This is http://www.essayz.com/a9106061.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %RESTRAINT DISCIPLINE RULES CODES BOUNDARY FRACTAL 910606 Healthy living involves living within limits defined both externally and internally. Failing to be honest about exhaustion of limited resources results in dramatic change when the limits are reached and the resources are exhausted. The fact is that the rate of use of each limited resource tends to be proportional to the product of how much has been used up, and how much remains to be used up. Ignorance of, avoidance of, and/or dishonesty about that fact leads to failures in dealing with that fact; and to unplanned dramatic changes in use patterns when half the resource has been used up, at which time, dramatic changes do occur. Some dreams and visions can be fulfilled; others cannot be fulfilled. Failure to acknowledge the impossibility of fulfilling some dreams and visions leads to tragically futile efforts which persist dishonestly in the face of human limitations. It is not always clear where the boundary is between what is humanly possible, and what is humanly impossible. It is not always clear where transcendent powers can make possible what is normally humanly impossible. It is not always clear where the boundary is between what is good and what is evil, not even when using a transcendent definition of what is ultimately good and what is ultimately evil. In the study of fractal geometry, chaotic and stochastic processes it has been discovered that boundaries between what appear to be clearly defined distinct regions are in fact very complex boundaries with no simple curve dividing the two regions. This is similar to the difference between what is good and what is evil; there may be no simple boundary between the two regions. It does no good to pretend that such boundaries are clear and distinct; to pretend that it obvious to which region each point near the boundary belongs. Guidance as to what is good behavior and what is evil behavior cannot always be clearly given; for the boundary between the two cannot be clearly drawn. The act of trying to draw a clear boundary may be evil behavior; and it may not be evil behavior. Coercive guidance by which people try to force each other to behave in good ways tends to be evil behavior; it leads to misunderstanding, alienation and violence. Integrative guidance as to what is good behavior and what is evil behavior is written in the heart, but not in verbal injunctions; not in technocratic lists of rules and codes of law. The difference between good behavior and evil behavior is not well defined by intellectual, cognitive, technical, rational procedures; for the difference has much to do with the universe of affections and emotions which transcend the range of intellect, cognition, technology, and rationality. The boundary between good behavior and evil behavior can not be clearly drawn by the experts in intellectual, cognitive, technical and rational activities. The boundary is discovered when disaffection, alienation, misunderstanding, and disintegration occur; and it may be impossible to anticipate when the boundary will be reached in the course of real human events. Where the boundary is reached may differ from time to time, from context to context. Since at different times identical contexts cannot exist, we cannot know in advance just where in time the boundary between good behavior and evil behavior will be reached in each situation. The challenge is not to avoid ever crossing the boundary between good behavior and evil behavior. The challenge is to be humble and participate in rituals of confession and vulnerability in seeking, granting, and accepting forgiveness and security in the context of vulnerability whenever and wherever the boundary between good behavior and evil behavior is crossed. To refuse to participate in such rituals is a common form of evil behavior. To facilitate secure contexts for such rituals of confession and vulnerability is a common form of good behavior. Yet, the difference between the two common forms of behavior may not be clear, just as the boundary between regions of a fractal geometry may not be clear. Perfection in defining the boundary is not a common form of good behavior. Striving for perfection in defining the boundary is a common form of evil behavior. Consider some of the efforts to draw perfectly clear boundaries between what is good behavior and what is evil behavior: Every child conceived in the womb should have the right of birth, thus all abortions are evil. Every sick person should be given all technically possible medical procedures to prolong life, thus withholding any life-sustaining assistance is evil. Sexual relationships outside of the bonds of marriage is always evil behavior; thus it is evil to engage in sexual intercourse without first getting permission from the duly constituted authorities. All killing is evil. Always tell the truth, regardless of the consequences. Never be misleading in your behavior. Thinking of behaving in some way is just as evil as actually behaving in that way. Never associate with evil people. Always seek to be perfect in everything you do. Always be generous in your giving and service. Seeking to perfect such injunctions by clearly defining more precisely the contexts to which injunctions apply, does not eliminate the dilemma of clearly defining the boundary; just as in fractal geometry looking more closely at the boundary does not eliminate the ambiguity as to exactly where the boundary is. The dilemma of dealing with good and evil behavior cannot be resolved through clearer technical definitions of what is good and what is evil. The knowledge of the difference between good and evil is not the key to entering or staying in the Garden of Eden; it is what drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The Good News is that it is possible to be people of integrity within integrative communities in which the members of the communities are continuing to be imperfect people who are often involved in evil behavior; and just as often involved in rituals of confession, vulnerability and shared mutual forgiveness; by which they give security and create secure contexts for personal and communal integrity. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================