Review: The Powers of the Universe by Brian Swimme

This essay presents a review on Brian Swimme’s 3-DVD set of lecture series in the interdisciplinary field of philosophy, cosmology and consciousness. In the eleven 45-minute episodes of a systematic 9-hour immersive program, a set of 12 intercorrelated cosmological powers is proposed on the basis of modern scientific theory. A positive and life-affirming vision of human potential is attained together with a new level of ecological responsibility and relatedness. The interwoven cosmological paradigm compromises with two ancient eastern wisdoms

Scaling of Anisotropic Flows in Intermediate Energy and Ultra-relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

Anisotropic flows ($v_2$ and $v_4$) of hadrons and light nuclear clusters are studied by a partonic transport model and nucleonic transport model, respectively, in ultra-relativistic and intermediate energy heavy ion collisions. Both number-of-constituent-quark scaling of hadrons, especially for $\phi$ meson which is composed of strange quarks, and number-of-nucleon scaling of light nuclear clusters are discussed and explored for the elliptic flow ($v_2$). The ratios of $v_4/v_2^2$ of hadrons and nuclear clusters are, respectively, calculated and they show different constant values which are independent of transverse momentum. The above phenomena can be understood, respectively, by the coalescence mechanism in quark-level or nucleon-level.Comment: Proceeding of the 6th China-Japan Joint Nuclear Physics Symposium, Shanghai, China, May 16-20, 2006. 9 pages, 4 figure

Plasma Brain Dynamics (PBD): A Mechanism for EEG Waves Under Human Consciousness

EEG signals are records of nonlinear solitary waves in human brains. The waves have several types (e.g., α, β, γ, θ, δ) in response to different levels of consciousness. They are classified into two groups: Group-1 consists of complex storm-like waves (α, β, and γ); Group-2 is composed of simple quasilinear waves (θ and δ). In order to elucidate the mechanism of EEG wave formation and propagation, this paper extends the Vlasov-Maxwell equations of Plasma Brain Dynamics (PBD) to a set of two-fluid, self-similar, nonlinear solitary wave equations. Numerical simulations are performed for different EEG signals. Main results include: (1) The excitation and propagation of the EEG wave packets are dependent of electric and magnetic fields, brain aqua-ions, electron and ion temperatures, masses, and their initial fluid speeds; (2) Group-1 complex waves contain three ingredients: the high-frequency ion-acoustic (IA) mode, the intermediate-frequency lower-hybrid (LH) mode, and, the low-frequency ion-cyclotron (IC) mode; (3) Group-2 simple waves fall within the IA band, featured by one or a combination of the three envelopes: sinusoidal, sawtooth, and spiky/bipolar. The study proposes an alternative model to Quantum Brain Dynamics (QBD) by suggesting that the formation and propagation of the nonlinear solitary EEG waves in the brain have the same mechanism as that of the waves in space plasmas

Hegel's Eurocentric Triads of Dialectics and its Transformation to Kelly's Planetary Paradigm

This article introduces Hegel's Eurocentric philosophy of dialectics in the 19th century and its transformation to Kelly’s planetary paradigm at the turn of the 20th-21st century. The new theory develops Hegel’s thesis—antitheses—synthesis to identity—difference—new-identity which is applicable for the entire human history, including the planetary era. The new triad generalizes Hegel’s mechanic view of nature by suggesting a dominant worldview which is featured by a series of tightening and converging dynamic fractal cycles