Category: Science

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admitting there is a right and wrong answer

Sam Harris advocates that the difference between science and moral values is an illusion. He believes that the first step in answering important questions on the human condition starts with a recognition that there are right and wrong answers. Hearing a speech normally put forward by religious leaders was refreshing coming from the scientific perspective.

Sam Harris’s central theme — to me — was challenging the audience to consider whether or not we know so little about the human condition that we have to accept without question the cultural values of other societies.

A very thought provoking 20 minute worthwhile presentation.

Roger Freberg

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ucsb’s virtual imaging lab and modern ghost busting

Laura at UCSB's virtual imaging lab
Modern Ghost buster or virtual warrior?

Laura has always loved science, football games and technology … things that most of the male community also gravitate. Laura will pass up the Oscars or the vast wasteland of soaps to watch the stuff I also enjoy like: the documentary channel, the super bowl game, the history channel or just sit around talking about the latest thoughts on evolutionary psychology or what William James would think if he was still alive.

So, I knew that the hardest thing would be to get her out of the Virtual Imaging lab which combines a lot of our favorite elements in a virtual environment.

Read her post.

It was fun to watch her overcome her fobias and ‘jump’ off a cliff and ‘walk over a deep ravine on a thin plank’ in the virtual world.

This picture of Laura just makes me smile.

Roger

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what’s your personality?

what's your personality?
what's your personality?

The BBC always has some sort of interesting test and when you are married to a mad scientist, you end up taking every sort of psychological test there is. This is the grown up version of going to the mall with your girlfriend… except she is a Psychologist.

Here is a  fun test to take with those you love. Where are they high and low? Does it sound like them?

It is always interesting to have a peak into ones soul so to speak…

Roger

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scan me baby!

"My wife Laura's MRI brain scan"
"My wife Laura's MRI brain scan"

Have you ever wondered what makes your wife tick?

Over the years, I have made it my life’s work to try to understand the complexities of the female minds in my life. Admittedly, I need all the help I can get. Albert Einstein offered the following amusing quote:

“Some men spend a lifetime in an attempt to comprehend the complexities of women. Others pre-occupy themselves with somewhat simpler tasks, such as understanding the theory of relativity.”

Recently, Laura had the opportunity to take some students down to the  MRI Lab at UCSB and had herself scanned! Laura was happy to find that she was ‘normal’, but we could have told her that! However, I thought she was quite the ‘student’ to continue her investigation into herself!

It is all so impressive to me,

Roger

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skype me, baby!

Skype is just plain fun!
Skype is just plain fun!

Video internet technology a decade or so ago was very disappointing ….and that is possibly the reason I stayed away from communication tools that incorporated audio with video over the phone or the internet. I found it all distracting.

However, Laura and Karen finally talked me into buying a Skype headset ( they already had theirs).

So, sitting at my computer , what appears as an instant message pops up from Karen asking me to chat with her on Skype. Soon, I figured things out and up pops a very clear and smooth video of Karen and one of me to her. If you look close enough at the picture above, there is also a P.I.P. ( picture in a picture) of me and Laura taking a photo of my first Skyping experience.

In our ‘plug and play’ world, getting the Skype experience was as easy as downloading the free software and connecting to one’s friends… it was very cool and easy (click on Karen’s picture above and you’ll get transported directly to Skype). I am into easy when I have a choice.

I don’t know why I put it off so long.

Roger Freberg