H-Introduction

Welcome

I owe much to many and dedicate this to enlightenment

Preface

Though I wish to include all peoples, I can only speak for my generation through my own experience. This is not about me, I’m one of many and of no consequence. I just happened to be motivated and have access to recently available knowledge and technology after living long enough to look back and forward -- and I like to think I still have all my marbles.

Don Kump, Warren Kump, Darrell Landau “Remember when …” at 2005 cousins reunion.

We cousins were close as kids and spent the prior hour discussing how much things have changed. Don a retired Ford car dealer, Warren retired radiologist with hospital wing named after him, and Darrell author of this site, a retired Model-T mechanic.

Change was real to us, from horses and out houses to man on the moon and the internet. We lived through dust storms, depressions, people pulling out, multi wars while ever aware of the growth in knowledge. We indexed change milestones to time, and agreed society faced huge problems of a different kind.

Grandfathers farm when he was born in 1856 -- when the Periodic Table of atoms was being filled out.

Our index to change: our grandfathers provided an index to change and knowledge, they homesteaded new land in mid USA. While our fathers grew up the car and airplane were invented and telephones replace the telegraph. As we grew up tractors replaced horses, electric motors powered labor saving devices and the nations infrastructure grew. Movies and big bands influenced our culture. The Atomic Bomb ended WW2 and was followed by TV and air conditioning in our homes. New technology enable advances in Astronomy and Geology. We learned the Cosmos began with a Big Bang some 15 billion years ago, our solar system formed from the debris of an exploded star, our Earth was born about 5 billion years ago, and life forms appeared 3.5 billion years ago. Geologist found that continents drift. Medical advances enabled a population explosion. In 1953 the DNA molecule, blueprint for life forms, was discovered. The transistor replaced the vacuum tube and semiconductors launched a technology explosion beyond peoples dreams. We were educated in the community of our parents and were caused to repeatedly adapt to a new global world.

Inherited religions expressed values and explained the unknowable in response to early societies needs. New technology was providing verifiable explanations of previous unknowns. In time we learned the Hebrew story of Moses had been orally told from generation to generation for 600 years before it could be committed to writing. Greeks defined laws of geometry and could measure the relative distance between the moon and the sun. Columbus was convinced the Earth was round but totally miscalculated on how big it was. When Columbus sailed forth he believed the Earth was the center of the universe. Some 200 years later Kepler extracted natures laws of planetary motion from observation data of heavenly bodies, proving the earth orbited the sun. A bit later Newton discovered the multiple frequencies of light, permitting astronomers to extract meaning from their observations. The Voyage of the Beagle in 1835 enabled Darwin to gather information revealing natures process of evolution. At that time others were completing the periodic table of atoms.

Ancient “wandering star” problem was solved by planets orbiting the sun.

New humans, void of knowledge, are exposed to multiple beliefs, each must evolve their own sense of perspective.

Perspective, what do we know of: (a) ourselves, (b) our origins, (c) where we stand and (d) where we are headed?

(a) Know Ourselves

(1) I tell of our generation in my origins, my experiences, others experiences, beliefs & behavior though human history, of knowledge as revealed by science.

(2) Human animals are self replicating computers, for which there is no quantity or quality control. They are born with blank memories & launched with only a primitive operating system. They can replicate before mental maturity, can be taught to believe almost anything and all can vote.

(3) People are programmed by the society in which they are born, augmented by what they learn on their own.

(4) Human are medically alike, all are genetically related, the replication process causes each to be randomly different.

(5) Humans range from young to old, with a broad range of talent and capability.

(6) Society uses human laws to handle human flaws, and use other humans to enforce them.

(7) People do what people believe -- or are forced to do.

(b) Know our Origins:

(1) Astronomy reveals what is known of the Cosmos

Astronomers have back tracked the origin of the cosmos to a Big Bang, some 15 billion years ago. Consider a roll of toilet paper being a time scroll, each of it’s 500 sheets represent 10,000,000 years, it begins 5 billion years ago when Earth came into being. After 1,5 billion years there are four kinds of the replicating cells. Another 1.8 billion year there are plant and animal membrane enclosed cells using DNA patterns for replication, We humans do not arrive until the last sheet and do not learn how to write til reaching the fuzz at the end. We now know it requires 100,000 million years for light to travel across our galaxy.

(2) Geology reveals what is know of the Earth

(3) Biology reveals what is known of living things from first replicating cells 3.5 billion years ago to plant life to animal life to humans.

(4) Beliefs are revealed by ancient religions, their practices and explanations of the unknowable. Beliefs changed slowly as humans evolved the means to decipher the unknowns.  

(5)  Rule, there was always competition between religious and secular control over the minds and money of the peoples. Peoples were always in conflict, the defeated were killed or enslaved and females were property of males.  Priesthoods usually managed civil affairs and Rulers commanded the military. 

(5) Behavior is revealed by History

( c ) Know where we stand:

(1) Hybrid Species each human is half animal and half machine, more powerful than ever before

(2) Populations differ, beliefs differ, behavior differs.

(3) Humans are confined to Earth and it’s limits.

(4) Exploding Population Replication happens, limited only by natures laws.

Earth can not support doubling the population at it’s past rates. Other than a super catastrophe, there is no apparent solution to this pending critical problem. The 2 billion population in 1940 became 6.5 in 2005 and is projected to be 9.5 to 11.5 by 2050. Population growth has been un-phased by plague, war or infidel eradication: 80% of native Americans were killed by European introduced diseases. In Roman & Medieval times plague killed 25 to 40% of the population. Natures laws are absolute and will bring population and resources into equilibrium, is societies find no solution.

(D) Know where we are headed

I’m not sure enlightenment will solve the human belief problem, because beliefs become mixed with human desires for power. There will always be imperfect humans, always a need for laws and a police force. Society is dependent on Good humans looking after the sick and needy and keeping the flawed under control.

Our democracy, a recent invention, defines laws by consent of the governed, where all beliefs are considered in determining the laws of the land. Not all nations are ruled by democratic means, and democracies are ruled by imperfect humans – enlightenment becomes critical.

We live in a different world where new machines are run by ancient humans. Humans have invented powerful machines, evolving new models better then the old. These are operated by humans, produced by mother natures rules, from ancient designs – each human is a unique combination of prehistoric blueprints passed on by those who survive. We were never selectively designed for today’s world. Society must make do with what we are – the good, bad and flawed. Today, one flawed human can kill thousands.

Enlightenment When we begin life’s adventure we soon learn we are one of many and have a lot to learn, we sometimes learn the hard way by personal experience and parental disciple. If fortunate we are taught by good parents, family, friends and community. We explore our expanding world, learn on our own and are taught by others. We cooperate, compete and help our friends – and protect each other, we instinctive band together against possible harm. We learn we are not all created equal, some can run faster, jump higher and sing better. What’s fairness is almost instinctive, each is allowed their turn and big are not to pick on the small – later each learn fairness in life is not guaranteed. Fate intervenes and each asked why? Many have answers for the unknowable. We adapt to the world and people about us – we learn to accept what we cannot change and try to improve what we can. We continue to grow in size and knowledge – always eager to grow up so we can do more on our own. The fortunate have abilities, dispositions and opportunity to find a comfortable niche in life. All encounter major difficulties imposed by fate – all of necessity learn to adapt. Most are innately curious and find reward in exploration and learning. We are all a part of our global society and society is dependant on a diversity of human talent to cope with the ever changing needs.