INTP

Found this "portrait of an INTP" (at http://www.personalitypage.com/INTP.html) and thought it would be fun to share.

INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities, and primarily inside their own minds, analyzing difficult problems, identifying patterns, and producing logical explanations. Seek clarity in everything, and driven to gain knowledge. The "absent-minded professors", who values intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions. INTPs value knowledge above all else. Their minds are constantly working to generate new theories, or to prove or disprove existing theories. They approach problems and theories with enthusiasm and skepticism, ignoring existing rules and opinions and defining their own approach to the resolution. They seek patterns and logical explanations for anything that interests them. They're usually extremely bright, and able to be objectively critical in their analysis. They love new ideas, and become very excited over abstractions and theories. They love to discuss these concepts with others. They may seem "dreamy" and distant to others, because they spend a lot of time inside their minds musing over theories. They hate to work on routine things - they would much prefer to build complex theoretical solutions, and leave the implementation of the system to others. They are intensely interested in theory, and will put forth tremendous amounts of time and energy into finding a solution to a problem with has piqued their interest. INTPs do not like to lead or control people. They're very tolerant and flexible in most situations, unless one of their firmly held beliefs has been violated or challenged, in which case they may take a very rigid stance. The INTP is likely to be very shy when it comes to meeting new people. On the other hand, the INTP is very self-confident and gregarious around people they know well, or when discussing theories which they fully understand. The INTP has no understanding or value for decisions made on the basis of personal subjectivity or feelings. They strive constantly to achieve logical conclusions to problems, and don't understand the importance or relevance of applying subjective emotional considerations to decisions. For this reason, INTPs are usually not in-tune with how people are feeling, and are not naturally well-equiped to meet the emotional needs of others.

More thoughts on stem cells

Imagine a world where the lame can be given mobility again, where the word “cancer” is no longer a plague, where cells in the body can be regenerated. This world sounds like science fiction, but it is not. These are just a few of the fascinating ideas that scientists believe will come from stem cell research. Stem cell research is the way of the future. It can help many people and provide cures for diseases that were previously not possible.

Who will benefit from this research? There is not a single person out there who can say that he or she has never come into contact with a sick person. Everybody can benefit from stem cell research. It can help the paralyzed victim become mobile again. It can help the cancer patient recover. It can help the patients with degenerative diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson’s to help regenerate the brain cells. The quality of life for people and patients, who before would have been poor, will be better, if not great. It can help the arthritis patient by giving the joints a second chance. The healing and regenerative qualities of the stem cells can be of a benefit to all. All have known suffering. All have known sickness and pain. The stem cells can help. They can provide a level of healing previously unknown to society.

Opponents say that even if they can really do all those things the price is too high. They feel that taking a life in order to help someone else is immoral. The high moral ground upon which they stand is just sand. The reality is that those fetuses were going to die anyway. Everyday there are hundreds of women all over the country and the world that are trying to get pregnant. Many couples cannot get pregnant the traditional way, and so they look to science. They might give an egg and sperm to be fertilized outside the body. Often, they will give multiples of their respective reproductive contributions. The scientist will then fertilize more than one and see which one takes. That one is then injected to the womb, and the couple has their baby. But what of the other fertilized eggs that did not take? They are going to be thrown away; they are not needed any more. But those few day old fetuses have stem cells that can be used. Those that were going to perish anyway now can have life through helping others live. There is nothing more beautiful than that.

Scientists tell us that stem cells are the way of the future, but what other benefits are there to this research. Stem cells will be able to help in the recovery and cure of many diseases that today have none. The stem cells will also be able to improve the current methods of healing. This is done with the regenerative quality of the stem cells. They have the ability to become any cell that the body needs. The Alzheimer patient suffers from a degeneration of the brain and it’s functioning. The theory goes that if that patient’s brain were injected with some stem cells, they would begin to grow into new brain cells. They would help the patient recover many of the lost brain functioning. This can also help the Parkinson’s patient. There are other diseases that in theory stem cell research can help that are already treated today. The stem cells can help improve what is currently being done today. These are things like kidney failure, low bone density, and possibly even back and spinal cord problems.

Another benefit of stem cell research is the ability to reverse paralyzation. It has been proven to work in mice. Mice were paralyzed from the waist down, and then were injected with human stem cells. The overwhelming majority of the mice regained the ability to move. The implications for this are amazing! Many people think that Christopher Reeves’ condition could have been helped by the use of stem cells. It is possible to help the lame walk again within the current state of healthcare. But it is not possible to guarantee that the remedy will work. It is also not possible to reverse the effects of paralyzation, until now. Imagine the look on the child’s family when they see her walk again. Imagine the smile of the soldier, who was paralyzed in combat, when he walks out of the hospital. These images were not possible years ago, but they re becoming more and more the reality.

God gave humanity the ability to think, and free will. This is one of the very reasons that the stem cells should be used, the information is already out there. Scientists are only now discovering a process that has been in place since the beginning of time. Scientists understand the importance of life. They also know that with the power of thinking and understanding the world around us, comes the responsibility to use that knowledge for the benefit of all humanity. The scientists, and doctors, are there to help. They understand the ramifications of their actions. The meaning of life is to help others. The gift of thought and independent thinking is of no value if it is not used. What good is knowledge if it is never used? In addition humanity is here to help each other. This is true in all cultures of the world. We are here to help and love each other. Imagine seeing someone in need of help on the side of the road. That person is there to help us as well. That person that we help is also giving us the ability to be helpful. It is the same with the healing properties of stem cells. Here is someone who is in need and here is way to help him or her. There is no conflict here.

In conclusion, there are many reasons why the stem cell research should be allowed to develop. Those opposed have seen their side acknowledged, but the benefits far out weigh any cost. If the meaning of life is to use the knowledge and power that one gains while going through life to help others, then there is no conflict here. Remember that everyone knows someone with a sickness, or pain, or that suffers. The goal of stem cell research is to help, and possibly even cure many diseases that affect everyone now.

Stem Cells

The dreams of the future are here today. Years ago bioengineering, and the ability to recreate individual cells in the body was science fiction. Today that fiction is now a reality. The reality of this branch of science is riddled with controversy. The stem cell researchers have heard it all, as well as the other side. It’s the scientist verses the religious right. Now not everybody falls into either of these groups, they are just the extremes. Most people fall in the middle of this argument. What is stem cell research? What good could come from it? Are scientists just trying to play God? Stem cell research is controversial topic and one that takes knowledge to help understand.

The positives of stem cell research are far-reaching and all encompassing. Stem cell research can help cure many of the diseases that are currently incurable. There have been cases where stem cells have helped fight cancer, and succeeded. There have been cases where stem cells have helped in other medical problems as well; this is due to the nature of stem cells. Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the body. Every cell in a person’s body started out as stem cell. So the stem cell can be turned into any cell the body needs. Because the cells can be any cell the body makes and/or needs, they can also be used to help degenerative diseases. Scientist can now recreate the basic building blocks of human life. Imagine giving a patient back his or her quality of life. Imagine being able to prevent cancer, and possibly even cure it.

What are stem cells? Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the human body, all the cells that are in the body started out as stem cells. These cells are created at fertilization. The fetus then uses these cells to start making the rest of the body. The organs, the bones, the brain, they all started out as stem cells. It is for this reason that scientist hope to harness that creative process to help others. The stem cells can become any cell that the body needs. The scientists place some stem cells in the kidney, and they would become kidney cells. If stem cells are placed in the brain, they become brain cells, the heart, heart cells, and the bones, bone cells. The stem cells also have a remarkable regenerative quality. They can help to fix and re-grow cells and organs in the body. It is this regenerative quality that many scientists believe will help with the recovery and cure of many of the degenerative diseases. One’s like Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s are just two examples, but they affect thousands of people. Scientists and doctors will theoretically be able to insert stem cells in to the brain. The stem cells will then grow and regenerate the brain cells. Thus giving the patient a new lease on life. The body will be able to rebuild itself. There are other degenerative diseases as well. The implication for the research is really all encompassing.

Another positive is that stem cells can help with paralyzed victims. This has been proven to work in mice. Mice, who were unable to walk, were injected with human stem cells. The majority of them regained their lost mobility. This is one of the best arguments for the funding and development of stem cell research. The impact of this one aspect alone could improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Imagine giving the gift of mobility back to a soldier who was wounded in combat. Imagine helping a child to be able to run and play, maybe even for the first time. Those images are not as far away as you might think. These are the images that drive the proponents of stem cell research. Doctors and scientists are at the forefront of this debate, because they really do want to help others and helping others has always had a cost. But some believe that this time the cost is too great.

Those opposed to the idea of stem cell research have their reasons as well. The first is what must be done in order to get stem cells. The stem cells are formed after fertilization. If science is to use them, they must be “harvested” from the fetus. The fertilized egg is the beginning of life for many people. So the scientists must kill the fetus. The fetus cannot survive without stem cells. They say, “Who are we to decide to dies?” They ask what right takes the life of an unborn fetus. This cost is too much and too high for them to accept. The right to lifers say that is not up to us, only God can take a life. But what they fail to get is that the number of already “harvested” stem cells is a lot. There are plenty to go ahead and do some research without having to take any more for many years, at least. So if the stem cells are already here, and we do not need more right now. Why not go ahead do some research, at least to stay up with the rest of the world.

Are people trying to play God? There are those who believe that this is the realm of God, and as humans we have no right to be here. The idea that science is treading on God’s territory has been around since the beginning of time. The belief that God is the sole creator of life and judge of who lives and who dies. Scientists are working to create guidelines and rules for the use and implementation of the stem cell research. They do understand the implications of their work and will do what needs to be done in order to insure that it is good, and for good.

What would happen if our politicians believed, like Aristotle that, that politics is the embodiment of the greatest good?

I think that one of factors that is blocking this is the political party system. Maybe what is needed is to abolish all political parties, and let people run on their own platform. The adherence to the dogmatic platforms of each party is a roadblock to the ideal of politics. If there were no Republican or Democratic dogma, that would pave the way for the Independent. I think the partisan bickering and the desire to show up the other party is crippling the institution that they are elected to. I know that America is too large to be like Athens and to have each citizen a part of the legislation. I also know that we do have access to effect legislation it is just that half of the population actually vote and it is less in the years between the presidential elections. I think that a way to keep that spirit is to have no parties. Each person who wants to be elected must formulate their own platform, and then sell that to the voting public. Also the current system makes it very difficult for a registered Independent to get on a ballot for any office. I think that if candidates had to come up with their own platform it would encourage reason and critical thinking skills and weed out those lack those skills. This would allow for better qualified candidates and then the debate happens between the elected as individuals who represent an area, and not between dogmas. So let's push for a partyless democracy, and at the same time push our elected officials to be exemplars. Maybe once the congress is full of Independents the congress will work together better and thereby accomplish more. That would require most Americans to reshape part of their identity. So many jump to call themselves Republican or Democrat. How would the general public respond to a partyless election? Also so many vote straight party, so the public would then have to become more aware of who is running and what each one stands for. That could do nothing but improve the system. The percentage of voters would most likely go down, because the apathetic voters who might vote straight party would now just not vote. Making those who do vote have a larger say in how things are done. This would certainly be a very interesting social study.

Sympose on!!

Habituation

The initial enthusiasm that was posted was only tempered by the lack of habituation for blogging and procrastination. I kept thinking about great topics to blog about, and I still have that list. So the blogging begins again, habitually this time.

Habituation starts at an early age, so the first models are parents. This can provide a good foundation, or it can promote habits that do more harm to the self than good. Anything from drugs and addiction to the inability to take responsibility to the development of neural pathways that cause the mind to act either prior to or in opposition to reason. The last one is due to some faulty brain chemistry which are reinforced by the day to day interactions growing up. Does this put all the pressure on the parents? Yes and no. Yes in the fact that they are the first models of behavior and thinking that we are exposed to. They are also the ones that we interact with most often during the years the mind is developing. It is for this reason that the most pressure is placed upon the parents. (Clarification: Parent can be any one who is responsible for the developing child. This can be the biological parent, grandparent, or other, it can be step parents, foster parents, adopted parents.) Now the no, we want to believe that we all can change. No matter where we are or what our situation is it can change. This is a long process for anyone who is starting from years of bad habits. Like The Matrix in which Morpheus tells Neo that he is sorry for freeing him and showing him the truth, because at Neo's age the mind has a hard time letting go. We have to rehabituate our whole being and the path that we are on. And like Neo, we can change. The process of undoing old habits and set neural pathways, some of which can activate before we are fully conscious of them, is long and tedious and possibly painful. This is the foundation for all of 12 step programs. To learn the truth or the right way and then to reject it, like Cypher, will lead to death, either of the mind or body or both. The habituation of the good is now the process of finding the mean that works for one's self. This process has within it trial and error. So then not only is the unlearning the old habits painful, but also the times that one fails in trying to learn the right and good habits. The great thing is that change is possible, there is hope. That change is apart of the nature of reality. We just need to tap into that if we ever need help in rehabituating ourselves.

Sympose on!!!

Welcome

I am excited about this sense and nonsense blog. Please check back for more in depth discussion on Philosophy and other ideas and issues. Thanks.