Field Notes
various thoughts, findings, meditations, reflections, and spontaneous musings...
As I type the date of these notes I cannot help but think of the basic "trinary" units of the quantum computer. I don't know a lot about this field, but one of my first questions regards this very thing: If in the digital computer the basic units of information are 0 and 1, would not the basic units of the quantum computer be 0, 1, and 2, whereby the 2 represents the superimposed/uncollapsed state of the quantum unit when it exists as both 0 and 1? What do you quantum/computers folks think?
Just trying to figure out how these things work, how quantum computers function and how we program them. This question is but one of many I have on this topic. Hence my course "From Forbidden Planet to Ex Machina and Beyond"...so that those of us who are interested in such things may gather around the catalyzing tool of movies and explore such things together, sharing our questions, perspectives, and skills in this specific area of quantum computing as well as the more general areas of computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and human-machine interfacing. I wonder how many folks in Pueblo would be interested in such a pursuit, and how best to reach them? Will begin to find out this spring.
On to other things...
I've been considering alternative ways we can divide the human population beyond the usual political, physical, and national categories. An initial list includes the (predominately) Actives and the (predominately Passives (the term "predominantly" serves to emphasize these categories are not absolute divisions but rather possess gradations between their extremes, as well as change, flow, and exchange within and between the categories. The Taoist symbol of yin/yang perhaps best represents what I talking about here, essentially the division of life into two different parts which readily overlap and continually exchange the essence of the difference. Thus in the dance of these parts, it might be seen we have the basis of the creative process.
Other ways we might divide the human population: the Mechanical and the Spiritual types... those who are more physically oriented and those who are more mentally oriented...the more social creature and the more solitary creature...folks geared more towards exterior activity and development and folks geared more towards interior activity and development... the engineer and the theorist if you will.
In any event, this question of dividing the human population thus was prompted by these passages from Ellul's The Technological Society (1964, p. 76):
"For the most part, there was an equilibrium between two major types of civilization--the active and passive...some societies are oriented toward the exploitation of the earth, toward war, conquest, and expansion in all its forms. Other societies are inwardly oriented; they labor just enough to support themselves, concentrate on themselves, are not concerned with material expansion...from the spiritual point of view, these societies are characterized by a mystical attitude, but a desire for self-dissolution and absorption into the divine...The Tibetans, for instance, were conquerors and believers in magic until their conversion to Buddhism. Thereafter they became the world's most passive and mystical people. The reverse can also take place...The two types of society co-existed throughout history; indeed, this seemed necessary to the equilibrium of the world and man. Until the nineteenth century, technique has not yet excluded one of them."
02/20/2020
However true and absolute Ellul's observation may be, in light our troubles today, it certainly makes one think.
Speaking of division, I've been thinking about the various groupings in my own classroom, that is, how I would divide student/participants according their level of commitment and involvement. to help with this I image a circle divided into three concentric zones; picture a circular stadium with a central circular playing field, another ring around this inner playing field represents the sidelines, and the ring outside this middle one represents the stands or place for spectators. Thus, from inner to outer, I have three zones into which class members might fit: First Class is on the "playing field"...Second Class is on the "sidelines"...and Third Class is in the "stands." Some initial thoughts regarding this scheme:
For the most part, is the students choice where to be, some way want to jump right in the game (that is, get directly involved with various activities and projects, including homework)...others might rather wait and see, just sit in the stands check things out...others might rather be on the sidelines, either preparing to get in the game or taking a break from it. Some might readily travel between zones as current and former players who are also coaches, scouts, and analysts for instance.
I've also been thinking about market research and student/participant selection, locating and defining my target audience, criteria (general, minimal, and ideal) for crew selection and so forth...
Much as this title has been overused, I see this overall exploration and research project as "a tale of two spaceships"...one ship is the Earth itself (our "mother" ship), and the other is our imaginary "school" spaceship (borrowing from a favorite movie, I'm calling this ship the Bellerophon, as least for now). In any event, with this model we can readily consider how the experiences and lessons garnered from each ship can inform the other...
An historical exercise we would be wise to consider: Let us for a moment at least put ourselves back in time exactly 100 years ago in country of Germany. Here in 1920 Hitler is now beginning is struggle for power, a mostly unknown and this point but soon to gain great attention and increasing support. Exactly 13 years later in 1933 he assumes his full power and the Nazi party takes over, and in less than 7 years later all hell breaks loose.
Now with this exercise I'm not implying anything about our current situation or making any predictions. I'm merely using this exercise to put ourselves in the context of history in order to give us more awareness and therefore more say in our future. A lot can happen in 10 years, and what happens to us in this decade and beyond is up to us, our collective vision and action in a free and democratic society. In any event, so goes the coach in me, in memory of JFK's challenge of the decade in the early 60s.
02/22/2020
Objective/project #13 came to me today: Creation and testing of the Bellerophon I, a prototype flying saucer of the future...
Anaxacles: "There are two types of people in the world, those who see they have addictions, and those who deny they have addictions." (It is said this ghost of an ancient Greek philosopher, from around 500 BC, may be Chiron or Hermes...
02/26/2020
In spring 2020 I begin market/audience research, student-participant recruitment, and crew selection in Pueblo, Colorado.
Thus, some 50 years from my departure, I'm returning to Pueblo to make my birthplace my home base of operations for Manitou Movie School and the Colorado Center for Creative Studies...
Truly this will be an experiment in reinvention for the ground up...a long-term exercise in turning theory into practice, idea into actuality, and vision into action...
Heading down to Pueblo Library this Friday to begin research...
03/02/2020
Trip down to Pueblo this past weekend was very encouraging, much more so than I expected...
Checked out the meeting rooms at Pueblo library, a number of good options there, technology is there and seating capacity plenty...did a little research there as well, they've a few good search engines in the system, used Academic Search Premier and a couple others to locate any articles on cannabis research in space, nothing found with this initial cursory search, ironically it was ultimately Google where I got results typing key words "cannabis space exploration"...and indeed there are a couple recent developments, indeed, it appears SpaceX is sending cannabis plants into space this month...all this however is a very far cry the more much more comprehensive and far-reaching question I'm asking: "Should cannabis go with us to the Moon and Mars?" Encouraging...
Saw book on display shelf, 12 Tips to Maintain Brain Health (2012) by Maddie Spalding, written for teens, this little book is very simple and basically right on and in agreement with the basic methods I use and encourage in cannabis fitness...though bigger factors like lifestyles and work that gives meaning and purpose as less so directly addressed...still, affirming book and one I would recommend not only to teens but adults as well, especially those less inclined to read and pursue deeper learning on mental health (Mental Health for Idiots, or lazy folks)
Thought of first regulation for Manitou Movie School and the Bellerophon Crew Handbook: The Foremost Regulation is Excellent Education (FREE): here "Excellent" is defined by the presence and practice of the six basic perspectives of the Center...
In any event, I really dig the scene down in Pueblo on many levels, the color and variety, the wide open space and relatively low traffic and quiet streets...I can easily walk downtown, the library is just minutes away, same with the Arkansas river, a nice long stretch of sidewalk besides, think I'll get a cheap bike, can go everywhere with that, won't have to use car while I'm down there...
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