The Multiple Perspectives of Dan Brown’s “Origin”

Dan Brown’s fascinating and thought provoking book, “Origin“, provides a look at many issues from multiple perspectives.  He intelligently guides us through different perspectives that relate to science, technology, artificial intelligence, religion, the existence of God, Love and even Adam & Eve (as is also done by Harold Kushner in “How Good Do We Have to Be?”).  In Kushner’s book, he offers a  radically new interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve, which he sees as a tale of Paradise outgrown rather than Paradise Lost.  In Kushner’s interpretation, eating from the Tree of Knowledge was not an act of disobedience, but a brave step forward toward becoming human. A different perspective changes things as is shown in the Mutts comic below. I  also discuss the influence of perspective in these posts: Perspective Helps Clarify Relative ImportancePerspective May Create and Frame How People View EventsEnlightening Evolutionary Perspective on Health, and many more on this site..

Dan Brown helped me gain a new perspective on technology and how it can interact with humans to make life better. From this perspective, technology offers a way to improve interactions such that we have more ability to generate comprehensive improvements because we are more able to create pervasive, reciprocal, selfish, selfless, synergistic interactions so everyone and everything benefits.

In an entertaining fashion, Brown’s  “Origin” provides evidence to support multiple perspectives.  In a related matter, W. Edwards Deming often explained that facts were all dependent on context.  While many can misinterpret this conception to suggest that there are no facts, my understanding is these statements are made to help people understand that “facts” depend on context and only hold true in specific contexts.

In a tangible example that supports contextual facts, Dan Brown asks, can this Roman Number equation be correct,  I + XI = X? If you wonder how, what seems impossible, is actually all a matter of perspective.  The solution can be accomplished by changing the way the equation is viewed. To see how this is possible, write the equation down on a piece of paper and then turn it 180 degrees (upside down) and look at the equation once again. Now it is X=IX+I and it is mathematically correct. The task was accomplished by simply changing  perspective.

I encourage you to read Dan Brown’s book  “Origin“.  I think it can help “Make it a Great Week!”

Please share your thoughts so we can work to generate comprehensive improvements by creating pervasive, reciprocal, selfish, selfless interactions so everyone and everything benefits!

Be Well’r,

Craig Becker

Be selfish, selfless, & synergistic so everyone and everything benefits!

#SelfishSelflessSynergy

Please share your thoughts and questions below.
Contact me: BeWellr@gmail.com

Robots Will Empower Us, They Won’t Take Over

Will we invent a computer smart enough to replicate itself and take over?  I guess it is possible, however we can also use computers for good.  The computers of today can help us be better versions of ourselves.

Together we can do so much more. Together today means working with technology.  Thomas Friedman refers to it as “intelligent assistance”. We often believe we need to do things ourselves to get it done right, however together we can do so much more because computers can help us unlock our potential.

The possibility of good or bad outcomes are always possible.  Using computers has made it more likely we can generate improvements by creating interactions so everyone and everything benefits.  We also have seen the potential of the harm it can cause.

I am finding with my research, intelligent assistance can help students and schools perform better and that computers can help people increase engagement in health behaviors.  I am building and testing applications that provide ntelligent assistance.

Maurice Conti’s TED Presentation, “The Incredible Inventions of Intuitive AI” clarifies this concept.  It

I look forward to sharing results from my research with you soon, please share how you are using intelligent assistance to improve your lives.  Thank you.

Be Well’r,
Craig Becker

Be selfish, selfless, & synergistic so everyone and everything benefits!

If you want to contact me:
Email: BeWellr@gmail.com

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