Comments on: I have become a Possibilian

By: Ivan Walsh

Ivan Walsh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:22:16 +0000

As Eagleman says, “We can’t possibly know enough to be either religious or atheist.”

He’s wrong, of course!

By: Mark Fairbanks

Mark Fairbanks — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:53:24 +0000

Thank you for writing about this, I’m definitely putting it in my queue. And you are absolutely correct, some of the best social ideas are far away from what we read on twitter, etc. on a daily basis. It all comes back to the human experience, doesn’t it? That, by far, is the most fascinating topic of all.

By: edward boches

edward boches — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:56:30 +0000

Well I am pretty type A. But that just means I want things to happen fast and like a sense of control. But it doesn’t mean I know anything. At least not about what comes after or even what comes next. As for art and literature from a technology conference, the more I meander through different culture and media spaces, the more I realize that everything is connected to everything else. And if it isn’t, then it’s our job to connect it. Thanks for reading and commenting. Will share more soon.

By: edward boches

edward boches — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:54:20 +0000

He is not an agnostic. He is a possibilian. Big difference. One comment he had is this: “Religion was invented before we knew anything.” Let’s start over based on what we know now. Doesn’t mean you can’t believe, just that you can never be sure. Thanks for commenting and don’t beat yourself up over being a rationalist. Rationalist and Possibilians can get along. Really.

By: edward boches

edward boches — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:52:43 +0000

Here’s why you must. Some of the best social ideas are to be had or inspired from sources far away from traditional social media and advertising. Exploring other areas, neuroscience, art, culture, even new forms of data analysis give you more ideas to bring back and put to work in your world. Thanks for reading and commenting.

By: melinda wax

melinda wax — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:30:02 +0000

Edward, thank you, in the midst of a technology conference, for sharing a story about words and language! I’m enchanted by this thought of re-imagining what we imagined in the first place, and being reminded that creativity in its strongest strain can be, as Maxine Greene the great educator likes to say, “making the familiar strange”. (it is also a great teaching tool)
Possible lets good or bad roll off either side.
Reordering our experiences gives credence to the skills that those with autism possess…a unique way of ordering information that often leads to highly original results, ex. Temple Grandon.
I like the idea of grouping my activities together but fear boredom, except for getting pain over all in one fell swoop. Not sure about endless days of boyfriend breakups and being dragged to the bottom of a wave. Guess the high side of each of these falls on the other side of possibility.
I embrace the concept of all of us meeting at the table and admitting we don’t know what will happen but can’t wait to see where it goes.
Not sure what happens to the Type A people in the world with this.
Guess that’s good. Not sure. Anything is possible!

By: Max Pfennighaus

Max Pfennighaus — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:08:03 +0000

I have to read this book, if only because it’s authored by a neuroscientist who wears cowboy outfits to web conferences.

Love your comments Jeff. I think any stand on the Matter requires an act of faith, despite what the atheists tell us (I’m a Zen Buddhist). I believe that to have a passionate, thoughtful position/religion/whatever means you are wrestling with the issue, which takes a lot of courage, especially in this day and age.

Max Pfennighaus
ACD Interactive, ISM
.-= Max Pfennighaus´s last blog ..It’s a Dialog, Not a Lecture =-.

By: Jeff Shattuck

Jeff Shattuck — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:18:40 +0000

Sounds like a cool book. I have to challenge his quote though: “We can’t possibly know enough to be either religious or atheist.”

First, it feels like a cop-out. Sure, I admit that agnostics have a point, but it bugs me that they won’t take a stand. If you ask them, “Look, what do you think?” they just smile beatifically and sigh, “I don’t know.” Drives me nuts!

Here’s the thing: if you take the time to read a lot about any particular religion you will find without fail that the particulars get in the way of the bigger story. In other words, you just can’t believe it all full-stop and if you do, well, you’re a little odd, I think.

So what about atheism? Well, given that no major or minor religion I have ever read about seems completely plausible, I think atheism makes perfect sense. I mean, you look at the evidence and you draw your conclusion. Not as much fun as dreaming about the afterlife, I admit, but what about infinite universes, quantum theory, the Big Bang, constants like the speed of light. There’s plenty out there that’s way more interesting to think about than wooden boats and burning bushes.

Damn, I am such a rationalist!

Jeff

PS – I confess I’m a Possibilian, too, just didn’t know it.
.-= Jeff Shattuck´s last blog ..The house of yesterdays. =-.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:19:01 +0000

Brilliant book idea.

By: Ginger Lennon

Ginger Lennon — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:38:50 +0000

Thanks for the book recommendation! Nowadays it’s hard to tear ourselves away from the ever-growing list of social media/marketing books, but sometimes it takes a new book like this to give you a fresh perspective. I’ll have to check it out!