PERSPECTIVES

A closer look at the interplay between human emotion and AI-driven logic, merging the two realms of creativity. The nature of creativity—whether it is subjective or objective—exists on a fascinating spectrum. Creativity often stems from a subjective experience because it is deeply rooted in personal perceptions, emotions, and thoughts. This is especially true for human beings, where creativity emerges from the mind's unique way of processing, interpreting, and expressing the world around it. Our emotional landscape, memories, and individual perspectives fuel our creative output, making it a highly subjective process. However, when we consider AI, creativity takes on a more objective dimension. AI generates poetry, art, or music based on data, algorithms, and patterns. While it can mimic subjective experiences by analyzing vast amounts of human input, its creative process is rooted in logic, objectivity, and pre-determined frameworks. AI doesn’t "feel" emotions...

Swami Chinmayananda often used a chart to illustrate key concepts of the human field of experience, linking BMI to Body, Mind, and Intellect. These three instruments, according to his teachings, are the vehicles through which we interact with the world. They enable us to Perceive objects, Feel emotions, and Think thoughts (PFT). The Body is responsible for perception, the Mind for feeling, and the Intellect for thinking. These in turn correspond to the realms of Objects, Emotions, and Thoughts (OET), which constitute our everyday experience of life. An intriguing aspect is the mind itself, which is often associated with qualia—the subjective, personal experience of sensations—something that remains largely mysterious and elusive in modern science. Despite advances in artificial intelligence, which allow us to draw distinctions between body and intellect as functional parts of the universe, the mind and its inner experiences still evade a comprehensive understanding. AI has ...

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have sparked renewed discussions about the nature of intelligence and its distinction from consciousness. AI systems, particularly those using machine learning, neural networks, and large language models, display sophisticated forms of intelligence that allow them to process information, solve problems, and even engage in tasks traditionally associated with human cognition. However, this form of intelligence appears to be fundamentally different from consciousness. While intelligence, as displayed by AI, can be understood as an external, observable phenomenon, consciousness remains the internal, subjective experience of the observer. This note explores this distinction and its implications for our understanding of AI, intelligence, and consciousness. 1. Intelligence as External and Observable: Recent developments in AI show that intelligence can be modeled, measured, and observed externally, without the need for subjective...

Advaita Vedanta, one of the most profound and influential schools of Indian philosophy, remains highly interesting and relevant today for several reasons. Its timeless principles touch upon fundamental human questions about existence, consciousness, and the nature of reality—topics that are as meaningful now as they were thousands of years ago. Here’s why Advaita Vedanta continues to captivate modern thinkers and seekers: 1. Timeless Questions on Identity and Existence: Advaita Vedanta addresses the universal question of "Who am I?"—a question that transcends time, culture, and geography. At its core, Advaita posits that the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman) are not separate but one and the same. This non-dualistic approach offers profound insights into identity, challenging the limited view of the self as merely the body, mind, or ego. Modern Relevance: In today’s world, where many grapple with questions of identity, purpose, and the mean...

The question of whether consciousness is beyond space and time is deeply philosophical and touches on the intersection of neuroscience, quantum theory, metaphysics, and spirituality. Based on the context of mathematical models of consciousness, free will, and our understanding of how the brain operates within the physical world, let's explore this intriguing question from different angles. 1. Consciousness as Emergent from the Physical Brain: In the dominant scientific view, consciousness is a product of brain activity, which is firmly embedded in space and time. This position suggests that consciousness is dependent on the material processes of the brain—neuronal firing, chemical signaling, and information integration—all of which occur in the physical realm of space and time. Neuroscience and Temporal Processing: Consciousness, in this view, arises from the way the brain processes and integrates information over time. Neurons fire, brain waves oscillate, and signals p...

Harnessing the Power of Saving and Compounding for Young Earners As young professionals stepping into the exhilarating realm of earning, the journey ahead promises not just the opportunity to shape your careers but also to pave a path toward financial independence. Embracing the power of saving and understanding the magic of compounding can transform your financial future. Here’s a fundamental guideline, often referred to as the 50-30-20 rule, that can help you navigate your finances wisely. The 50-30-20 Rule of Thumb This simple yet effective rule can help you manage your finances effectively from the get-go: 50% on Needs: These are your essentials. From rent and groceries to utilities and transportation—half of your take-home salary should be allocated here. 30% on Wants: This portion is for your lifestyle choices, including dining out, hobbies, and entertainment. It's your reward for the hard work. 20% on Savings: The final slice of your financial pie should be direc...

There are storms that arrive with the predictability of a bureaucratic memo, and then there are those capricious tempests that seem to arise from the very ether of the earth, dragging the spirit of the skies into a furious, almost orchestral, crescendo. The Sumatra Squall belongs firmly to the latter. As dusk begins to cast its velveteen cloak over Singapore, the otherwise stoic skyline is pierced by the harbingers of an impending meteorological drama—a confluence of tempestuous winds, torrential rains, and roiling thunderheads that dance in wild abandon. This meteorological phenomenon is an unruly child of the Indian Ocean, birthed by the heated interplay of sea and land, as if the island of Sumatra itself, across the Strait of Malacca, draws deep, agitated breaths before hurling its fury across the water. Like a piece of improvisational jazz, the squall approaches not with stately majesty but with a disheveled yet hypnotic urgency. Clouds gather in ashen swathes, layered ...