• Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Bio
  • Appearances
  • Links
  J M Beal

January 30th, 2015

1/30/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureKarl Reichenbach (1788-1869)
I stumbled on this article about Reichenbach's Phenomena, and I swear to all things holy I thought Midichlorians!

So the basic rundown is that Reichenbach's Phenomena, or Odic Force, is supposed to be this measurable life force that exists in everything. Only certain special people can see it, and it presents somewhat like auras and qi, only, you know, totally different. Because it's a really scientific thing and not like those made up things. 

We've discussed before how I have a hard time taking pseudoscience stuff seriously. I'm not demonstrably better with parapsychology (which this is, because of the whole 'no really, some special people can see this stuff').

And arguably I get the point in studying things like this, at least from back in the day when Reichenbach was doing it and until the 1920's. Science was Science! and it was all knew and Tesla was still alive and doing things the rest of us wouldn't be ready for in another fifty freaking years. 

I think maybe that's my problem with some of this stuff. I'd have been all over it, a hundred years ago. But the sad thing about scientific process is that you can't just keep the bits you want. We can understand molecular biology but hang onto the comforting bits. Like the idea that we're all made of this same kind of energy and it permeates everything and...

Okay, disclaimer time. I know any number of people who believe things like this on a spiritual level, and there's something comforting about the scientific idea that we're all made of the dust of ancient stars and everything that's ever existed is made from the same thing. If you need me to validate your beliefs system we've got bigger problems than my skepticism. and I certainly hope that's not the case. If you do, I'll fake it as best I can, and you're absolutely welcome to believe whatever you'd like. 

I just think sometimes we need to watch the shape our comfort blinders take. And pay attention to that 'blinders' part. 

But what do I know, I write books about cat detectives and special witches (this one isn't coming for a couple months still).



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    There's a link to my bio at the top of the page, but for these purposes it's probably best to just say I'm strange.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2021
    August 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Aliens!
    #atozchallenge
    Book Lover's Bazaar
    Book-Lovers' Bazaar
    Book Review
    Bunny
    Camp Nano
    Canyons
    Contest
    Cornucopia Conundrum
    Editing
    Fantasy Friday
    Goals
    Guest Posts
    I Don't Know How To Tag Anymore
    Kids Stuff
    Life
    Misc
    Miscellaneous Monday
    Movie Books
    Movies
    Nanowrimo
    Outlines
    Procrastination
    Pseudoscience
    Publishing
    Science!
    Sci Fi Friday
    Sci-Fi Friday
    Screaming Fits
    Short Fic
    Snowballs
    TerribleMinds Challenges
    That Title Makes Absolutely No Sense
    The OUTDOORS!
    Three Day Novel
    Unholy Vacuums Of Suck
    Weirdness
    Well Written Wednesday
    Wellwritten Wednesday
    Writing
    Year Of Creative Pursuits

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.