Articles in the Philosophy category

1. Same Action: Four Castes

   This blog was originally penned on 24 October 2008. It is one among many dozen blogs that have not been released publicly on the Web. I will be gradually refreshing and releasing all those unpublished blogs on this website. They are generally short and tightly focused pieces of writing, readable in a few minutes. Where possible, I have retained the original contextual immediacy and topical relevance. I have used the IAST transliteration scheme for the Sanskrit terms; consult the link for the correct pronunciation. The upshot of this blog is that caste is spiritual in nature, and that all individuals may exhibit all four castes at different times—according to attitude to action—regardless of birth or occupation.

2. The Most Scary Experience

   My redoubtable friend Solus “Sol” Simkin wandered into my office late one afternoon and asked me, “What is the most scary experience for a human being? I thought but for an instant as I replied, almost reflexively,”Death. What else? Or a close shave with death.”

3. Zero, One, Two, Many

   As has been observed above [1], in the context of computer programming, there are only three numbers worth being concerned about: zero, one, and many. And if you are into the arcana of “regular expressions” and “pattern matching”—which is, incidentally, something done implicitly every time you do a Google search, or look for a book at an online bookstore—that is very sage advice. But how serviceable is this dictum in everyday life?

4. Mastering Time

   As Sol wound up his enriching tale, I resolved not to fall into the trap of procrastination ever again. First, I should prime my mind to enjoy the task. Then, I should shed the need for approval from others. Next, I would allocate adequate time to prepare for it, well ahead of the deadline. Then I would do it once, and do it well. And finally when it was done and dusted, I would dismiss it from my mind. ‘Whew! What a teaching!’ I said solemnly to Sol. He smiled the beaming smile of the cognoscenti.

5. The Making of a Logo

   My friend Solus “Sol” Simkin has a well-earned reputation as a Renaissance man. Among other things, he is a virtuoso of design. He endows his creations with an ethereal air of perfection—where mathematics meets aesthetics—to transmogrify the mundane or banal into unforgettable works of art.