no mathematics, no transistors, no cells, no myocardial infraction, no DNA, RNA, no partial differential equations, no Schroedinger's equations, no Poisson distributions - yet something more basic, more profound, more abstract, yet accessible just by thinking. (Ok, I dont mean to say you need to know nothing about modern science at all. But at least, no circuits to construct!)
and before you click away from here, try and give your answer to the above question... :)
Friday, December 30, 2005
update on GFA in myanmar
go click on this: http://www.gfa.org/gfa/newsupdate122805?motiv=WA5C-G4LN and
http://www.gfa.org/gfa/myanmar_SEND2005 to give thanks and pray for the missions work...
http://www.gfa.org/gfa/myanmar_SEND2005 to give thanks and pray for the missions work...
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
truth and beauty at the camp
finally, a post the subject of which may be able to do justice to the title of my blog...
sometimes we are so tired, so distracted, or so concerned with duty that we forget the wonder of serving God. i seem to be one of the culprits.
but even to such a person as I, God was pleased to show me His grace and His wonderful work throughout the camp. so although reflecting on the camp now may be a tad late, it's better that than never...
I'm sure that accounts and anecdotes of God's guidance during the camp will differ - my brother has done a very nice post full of his own thanks to God - but like how a diamond reveals it's beauty through the reflection of light on its different faces, so too, we only highlight glimpses of various facets of His encompassing grace.
for myself. i have to confess that i wasnt in too good a mood going into the camp. but how God has given me the chances to serve and share in His ministry is really amazing... firstly, I was really glad that a street e seeker actually responded and brought his friends on the 1st night. the first time i rushed out of camp during the 1st evening, i walked all the way to Serangoon mrt to meet him, but he wasnt there and i had to half-run, half-walk back in order to make it for the singspiration session to play e keyboard. then of all times, the seeker called me during the most mediatative part of the session and i had the very exciting task of trying to continue playing with one hand and putting my hp on silent mode with the other. once the singing was over, i went out again to pick the guys up. And after the first night, we actually managed to persuade the seeker to stay for the whole camp, and one of the friends to come the next day. all these, of course, is by His grace - i mean, if i was the seeker, i dont think i would have stayed with a bunch of strangers, no matter how jovially jolly they were. thanks too, to those who helped take the seekers so willingly and readily.
secondly, as many have already mentioned, the weather was simply fantastic. the only times it rained were when we had indoor programmes - so uncannily had the sky matched our planning. but then again, nothing's uncanny and there are no coincidences with God. and not forgetting the afternoon of exhausting sports station games when the sun was obscured with clouds to give us welcome shade the whole time.
thirdly, must really thank God for how the programs managed to flow smoothly. anyone in the committee would know the multiple changes and adjustments we had to make during the planning, right up to like the last few days. even then, i think nobody could be sure how everything would turn up and how the people would respond. And for me, it was the fact that i was in charge of like 3 major programmes that took up a lot of time, that was rather pressurizing. But again, things managed to get sorted out despite last minute preparations of some logistics and adjustments in timing. and really really thank God that the speaker for the 2nd day talk was good. I had some qualms about bringing in my NUS lecturer, especially after the talk was modified to include youths, but she more than aquitted herself of any doubts i may have held. I wouldn't say that she held everyone spellbound throughout the 2 hours, but at the very least she got everyone listening to every word she said and a hearty response for the activites and discussion.
fourthly, the responses of the seekers. at least one salvation and others interested. for myself, God put the task of speaking to a seeker who was quite a rare breed, if i may use such a phrase! without elaborating further here, it would suffice to say that such a person helped me to really have to think and employ not just intellectual arguments but also sincerity and love in talking to him. despite the many obstacles, i think he really made much progress throughout the camp after talking to yq, uj and myself. And despite the rarity of such a type, he was truly a 'seeker' and not just someone we invited. I believe that God helped him to have the desire and sincerity to seek. And God will bring him all the way if He so pleases.
lastly, I think that the valuable thing gained through the camp was serving God together with all the committee pp and others involved. truly, as Wei En said, there is a shared bond that results from shared values and conviction. Indeed, we are saints together on a journey, and the ones we really help are ourselves when we serve. Not superhumans that are immune from pressure, frustration or tiredness. Not angels that are free from irritation, mistakes and conflicts. Not heaven-dwellers who rejoice to praise God and delight in every little work. No, we know that too well. Not those, but saints - sinners redeemed and chosen by His grace alone, given the priviledge of serving, despite our weaknesses, despite our wrongs. And if we all know our own faults, then truly it is His goodness, that has made the camp so great. If we know our shortcomings, then it is truly Him that is glad to fill them up with His providence. If we know our weakness, then it is surely His strength that brought us through. And if we know our limits, then is it not His own power that accomplishes His purposes, even giving us the chance to be part of them?
And the amazing thing is, that is really why we are not solitary Christians. When we are weak, where does God's strength come in? Many times, it comes through others. When we need a lesson, how does God teach us? Through fellow Christians as well - through the interactions, the encouragments, even (or especially) the conflicts. Thanks a lot - all of you fellow servants.
So, wherein lies the truth and beauty? In our lesson of dependance and trust in God. If we do that, we get the strengh, He gets the pleasure of displaying His goodness and power. We are satisfied by Him, and He is glorified.
So then, soli Deo gloria.
sometimes we are so tired, so distracted, or so concerned with duty that we forget the wonder of serving God. i seem to be one of the culprits.
but even to such a person as I, God was pleased to show me His grace and His wonderful work throughout the camp. so although reflecting on the camp now may be a tad late, it's better that than never...
I'm sure that accounts and anecdotes of God's guidance during the camp will differ - my brother has done a very nice post full of his own thanks to God - but like how a diamond reveals it's beauty through the reflection of light on its different faces, so too, we only highlight glimpses of various facets of His encompassing grace.
for myself. i have to confess that i wasnt in too good a mood going into the camp. but how God has given me the chances to serve and share in His ministry is really amazing... firstly, I was really glad that a street e seeker actually responded and brought his friends on the 1st night. the first time i rushed out of camp during the 1st evening, i walked all the way to Serangoon mrt to meet him, but he wasnt there and i had to half-run, half-walk back in order to make it for the singspiration session to play e keyboard. then of all times, the seeker called me during the most mediatative part of the session and i had the very exciting task of trying to continue playing with one hand and putting my hp on silent mode with the other. once the singing was over, i went out again to pick the guys up. And after the first night, we actually managed to persuade the seeker to stay for the whole camp, and one of the friends to come the next day. all these, of course, is by His grace - i mean, if i was the seeker, i dont think i would have stayed with a bunch of strangers, no matter how jovially jolly they were. thanks too, to those who helped take the seekers so willingly and readily.
secondly, as many have already mentioned, the weather was simply fantastic. the only times it rained were when we had indoor programmes - so uncannily had the sky matched our planning. but then again, nothing's uncanny and there are no coincidences with God. and not forgetting the afternoon of exhausting sports station games when the sun was obscured with clouds to give us welcome shade the whole time.
thirdly, must really thank God for how the programs managed to flow smoothly. anyone in the committee would know the multiple changes and adjustments we had to make during the planning, right up to like the last few days. even then, i think nobody could be sure how everything would turn up and how the people would respond. And for me, it was the fact that i was in charge of like 3 major programmes that took up a lot of time, that was rather pressurizing. But again, things managed to get sorted out despite last minute preparations of some logistics and adjustments in timing. and really really thank God that the speaker for the 2nd day talk was good. I had some qualms about bringing in my NUS lecturer, especially after the talk was modified to include youths, but she more than aquitted herself of any doubts i may have held. I wouldn't say that she held everyone spellbound throughout the 2 hours, but at the very least she got everyone listening to every word she said and a hearty response for the activites and discussion.
fourthly, the responses of the seekers. at least one salvation and others interested. for myself, God put the task of speaking to a seeker who was quite a rare breed, if i may use such a phrase! without elaborating further here, it would suffice to say that such a person helped me to really have to think and employ not just intellectual arguments but also sincerity and love in talking to him. despite the many obstacles, i think he really made much progress throughout the camp after talking to yq, uj and myself. And despite the rarity of such a type, he was truly a 'seeker' and not just someone we invited. I believe that God helped him to have the desire and sincerity to seek. And God will bring him all the way if He so pleases.
lastly, I think that the valuable thing gained through the camp was serving God together with all the committee pp and others involved. truly, as Wei En said, there is a shared bond that results from shared values and conviction. Indeed, we are saints together on a journey, and the ones we really help are ourselves when we serve. Not superhumans that are immune from pressure, frustration or tiredness. Not angels that are free from irritation, mistakes and conflicts. Not heaven-dwellers who rejoice to praise God and delight in every little work. No, we know that too well. Not those, but saints - sinners redeemed and chosen by His grace alone, given the priviledge of serving, despite our weaknesses, despite our wrongs. And if we all know our own faults, then truly it is His goodness, that has made the camp so great. If we know our shortcomings, then it is truly Him that is glad to fill them up with His providence. If we know our weakness, then it is surely His strength that brought us through. And if we know our limits, then is it not His own power that accomplishes His purposes, even giving us the chance to be part of them?
And the amazing thing is, that is really why we are not solitary Christians. When we are weak, where does God's strength come in? Many times, it comes through others. When we need a lesson, how does God teach us? Through fellow Christians as well - through the interactions, the encouragments, even (or especially) the conflicts. Thanks a lot - all of you fellow servants.
So, wherein lies the truth and beauty? In our lesson of dependance and trust in God. If we do that, we get the strengh, He gets the pleasure of displaying His goodness and power. We are satisfied by Him, and He is glorified.
So then, soli Deo gloria.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
sore toe, more foes and core woes
after an all-too-long hiatus from the street bandy, we laid out the arena and began battle again this evening... due to the sorting of logistics for the upcoming camp, an assorted number of characters appeared in the court -
Wei Hong, not known for his regularity in the game, showed off his dazzling moves reminscent of footwork witnessed in soccer, while Li Kuan and Grace utilized their vocal powers to the maximum, belying their actual skill and acumen. Kai En was a fixture as usual, with his uncanny accuracy and class oozing all over his close control and deceptively relaxed demeanor. But while his accuracy was unmatched the whole evening, his slackness was surpassed by none other than Wei En, with the exception of certain actions which involve leaping.
As I emerged from the changing room to join the fray midway through the frenzy, Wei Hong and the girls decided that enough was enough and headed home. Not long after, as if on cue, Cheng Hung arrived and completed the quartet of regulars. The stage was set.
With all solemnity and seriousness we thrust our palms out to determine the teams. As the draw was revealed, I took up my stick, booked my place, and looked into Cheng Hung's face. Us two against the world. Rugged determination and energy was bursting from its seams. Without much ado, the game kicked off. At once, the pace was electric - no gentle build up, no testing and feeling of the other team, just pure dashing, swishing and crashing around the court. We were only interrupted when a rather sickly looking Zhiyang decided to risk his health in order to experience the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. I gather that he was not disappointed, for he looked even more sick at the end of it and it could only be due to that adrenaline rush. Ok, nevermind.
Anyway, with more foes on the block it was getting difficult for CH and myself. Due to my extreme defensive frailities in front of goal, CH had to defend for most of the game, thus nullifying to some extent his extreme attacking powress. That left me to face the fearsome trio of KE, WE and of course the sick Zhiyang. We battled valiantly, but were left chasing the score for most of the game. Whenever we threatened to go on a scoring run, the replies were swift, either through the power and accuracy of KE and the ineffable move of WE which constitutes jumping and whacking the ball with a backstroke while in the air, or simply by being intercepted and not having a man to cover up behind.
CH made several crucial interventions when a certain goal appeared imminent. With gravity and special relativity-defying leaps that would put Einstein to shame and please an aminator to no end, he rescued many a lost cause. But the irony of the day was that one of these actually creeped in in the end due to a very complicated miscommunication and miscue from the both of us, resulting in unmitigated laughter all round. With such elementary mistakes becoming rather common, we tried our best to redeem ourselves - CH with some quick interceptions of his own which almost inevitably ended the ball in their net, and me with a sublime slice of the ball off CH's pass that was a contender for goal of the day.
Alas, our efforts proved insufficient as KE, WE and ZY trudged on with ruthless efficiency and the advantage of the extra man. Even my hopefully hilarious impersonation of an Italian commentator enamoured with CH's skill failed to level the score, although it caused some distraction and a few goals. In the end, the game ended at 24-26. Kudos to our worthy opponents for a spirited show.
For my efforts, all I had to show was a sore toe, which seemed to be hurting a bit more just a while ago. Speculation abounds as to whether this situation would lead eventually to the nail dropping off or simply to another black patch underneath it. I wouldnt expect anyone to stay tuned, though. so my core woe seems only to be that we should play more often.
on a different note, thank God for the packing and buying of logistics today. It was good to have the car as we went to 5 different places to procure the necessary goods. and by 6, everything was done nicely and contained in the container.
for those it concerns, do pray for the camp response, last bits of logistics and the tying up of all loose ends. above all, a heart to glorify the One and delight in letting Him lead the whole thing.
Wei Hong, not known for his regularity in the game, showed off his dazzling moves reminscent of footwork witnessed in soccer, while Li Kuan and Grace utilized their vocal powers to the maximum, belying their actual skill and acumen. Kai En was a fixture as usual, with his uncanny accuracy and class oozing all over his close control and deceptively relaxed demeanor. But while his accuracy was unmatched the whole evening, his slackness was surpassed by none other than Wei En, with the exception of certain actions which involve leaping.
As I emerged from the changing room to join the fray midway through the frenzy, Wei Hong and the girls decided that enough was enough and headed home. Not long after, as if on cue, Cheng Hung arrived and completed the quartet of regulars. The stage was set.
With all solemnity and seriousness we thrust our palms out to determine the teams. As the draw was revealed, I took up my stick, booked my place, and looked into Cheng Hung's face. Us two against the world. Rugged determination and energy was bursting from its seams. Without much ado, the game kicked off. At once, the pace was electric - no gentle build up, no testing and feeling of the other team, just pure dashing, swishing and crashing around the court. We were only interrupted when a rather sickly looking Zhiyang decided to risk his health in order to experience the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. I gather that he was not disappointed, for he looked even more sick at the end of it and it could only be due to that adrenaline rush. Ok, nevermind.
Anyway, with more foes on the block it was getting difficult for CH and myself. Due to my extreme defensive frailities in front of goal, CH had to defend for most of the game, thus nullifying to some extent his extreme attacking powress. That left me to face the fearsome trio of KE, WE and of course the sick Zhiyang. We battled valiantly, but were left chasing the score for most of the game. Whenever we threatened to go on a scoring run, the replies were swift, either through the power and accuracy of KE and the ineffable move of WE which constitutes jumping and whacking the ball with a backstroke while in the air, or simply by being intercepted and not having a man to cover up behind.
CH made several crucial interventions when a certain goal appeared imminent. With gravity and special relativity-defying leaps that would put Einstein to shame and please an aminator to no end, he rescued many a lost cause. But the irony of the day was that one of these actually creeped in in the end due to a very complicated miscommunication and miscue from the both of us, resulting in unmitigated laughter all round. With such elementary mistakes becoming rather common, we tried our best to redeem ourselves - CH with some quick interceptions of his own which almost inevitably ended the ball in their net, and me with a sublime slice of the ball off CH's pass that was a contender for goal of the day.
Alas, our efforts proved insufficient as KE, WE and ZY trudged on with ruthless efficiency and the advantage of the extra man. Even my hopefully hilarious impersonation of an Italian commentator enamoured with CH's skill failed to level the score, although it caused some distraction and a few goals. In the end, the game ended at 24-26. Kudos to our worthy opponents for a spirited show.
For my efforts, all I had to show was a sore toe, which seemed to be hurting a bit more just a while ago. Speculation abounds as to whether this situation would lead eventually to the nail dropping off or simply to another black patch underneath it. I wouldnt expect anyone to stay tuned, though. so my core woe seems only to be that we should play more often.
on a different note, thank God for the packing and buying of logistics today. It was good to have the car as we went to 5 different places to procure the necessary goods. and by 6, everything was done nicely and contained in the container.
for those it concerns, do pray for the camp response, last bits of logistics and the tying up of all loose ends. above all, a heart to glorify the One and delight in letting Him lead the whole thing.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
thoughts on suffering from John Piper
"[God] calls us into the obedience of suffering not to demonstrate the strength of our devotion to duty or to reveal the vigor of our moral resolve or to prove the heights of our tolerance for pain, but rather to manifest, in childlike faith, the infinite preciousness of His all-satisfying promises." - John Piper
Suffering in the Christian life is ultimately for joy. It is hard to believe this, especially when we are in the midst of suffering. But consider the multiple verses -
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Heb 11:24-26
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:2
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:13-14
In Piper's book Desiring God, the concluding chapter is on suffering, and it is particularly enlightening. According to Piper, the kind of joy that accompanies suffering as a Christian is not just a side-effect, it is something that we are to pursue. Both our Lord Jesus Christ and Moses chose suffering not for its own sake, but for the greater joy that it would bring. There are many different reasons to rejoice in suffering, and Piper gives many examples from the Bible as well as from the testimonies of many persecuted Christians and missionaries.
Ultimately, only suffering for a greater hope and joy can exclude pride or self-pity from resulting. If we focus solely on self-denial for its own sake, then there is no point. Self-denial is always for something greater - forsaking the temporal pleasures for the eternal ones, forsaking the worldly things that tantalise but never satisfy, for the fountain of joy that is God. Look at Paul's words:
"If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' " 1 Cor 15:32. In other words, if there is no hope of the resurrection, there was no point in Paul's suffering. If there was no greater joy, then he would be more pitied than all men, for he had forsaken the ordinary comforts of a Roman citizen, the good life that a person of his ability could easily have led.
I must admit that it is hard to really apply all this. For one, I am hardly facing any sort of direct persecution for being a Christian. And secondly, the attitude of joy is not something we can suddenly decide to have, and then have it. But as Piper says, if we are truly walking in obedience to God, any kind of suffering that we encounter is suffering as a Christian. And while we can't give ourselves that capacity to delight while suffering, we can pray for it, and at least be willing to take the focus off ourselves, and by reading His words, and taking them as truth, make the first step towards that. Don't underestimate the willingness, even that doesn't come easily enough. Remember that the joy is commanded. There is no separation between delight and duty. Delight is our duty.
Suffering in the Christian life is ultimately for joy. It is hard to believe this, especially when we are in the midst of suffering. But consider the multiple verses -
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Heb 11:24-26
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:2
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:13-14
In Piper's book Desiring God, the concluding chapter is on suffering, and it is particularly enlightening. According to Piper, the kind of joy that accompanies suffering as a Christian is not just a side-effect, it is something that we are to pursue. Both our Lord Jesus Christ and Moses chose suffering not for its own sake, but for the greater joy that it would bring. There are many different reasons to rejoice in suffering, and Piper gives many examples from the Bible as well as from the testimonies of many persecuted Christians and missionaries.
Ultimately, only suffering for a greater hope and joy can exclude pride or self-pity from resulting. If we focus solely on self-denial for its own sake, then there is no point. Self-denial is always for something greater - forsaking the temporal pleasures for the eternal ones, forsaking the worldly things that tantalise but never satisfy, for the fountain of joy that is God. Look at Paul's words:
"If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' " 1 Cor 15:32. In other words, if there is no hope of the resurrection, there was no point in Paul's suffering. If there was no greater joy, then he would be more pitied than all men, for he had forsaken the ordinary comforts of a Roman citizen, the good life that a person of his ability could easily have led.
I must admit that it is hard to really apply all this. For one, I am hardly facing any sort of direct persecution for being a Christian. And secondly, the attitude of joy is not something we can suddenly decide to have, and then have it. But as Piper says, if we are truly walking in obedience to God, any kind of suffering that we encounter is suffering as a Christian. And while we can't give ourselves that capacity to delight while suffering, we can pray for it, and at least be willing to take the focus off ourselves, and by reading His words, and taking them as truth, make the first step towards that. Don't underestimate the willingness, even that doesn't come easily enough. Remember that the joy is commanded. There is no separation between delight and duty. Delight is our duty.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
bored exam post
funny how it is that i seem to find time to do more things like this during exams. i remember posting emails in an equally bored state up on the CYAM yahoo groups last year...
well, anyway just had my Human Resource module exam this morning. thank God it wasn't too bad, except that i had 2 hours to do 3 questions (with the weightage being 20, 15, 15 marks), but only 15 mins to do the 3rd question. not too good at math, i seem. well, old habits die hard, and no one can fault me for not being aware of the time and trying to write faster. perhaps i can be faulted for being over-elaborate in my first essay, though. has been the case since secondary school days, actually. still remember that i didnt finish quite a few of my o-level papers, and was always writing up till the last moment. which is why exams are lousy indicators of ability.
just finished typing some relevant info for the camp games @ East Coast for cheng hung. got a bit carried away as usual, and added different colour fonts, a nice picture, and the thing ended up at being 7 pages long. hope he gets to the end of it. and thank God that Fei Yue doesnt charge the hefty $150 for their talks, as previously thought. turns out that they just collect a free offering from churches. 's wonderful.
a muscle is twitching somewhere in my leg, and i recall that today is wednesday, in other words, the day to travel down eastwards for battle of the sticks. but alas, it is exam period, i have a notoriously difficult paper on saturday, and i am not prepared enough. so then, abstinence for the time being.
ok, back to the curl, divergence, gradient, vector potentials, boundary conditions, traverse electromagnetic waves and whatever greek symbols they can think of. there's no number in higher mathematics....
well, anyway just had my Human Resource module exam this morning. thank God it wasn't too bad, except that i had 2 hours to do 3 questions (with the weightage being 20, 15, 15 marks), but only 15 mins to do the 3rd question. not too good at math, i seem. well, old habits die hard, and no one can fault me for not being aware of the time and trying to write faster. perhaps i can be faulted for being over-elaborate in my first essay, though. has been the case since secondary school days, actually. still remember that i didnt finish quite a few of my o-level papers, and was always writing up till the last moment. which is why exams are lousy indicators of ability.
just finished typing some relevant info for the camp games @ East Coast for cheng hung. got a bit carried away as usual, and added different colour fonts, a nice picture, and the thing ended up at being 7 pages long. hope he gets to the end of it. and thank God that Fei Yue doesnt charge the hefty $150 for their talks, as previously thought. turns out that they just collect a free offering from churches. 's wonderful.
a muscle is twitching somewhere in my leg, and i recall that today is wednesday, in other words, the day to travel down eastwards for battle of the sticks. but alas, it is exam period, i have a notoriously difficult paper on saturday, and i am not prepared enough. so then, abstinence for the time being.
ok, back to the curl, divergence, gradient, vector potentials, boundary conditions, traverse electromagnetic waves and whatever greek symbols they can think of. there's no number in higher mathematics....
Monday, October 31, 2005
take time and pray
The Indian Supreme Court's decision on the fate of the Dalit Christians is pending... Do pray.
Excerpts from letters from Gospel for Asia's founder and president, K. P. Yohannan:
The Indian Supreme Court has once again delayed its decision on the Dalit civil rights case, and again it is time for me to ask you to please pray without ceasing on behalf of our Dalit Christian brothers and sisters.
This delay until November is a positive development because it means that the Court is not rushing to judgment, and is taking seriously this case of discrimination against Dalit Christians.
It also means that Christians like you and me have more time to intercede with prayer, asking God to guide the thoughts and decisions of the judges. And this is especially important, because behind this case lies a Himalaya-sized spiritual battle!
Jesus tells us that this kind of battle can only be won through prayer and fasting. So I implore you to take this call to prayer very seriously. And much is at stake.
As you know, under the current law, Dalits lose some of their basic constitutional rights when they becomes Christians; they are no longer eligible for affirmative action placements in education, employment, government and many other areas--rights granted to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist.
According to a government census, some 20 million Dalits have become
Christians, and it is on their behalf that we pray for a just ruling. Equally important, there are many Dalits whose only hesitation to becoming Christians is fear of this legalized discrimination. Just think of what a difference this court decision could make for them! No wonder Satan is
opposing it.
So again, please continue to fast and pray that the Supreme Court of India will correct these injustices. Please faithfully intercede and pray with a broken heart for the sake of these millions of men, women and children who suffer so much.
Thank you so much for your prayer support--you are a true "prayer warrior" in this battle.
(According to the government census some 20 million Dalits have become Christians. These precious people's rights are violated: Their women and children are raped, they are not allowed to draw water from wells in many communities, and so many more accounts of cruelty. Some of the communities, like the Banjara with 61 million people, live with 90 percent illiteracy and
horrible poverty.)
Excerpts from letters from Gospel for Asia's founder and president, K. P. Yohannan:
The Indian Supreme Court has once again delayed its decision on the Dalit civil rights case, and again it is time for me to ask you to please pray without ceasing on behalf of our Dalit Christian brothers and sisters.
This delay until November is a positive development because it means that the Court is not rushing to judgment, and is taking seriously this case of discrimination against Dalit Christians.
It also means that Christians like you and me have more time to intercede with prayer, asking God to guide the thoughts and decisions of the judges. And this is especially important, because behind this case lies a Himalaya-sized spiritual battle!
Jesus tells us that this kind of battle can only be won through prayer and fasting. So I implore you to take this call to prayer very seriously. And much is at stake.
As you know, under the current law, Dalits lose some of their basic constitutional rights when they becomes Christians; they are no longer eligible for affirmative action placements in education, employment, government and many other areas--rights granted to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist.
According to a government census, some 20 million Dalits have become
Christians, and it is on their behalf that we pray for a just ruling. Equally important, there are many Dalits whose only hesitation to becoming Christians is fear of this legalized discrimination. Just think of what a difference this court decision could make for them! No wonder Satan is
opposing it.
So again, please continue to fast and pray that the Supreme Court of India will correct these injustices. Please faithfully intercede and pray with a broken heart for the sake of these millions of men, women and children who suffer so much.
Thank you so much for your prayer support--you are a true "prayer warrior" in this battle.
(According to the government census some 20 million Dalits have become Christians. These precious people's rights are violated: Their women and children are raped, they are not allowed to draw water from wells in many communities, and so many more accounts of cruelty. Some of the communities, like the Banjara with 61 million people, live with 90 percent illiteracy and
horrible poverty.)
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
battled but not battered - try to better that...
had a whale of a time sweeping the floors in the GBC canteen (with sticks and a holey ball). arrived at 630 with CH amidst much anticipation for our weekly dose of street bandy, and played till like 840 or something... aching muscles, sore toes, scratches here and there, and thoroughly exhausted - but hey, cant wait till next week's instalment.
so why am i still typing this (despite the tiredness)? well, decided that if there were any faithful readers, then i'd better rectify the current trend, which seems to suggest a negative exponential correlation between the frequency of posts and the time elasped since this blog was born.
ok, anyway, thank God for good ol' sporting activites and the joy of friendly competition. dazzling dribbles, electrifying escapes, sizzling shots, flamboyant feints, determined defending, all-out attacks: all encapsulated in clashing sticks, moving bodies and a ball at breakneak speed played out in that frenzied arena. On weekends it has come to be known as the 'canteen'. Perish that thought should you chance upon it wednesday evening...
so why am i still typing this (despite the tiredness)? well, decided that if there were any faithful readers, then i'd better rectify the current trend, which seems to suggest a negative exponential correlation between the frequency of posts and the time elasped since this blog was born.
ok, anyway, thank God for good ol' sporting activites and the joy of friendly competition. dazzling dribbles, electrifying escapes, sizzling shots, flamboyant feints, determined defending, all-out attacks: all encapsulated in clashing sticks, moving bodies and a ball at breakneak speed played out in that frenzied arena. On weekends it has come to be known as the 'canteen'. Perish that thought should you chance upon it wednesday evening...
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
art
trying to balance my time between school, ministry and doing that wed gig has been taxing at times.... through this time the age-old question has resurfaced again: what's the value of music, or more general, art itself?
i mean, if we are to do everything to the glory of God and for His purposes, perhaps i can say that school is for equipping myself and preparing myself to make a living so that i can serve Him, while being a good testimony in the process (ideally - not that i keep to this very well), and for ministry the idea is also there. but what about pursuing music? is it just making some sounds in a dim cafe, producing vibrations in the air? perhaps the least i can say is that i can thank God for the gift of music and enjoy it in the process. the next step may be to communicate this pleasure of music to others. but how to communicate the God behind all good things? Or is it a long term thing, when people see your life and hear your music and are able to give credit to God? or perhaps, more practically, it helps in improving my musical sense so that i can better contribute to playing and training musicians for the worship service? or even, can a Christian be a Coltrane? that is, attaining profound spiritual heights through music? why does music feature so strongly in worship through the ages?
(is there a difference between a cook giving gastronomical delight and a musician giving aural enjoyment? or maybe a cook is there for the basic survival need of food? or why did God bother to create so many pretty flowers, majestic mountains, deep, strange, glowing undersea creatures which we may never see, and give us taste buds so subtle and varied? any pragmatic reasons?)
many questions.
at the same time, i think, if i'm doing this then i'd better set a good testimony of how a Christian musician behaves, and i think it will certainly differ in certain respects from the 'norm' of a typical jazz musician.... need to be really aware of this...
well, in the meantime, have decided to do 4 more gigs - one more month, and after that, we'll see about it. need to pray for wisdom in e meantime...
i mean, if we are to do everything to the glory of God and for His purposes, perhaps i can say that school is for equipping myself and preparing myself to make a living so that i can serve Him, while being a good testimony in the process (ideally - not that i keep to this very well), and for ministry the idea is also there. but what about pursuing music? is it just making some sounds in a dim cafe, producing vibrations in the air? perhaps the least i can say is that i can thank God for the gift of music and enjoy it in the process. the next step may be to communicate this pleasure of music to others. but how to communicate the God behind all good things? Or is it a long term thing, when people see your life and hear your music and are able to give credit to God? or perhaps, more practically, it helps in improving my musical sense so that i can better contribute to playing and training musicians for the worship service? or even, can a Christian be a Coltrane? that is, attaining profound spiritual heights through music? why does music feature so strongly in worship through the ages?
(is there a difference between a cook giving gastronomical delight and a musician giving aural enjoyment? or maybe a cook is there for the basic survival need of food? or why did God bother to create so many pretty flowers, majestic mountains, deep, strange, glowing undersea creatures which we may never see, and give us taste buds so subtle and varied? any pragmatic reasons?)
many questions.
at the same time, i think, if i'm doing this then i'd better set a good testimony of how a Christian musician behaves, and i think it will certainly differ in certain respects from the 'norm' of a typical jazz musician.... need to be really aware of this...
well, in the meantime, have decided to do 4 more gigs - one more month, and after that, we'll see about it. need to pray for wisdom in e meantime...
Saturday, August 06, 2005
friday gig...
just had a gig at the cafe today... really made quite a lot of mistakes, both me and the singers. was actually quite tired even before the whole thing - felt lethargic and not very alert - and i guess it affected my response during the performance. a few wrong chords, not remembering whether to repeat lines for some songs, etc. well, good thing Amos didnt really seem to have any complaints - maybe the other groups were worse...
anyway, finally got my pay today for the 3 gigs in july - a meagre amount, really - not even peanuts, as they say... but at least it is something to show for my dad, who kept remaining skeptical abt whether Amos would actually pay or not... but may not carry on this thing long-term, esp if the jazz thing with Tim and Joel actually works out... It's equally meagre pay but slightly more enjoyable and rather more fulfilling to actually play jazz. More challenging also, having to take so many solos, but i guess it's a much needed stimulus for my improvement... dont think i've improved much during the whole of the past year when i stopped playing jazz...sometimes it really takes pp who are better than you to really push you to improve. not to mention the pressure of performing live. but this pop thing is really tiring, esp with having to learn all the new songs...
well, hope that i wont do it for glorifying myself. hope that whatever i have learnt can be useful for God in some way or other. and hope i wont have to do any more friday gigs. already told Amos that i couldnt but he wanted it just this time, for the singers to experience a larger weekend crowd. As it turned out, there was little difference from the weekday scenes. had a nice little surprise though...
anyway, finally got my pay today for the 3 gigs in july - a meagre amount, really - not even peanuts, as they say... but at least it is something to show for my dad, who kept remaining skeptical abt whether Amos would actually pay or not... but may not carry on this thing long-term, esp if the jazz thing with Tim and Joel actually works out... It's equally meagre pay but slightly more enjoyable and rather more fulfilling to actually play jazz. More challenging also, having to take so many solos, but i guess it's a much needed stimulus for my improvement... dont think i've improved much during the whole of the past year when i stopped playing jazz...sometimes it really takes pp who are better than you to really push you to improve. not to mention the pressure of performing live. but this pop thing is really tiring, esp with having to learn all the new songs...
well, hope that i wont do it for glorifying myself. hope that whatever i have learnt can be useful for God in some way or other. and hope i wont have to do any more friday gigs. already told Amos that i couldnt but he wanted it just this time, for the singers to experience a larger weekend crowd. As it turned out, there was little difference from the weekday scenes. had a nice little surprise though...
Monday, July 18, 2005
atheism self-refuting?
here's something I came across reading Zacharias… i’l l try to put it in more rigorous form:
1. Atheism is the positive assertion of God’s non-existence.
2. The positive assertion of God’s non-existence is an absolute negation.
3. Making an absolute negation requires infinite knowledge.
4. Only God has infinite knowledge.
5. Thus, infinite knowledge is required to make the assertion that there is no Being with infinite knowledge, and thus atheism is false. (this does not imply that theism is true, btw.)
well, though it sounds promising, I have some reservations abt this argument. maybe there is a weak link in point 3. what do you guys think?
[edit: I think point 3 is very questionable and point 2 as well. Suppose God tells me that there are no unicorns. Since I believe in God's testimony, I make the positive assertion of the non-existence of unicorns. Either that is an absolute negation or it is not. If it is, then obviously point 3 is false, since I don't need infinite knowledge to make that assertion. If it is not an absolute negation, then why should the positive assertion of God's non-existence be an absolute negation?
Thus, it is not surprising that this argument isn't convincing.]
1. Atheism is the positive assertion of God’s non-existence.
2. The positive assertion of God’s non-existence is an absolute negation.
3. Making an absolute negation requires infinite knowledge.
4. Only God has infinite knowledge.
5. Thus, infinite knowledge is required to make the assertion that there is no Being with infinite knowledge, and thus atheism is false. (this does not imply that theism is true, btw.)
well, though it sounds promising, I have some reservations abt this argument. maybe there is a weak link in point 3. what do you guys think?
[edit: I think point 3 is very questionable and point 2 as well. Suppose God tells me that there are no unicorns. Since I believe in God's testimony, I make the positive assertion of the non-existence of unicorns. Either that is an absolute negation or it is not. If it is, then obviously point 3 is false, since I don't need infinite knowledge to make that assertion. If it is not an absolute negation, then why should the positive assertion of God's non-existence be an absolute negation?
Thus, it is not surprising that this argument isn't convincing.]
song recommendation
"Jesus, I Lift Up My Eyes" by Jars of Clay
traditional words by Anne Steele (alt. by Jars of Clay)
music by Jars of Clay
When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
O Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here let my faith unshaken dwell
Immovable the promise stands
Not all the powers of earth or hell
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here oh my soul
Thy trust repose
If Jesus is forever mine
Not death itself that last of foes
Can break a union so divine
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Taken from the new album Redemption Songs, this is a wonderful hymn on the soul's ultimate satisfaction, Christ Himself. Not many bands can take an obscure hymn and make it both modern, upbeat and full of real, solid hope that shines through while retaining the spirit of the lyrics.
traditional words by Anne Steele (alt. by Jars of Clay)
music by Jars of Clay
When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
O Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here let my faith unshaken dwell
Immovable the promise stands
Not all the powers of earth or hell
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes
Here oh my soul
Thy trust repose
If Jesus is forever mine
Not death itself that last of foes
Can break a union so divine
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Taken from the new album Redemption Songs, this is a wonderful hymn on the soul's ultimate satisfaction, Christ Himself. Not many bands can take an obscure hymn and make it both modern, upbeat and full of real, solid hope that shines through while retaining the spirit of the lyrics.
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