Numbers are my friends-power of the brain

[vijay]

The article below talks about some autistic people with amazing abilities like remember pie to 20,000 decimals, and multiply numbers instantly by seeing them as shapes merging together to form another shape.

 

I guess people in previous ages had these as standard, as we only use less than 5% of our brains.

 

It seems like our perception of reality gives us understanding, and the better the perception the better the undertanding, Krishna concious must be the perfect perception of things leading to perfect understanding.

 

 

 

 

“Numbers are my friends.”

Filed under: Culture— Izzy @ 9:08 pm

From The Guardian, via Slashdot: “A Genius Explains”.

 

Tammet is calculating 377 multiplied by 795. Actually, he isn’t “calculating”: there is nothing conscious about what he is doing. He arrives at the answer instantly. Since his epileptic fit, he has been able to see numbers as shapes, colours and textures. The number two, for instance, is a motion, and five is a clap of thunder. “When I multiply numbers together, I see two shapes. The image starts to change and evolve, and a third shape emerges. That’s the answer. It’s mental imagery. It’s like maths without having to think.”

 

Daniel Tammet is autistic; rumor has it that a lot of mathematicians are at least mildly autistic, or at least that mathematicians are more likely to be autistic than the general population. I find this rather unfortunate, as it reinforces the stereotype that mathematicians aren’t like “other people”, although I must admit there is a grain of truth in that.

 

I also didn’t realize that it was possible to have synaesthesia involving numbers; it’s a condition that usually seems more associated with music, at least in the popular imagination. I suspect this may be because a large number of people in our culture are just really scared of numbers, and don’t want to associate them with something “pretty” like colors. It’s hard to romanticize mathematics, although that hasn’t stopped people from trying.

 

I’ve read the diagnostic criteria for autism, and I actually find myself feeling like they at least partially characterize me – especially some of the things about lack of social skills – although I suppose Asperger’s syndrome (sometimes referred to as “high-functioning autism") seems like a better fit for me. However, I’m not saying that I actually am autistic. If you spend some time reading the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders, it’s rather easy to convince oneself that everyone is somehow sick.

 

. “I do love numbers,” he says. “It isn’t only an intellectual or aloof thing that I do. I really feel that there is an emotional attachment, a caring for numbers. I think this is a human thing - in the same way that a poet humanises a river or a tree through metaphor, my world gives me a sense of numbers as personal. It sounds silly, but numbers are my friends.”

 

 

[theist]

 

It seems like our perception of reality gives us understanding, and the better the perception the better the undertanding, Krishna concious must be the perfect perception of things leading to perfect understanding.

 

 

This is a tricky one. Perfect perception means to perceive Krsna everywhere, in all things and at all times. Such a person may not know anything of say the process of disgestion, which enzymes breakdown which nutrients etc. or anthing of the process of metabolism as a whole. Yet they perceive that somehow it's Krsna manifesting someway as the fire of digestion and taking care of all of it. Their perception is complete and perfect.

 

A nutrional biologist may understand the process in very fine detail but be blind to Krsna in the action. This person's understanding is still in darkness.

 

A theistic scientist may understand both things and be able to see Krsna's Hand in all the biological steps of metabolism. His understanding is also complete and perfect. By seing Krsna's presence his whole study of biology can become a meditation on the Supreme Lord. So there is no need to stop such study or be opposed to it. The simple uneducated person can also remember Krsna at every step of their lives so they are own the same level as the great theistic scientist

 

The real issue is the rememberence of Krsna.That is the completeness and perfection.

 

 

[vijay]

I agree the perfect perception and understanding may mean that we dont need to know the details of the mirage.

 

I hope one day when i look at everything il see it in relation to krishna thus feeling great bliss feeling his protection and care rather than the impersonal way i view things at the moment.

[theist]

I like that vijay. I hope you aren't disturbed by my intention to shameless steal it. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[vijay]

I heard a story a while back that a reporter asked srila prabhupad that if you know everything then how many windows are on a particular skyscraper? Prabhupada answered something like what is the use of knowing how many drops of water are in a mirage.

[theist]

Ok now I won't feel guilty. I love it when such great truths are spoken in just a few words.

[harerama]

I guess people in previous ages had these as standard, as we only use less than 5% of our brains.

 

 

Actually 10%, and I actually read that whole expression is not true. We use all of our brain, supposedly.