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RE: Schizophrenia and Genius - TempleOS and The Strange, Sad Case of Terry A Davis
What is it about God and deserts?
It's fascinating, especially the way you combine it with your family's history, I can imagine myself wondering the same things in your shoes.
PKD is one of my favorite sf writers, and I often think mental afflictions are tied with genius or else they wouldn't still be here with us.
In another country or another time, perhaps, he would receive proper care for his condition
Or he would fashion a new religion!
I was thinking that too. How many great prophets were maniacs that convinced the people to follow them? I mean, consider L Ron Hubbard.
And what is it about these characters that inspires such fascination and loyalty?
I think the word for "madman" and "prophet" in Hebbrew differed only in a single letter. Schizophrenia in the more mystical time of human history were likely associated with shamanic gifts. People describe manic episodes as akin to being touched by God in inspiration resulting in their compulsion for excessive activity. Madness may be the meagre human brain attempting to make sense of divine perspective.
A little part of me has been wondering... What if Terry is on to something?
I mean, what if this operating system really does allow people to speak to God?
In any case, the belief that it does led him to create something unique and wondrous.
The nature of revelation is that either only a few can perceive it or only a few are allowed to perceive. I suppose the line between madness and prophecy lies only in the willingness of the community to entertain such revelation. In one sense, divine revelations serve to cast reflection on the spiritual state of a community, society, polity.
Are we as a society so certain of Mr. Davis' "madness" that we are quick to dismiss a potential consciousness shifting revelation? If so, is it because of the certainty in our materialism or is it due to our spiritual bankruptcy?
Well said. And that's a dangerous line to walk, right there.