/ˌnänˈfikSH(ə)n/ noun. prose writing that is based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history. “high on the bestseller lists of nonfiction”
Dr. Martine Rothblatt, an expert in medical ethics, takes the time to imagine a future in which artificial intelligence is real and the potential problems that could arise from such interactions.
Unfortunately, I found Virtually Human to be virtually unreadable.
The introduction sounded promising enough — a description of the robot that Dr. Rothblatt created and its capabilities — but then Dr. Rothblatt launches into an abstract conversation about what is consciousness. She applies her definition to hypothetical artificial intelligences, which haven’t been created yet, and proceeds into a dizzying array of potential scenarios involving mindclones and “bemans”.
She talks about potential marriages between people and machines, various types of AI — some dysfunctional, some not — voting rights, reproduction rights, and more. It all reads like a discussion of very dry, very abstract human rights law mixed with a smidgen of science fiction, but not enough to be engaging.
Dr. Rothblatt certainly knows her stuff, but is seemingly unable to impart her knowledge in an approachable manner. Perhaps, I should say, this is a book that would probably be enjoyed by scholars interested the subject.
I suppose this might be more interesting when such technology actually exists, but in the meantime, it seems rather pointless to be asking ourselves if mindclones should have the right to vote or not. I’m not convinced that by asking ourselves unanswerable questions we’ll be better prepared for when/if this sort of thing actually occurs. Maybe we’ll just have to take life as it comes.
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.
Similar to The Alchemist, The Little Prince is a metaphorical tale that people seem to love or not.
“In the face of an overpowering mystery, you don’t dare disobey. Absurd as it seemed, a thousand miles from all inhabited regions and in danger of death, I took a scrap of paper and a pen out of my pocket.” pg 4
A pilot crashes in the desert and discovers a child wandering around who claims to be from another planet. His planet is so small that the prince can see multiple sunsets by simply moving his chair. And there’s a rose with four thorns that the prince loves. But he left this planet because of a disagreement with the rose. After a series of adventures where he meets dysfunctional adults on other planets, sees that his rose isn’t the only rose in the universe and learns about love from a fox, the prince decides he wants to go back home.
How he’s going to do that is not really clear.
So that’s the literal story.
The allegorical part has to do with how differently children perceive life than adults, what love is or means and how growing up, change or death affects love… among other things.
Here is my secret. It’s quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.” pg 63
I felt like there were layers to this story that I haven’t grasped yet. I suppose this could also be about a man contemplating his inner child. Then again, I suppose this story could be about a lot of things.
This was the first time I’ve ever read it and, to my amusement, when I checked it out from the library, my 12-year-old said she has already read it. I asked her what she thought of it and she just shrugged her shoulders. I liked it more than a simple shoulder shrug, but, in conclusion, I think there was stuff I was missing.
Andrew Weil travels around the world taking conscious-altering drugs or participating in mind-altering experiences (like a solar eclipse) to see what happens.
And to think, I assumed this book would be about meditation. 🙂
I recently read Weil’s Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing and I really liked the way he presented Eastern teachings and techniques for a Western audience. I also like his mind-set, that practical knowledge is better than mere theory.
“I must emphasize at the outset my prejudice that the experience of an altered state of consciousness is intrinsically more valuable than any amount of theorizing about it, unless the theory helps individuals to make more and better use of the states available to them.” pg 241
This book is a collection of newsletters that Weil wrote for the Institute of Current World Affairs. They offered him a fellowship after the publication of his book The Natural Mind: A Revolutionary Approach to the Drug Problem, to further test his theories about consciousness in the real world. I think his results are fascinating.
All of the chapters converge toward the idea of unifying consciousness. pg 5
The dual consciousness Weil is talking about is the active mind, represented in ancient alchemy by the sun, and the subconscious mind, represented by the moon. Within each of us, both minds operate more or less in balance. Though many of his studies involve the conscious use of drugs to achieve that balance, Weil promotes natural methods above all else. He believes that though drugs may be used ritualistically and responsibly, that any state they reveal was already a latent potential in the mind.
Basically, you can get there without the drug.
The highs of altered states of consciousness such as those of trance and meditation are similarly related to the focusing of awareness. When we learn to bring about this kind of concentration at will, we can be independent of external triggers for highs, whether drugs, sex or mangoes. pg 26
Yes, according to Weil, mangoes, the fruit, have been used by mystics for millennia to unify the conscious and subconscious minds through a type of ecstasy of the mouth. Who knew?
Weil exposes himself some far out stuff. He has three different chapters about his experiences with mushrooms.
“In other words, there is no line between poisonous and psychedelic mushrooms. Mushrooms are a pharmacological continuum, from the white cultivated variety that has no action as a drug to species like the Death Cup that can easily kill. If one likes to get high by eating mushrooms, he can choose species over a wide range of toxicity.” pg 47
In addition to all kinds of drugs, there’s consciousness altering through purposeful vomiting in Mexico, chili eating, personally observing Uri Geller doing his metal-bending thing and more.
This book is perfect for readers who are interested in varying states of consciousness but, for whatever reason, aren’t able to make the trips or take the risks themselves. And there are risks because not everything that Weil tries is safe. At one point, he’s riding waves of nausea in the rain in the middle of the jungle while his friend vomits again and again an arm’s length away and there’s nothing he can do about it. Certainly doesn’t sound like something I’d want to attempt.
Though these newsletters were written in the ’70s and this book was published in 1980, I feel that it still has applicable uses for today. Just look at all of the states that are legalizing marijuana (and our Canadian friends!). Questions about altered states of consciousness and addiction are going to crop up that society, after decades of avoidance, is going to have to answer.
“Sooner or later we will learn that plants with effects on the body and mind, such as marijuana, are what we make of them. Used intelligently and carefully they can help us. Used irresponsibly they can harm us.” pg 98
Good thing we have trailblazers like Weil showing us a middle way.
Jackie Warner sets the gold standard for diet and exercise books with This is Why You’re Sick and Tired. She starts out with the science of nutrition, exercise, and rest then goes into custom diet and weekly exercise suggestions. It’s easy to see why she’s so sought after by Hollywood stars — this lady knows her stuff.
I first saw Jackie in action on her, now ended, Bravo show, Work Out. At the time, I had just had a baby and was awake at all hours of the night doing the infant-feeding dance. Work Out was a nice escape from the spit up, exhaustion-filled reality that I was living at the time.
Jackie looked pretty serious about her business, but Work Out mainly focused on the drama between Jackie, her trainers, and the folks who came to her for help. It’s nice to see that she actually knows what she’s doing as a trainer and she’s not just another reality show poser.
The exercises that Jackie suggests are intense. They can be executed with hand weights, but by the fourth set, I’m so wobbly that it’s comical. We’ll see if I ever reach the heights of fitness put forth in This is Why You’re Sick and Tired. At this point, I’d be happy to finish her workout strong rather than falling apart in the last few reps.
Recently, I saw on Jackie’s Facebook page that she intends to lose 30 pounds in the coming weeks. She has shared that her fitness and nutrition has spun a bit off the rails in the last year. But, using what she knows about the body, Jackie intends to get herself back on track and fast.
I think it was brave of her to share that struggle in such a public manner. She’s as human as the rest of us and I think I like her even more since she’s admitted that. Here’s hoping Jackie accomplishes everything she sets out to do.
And you do too, dear readers. I’m not big into New Year’s resolutions, but this book may be a help to you if you’re looking to jump start your fitness and diet plans in the new year.
If you enjoy This is Why You’re Sick and Tired, I also suggest reading Reboot with Joe: Fully Charged: 7 Keys to Losing Weight, Staying Healthy and Thriving by Joe Cross (instructions on how to add juicing to your daily diet) and Down Size: 12 Truths for Turning Pants-Splitting Frustration into Pants-Fitting Success by Ted Spiker (to keep you laughing through any ups and downs of your new diet and exercise routine).
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.
In Three Years of Quantrell, John McCorkle recounts riding as an irregular with William Quantrell and how they fought against the Federals in Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War.
It is a sobering look at how war is hell. McCorkle never knew who he could trust and who he couldn’t. During the infamous raid at Lawrence, Kansas, McCorkle says that some good men may have died in the raid, “but that wasn’t our intent.”
It’s hard to imagine what a country at odds with itself must have been like. People would take advantage of each other, steal property, and even the lives of their neighbors.
My one quibble with this memoir is it contains a lot of travel. It feels like McCorkle said we went here, then here, then here… as he goes through his memories of the war. There’s plenty of “hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror.”
Recommended for history readers who want an original source for research about the American Civil War.
Crystal Dwyer, a new age instructor, has developed a set of guided meditations to enable listeners to improve their lives in a variety of ways. These tracks address issues from insomnia to anxiety. She has a pleasant voice and the meditations are enjoyable.
If you’re not into new age themes, you may want to try another hypnosis program. At the beginning of the audiobook, Dwyer is straight forward with her beliefs about God being within each of us and our individual power as creators. I could see that being problematic with those who don’t connect with those teachings.
I feel that the title of this work is a bit misleading. There are going to be ups and downs in any life. To suggest that you can eliminate anything seems suspect and sort of pie-in-the-sky. It reminds me of books that tout “read this and lose ten pounds in three weeks” and things of that nature. These meditations are valuable enough without the publisher (or author) making promises that perhaps they can’t keep.
That being said, I don’t think many people know what hypnosis is. In my experience, hypnosis, similar to a trance-state, just feels like deep relaxation. Everyone is different, but when I’m under, my body feels heavy but light, which seems impossible. My limbs sort of disappear and I feel as if I’m floating.
Once I’m there, in that relaxed state, then I let the meditation I’m listening to just wash over me. It feels really good actually. Generally, at the end, the hypnotist will say something like, “You’re coming back and you’ll feel entirely refreshed.” And, wouldn’t you know it, I do.
I think popular culture hasn’t done hypnosis any favors with people’s expectations about how it works. (The film “Office Space” comes to mind.) You don’t turn into some suggest-able zombie person when you’re under. Like most things, hypnosis and relaxation are a choice. Worry is a choice. It’s all about controlling that inner narrative and changing your inner thought processes to ones that are pleasing to you.
A child once asked me to teach her about hypnosis so she could “control her brother”, which cracked me up. But then I explained to her that hypnosis isn’t a tool for controlling other people. The name of the game is improving and controlling yourself.
It’s like Marcus Aurelius said: “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Recommended for seekers looking for another tool to help them on their path to self knowledge.
In the latest installment of “Heidi re-listens to all the old audiobooks on her hard drive”, I gave The Science of Being Great another chance to share its wisdom with me.
Couched in religious language, Wallace Wattles shares his new age viewpoint long before modern audiences became enamored of it with the mammoth success of The Secret. In fact, that’s how the publisher marketed this older manuscript, as source material for The Secret.
I suppose it could be considered “source material” in that Wattles teaches enlightenment is to be found within. But he has very little in it about the guiding power of emotions, which was a cornerstone of The Secret. Wattles book is more along the lines of: You are a god walking among gods and should act accordingly. And don’t stick your nose into other people’s business.
Some of his advice is more tricky, such as: see the world in a perfect state of becoming. Nothing has gone wrong or could go wrong. Everyone and everything is perfect for where they are and everything has the chance to get better.
That’s hard stuff to swallow if you take a second to think about it. “The world is in a perfect state of becoming.” Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to looking for problems rather than relying on faith that everything is working out how its supposed to.
Other parts of this book sounded similar to more modern new age authors with these ideas: Books and people will be drawn to you when you need them. Go where your inner feelings tell you to go. As you think, so you will become. Thoughts are things, etc.
By comparing and contrasting this book with other authors, I’m not intending to denigrate those teachings. I wouldn’t want to dismiss the power of the mind and emotions. Using just those things, people can certainly change their lives.
It’s just that the way they are packaged in The Science of Being Great may make it difficult for some readers to absorb it. Take the word “God” for example or “the Father”. Wattles throws those two around in every other sentence or so. That could be problematic for people who have struggled with religion or have involving it. Or those who don’t believe religion and science can mix.
And the whole book takes itself so seriously. Even the title “The Science of Being Great”, reminds me of an encyclopedia entry or something. I’ve had the most success in my own personal life when I’ve lightened up and stopped making such a big deal out of things.
In conclusion, is there helpful information in this book? Yes. Would I recommend taking the time to go through it to find those gems? It depends on how you learn best, I guess. Personally, I’d recommend Esther Hicks if you want the same sort of new age teachings with less religious trappings and a bigger dose of fun.
Humor is an interesting concept. It varies from person to person and even day to day. Something that you find funny today might not even make you crack a smile tomorrow.
But what I’ve discovered through watching a variety of stand-up comics is that the most successful ones tend to bring their own lives into the act in a powerful way. They distill what makes them unique and apply a humorous lens to it, making you feel like laughing or crying. It’s almost like storytelling through jokes. I feel like you have to be a brave person to even attempt it. Because what if you fail?
Have you ever watched Maz Jobrani‘s stand up? He does some storytelling and it’s rather funny. But he also has a back-and-forth with his audience, highlighting the differences between everyone but, beneath that, our essential humanness.
It is that unique voice that comes through in his memoir. He describes growing up Iranian in America and it wasn’t an easy ride. But even through his difficulties, Maz makes it amusing.
He helped me to understand what it is like to be an Iranian in America and also a successful, stand up comic.
In addition to his life story, Maz’s detailed descriptions of other countries makes the reader want to travel to all sorts of exotic locales. This book made me want to visit Petra. 🙂 Some day, perhaps.
If you enjoyed I’m Not a Terrorist, But I’ve Played One on TV, you may want to read Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia, Shrinkage: Manhood, Marriage, and the Tumor That Tried to Kill Me by Bryan Bishop or I’m Just a Person by Tig Notaro.
In similar ways to this book, Birbiglia, Bishop and Notaro take their lives and share them with us, the readers. They make you laugh, and like Maz, you can’t help but appreciate the brilliance and bravery of comedians. Life isn’t always funny, but it can be. It just depends on what you focus on.
Andrew Weil presents pranayama, Eastern breathing techniques for health and well being, for a Western audience. If you have never tried meditation or deep breathing before, this would be a good place to start.
Weil talks about how breathing is one of the only bodily functions that can be performed both consciously and automatically. That unique control allows for a bridge to be made between the conscious and subconscious minds. Ever notice how people who are upset breathe faster? There’s reasons for that.
The first disc of this audiobook is almost unbelievable in Weil’s claims of healing mental and physical disorders through simple breathing, but I don’t think he’d lie about it. I guess our culture has always put so much belief in Western healing through the use of medicines and concrete therapies, that we haven’t always entertained other types of healing.
Of particular interest to me was Weil’s testimony about a patient of his with anxiety disorders that were so severe that they were causing heart palpitations. His patient was given medications to suppress the anxiety, but after awhile they stopped working and Weil’s patient was forced to find something else. He approached all manner of doctors and psychologists, but didn’t see any movement forward on his problems until he began to practice Weil’s breathing techniques.
I know a few people in my own life who might find that story interesting too. Couldn’t we all use tools to increase our inner peace and decrease those pesky anxieties?
The second disc is half a dozen or so different breathing exercises. They’re all fairly simple and you can do them in minutes.
I listened to this audiobook years ago and, honestly, forgot everything I learned. But I explored it again last week and realized that it was never too late to get back on track. Recommended self help book for anybody who breathes. 🙂
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