A Boxer at Rest

“Nothing exists save for atoms and space, all else is conjecture.” – Democritus, 460-370 BCE Through the advancements of scientific inquiry, we have come to recognize that our physical bodies serve as hosts to a vast and intricate ecosystem comprised of microorganisms, collectively known as the human microbiome. This microbiome encompasses bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea (unicellular organisms) that inhabit our skin, digestive tract, and other anatomical regions. It is estimated that the quantity of microbial cells may be equivalent to or even surpass that of human cells. The National Library of Medicine posits that the human microbiota consists of approximately 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells harbored by each individual. These countless microorganisms fulfill significant roles in various bodily functions, including digestion, metabolism, and immune responses. They assist in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, produce essential vitamins and compounds, and edu...

Animals often strike us as passionate machines -- Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition As scientific advancements unveil the mysteries of the universe, it becomes increasingly evident that everything appears to operate mechanistically. Atoms, molecules, stars, planets, cells, and biological systems are fundamentally mechanical. If the existence of a supernatural, invisible soul within my body is negated, then it is undeniable that I too am a machine. Complex machines, including self-programming ones, remain machines nonetheless. Some individuals may contend that life forms are fundamentally distinct from inanimate objects, despite both being composed of atoms and molecules. However, a closer examination reveals that this distinction is tenuous. Vegetable matter, such as plants, is commonly regarded as alive, while mineral matter, such as rocks, is not. Yet, both vegetables and minerals are acknowledged as matter, composed of atoms and molecules. Since all atoms and molec...

“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” ~ Epictetus, Enchiridion Throughout the annals of human history, intellectuals, philosophers, prophets, visionaries, and even anarchists have contemplated and advocated for divergent visions of an ideal future society. Plato's Republic, Thomas More's Utopia, the promise made to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 12:1-3, the millennial reign of Christ mentioned in Revelations 20:3, Karl Marx's Worker's Paradise, and Hitler's 1000-year Reich are but a few examples. Some individuals aspire to reach a state of Nirvana, while others envision a heavenly kingdom with streets paved with gold. Utopias are generally anticipated to materialize in the future and are thus deemed worthy of sacrificing the present for. Consider the Peoples Temple, Heaven's Gate, and other suicide cults that have tragically lost lives in the pursuit of their delusional future utopian dreams. ...