Thanks for the article. I wanted to get your thoughts on a phenomena that I have observed in the dispositions towards astrology in India. Indian culture is big on astrology, and people here consult an astrologer (a "jyotish") for a wide range of decisions. From determining the most auspicious dates for a marriage, to knowing how long a planet's evil influence is going to impact your financial life, to how one should arrange the windows and rooms in the blueprint of a house.
Although these practices would not require independent justification in the past, I am increasingly aware of a sort of post hoc scientific rationalization for these divination practices. The people who engage in this do not seem to be satisfied by the heritage of the practice and seek to invoke (psuedo)scientific mechanisms and concepts to rationalize the practice.
My questions are the following:
1) Have you seen such a response from the people around you in Taiwan?
2) Why do people feel the need to do this? Are they insecure about the practice, and want to appear modern by legitimizing the practice using science? Maybe they feel attacked by the scientific worldview, and this is their defense?
3) Do you think people who engage in invoking these explanations lose out on something significant? That they won't be able to perform the activity of "entering the game" in its true spirit?
These are interesting questions. My sense is that people in Taiwan are, in general, not that worried about post hoc rationalizations. Or not among my friends. People go to the temple, but don't feel that it is something that requires a great deal of justification. There's remarkably little insecurity about the practice, and not necessarily a sense that there is any great contradiction between being modern, and going to the temple to poa̍h-poe. But then, this is a part of the world where high-tech companies will, when their equipment is a bit tetchy, tape bags of _magic snacks_ to the machines to get them to behave. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuai_Kuai_culture
The final question is interesting as well. In some sense, it feels a bit like playing tennis while also continually reassuring yourself that you haven't taken leave of your senses wasting your time on such nonsense, because you _know_ that it's only a bit of netting and a lurid, squidgy ball. This must give some distance from the game, in a way that makes playing it as less committed experience.
TIL! This is disappointing: have checked, and found that the US branch of Amazon will not sell me Kuai Kuai snacks. I was going to order some. In case.
We were thinking of setting up a business selling these miracle snacks to people outside of Taiwan. It would be more lucrative than philosophy and writing, and—if the hype is lived up to—arguably more useful to humanity in general. I'll keep you posted, and should we move ahead with the plan, we'll add you to our list of potential customers...
Thanks for the article. I wanted to get your thoughts on a phenomena that I have observed in the dispositions towards astrology in India. Indian culture is big on astrology, and people here consult an astrologer (a "jyotish") for a wide range of decisions. From determining the most auspicious dates for a marriage, to knowing how long a planet's evil influence is going to impact your financial life, to how one should arrange the windows and rooms in the blueprint of a house.
Although these practices would not require independent justification in the past, I am increasingly aware of a sort of post hoc scientific rationalization for these divination practices. The people who engage in this do not seem to be satisfied by the heritage of the practice and seek to invoke (psuedo)scientific mechanisms and concepts to rationalize the practice.
My questions are the following:
1) Have you seen such a response from the people around you in Taiwan?
2) Why do people feel the need to do this? Are they insecure about the practice, and want to appear modern by legitimizing the practice using science? Maybe they feel attacked by the scientific worldview, and this is their defense?
3) Do you think people who engage in invoking these explanations lose out on something significant? That they won't be able to perform the activity of "entering the game" in its true spirit?
These are interesting questions. My sense is that people in Taiwan are, in general, not that worried about post hoc rationalizations. Or not among my friends. People go to the temple, but don't feel that it is something that requires a great deal of justification. There's remarkably little insecurity about the practice, and not necessarily a sense that there is any great contradiction between being modern, and going to the temple to poa̍h-poe. But then, this is a part of the world where high-tech companies will, when their equipment is a bit tetchy, tape bags of _magic snacks_ to the machines to get them to behave. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuai_Kuai_culture
The final question is interesting as well. In some sense, it feels a bit like playing tennis while also continually reassuring yourself that you haven't taken leave of your senses wasting your time on such nonsense, because you _know_ that it's only a bit of netting and a lurid, squidgy ball. This must give some distance from the game, in a way that makes playing it as less committed experience.
TIL! This is disappointing: have checked, and found that the US branch of Amazon will not sell me Kuai Kuai snacks. I was going to order some. In case.
We were thinking of setting up a business selling these miracle snacks to people outside of Taiwan. It would be more lucrative than philosophy and writing, and—if the hype is lived up to—arguably more useful to humanity in general. I'll keep you posted, and should we move ahead with the plan, we'll add you to our list of potential customers...