20180615 The power of instability and uncertainty

Semiconductors are perfect structures (crystals) with intentional impurity (doping). Tiny defects promote instability, enabling circuit switching from subtle signals.

Neuron switching is also based on small scale instability and cascades triggered by subtle signals.

Inorganic and organic information processing is a feedback arrangement between unstable and ambiguous states. A completely stable and known system is off, dead, boring. It's only interesting when in motion.

Changes and noise are what makes communication possible. Neither all 0s nor all 1s convey any information. If there is no uncertainty between sender and receiver then no new information can be conveyed.

Projections of ourselves and our beliefs are slick and bland when over-simplified, over-filtered, aesthetically and ideologically pure, stripped of subtlety. They offer little of value, no lasting inspiration or edification. Real human variations and foibles are the honest basis of understanding, helping us relate to one another as individuals. Complication, imperfection, and uncertainty make belief explorable, progress conceivable.