Possibilianism

The New York Times Book Review for 6/19/2011 has a short piece on David Eagleman and his books: "Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain", "Why the Net Matters" and "Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives".
Possibilianism is the name he gave to describe where he stands in relation to atheists, agnostics and true believers.  He does not find current theology comprehensible, talking snakes in the Garden of Eden, creation of the world in six days.  As a neuro-scientist he is fascinated by possibility.  The essence of science is a tolerance for possibilities, and the ability to hold multiple ideas when there is a lack of proven data.  The true scientist does not know and unlike the agnostic he/she will explore the possibilities.

Voltaire: "Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.  But certainty is an absurd one."

One of Mr. Eagleman's books is "Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives".  It is a collection of speculative short stories about the afterlife.  For example: God is a microbe and unaware of our existence; we are experiments for the gods; we are a reunion for a scattered confederacy of atoms.  In June, 2009 Brian Eno and Eagleman performed a musical reading at the Sydney Opera House.   Readings from the book are featured in a number of episodes from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's show Wiretap.  It has been named the best book and best spiritual book of 2009, and Amazon's #1 best seller in Great Britain for 2009. Of course, Eagleman has his own website, www.eagleman.com, where he discusses his theories and invites you to take a test on your capacity for synesthesia.  When you taste a particular food, do you see a specific color?  If so, you may have synesthesia and qualify for a research study.
Which might be good training for the afterlife.

Sergio and Mara return home

They left on Monday and I am still recuperating.  We did a lot in the short time they were here.  Just as an example this was my last day with the Italians.  I walked up to 14th Street and 6th Ave. to meet Lynn for breakfast at about 10AM.  After breakfast we watched the gay pride parade.
I only wanted to see Dan Savage, the Grand Marshall, to cheer him on.  Dan Savage is an advice columnist who started a worldwide movement, the "it get's better" videos.  He began it after hearing one too many stories about anguished gay teens committing suicide.  "It get's better" videos are of celebrities recalling their own experiences of being bullied, and how, in time, their life got better.  As of 1/3/11 there were 5,000 videos.  So I gave him a cheer.
Then we left for a tour of the east village.  I showed Lynn one of my favorite places, the doggie run at Tompkins Square park.  The dogs were not running.  It was much too hot, and they're much too smart.  Then  a stroll through one of the many community gardens in the east village.

Next it was down to City Hall to meet up with Frank, Sergio, and Mara.  Sergio, Mara and I decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
Then back to their Hotel at 7th Avenue and 56th Street to meet with everyone for dinner.  Lynn calculated that I had walked for 7 hours.
I would do it all again, such good people.