Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Relativity and the power of detachment

Recently I was reading about relativity. This gave me some added clarity of not only how Einstein was motivated but also how we can better understand our lives (which ofcourse undoubtedly are part of this universe).

Newton revolutionized thinking by making coinscious choices to hypothesize and test and thus came up with some very useful laws. That was a big step during those superstitious days. Einstein went a step further by proving that choice making is relative and there could be no reasoning for a preference towards a hypothesis. He showed that encounters (elements in space-time coordinates) are necessary and sufficient to describe the events in the universe. He builds up his arguments using a key fact that experience of the universe is very involved in describing universe. And later in time one of his very good friends showed that no formal system could be consistent or complete which implies there is no reasoning behind choosing a specific system.

Since all choices are equivalent atleast scientifically and universe is anyway precisely described in space-time coordinates we need not get attached to particular point in the universe, as things keep changing anyways with our measured time. Ofcourse this assumes rationality and that you want to be ahead (aware) of events happening in human society. Don't attach any transcendental values to systems, choices people make or preferences.

Eg. If you analyze labor standards in different countries there is no reasoning to say American standards are better or other standards are poor. If you define labor as the work people do labor for living (which is reasonable because all other work is made for extra it's not easy to standardize that kind of work) that is getting food and shelter then America by its wealth needs less of it and hence labor cost is high and hence standards.

So relativity besides its usual contribution gave us a paradigm of how to think in a world with changing experiences. Sprititually it is suggested not to attach to any wordly things. This can be suggestible even scientifically. Also you can feel the difference if you just live according to the situation not getting attached or stuck. Most importantly don't get attached to your feelings because they are the most flickering of all experiences.

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