Ultima Thule
The Conquest of Inner Space
Welcome to Empire of the Mind! Each of you has worked hard to earn his or her way in, and now that we are all in, we are all equals (though some of us are much smarter, prettier and taller than others).
Our Latin motto has been Ultima Thule, which was an old Mythical northern isle above Britain. Basically it means “that which nothing can go beyond.” That’s our goal, to push the levels of reason and understanding in all things. However, that might be a bit ambitious, or at least arrogant, at least for the time being, so we offer an alternative motto:
“The Conquest of Innerspace.”
This was the last sermon preached by my grandfather, and I think it’s a great adaptation for us. I mention him because he died on April 26, 1983, which is the main reason I wanted to start Empire of the Mind today, to honor his towering intellect, and at least personally turn a sad day into one of joy and celebration.
Not having a theological mind I am unsure what Grandpa meant by his title, but I know what I mean: in a very real sense, there is as much or more complexity within us than in all of the known universe. And I do not mean that in some new-agey sense. There’s a ton going on in there. The Mind is almost an incomprehensible thing. What we seek to (eventually) do is get a grasp on what the Mind is, how one can train is effectively, make it reach new heights. I hesitate to enumerate what I mean because most of you would laugh, but I’m serious when I say there is not much the Mind cannot do, if only it knew how.
But while we’re figuring out how to fly and see into the girls’ locker room, I’d like to get a start at our own unified theory. This is actually how Empire started. Several years ago I came up with a theory of how everything connected. I called it “Inevitability.”
I was immediately joyous at my “discovery” but also cognizant that
A) I might be wrong
B) Even if I were correct, there were many aspects to the theory that needed hashing out.
I enlisted the help of a few friends, and we started a great e-mail correspondence. We attacked each other’s ideas with vigor, and good times were had by all.
Fast-forward to two years ago. “Bear” came to visit me up in Canada, and we spent most of the week arguing about the reality of “infinity.” At the end we both realized how much we needed high-level discourse in our lives. I don’t know about you, and I’m not trying to hate here, but I just don’t get the opportunity to have these kinds of discussions in my everyday life. And I need it. I think we all do, at least those of us who aspire to more than the unexamined life, and by the way, whether you knew it or not, the very fact that you applied means that’s you too. (That you made it through the gauntlet means you’re really in.)
So this group idea was born. It took some time getting off the ground, which is partly my fault and partly because of circumstances in my home situation that made it difficult to get net time, which has become the chosen medium for how we are to do this. Many of you applied last year, and I appreciate your patience, but hey: HERE WE ARE NOW!
To briefly continue the timeline, Bear and I recruited two others, and we formed the initial Application Committee. Each of you applied, and once you were in, you were able to read the applications of others. All the applications were done “blind,” meaning that no one—not even I—knew who was applying until after grades were given. I want it noted that even though the initial four were in (having started the group), we all answered the questions too. Not only that, but I fed the answers into the Application Process, just so we all could be judged as well.
(I didn’t tell the gang I was doing that, which is probably a good thing, but I wanted them to sweat it out too. Thank the Light they all made it in…by the skin of their teeth.)
The plan had been to put up all the answers, so that we could see we are all equals and laugh at each other. My main computer is up in Canada so there could be some logistics problems, but that still remains a goal of mine.
Speaking of each other, I asked you last week for final email addresses and “names” you’d like to be known under. Speaking to “Bear” this morning he brought up a concern. Bear points out that with so many people using aliases the tendency might be to see that as one more clubhouse and not take the process seriously. I personally think it comes down to personal integrity, and once you all are humming along you’ll bring your “A Game,” but maybe Bear has a point. Maybe this should be a little more formal, and we should use real names. After all, we will be sharing email addresses, which often put our names on them anyway. Something to think about.
For today I have two things for you. One, I’d like you to email back three questions. I did this with another group I started, and it worked fantastically. Pick one personal question (but not too personal), one more academic question, and one wacky one. Then Bear and I will choose from the questions (or maybe just pick all of them if they are great) and send out the questionnaire. This won’t be graded or anything, but a simple way to get to know each other a little more so we’re not strangers. We want to attack ideas with the utmost passion, and let no illogical thought left unchallenged. However, I don’t think it serves any purpose to remain distant strangers to each other. As much as cyberspace allows, why not get to know each other just a little?
So, if you would, please take a few moments to email back three questions you’d like people to answer, as well as weigh in on the alias/real name issue.
Secondly, sort of as a practice run to get the ball rolling, I have taken an essay one of you wrote as a dry run on maybe how this will work. Each of you answered the main questions, but then there were sub-questions answered too. Some of you answered the question about what would happen if humans lived ten thousand years. One of you put a lot of effort into the question and really showed something, and I wanted to reward that effort by making it our very first thing.
If you go to this link (http://empireofthemind.blogspot.com/2007/04/10000-years.html), you will see that person’s post. Note: as a one time only thing, I am posting this anonymously, so it could have come from any of you. The reason I am doing that is that the person wrote with the understanding that only the committee would see the work, and I don’t want to then trumpet the name all over the place. (Although, if you see someone offering a little too much praise in the comments, you might get suspicious.)
Here’s what we’ll do for now. Go to the link. You’ll notice it’s a private link that no one else but us knows about. I want to keep it that way. You are not to share this link with anyone. That way we each have freedom to opine.
Read what the person has to say, and then way in. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES does this mean a chorus of “rah rahs.” If you agree, give some reasons why, perhaps additional supporting evidence. If you disagree, do the same thing. Note that your arguments in support or opposition to the original idea are fair game as well.
The rules are: attack the idea, but fairly and with supporting evidence. NO PERSONAL ATTACKS.
One other thing: until we get it figured out exactly how we are going to run this site (either by inviting all of you to be members, or something else), please LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AS ANONYMOUS and then sign the name you want to use after your thoughts. Once we get that glitch figured out we will do it more efficiently, but you have to give us a couple weeks to see how this will work.
This letter will also be a post on the site in case you lose it, as will a Table of Contents for new Posts. That may change, but for now that’s how you do it. Please email back to me as soon as you can, and we’ll get to know each other better and get started on what I hope will be a very exciting thing.
Thanks for your time,
Hyperion
Our Latin motto has been Ultima Thule, which was an old Mythical northern isle above Britain. Basically it means “that which nothing can go beyond.” That’s our goal, to push the levels of reason and understanding in all things. However, that might be a bit ambitious, or at least arrogant, at least for the time being, so we offer an alternative motto:
“The Conquest of Innerspace.”
This was the last sermon preached by my grandfather, and I think it’s a great adaptation for us. I mention him because he died on April 26, 1983, which is the main reason I wanted to start Empire of the Mind today, to honor his towering intellect, and at least personally turn a sad day into one of joy and celebration.
Not having a theological mind I am unsure what Grandpa meant by his title, but I know what I mean: in a very real sense, there is as much or more complexity within us than in all of the known universe. And I do not mean that in some new-agey sense. There’s a ton going on in there. The Mind is almost an incomprehensible thing. What we seek to (eventually) do is get a grasp on what the Mind is, how one can train is effectively, make it reach new heights. I hesitate to enumerate what I mean because most of you would laugh, but I’m serious when I say there is not much the Mind cannot do, if only it knew how.
But while we’re figuring out how to fly and see into the girls’ locker room, I’d like to get a start at our own unified theory. This is actually how Empire started. Several years ago I came up with a theory of how everything connected. I called it “Inevitability.”
I was immediately joyous at my “discovery” but also cognizant that
A) I might be wrong
B) Even if I were correct, there were many aspects to the theory that needed hashing out.
I enlisted the help of a few friends, and we started a great e-mail correspondence. We attacked each other’s ideas with vigor, and good times were had by all.
Fast-forward to two years ago. “Bear” came to visit me up in Canada, and we spent most of the week arguing about the reality of “infinity.” At the end we both realized how much we needed high-level discourse in our lives. I don’t know about you, and I’m not trying to hate here, but I just don’t get the opportunity to have these kinds of discussions in my everyday life. And I need it. I think we all do, at least those of us who aspire to more than the unexamined life, and by the way, whether you knew it or not, the very fact that you applied means that’s you too. (That you made it through the gauntlet means you’re really in.)
So this group idea was born. It took some time getting off the ground, which is partly my fault and partly because of circumstances in my home situation that made it difficult to get net time, which has become the chosen medium for how we are to do this. Many of you applied last year, and I appreciate your patience, but hey: HERE WE ARE NOW!
To briefly continue the timeline, Bear and I recruited two others, and we formed the initial Application Committee. Each of you applied, and once you were in, you were able to read the applications of others. All the applications were done “blind,” meaning that no one—not even I—knew who was applying until after grades were given. I want it noted that even though the initial four were in (having started the group), we all answered the questions too. Not only that, but I fed the answers into the Application Process, just so we all could be judged as well.
(I didn’t tell the gang I was doing that, which is probably a good thing, but I wanted them to sweat it out too. Thank the Light they all made it in…by the skin of their teeth.)
The plan had been to put up all the answers, so that we could see we are all equals and laugh at each other. My main computer is up in Canada so there could be some logistics problems, but that still remains a goal of mine.
Speaking of each other, I asked you last week for final email addresses and “names” you’d like to be known under. Speaking to “Bear” this morning he brought up a concern. Bear points out that with so many people using aliases the tendency might be to see that as one more clubhouse and not take the process seriously. I personally think it comes down to personal integrity, and once you all are humming along you’ll bring your “A Game,” but maybe Bear has a point. Maybe this should be a little more formal, and we should use real names. After all, we will be sharing email addresses, which often put our names on them anyway. Something to think about.
For today I have two things for you. One, I’d like you to email back three questions. I did this with another group I started, and it worked fantastically. Pick one personal question (but not too personal), one more academic question, and one wacky one. Then Bear and I will choose from the questions (or maybe just pick all of them if they are great) and send out the questionnaire. This won’t be graded or anything, but a simple way to get to know each other a little more so we’re not strangers. We want to attack ideas with the utmost passion, and let no illogical thought left unchallenged. However, I don’t think it serves any purpose to remain distant strangers to each other. As much as cyberspace allows, why not get to know each other just a little?
So, if you would, please take a few moments to email back three questions you’d like people to answer, as well as weigh in on the alias/real name issue.
Secondly, sort of as a practice run to get the ball rolling, I have taken an essay one of you wrote as a dry run on maybe how this will work. Each of you answered the main questions, but then there were sub-questions answered too. Some of you answered the question about what would happen if humans lived ten thousand years. One of you put a lot of effort into the question and really showed something, and I wanted to reward that effort by making it our very first thing.
If you go to this link (http://empireofthemind.blogspot.com/2007/04/10000-years.html), you will see that person’s post. Note: as a one time only thing, I am posting this anonymously, so it could have come from any of you. The reason I am doing that is that the person wrote with the understanding that only the committee would see the work, and I don’t want to then trumpet the name all over the place. (Although, if you see someone offering a little too much praise in the comments, you might get suspicious.)
Here’s what we’ll do for now. Go to the link. You’ll notice it’s a private link that no one else but us knows about. I want to keep it that way. You are not to share this link with anyone. That way we each have freedom to opine.
Read what the person has to say, and then way in. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES does this mean a chorus of “rah rahs.” If you agree, give some reasons why, perhaps additional supporting evidence. If you disagree, do the same thing. Note that your arguments in support or opposition to the original idea are fair game as well.
The rules are: attack the idea, but fairly and with supporting evidence. NO PERSONAL ATTACKS.
One other thing: until we get it figured out exactly how we are going to run this site (either by inviting all of you to be members, or something else), please LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AS ANONYMOUS and then sign the name you want to use after your thoughts. Once we get that glitch figured out we will do it more efficiently, but you have to give us a couple weeks to see how this will work.
This letter will also be a post on the site in case you lose it, as will a Table of Contents for new Posts. That may change, but for now that’s how you do it. Please email back to me as soon as you can, and we’ll get to know each other better and get started on what I hope will be a very exciting thing.
Thanks for your time,
Hyperion
