We Played Games As Children

We played games as children
Enacting whole sets of scenes;
We played roles as children
In these little sets of scenes;
We played parents and children,
Teachers, toddlers, and teens;
We still play games, O children,
But games that live on dreams!

Comments

Placebo and the Philosophy of Mind and Matter in Drug Research

A placebo is a non-therapeutic substance administered under the camouflage of medication to deceive patients into believing that they are receiving medications; this done solely for psychological and not for physiological effects. Placebo may usually be used to compare its effects with the effects of other drugs in drug research. Let's take the case of an experiment that tries to establish whether a particular drug, say to treat weariness, is genuine or merely has the effects of a placebo. Suppose 20 candidates are chosen for this experiment. 10 are given the drug and the rest are put on a placebo while they are told that the placebo is a genuine medication. They need to make sure that the deception is well carried on for the success of the experiment. If both the groups make similar improvements after taking the treatments, the new drug seems to only function as a placebo in effect. The basic hypothesis of the placebo raises the question of mind over matter. Of course, this pushes...

Reliability, Predictability, and Paul the Octopus

Paul the Octopus has recently become very famous after his predictions for Germany and Spain during the World Cup 2010 came right. The 100% accuracy tag distinguishes him from any other diviner who had attempted a prediction during the World Cup. There were responses and reactions from various people including sportsmen, statesmen, and mathematicians. Whatever, the use of Paul has demonstrated once again that mankind's search for an extra-temporal, psychic foresight has not quelled through the historical calendar returning a decade over this millennium. The question before us is can such predictions as those of Paul be counted on as reliable (in other words, can they be seriously taken as true)? The mathematicians have plumped for chance. It's all a matter of probability, they say ( BBC News ). However, the argument of chance in itself is weak. The mathematics of chance will calculate that the probability of Paul being right seven times out of seven is 1/128. But, the conclusi...

Welcome Speech - Commencement Exercise (Graduation) 2012

HONORABLE PRESIDENT, Matron, Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Board of FPCGI, Board of PCG Itarsi, Dear Pastors, Guests, Colleagues, Delegates and all Friends. I count it a privilege once again this year to stand and welcome you to another Commencement Service of Central India Theological Seminary. The goal of education is the acquisition and discovery of truth. Jesus declared to Pilate His mission as being a witness to the truth. Of course, Pilate was not in a position to accept such a position as worthwhile; for brute force and wisdom are two different worlds. History is witness to the fact that brute force has often tried to silence the voice of wisdom; while the purpose of wisdom has always been to introduce order into a world full of chaos. The word is supposed to calm the storms. Man lost that power when he fell from truth and disobeyed God’s word. But, the Word of God Himself incarnated as man and men marveled that even the winds and the storms obeyed His word. They obeyed, not just...

Marbaniang, Domenic

Search This Blog