Re: Existing Posted by Carey Radebaugh on February 19, 1998 at 13:22:14:
In Reply to: Existing posted by Shandy White on February 17, 1998 at 18:30:53:
The quotation mentioned is indeed very powerful, for beneath it lays the foundation for the concept of universiality: the true essence of the game. While the concept of duality, if taken for face value, in books such as Narcissus and Goldmund seem to contradict universiality, they would not be able to do so without both having Narcissus and Goldmund. Therefore, in contrasting them with one another, Hesse is re-enforcing the idea of universiality. We view Narcissus and Goldmund in relation to each other. In other words, they provide vantage points for one another, just as the classic physic problems where a passenger on a train throws a ball straight up into the air. To an observer a certain distance and angle from the passenger sees the ball's path as an arc.
The quote, in mentioning the flow between love and wisdom, everything and nothing, shows us that we are never completely happy or infinitely sad. Extremes occur in ignorance of each other. This idea of the flow between everything and nothing is also found in the mind and writings of Aristotle and was the basis for logic design as is taught today. George Boole, the founder of what later became known as Boolean algebra, is quoted:
"Aristotle, by treating mind as a mechanism whose normal action is to swing between 1 and 0, created a system of Logic which has stood the test of two thousand years."
Boole's studies and development of Boolean algebra is based upon Aristotle's thoughts two thousand years ago, but we must be careful when viewing logic circuits as being able to switch between 1 and 0 simultaneously. Obviously, they cannot and therefore fluctuate between 1 and 0. In a circuit 1 and 0 correspond to certain voltage levels. For example a 1 is not a definite input; it is defined as being above a certain minimum voltage level. If we look at logic circuits as being able to switch between 1 and 0, and therefore consequently view 1 and 0 as absolutely unique circumstances, we are making a mistake. This can be compared to someone who looks at themselves as either happy or sad. They forget that no one is ever completely happy or sad without forgetting the other. Happiness and sadness can therefore be defined as the absence of the other. On the other hand, if you realize that your life is constantly flowing between happiness and sadness, fulfillment and desire, then you can, in a sense, bring yourself above happiness and sadness: a kind of awakening best compared to the idea of enlightenment found in Zen, the realization of emptiness.