Theos-Talk Archives (March 1999 Message tt00350)

Dear Jerry,

That is not definetively my area of studies, but I will risk some comments.

>>>Could you give us some examples of these "effects without causes?" I
>find that a fascinating idea.
>Louis>>
>
>In modern chaos theory, there are some systems
>that can go from order into chaos, or rather into
>a chaotic basin where it develops new behaviors.
>It turns out that there is no cause-effect relationship
>between such a system's behavior before it enters a
>basin and after.


The fact that we may not be able to see/detect the cause-effect relationship
by no means is equal to say that there is no cause-effect relationship at
all. Obviously.


>
>On the other hand, the now-famous butterfly
>effect shows that most complex systems deal
>with too many causes rendering them entirely
>unpredictable.
>
>And of course the famous Bell theorem which
>shows how some local effects can be produced
>from non-local causes, although how this is done
>is still a mystery.

The universe is full of mysteries, to our minds at least, to be sure. To
another much more powerful/mature mind (I am using the word "mind" in the
sense of "chitta", and not just in the sense of "manas") several of those
mysteries may be already understood.

>
>Chaotic systems are sensitive to initial conditions
>and sometimes these initial conditions can be so
>tiny as to be unmeasurable, thus effects are
>unpredictable and causes are insignificant.

Again, those tiny causes may be unmeasurable and the effects may be
unpredictable BY US or by any means that we today know. But to say that
there is no cause/effect relationship is quite another story.

>
>Jerry S.
>

Jerry, I am glad you are sharing with us a different point of view. To make
an orthodoxy out of theosophy, to say that theosophy is what dearest HPB
wrote (or the Masters, or Judge, or anyone else) is a sad thing to do to the
cause of real Theosophy, which is Altruism. The concrete manifestation of
Theosophy is not a certain collection of doctrines/beliefs, however
important and true those doctrines/beliefs may be, but its objective
expression is said to be a life "... thoroughly impregnated with its
spirit - the spirit of mutual tolerance, charity and love." (Letters from
Masters of the Wisdom, 2nd Series, letter 82, p. 157)


So, even when we do not agree, the important thing is to be able to
brotherly exchange our different points of view. Of course, this is equaly
true in the case of our brothers of the theosophy-as-an-orthodoxy club. They
also have their rights to see things in a different light. But none of us
have the right to be intolerant with the others, unless we do not care about
losing the right of being considered Theosophists. This holds true as much
in a theosophical list, as in any theosophical association.

Wishing you the Best, and praying that the Wise Brothers most of us believe
to exist, (and hopefully some of us know to exist) help us to make our
theosophical lists and associations (all of them) places where at least
mutual tolerance, if not charity and love may reign, yours in the search
after Truth,  Arnaldo.




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