Just on the off chance you haven't already heard this: The universe started with mostly hydrogen, helium, etc... the lighter elements. Then those clouds of H2 slowly attracted each other because of gravity, and formed into tighter balls that started to fuse and convert the hydrogen to heavier elements. These are the heavy materials necessary to life: Iron, Carbon, Oxygen, etc... When those stars eventually exploded, those materials were thrown out into the universe and eventually formed into our planet, providing materials which randomly arrange into shapes which then act as a pattern for similar arrangements, where the more adaptable ones are more likely to reproduce and evolve into what we have become today.
Everyone of those processes are understood, at least to a basic degree, by science today. They can be tested, duplicated on the (much) smaller scale, and used to predict the future. We can control them (a little) and use that to our advantage (or not).
How can anyone be MORE in awe than to know that BILLIONS of years and fusion and explosions of energy on a STELLAR scale where required to come to this point at this time to make this CHILD! And if you read them enough books, they can come to understand most of how they came to be! How much more wonder, interconnectedness, beauty, and design do we need?
Many times I've looked at my kids and thought or even said "you are made of stardust"... Now get back to your homework! You have miles to go before you rest. Push the rock a little higher this time, young Prometheus.
2012/03/30
2012/03/15
the Holy Number of the Pi
Today is Pi day. I hope you will be inspired by this reading from "the Holy Science", book of Mathematics, chapter 3, verses 14 and 15:
"And on the day of the Holy Number of the Pi, being the 14th day of the 3rd month, starting at the 15th hour and the 9th minute, shall begin the measuring of the circles. Except on the 14th day of the 3rd month in the 15th year, when the measuring shall begin in the 9th hour and the 26th minute and the 53rd second and shall be holier than thou... will ever see again.
And the circles shall be measured, and all the circles, and the measuring of them shall be twice; once around and once across, and the measures shall be divided, the one into the other, the smaller into the larger, and the quotient begat of the division shall be as the Holy Number of the Pi, and there shall be much rejoicing.
And if the quotient be not as the Holy Number of the Pi, the digits being numbered with the digits of one hand, then those who measure will be sorrowful and will wear the eye frames of birth control and protectors of the pocket and there will be much wailing and gnashing of pencils. And the measuring shall be measured again, and the High Priest of the Holy Number of the Pi shall measure and the dividing and the checking of the quotient from the Holy Number of the Pi shall also be of the High Priest. And if the numbers be holy then the measurers who did measure the measures with out true measure will be punished... in Pi mercy. And the punishment shall be that they shall measure the measures, and divide the measures, until the quotient be the Holy Number of the Pi as far as the digits of the one hand, no more, no less.
Yet if the High Priest of the Holy Number of the Pi finds that the quotient of the measures of that circle matcheth not the Holy Number of the Pi, then the circle shall be cast down, and shall not be a circle, and shall be stricken from the records of the circles, and never measured in all the land. For the Holy Number of the Pi is most holy, and may never be questioned, for it has been reviewed by the Great Peer, and found to be holy."
"And on the day of the Holy Number of the Pi, being the 14th day of the 3rd month, starting at the 15th hour and the 9th minute, shall begin the measuring of the circles. Except on the 14th day of the 3rd month in the 15th year, when the measuring shall begin in the 9th hour and the 26th minute and the 53rd second and shall be holier than thou... will ever see again.
And the circles shall be measured, and all the circles, and the measuring of them shall be twice; once around and once across, and the measures shall be divided, the one into the other, the smaller into the larger, and the quotient begat of the division shall be as the Holy Number of the Pi, and there shall be much rejoicing.
And if the quotient be not as the Holy Number of the Pi, the digits being numbered with the digits of one hand, then those who measure will be sorrowful and will wear the eye frames of birth control and protectors of the pocket and there will be much wailing and gnashing of pencils. And the measuring shall be measured again, and the High Priest of the Holy Number of the Pi shall measure and the dividing and the checking of the quotient from the Holy Number of the Pi shall also be of the High Priest. And if the numbers be holy then the measurers who did measure the measures with out true measure will be punished... in Pi mercy. And the punishment shall be that they shall measure the measures, and divide the measures, until the quotient be the Holy Number of the Pi as far as the digits of the one hand, no more, no less.
Yet if the High Priest of the Holy Number of the Pi finds that the quotient of the measures of that circle matcheth not the Holy Number of the Pi, then the circle shall be cast down, and shall not be a circle, and shall be stricken from the records of the circles, and never measured in all the land. For the Holy Number of the Pi is most holy, and may never be questioned, for it has been reviewed by the Great Peer, and found to be holy."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
