(no subject)

[watertank]

1. Meaning of happiness seems to depend on individual's estimate of his/her life expectancy. It would be interesting to run a series of thought experiments on "what would happiness be if you were to live 10years; 20yrs; 30yrs;40;60;80;100;150;300;1000?" Check for qualitative changes on the timeline.

2. Happiness: A History by Darrin M. McMahon

3. High divorce rates. Why? If people were "designed by evolution" to live till about 30-40 with imminent danger of death from childbirth (women), violence (men), desease(children), then monogamy seems to be a cultural patch on a biological problem. Serial monogamy.

4. would be interesting to trace evolution of prayer.

Comments

[pineneedles.livejournal.com]

would be interesting to trace evolution of prayer.

how interesting really, and I've never thought before of it in the dimention of the evolution..

thank you

[watertank.livejournal.com]

the only constant thing in this world is change :)

You know, three thousand years ago prayers used to be very tangible, they were made of rocks.

Several years ago in Rome, completely by accident, we found an ethnographic museum that had lots of little-known exhibits from the times before even the Roman republic. One of its rooms contained little human "body parts" ( feet, legs, hands, heads, hearts, etc.) crudely made out of stone. Those were "prayers" that ancient Romans would bring to sacred places, asking gods to cure them from diseases. People with headache brought heads, footache - feet, and etc. Later, after the holy sites became completely littered with such prayers, somebody came up with an idea to erect gods' statues instead, and pray with words - written, drawn, spoken. The meaning of prayers evolved too, but it's a much bigger subject that deserves a separate discussion.

[pineneedles.livejournal.com]

Its stunning! now I see how body parts successfully transfered later into word petition to the saints. From headache, from toothache etc. Thank you! Very interesting discovery in Rome!

much bigger subject that deserves a separate discussion.

I have to prepare really! You have filled my poor head with some sense giving this food!

Thanks again!