On 01-28-98 David Martorana wrote to Day Brown... 
 DM>  A motive, armed of will and wherewithal, whether born from a 
 DM>  "NOTHING/s" or a "SOMETHING/s", is one slippery fish to teach 
 DM>  our logic to. I've thought on it some without any significant 
 DM>  concluding.  That there might be some primal knowings waiting 
 DM>  in such of "otherish" re-ALL-ities, is an awkward bird of 
 DM>  search. That "nonconceptuals" can even be invited into our 
 DM>  limited mentation, does to only tease along tips of incomplete 
 DM>  possibility (other than the extended grasp of math). It is, at 
 DM>  best, in our time, a tightrope some between SciFi and poetry; 
 DM>  with science, in its own context making those few genuine strides. 
 DM>   
 DM>     "...what science cannot discover, mankind cannot know." 
 DM>                                       ....Bertrand Russell 
 'Science' involves experiment or experience, and cogitation of 
 the data to draw conclusions.  Our culture has a perjorative way 
 of looking at any alteration of consciousness, either chemical, 
 or by sensory deprivation, such as meditation.  This culture is 
 so permeated with Christian attitudes, that it does not realize 
 that this perjorative view of a psychedelic experience is part 
 of the Judaic/Christian dogma. 
 
Not that there is not good reason; such experience is notorious 
in the habit of destroying careers and family attachments.  but, 
even Jesus said as much, that if you want the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth, give all that you have to the 
poor and follow him [him being the truth].  But, of course, he 
forgives them all for not doing that, and being hardworking and 
law-abiding family members instead. 
 
But, the Buddhist monk, does as Jesus said, left his world in a 
dedicated search for the truth.  This dis-engagement does not do 
a whole lot to advance science.  So, as I suggested to Richard: 
what are your responsibilities, and how much do you risk if what 
you want is the whole truth?  Because, if you get it, you may, as 
acid heads often do, discard old relationships, responsibilities, 
and enthralled with the visions, set a new order of priorities to 
your life. 
 
The 'primitive' cultures uniformly had the young man, *before* he 
had established these responsibilities, undertake a vision quest, 
often with psychedelic drugs, and allowed him time to digest the 
experience later.  IMHO: such a vision takes the edge off of the 
passion and dedication to the physical plane, which is so handy 
in the pursuit of what is generally regarded as 'science'. 
 
So, as much as I admire Bertie, and *his* dedication to the many 
physical planes he had such talent with, his vision of 'science' 
is too limited in scope. 
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 * OFFLINE 1.58 * I don't need understanding: I want a bimbo, maybe a harem. 
--- Maximus 3.01
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