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<p>DaveW -</p>
<p>A well spun description. It definitely reached ME well. <br>
</p>
<p>I more often ponder, the "actuator" complement to your "sensor"
subset of the human <i>extended phenotype</i>. I am more focused
on how the metaphor of the "lever" applies to things like
power-tools, transportation devices, etc. how by magnifying one's
"leverage" (force multiplier) one diminishes one's sensitivity
(often leading to damaging the lever, the fulcrum, or the target
of one's leverage).<br>
</p>
<p>However, sensor/actuator are tied together in my singular claim
to fame as "an Artist" was a piece I put together from found items
that was in fact accepted into a juried art show, making me
officially "an Artist" (though I prefer the term Artifex), which
in turn gives me the credentials (I assert) to claim anything I
call art to BE art. Or so it seems to be the convoluted logic of
the art world.</p>
<p> </p>
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<h2 align="center"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-weight:
700; font-style: italic;">Transit and Gun </span></h2>
<p align="center"><span style="font-size: 13.000000pt;
font-family: 'Calibri'; font-weight: 700; font-style:
italic"><img src="cid:part1.9CC23283.3461794E@swcp.com"
alt="" width="391" height="261" align="top"></span></p>
<h2 align="center"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-weight:
700; font-style: italic;"></span></h2>
<h2 align="center"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-weight:
700; font-style: italic;">Tool of the Conquerors: Action
at a Distance</span></h2>
<h2 align="center"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-weight:
700; font-style: italic;">the Emic and the Etic </span></h2>
<h2><span style="font-size: 13.000000pt; font-family:
'Calibri'; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic"></span></h2>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D0LfO-NV6pAFQgiXYZNjeqNlQFpBoh5K/">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D0LfO-NV6pAFQgiXYZNjeqNlQFpBoh5K/</a></div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I followed that piece with another
equally simple/trite piece on a related subject:</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix" align="center">
<h3>Monkey Wrench Gang</h3>
<h3><img src="cid:part3.28D78B86.09838ABC@swcp.com" alt=""></h3>
<h3>Foot in Mouth</h3>
<h3>Tooth and Claw<br>
</h3>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XDfd4xxbGsKyKaadNptQQwj-TXhY9_3Y">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XDfd4xxbGsKyKaadNptQQwj-TXhY9_3Y</a></div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">But this was not in a juried show, it
was at <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="https://gpgallery.com/">Gerald
Peters Gallery </a>as an open invitation to show the other
piece as well as an additional piece (unjuried). <br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Nominally, the "Emic" and the "Etic"
provide the context of which end of the gun/scope you are on,
which end of the lever/tool. Context matters.<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">- Artifex Smythe<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 8/22/21 9:36 AM, Prof David West
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:5a539ad8-85f8-47c6-98fb-433d6f94b567@www.fastmail.com">
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<div style="font-family:Arial;">RE: Mysticism. Peradventure
(archaic sense of the word) the following, paraphrased from an
honors class I used to teach at St. Thomas, would be of interest
to this group. (Sorry if disjointed — artifact of semester class
to single post.)<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">Everyone is aware how our
perceptions, our knowledge, and our understanding of the
universe was altered with successive inventions like the lens
(telescope), radio astronomy, and the ability to detect multiple
spectra from infrared to X-ray.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">For the sake of this discussion,
grant an assumption of an individual mind embedded in,
perceiving (experiencing), and interacting with a pervasive <i>Reality</i>.
(An analog of an individual stargazer/astronomer.)<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">If we imagine "<i>Reality
Apprehension</i> <i>Technology;</i>" is it unreasonable to
assume that our perceptions, knowledge, and understanding, of <i>Reality</i>
would be altered in some manner analogous to our enhanced
scientific comprehension of the universe?<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">The Mystic would assert, "of
course."<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">And, predictably, there are
numerous advocates of various "technologies': ranging from
meditations to exercises to drugs. But the most ancient
traditions, pretty much universally, assert that no "technology"
needs to be added at all. Innate to every organism, including
humans, is a complete "Reality Apprehension System." <br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">The near opposite of what was
required to enhance our understanding of astronomy is required
to enhance our understanding of Reality. Instead to "adding"
something, we must "eliminate" something.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">That which is to be eliminated, is
a host of "brain accretions" that put artificial barriers
between our 'apparent mind' and "it's" apprehension of Reality.
(My dualism is temporary and for the purpose of explanation
only.)<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">An example of an "accretion:"
consider a person in a jungle. Imagine the totality of sensory
inputs (and not just the traditional 5) constantly bombarding
that person. Now imagine the survival potential that a person
whose brain had developed filtering shortcuts like edge
detection, or part-whole generalization, over one who had to
evaluate and analyze the entirety of the sensory input volume
before concluding: "Tiger! Run."<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">Another: the attenuation of our
awareness to "background" noise, simply because it is constant.
We are not unaware of that noise — if someone across the room
mentions our name we are immediately tuned into it — but it is
below the threshold of conscious awareness.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">Culture is another accretion, as
is "rationality" (the ascendance of the left brain). (Science is
a manifestation of the latter accretion, or rather what can be
accomplished when we employ it.)<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">The net effect of all these
accretions is to 'reduce' our Apprehension of Reality and
restrict it to a small subset of stimuli that evolution, or
habit or predilection, has deemed "important" or worth paying
attention to.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">And, of course, the Illusion of
Maya is taking the 'VGA image' of Reality and accepting that it
is the only thing "Real."<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">The full "Reality Apprehension
System" of every organism continues to operate, even when we are
foundering in the Illusion. What is lacking is awareness of that
System and its products (knowledge, understanding, perception).
We regain awareness by circumventing/eliminating all those pesky
'accretions'.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">The famous Zen parable of a pond
filled with ripples and waves; making it impossible to see a
clear and accurate depiction of the Moon on the surface of the
pond. Only when you have 'stilled' the multiple disturbances
will the moon be reflected in all its glory upon the still
surface.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"> * * * *<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">From this small thought kernel it
is possible to develop a semester worth of lectures and the
various aspects of Mysticism and its challenges and arguments
against, etc.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">Not addressed: what is the "value"
or what is to be "gained" if one is successful in regaining
awareness of the "Reality Apprehension System" and its products?<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">Another time, I will eliminate the
dualism, the illusion of an "I" apart from Reality, but only
upon request.<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;">davew<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;"><br>
</div>
<br>
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