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The third century was an amazing time. There were a lot of philosophical systems that purported to tell the truth, including Catholicism, Gnosticism, materialism, and polytheism. And they were all great ones. Sometimes I wonder if the wrong one won. I think we should try to unify these systems, rather than picking one and deciding it was right. To that end, I have some thoughts about subatomic particles.

Electrons and protons play different roles in the world. And what's interesting is that electrons are more benevolent than protons. Think about it. Your computer is run by electricity, not by protons. Your lungs exchange electrons constantly to keep you alive. Sour candy with extra electrons is popular; when have you ever heard of bitter candy with extra protons selling well. Granted, electrons can be dangerous as well, but that's because we are fallen creatures to whom even the good can be dangerous.

And where does Gnosticism come in? When you look at the sustenance of the physical life and the spiritual life in general. The physical life is sustained by nuclear energy from the sun, energy that used to be protons. The spiritual life is sustained by electrical impulses in the brain. This confirms the Gnostic teaching that the physical and spiritual lives come from different sources and are not equally good.

I think this idea is important in unifying the philosophies of Gnosticism and materialism. Think of it--materialists admit electrons exist, and electrons correspond to the spiritual life.

Oolon Colluphid

I’d vote for the second half of the 19th, or all of the 20th, meself...

I think you’ll find there was a bunch of folks called the ‘Greeks’ who came up with some of those rather earlier than the third century...

Which, the ones that “purported to tell the truth”, or the one that actually does, based on checkable evidence?

Why dilute the testable and tested truth with refuted mysticism?

Let’s hope it’s better than your thoughts on evolution.

You’re not ascribing thought processes and moral intentions to them... are you??

I have, and so far it’s mystical bollocks.

Huh? It’s built from atoms. Atoms, as anyone thinking they can comment thus on subatomic particles should know, are made up of both protons and electrons. Plus neutrons, of course.

I think you’ll find that what they exchange is O2 and CO2... both of which are made up, surprisingly, from protons, neutrons and electrons...

< Did he just say ‘extra electrons’? I do believe he did! > Ever heard of ions?

All sorts of pseudoscientific bullshit sells very well, sadly. Say, do you know Thiaoouba?

Yup. Beta particle radiation is indeed electrons. However, alpha particle radiation is helium nuclei -- no electrons there, by definition! And the most dangerous radiation is the humble photon, or rather, a bit of the electromagnetic spectrum, gamma radiation.

No, it’s because of the energy in the particles.

Same door that your sanity went out?

Is it dark up there? You’re certainly very supple.

I’ll leave it to someone with more patience than I to explain fusion to you. In a nutshell, you’re a nutcase.

Why do I get the feeling you think there really are wires in the brain? The ‘electrical impulses’ are actually ions being actively moved back and forth across a membrane. The main one (IIRC) is potassium... which is a positive ion. That is, it’s short of an electron. Electrons themselves only move when the atoms they’re attached to move. Quite where spiritual comes in is beyond me.

You’re off your chump.

Mods, one for RRP I think...

Oolon

Coragyps

And sour candy is sour due to extra protons wandering around anyway. Acidity in that context is extra hydronium ions = protons + water.