What does this mean - wisdom never dies?  It means wisdom is information, and information is not a “thing” in and of itself.  Wisdom is an encoding within things; a processing, a doing, a playing of data through and a relationship with an interpretive instrument.

Thus, a book may crumble, so then is not the information inside also gone?  The answer is, there is no information inside.  To believe that is to admit the illusion that information is itself a thing, which it is not - it is, as stated earlier, a relationship.  Therefore, as there is never a relationship between information and interpreter inside of a book, then it is never information that dies when a container dies.

But what do we say when the interpreter dies?  Or in the extreme, when all the interpreters die?  What is the use of a key (information, wisdom) when there are no more locks?  Ah, well that is for the next custodian of the keys to decide.

Only a form can define an emptiness.  Only emptiness can give shape to a form.

All told, this is Philosophy in the 21st century.

All blog posts / articles by Michael Lensi.

Mary’s Room

As an example, consider Frank Jackson’s “Mary’s Room” thought experiment. Does Mary gain information when she leaves the room and sees red for the first time? Yes, unless she was given this information within the room. Within the room, it is stipulated, she was only given book information. And humans are not an instrument evolved to glean information with books alone. We must all leave our rooms. Are you ready?

The Coat and Its Seams

"Practically, the old have no very important advice to give the young." -Henry David Thoreau

So it is the job of the very young to explore and experience and ignore the advice of the old, just as it is the job of the old to forget the impertinence of their own youth.  But for all of us in between, well, let us be both wise and youthful all at once.

So before you leave for another youthful adventure, stick around and absorb some wisdom.  It is quite alright if you don't - someone else will find it.  And so it is that wisdom never dies.

"Perhaps these pages are more particularly addressed to poor students. As for the rest of my readers, they will accept such portions as apply to them. I trust that none will stretch the seams in putting on the coat, for it may do good service to him whom it fits." -Henry David Thoreau