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Nomenclature Paradigm Shift

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Gene Lionberg

Gene Lionberg

Paranormal Maven
Let's stop referring to our interests as High Strange, or Paranormal. Our experiences are only considered paranormal when compared to the experiences of others on this planet. But the universe extends well beyond the confines of this planet, and perhaps what we consider to be high strange is actually the universal baseline, and what we consider to be the universal baseline is in all actuality universally strange. It's all relative, perhaps our frame of reference isn't the gold standard.

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
 
I think Chris should give it a go and see how he likes it.

Gene: With Gene and Chris, you're in...
Chris: The UniversalBaselineCast. <chortling noises>

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
 
Gene Lionberg said:
Let's stop referring to our interests as High Strange, or Paranormal. Our experiences are only considered paranormal when compared to the experiences of others on this planet. But the universe extends well beyond the confines of this planet, and perhaps what we consider to be high strange is actually the universal baseline, and what we consider to be the universal baseline is in all actuality universally strange. It's all relative, perhaps our frame of reference isn't the gold standard.

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
Click to expand...
Might be. That's the bliss of speculation. There's a story in that. :)
 
Gene Lionberg said:
Let's stop referring to our interests as High Strange, or Paranormal. Our experiences are only considered paranormal when compared to the experiences of others on this planet. But the universe extends well beyond the confines of this planet, and perhaps what we consider to be high strange is actually the universal baseline, and what we consider to be the universal baseline is in all actuality universally strange. It's all relative, perhaps our frame of reference isn't the gold standard.

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
Click to expand...
An interesting idea to contemplate, but the rules of physics, which are based on objective measurements as opposed to subjective experiences, seem to apply across the observable universe, which means that there is a sort of universal scientific baseline that we can call normal, and therefore, given that the word "paranormal", is defined as something that appears to defy scientific explanation, it seems safe to assume that the paranormal is probably a rarity no matter where in the universe one happens to be.
 
Are you saying that we know the rules of physics? I thought we were still mostly in the dark about a lot of the big stuff. literally, and that what's paranormal to may be easily explained once you know the science behind it. Aren't all paranormal events across history running along a sliding scale of absolutely easy to explain phenomenon i.e. how EVP's can get mistaken as ghosts when it's just random radio getting pulled in, to how really exceptional some UFO reports can be that really break the rules as we know it i.e. moving from a solid to something invisible?

Making unique phenomenon more of a natural event in our landscape does make more sense. As we sit outside at night and watch the meteor, Chinese lantern, re-entry of space debris, space station and satellites fly overhead we have a choice in our response and the language we use. We can talk about how irrationally afraid we are because the aliens are landing or we can sit back calmly and wonder about what it could be, or appreciate how sublime nature can be & even marvel at or critique our human achievements.
 
Burnt State said:
Are you saying that we know the rules of physics? I thought we were still mostly in the dark about a lot of the big stuff. literally, and that what's paranormal to may be easily explained once you know the science behind it. Aren't all paranormal events across history running along a sliding scale of absolutely easy to explain phenomenon...
Click to expand...

I think we ar saying the same thing, you just did it more eloquently than I.

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
 
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Burnt State said:
Are you saying that we know the rules of physics?
Click to expand...
I'm saying that from scientific observation, we know that the rules of physics appear to apply throughout the observable universe, and therefore assuming as was suggested, that, " ... high strange is actually the universal baseline ..." isn't something that appears to be supported by observation.
I thought we were still mostly in the dark about a lot of the big stuff. literally, and that what's paranormal to may be easily explained once you know the science behind it. Aren't all paranormal events across history running along a sliding scale of absolutely easy to explain phenomenon i.e. how EVP's can get mistaken as ghosts when it's just random radio getting pulled in, to how really exceptional some UFO reports can be that really break the rules as we know it i.e. moving from a solid to something invisible
Click to expand...
I guess that depends on what you mean by "the big stuff". I was referring to astronomical study of the observable universe, and that's pretty "big", and therefore it seems reasonable to conclude that pretty much everywhere, "high strangeness" is probably the exception to the rules, and not the other way around. But at the same time I also have to agree with you that strange things do happen and that if we had enough information about it, we may very well be able to add it to our present library of scientific understanding.
Making unique phenomenon more of a natural event in our landscape does make more sense. As we sit outside at night and watch the meteor, Chinese lantern, re-entry of space debris, space station and satellites fly overhead we have a choice in our response and the language we use. We can talk about how irrationally afraid we are because the aliens are landing or we can sit back calmly and wonder about what it could be, or appreciate how sublime nature can be & even marvel at or critique our human achievements.
Click to expand...
One's mindset and knowledge base are certainly important factors in how we absorb our experiences, and on that level I wouldn't be surprised if there are beings on other worlds who on their own subjective level of experience and knowledge see almost everything as strange. So from that perspective @Gene Lionberg has a valid point. But I was interpreting the comment in a way that suggested that the same phenomena that we call paranormal here might be everyday occurrences in some other part of the universe. I suppose that given the reality of strange occurrences, that such a place cannot be ruled out entirely, it's just that we haven't seen anything out there to give us sufficient cause to make that assumption. Stars and planets all seem to form according to well understood principles of celestial mechanics, and therefore unknown physical forces that might result in strange paranormal phenomena on them are probably more the exception than the rule. That's all I was getting at.
 
Fair enough. It seems that reconciling quantum reality and relativity is still a problem, so is gravity, dark matter and many other nuances that rule our lives but that we only scratch at. I mean is that damn cat of Schrodinger's dead yet or what?

While I am astounded at what human beings have got up to scientifically in their short time here on earth I don't think we've seen enough of what there is to see just yet. Once we get some better resolution, more data, more precision I think we will discover even more unknown anomalies as we come to learn just a little bit more of what there is to learn. A term like"Regional diversity," when applied to the universe, will only continue to confuse and befuddle us as we learn to see better I suspect.
 
Burnt State said:
Are you saying that we know the rules of physics? I thought we were still mostly in the dark about a lot of the big stuff. literally,
Click to expand...
Exactly so - hence Dark Matter and Dark Energy. All an attempt to explain what does not make sense with the current paradigm. :) Yep.
 
Burnt State said:
Fair enough. It seems that reconciling quantum reality and relativity is still a problem, so is gravity, dark matter and many other nuances that rule our lives but that we only scratch at. I mean is that damn cat of Schrodinger's dead yet or what?
Click to expand...
Yep. More unknown than known.
Burnt State said:
While I am astounded at what human beings have got up to scientifically in their short time here on earth I don't think we've seen enough of what there is to see just yet. Once we get some better resolution, more data, more precision I think we will discover even more unknown anomalies as we come to learn just a little bit more of what there is to learn. A term like"Regional diversity," when applied to the universe, will only continue to confuse and befuddle us as we learn to see better I suspect.
Click to expand...
Yep. :)

But in my lifetime, I can say, I have seen the back of the moon and more of Pluto than I knew two months ago. Astonishing. Imagine what more things astonishing there are yet to see. But, still, of all the sciences, the astronomical is the one least grounded in direct experience and facts.
 
Burnt State said:
Fair enough. It seems that reconciling quantum reality and relativity is still a problem, so is gravity, dark matter and many other nuances that rule our lives but that we only scratch at. I mean is that damn cat of Schrodinger's dead yet or what?

While I am astounded at what human beings have got up to scientifically in their short time here on earth I don't think we've seen enough of what there is to see just yet. Once we get some better resolution, more data, more precision I think we will discover even more unknown anomalies as we come to learn just a little bit more of what there is to learn. A term like"Regional diversity," when applied to the universe, will only continue to confuse and befuddle us as we learn to see better I suspect.
Click to expand...
But is dark matter, gravity, and other forces of nature something paranormal? Scientists would probably say "No". After all, if we were to class the fundamental forces of nature as paranormal, then logically pretty much everything that follows must be paranormal too, and science just wouldn't be comfortable with that. But that question is also trickier than it seems. Because science is still unable to explain how the fundamental forces of nature are imparted onto our reality, the fundamental forces of nature actually do seem to fall within the definition of paranormal. So maybe everything really is paranormal. It's a fascinating dichotomy to contemplate. Explanations like the big bang and quantum theory don't really address the issue. They just assume that the forces at work are somehow intrinsic to their associated particles. But that's like saying the Sun is bright because it gives off so much light. It doesn't really explain anything.
 
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And that's why our Kung Fu is weak. We are just scratching at mysteries that for other type ii + iii civilizations are the things they teach their kids in primary school. So for us there's a lot that's paranormal because we don't even know what normal is. We are the Homer Simpsons of the Galaxy, doh!
 
Everybody is so harsh on our species. Just because we're ignorant doesn't mean that we're stupid. It also doesn't mean that we aren't stupid. Some (many) of us care enough to want to learn about the mysterious world we are in, and even if there are no actual ways for a species to comprehend gravity or quantum physics or dark matter because of immature science/methodology or are caged by forces intent that we should not learn, we still crave understanding. Those of us who aren't busy making things harder for everyone through unproductive negativity for the hell of it.
I feel like cooperation is the key to understanding/making things better.
If Abe Simpson were a better father would Homer still be such a clod?
 
Mr. Fibuli said:
Everybody is so harsh on our species. Just because we're ignorant doesn't mean that we're stupid. It also doesn't mean that we aren't stupid. Some (many) of us care enough to want to learn about the mysterious world we are in, and even if there are no actual ways for a species to comprehend gravity or quantum physics or dark matter because of immature science/methodology or are caged by forces intent that we should not learn, we still crave understanding. Those of us who aren't busy making things harder for everyone through unproductive negativity for the hell of it.
I feel like cooperation is the key to understanding/making things better.
If Abe Simpson were a better father would Homer still be such a clod?
Click to expand...

Don't forget, it is best to assume that we are cosmically normal. We are not special in any way, and this same progression through time and space has been made by countless others before us.

I Love You,
Gene Lionberg
 
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And I'm being more sardonic than sarcastic. Humans are absolutely sublime creatures, sometimes. Our desire to seek knowledge, to create beautiful objects of contemplation, how we speak sing dance move think sign and swim are all bliss & poetry. We also persistently demonstrate what it means to be a selfish and an immature species, and sometimes I sadly think we are that way more than we are giving and selfless. We are creatures of boundless potential who can see to the edge of creation and then take pictures of it with our magic machines. Still, after we saw our own planet from space with no frames or boundaries we continued our irrational wars. Sometimes I think we are kind of blind on the inside, you know what I mean?
 
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