Divine Neutrality

“May all that have life be delivered from suffering”
Gautama Buddha

“Is it possible to conquer all suffering? Is that conquest even a rational idea?”
Marvin Chester

The foundational structure of Buddhism is enunciated in THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS:

1. The world is full of suffering (dukkha).
2. Suffering is caused by desire (attachment, craving: tanha)
3. If one can eliminate desire, one can eliminate suffering.
4. The Noble Eight-fold Path can eliminate desire.

Buddha’s idea:

• Suffering is no good.
• It’s caused by desire.
• Eliminate them both.

Is this a sound philosophy? Does it even make sense?

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A commonplace computational practice in quantum mechanics generates the most profound conceptual challenge to the theory. The challenge is called the measurement problem. Here are some quotes summarizing the problem.

“The quantum measurement parodox.. stated succinctly… In quantum mechanics all possibilities… are left open whereas in … experience a definite outcome always (occurs).”
A. J. Leggett in Foundations of Physics. 18, 939 (1988)

“How is the measuring instrument proded into making up its mind which value it has observed?”
Bryce S. Dewitt, Physics Today 23, 30 (1970)

“Some explanation must be provided for the fact that the Hilbert—space vector… collapses onto a certain eigenvector during a measurement process…”
J. Bub, Nuovo Cimento v. 57, Nr.2, 503 (1968)

The probability amplitudes evolve deterministically until a measurement is made: the measurement stops the evolution. What is the essential element that changes the evolution of the system from being in a state
|S> = (superposition sum of many states |n>),
into being in a state, say, |n=3>, one from among the many in the superposition?
Marvin Chester, never published

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Is there a “Problem of Evil” when there is no God? i.e. Is there evil in the world? Can any act be said to be evil, the concept being completely subjective? Do people who do evil agree that they are doing evil? Why then do they do it? What does evil mean?

Was it David Hume, the eighteenth century British philosopher, who best stated the logical problem of evil, in the following inquiry about God?

Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is not omnipotent.
Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent.
Is He both able and willing? Whence then is evil?

How do you measure evil?

If free will is an illusion then so is evil. They are both the result of natural process in the individual experience.

The interesting thing about suicide bombers is this: that they are so dedicated to their community - islam, anarchism in a former time - that they kill themselves for it.

Let us distinguish the practice from the mechanisms by which they are persuaded. The mechanism requires a world view - a belief in the supernatural, in an afterlife, in unseen powers around us which we must placate, a belief in a greater good.

What persuades the ants to kill themselves for their community? Do ants have a world view?