After reading this commentary about a book and story from R. Feynman's life, I realize that I do not fall into the group that agree with the commentator, and rather, fall with the scientists. But I think it is a little more than that. I disagree with the sentiment in the piece that scientists are not emotional. Just because a scientist may rely on observations and dismiss coincidence, does not mean that we do not still feel the emotional value of life's experiences.
In fact, I find it offensive and dishonest when people try to take something personal and meaningful, in this case the death of a spouse, and turn it around so that the focus isn't on the people and the real events anymore, but is on some supernatural poppycock. In doing so, I think the human experience is belittled. We are all here to occupy our small space and time, and I think we should spend that time focusing on our own experiences and those we care about, not whether "the Universe" or some other supernatural personification gives two cents about us.
I too came down on your side of this. I understand the urge to believe that you are special and the universe makes things happen just because you are happy/sad/grief-stricken. But I just can't do it and it seems a dangerous narcissism that allows you to believe that the "Signifier" treats you differently or cares about you more than others.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole-heartedly. I'll digress a little to add that, I've always wondered why it's a miracle, attributable to some higher power, when one person out of a hundred survives a terrible accident, rather than realizing that the same higher power just let ninety-nine people die.
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