Assignments for Week Seven

1.

My semiconductor element of the week is silicon. Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. It is less reactive than carbon but more reactive than germanium.  Silicon is the eighth most common element in nature but very rarely occurs as the pure free element. It is found in dusts, sands, planetoids, and planets in the form of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals.

2. 

Is alchemy science art magic or all three?  I believe alchemy is all three.  The very distinction of art science and magic is conceptual only and not real.  In reality every element of experience is intimately connected.  Science is supposed to be about objective understanding of truth.  But scientists apply their subjective sense of beauty when develop and evaluate scientific theories.  

When we understand the inner workings of something it becomes our "scientific" understanding when we do not it is magic.  We tend to think art and magic are subjective and yet if they create any impact in reality there must be some objective elements to them.  

To the extend that the practice of alchemy relies on individual practitioner's skill it is an art.  To the extend that it provides us knowledge and know how to effectively manipulate elements of the earth it is science. To the extend that some of its claims and results goes beyond our modern understanding of chemical and physical laws it is magic.

3.

I find our discussion on doing nothing interesting.  My understanding of the idea is the following.  We have two modes one is doing or giving the other is receiving and consuming.  These two modes are related to two different sets of nervous systems, muscle groups, hormones and etc.  The idea of "to do nothing" is really not about doing nothing some or all of the time.  Instead it is about being able to feel like you are doing nothing while you are doing anything and everything at anytime.  

If one achieve this state then in any given moment of his life one is doing or giving he/she would also feel like he/she is receiving and consuming at the very same time.  On the other hand when one is receiving and consuming he/she is also not totally passive but doing something and giving back at the same time.  As a result these two sets of nervous systems muscle groups hormones and etc will be able to harmonize and balance each other.  When this occurs the yin and yang balance each other out and the person will not be yin deficient like a sun dried tomato ( from doing and no receiving) nor yang deficient like a rotting apple (from consuming without adequate doing).