We act as if the past is a reliable guide to the present, and by extension, the future, because we're less interested in the actual present than the past experience we're imposing upon it. The truth is that things are never the same, except in the most general and gross sense of the word. We assume sameness, consistency, predictability, because to do otherwise is to be totally alert and attentive, and this takes energy we'd sooner conserve and expend on gratifying, familiar activities. To put it another way, we are not completely here and now, not totally present, because there's no telling what's really happening or where things are going until the past informs us, and we'd much rather have knowledge than have none.

hey nick,yep that's it,and behind this is fear,and the desire for security is it not?

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

"We act as if the past is a reliable guide to the present, and by extension, the future, because we're less interested in the actual present than the past experience we're imposing upon it."

This is it exactly. The present is distorted to fit the grudges, feuds,vendettas, opinions, beliefs and other emotional abberations carried over from the past. Except for facts, nothing should be brought into the present.

max

max greene wrote:
Except for facts, nothing should be brought into the present.
max

Now we have to define "fact". Is the immediate present not factuality? Or do you mean factual information needed to give meaning to the immediate present?

RICK LEIN wrote:
yep that's it,and behind this is fear,and the desire for security is it not?

Yep

"Or do you mean factual information needed to give meaning to the immediate present?

Yes, I meant factual information. Nothing wrong with information, per se. It's when we load factual information with opinion, belief, prejudice, emotion that facts drag problems of the past into the present.

max

max greene wrote:
Nothing wrong with information, per se. It's when we load factual information with opinion, belief, prejudice, emotion that facts drag problems of the past into the present.

Yes, but even unloaded factual information "brought into the present" can bring about distortion and misapprehension and misunderstanding. If the brought in information is not entirely relevant and appropriate to the present actuality, it wouldn't matter whether the one bringing them in never had an opinion, a belief, a prejudice or an emotion. Factual information is only as useful or helpful as it is applied, and its application is either intelligent or reactive.

"Factual information is only as useful or helpful as it is applied, and its application is either intelligent or reactive."

That's right. Factual information has to be used intelligently with reference to present facts.

max

nick carter wrote:
Now we have to define "fact". Is the immediate present not factuality? Or do you mean factual information needed to give meaning to the immediate present?

Can fact be ever defined? What is defined is nvever a fact but only a definition. May be one can say that "what is" at a given momnt is the fact.
Again, present is completely unknown entity, scientifically and otherwise. When we look at the present we look with the eyes of the past, the background and therefore we nver look at the present. e do not know wha it is.
Mittar Kumar Khera