POOR HEALTH, WATSON AND CRICK, AND PSYCHOLOGY

A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES WATSON

This past Friday at 11:00 PM I chanced upon a conversation on TV that Charlie Rose was having with James Watson one of the two scientists who ushered into existence, in the early 1950’s , the major contribution of DNA/RNA into the awaiting field of (organic)) molecular biology. The work done by the two key persons – James Watson and Francis Crick – was described then and now as having cracked the “secret of life”. Each of them received the Nobel Prize for their magnificent work.

Their contributions quickly created a revolution in many fields, especially molecular biology and developmental biology and embryology and many other related fields. The insights gained  have changed, and continue to change,  our world views forever about biological causation and  the philosophy of our physically-oriented sciences.

AS the interview progressed the two discussants (Watson and Rose) talked some about TRENDS in science in general within an historical context. Watson and Rose together  noted that PHYSICS held a dominant place in our world until the third quarter of the 20th century, when MOLECULAR BIOLOGY started taking center stage, and WATSON then noted that the next stage was one in which PSYCHOLOGY, as the key and pure form of science would take over in the early part of the 21st century. The ‘trigger’ area of interest and concern would then become  a deep interest in both our human MINDS and BRAINS. Both these relate easily to what is now being referred to as INFORMATION SCIENCES (and their obvious links then to computers, and communications facilities and technologies. How does natural law work to CREATE such marvels? If we think of spirituality as relating to information (non-materiality, non-physicalism) are we on an edge of NEW philosophies and theologies as well?

This last point must be explored in a bit of depth to catch the reason for the possibility of PSYCHOLOGY taking a central role in our sciences in this present century. Its heart is related to the deficiencies in solid explanations given by PHYSICS and PHYSICISTS as an adequate way to understand materiality and entity synthesizing processes. Another way to say this is that physicalism (and reductionist methods) seem unable to fully explain such odd phenomena as thinking, feeling, cohering, constructing (synthesizing = entity creation (birds, bees, flowers, humans)), and really knowing what LIFE IS and can then BECOME -- forever!

THE REDUCTIONIST/ SYNTHESIS DEBATE

We have all heard about the debates between various folks about the conflicts between EVOLUTION and CREATIONISM. I am here inclined to suggest that the debates are supremely naïve, and are based on building straw men and women to be destroyed by naïve ideas. That debate will now in the 21st century, I believe,  shift to new ground as we realize that PHYSICS has little to say about SYNTHESIS of materials into functioning, thinking, feeling beings who every day experience mental and physical creations and destructions in SELVES. Here we see the glimmerings of how HEALTH may be related to PSYCHOLOGY and INFORMATION  THEORIES AND (religious and secular) beliefs that each of us temporarily OWNS (i.e. dysfunctional mind-sets).

The Mode of inquiry in PHYSICS has everything to do with believing that deep explorations of (planetary and universal) materialities (atoms and molecules) will reveal ALL eventually,  and that the physicalist modes of inquiry (labeled as Logical Positivism)  will eventually bring into human prominence the TRUTHS we each seek for our developing senses of PEACE and TRANQUILITY and WHOLENESS. Here though lies the deeper issue of synthesizing into existence that which is sometimes referred to as the mode of SYNTHESIZING. In the case of human beings – “How were the entities of the sperm and the ovum CREATED , eventually to be joined, to bring into beingness a NEW living form? A HUMAN CHILD? What or WHO created  the design work? [Near-Infinite TIME?] Must a  fantastically complex PROCESS or a master CREATOR  be entered as a possibility to have a viable logic? .  I’ll leave this issue  --which is all about the naïve discussions about INTELLIGENT DESIGN -- alone for this ‘sharing’.

HUMILITY & INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE

A famous 14th century mystic named Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) keyed into a major idea when he spoke about us humans as having to endure an awareness of our own INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE. I suggest that as science moves to find out more and more about our minds, brains and psychologies (and perhaps learns too, about language formations) we may be on a track to become LESS IGNORANT, and perhaps more physically HEALTHY. Thought may create materiality!

The bottom line after we see the connection between (1) Reductionism and (2) Synthesis via the help of an awareness of human INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE might be a Buddhist-type near finality. That finality is termed SURRENDER. Surrender to What or Who?  The Creating Universal Process? God?

To then see that CREATIVITY is all about  NOT-KNOWING and solving problems and EXPLORING  that arise in that remarkable instrument we refer to as our LIVING BRAIN. The human BRAIN is designed to assist CREATIVE ACTION. WE human beings are – or seem to be – designed to be (ultimately) wise DOERS; performers of NEW ACTIONS (individually and collectively). We are divinely designed to be change agents of ourselves and others around us as times move on.

Is there always a better SELF  to be created (by self and other selves) ? Of course. More than that -- Watson had a special suggestion that has profound implications.

PSYCHOLOGY and HUMAN HEALTH

The efforts of our gifted PHSICISTS along with major contributions by out Philosophers of Science and Astronomers and Cosmologists has been to provide a theory of material creation (atoms and molecules). For sure there are still many gaps and distances to go. Professor Carl Sagan once an MIT- er who went to Cornell and did great Astronomical Work there has written “A person is a star’s way to know a star.”

The 126 or so atomic structures (hydrogen +++) and radiations are miracles of entity creation.  From thence come the myriad of molecular (organic and inorganic) forms that somehow or other get linked together into operative functionalities. The UNIVERSE seems to know how to create the ‘stuff’ that is material. And the findings in molecular biology suggest that ‘mathematical-like forms and wave-like ‘electrical’ modulations form some basis for knowing what those disperate forms and material chunks must do to synthesize the weird chunks into  cells and DNA and RNA etc . Unknown about miracles. In any of our EARTH sciences there are only inklings about what a “LIFE force” is. One could speculate that each human being is divine and a miracle (in that way resembling our great prophets). The basis need? To become ever more realistically (psychologically) conscious!!

COMMON HEALTH CARE COSTS & PSYCHOLOGY

The Watson speculation is that thinking (INFORMATION USAGES) impacts and can and does create materialities. These phenomena are consistent with the growing notion that transformations into atoms and molecules from raw energy (via EINSTEIN) must – somehow or other – require INFORMATION in order to create complex functionality and entityness. Going deeper, he reflected,some upon the fact that solving (in part or whole) the issue of Cancers is tantamount to repairing an internal material ILLOGIC among genetic and organic pieces, if I understood him correctly. He lost relatives via Cancer and the insight  that accompanied his losses was his ‘ motivation’ to spend many of his later years studying cancers in human beings. Why does it occur and how can such growths be found and destroyed? I lost my mother and my wife to that disease and have a feeling that his track is viable.

His speculation and some methodology  suggests that the way we think and reason may have a great deal to do with the health we have. Its strange that recently there has been research that STRESS causes many sicknesses. Could it be that IF we have a solid program to bring the gifts of medical science easily to any human being that needs such help that ‘attitudes’ change and better health results. Clear statements were made in terms that I could not follow technically because of my personal IGNORANCES that suggested to me that thinking might create material means in our bodies to repair damages wrought be wrong thinking in the first place. WOW!!

IS GOOD HEALTH A RESULT OF PERSONAL THINKING?

I wonder if nations of our world that have already established fine UNIVERSAL coverage have low cost HEALTH programs BECAUSE they are less sick than are Americans who suffer from overeating, over-worrying, over stressing, etc. I, for one, would not be a bit surprised! Having faith in one another and knowing that there is health safety to be enjoyed if something goes wrong – without being financially destroyed in the process – IS a way to LOWER COSTS. Perhaps some of our legislators need help by having NO HELP at all,, in times of their major stresses,  in order to to learn personally the lessons of true human compassion and caring.