Induction

The term agnostic was fittingly coined by the 19th-century British scientist Thomas H. Huxley, who believed that only material phenomena were objects of exact knowledge. He made up the word from the prefix a-, meaning “without, not,” as in amoral, and the noun Gnostic. Gnostic is related to the Greek word gn?, “knowledge,” which was used by early Christian writers to mean “higher, esoteric knowledge of spiritual things”; hence, Gnostic referred to those with such knowledge. In coining the term agnostic, Huxley was considering as “Gnostics” a group of his fellow intellectuals—“ists,” as he called them— who had eagerly embraced various doctrines or theories that explained the world to their satisfaction. Because he was a “man without a rag of a label to cover himself with,” Huxley coined the term agnostic for himself, its first published use being in 1870.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Lu 履 27/8/2008

變卦:  天水訟  變  天則履
天水訟(兇)--相爭之象; 作事謀始以防訟
天澤履(中吉)--化險為夷之象; 克己復禮之道
訟卦,天下著雨,上剛下險。宮非口舌,爭訟,不親近,孚信被窒息。內心聰明。在體、用於人身疾病上與需卦同解。[覆掛] 需卦陰雲在天,艱險在前,需侍時而進,需要,等待,期待。擔當險難,有所欲求。有聰明纔智。坎為體,有財官之喜,利中男,乾為體,且洩氣,失脫,災病,降職丟官。

1 履: 履虎尾,不咥人,亨。
   Lu:(Lu suggests the idea of) one treading on the tail of a tiger, which does not bite him. There will be progress and success.
   彖傳: 履,柔履剛也。說而應乎乾,是以履虎尾,不咥人,亨。剛中正,履帝位而不疚,光明也。
   Tuan Zhuan: In Lu we have (the symbol of) weakness treading on (that of) strength. (The lower trigram) indicates pleasure and satisfaction, and responds to (the upper) indicating strength. Hence (it is said), 'He treads on the tail of a tiger, which does not bite him; there will be progress and success.' (The fifth line is) strong, in the centre, and in its correct place. (Its subject) occupies the God-(given) position, and falls into no distress or failure; - (his) action will be brilliant.
   象傳: 上天下澤,履;君子以辨上下,安民志。
   Xiang Zhuan: (The trigram representing) the sky above, and below it (that representing the waters of) a marsh, form Lu. The superior man, in accordance with this, discriminates between high and low, and gives settlement to the aims of the people.
2 初九:素履,往无咎。
   The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject treading his accustomed path. If he go forward, there will be no error.
   象傳: 素履之往,獨行愿也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'He treads his accustomed path and goes forward:' - singly and exclusively he carries out his (long-cherished) wishes.
3 九二:履道坦坦,幽人貞吉。
   The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject treading the path that is level and easy - a quiet and solitary man, to whom, if he be firm and correct, there will be good fortune.
   象傳: 幽人貞吉,中不自亂也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'A quiet and solitary man, to whom, being firm and correct, there will be good fortune:' - holding the due mean, he will not allow himself to be thrown into disorder.
4 六三:眇能視,跛能履,履虎尾,咥人,凶。武人為于大君。
   The third SIX, divided, shows a one-eyed man (who thinks he) can see; a lame man (who thinks he) can walk well; one who treads on the tail of a tiger and is bitten. (All this indicates) ill fortune. We have a (mere) bravo acting the part of a great ruler.
   象傳: 眇能視;不足以有明也。跛能履;不足以與行也,咥人之凶;位不當也。武人為于大君;志剛也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'A one-eyed man (who thinks that he) can see:' - he is not fit to see clearly. 'A lame man (who thinks that he can) tread well:' - one cannot walk along with him. 'The ill fortune of being bitten' arises from the place not being the proper one for him. 'A (mere) bravo acting the part of a great ruler:' - this is owing to his aims being (too) violent.
5 九四:履虎尾,愬愬,終吉。
   The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject treading on the tail of a tiger. He becomes full of apprehensive caution, and in the end there will be good fortune.
   象傳: 愬愬終吉,志行也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'He becomes full of apprehensive caution, and in the end there will be good fortune:' - his aim takes effect.
6 九五:夬履,貞厲。
   The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the resolute tread of its subject. Though he be firm and correct, there will be peril.
   象傳: 夬履貞厲,位正當也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'He treads resolutely; and though he be firm and correct, there is peril:' - this is due to his being in the position that is correct and appropriate to him.
7 上九:視履考祥,其旋元吉。
   The sixth NINE, undivided, tells us to look at (the whole course) that is trodden, and examine the presage which that gives. If it be complete and without failure, there will be great good fortune.
   象傳: 元吉在上,大有慶也。
   Xiang Zhuan: 'There will be great good fortune,' and that in the occupancy of the topmost line: - this is great matter for congratulation.

Explanation:
履卦,園而有缺損,剛中有險。履行,慎行,小心,行為履踐,行不逾禮,不處非禮。有官災是非爭執,交通意外金屬所傷。比和卦,事吉。乾為父,兌為少女,老少配、不利婚,有破損變故之慮。防肺、呼吸道疾病,金旺克木,有肝膽之病,口腔之疾。頭疼之疾。[覆掛] 小畜卦,天上起鳳,滿天風雲,強健如順風而行,積少成多,留住,“德積載法”,濟養。巽卦為體,有災,金屬器物之傷,上司批評,受壓制,乾卦為體謀事可成,但付出較多,來回奔勞活動,用權力壓服他人。膽經之疾,風寒。不利婦女,男人專權,克婦。

Divination: Can I see Shian? 20/8/2008

Verse:
心有余,力不足;倚仗春風,一歌一曲。

Explanation:
心有余而力不足,常常會使人喪失信心和勇氣,貽誤戰機,敗下陣來,這是不足取的。力不足,為什麼不能用些巧力,借力打力,四兩撥千斤?當你這次處于力不足泊處境中時,應當仰仗春風了。借仗春風,是有講究的。 這就需要你尋求實力的人,作為你的堅強后盾,這樣才能有恃無恐。當然,你必須使這種有實力的人相信,他的喜怒哀樂,他的怕有的利害得失,都與你有利害相關,休戚成共。這樣,才能得到及時的援助,這與"同人"一卦的九五爻意很近似的。" 這位鼎力相助的貴人來自東方,是一位生肖屬龍的朋友,在他的姓氏中,有"木"作為偏旁。當他作為不速之客,出現下你面前的時候,你千萬不要讓他輕易走掉,不然太可惜了。

Divination: Can I see Shian? 4/7/2008

Verse:
秋霜肅,夏日炎,新花鮮了舊花淹;世情看冷暖,逢者不須言。
Explanation:
此事于夏秋之季,多不吉利。新花稀落落,舊花殘敗,正是換季之期,青黃不接之運程。這個時候,你會常常看到人家的白眼,霜臉,處處遭際冷遇,缺少朋友緣份,與早期大不相同。人情似紙張張薄,一捅就破。曾經抬你捧你的人,如今都冷嘲熱諷,或者掉頭而去,或者隔岸觀火,漠不相關。這種時候去求告于人,簡直不要開口,既無益處,反而煩惱。是那相知的人,古道熱腸,不用你開口也會主動幫助你的,正所謂 "疾風知勁草,極蕩識忠臣。"。 為今之計,唯有自己救自己。萬不可因一時挫折,便心死如灰,倒了志氣。密地裡作好準諸般,養足元氣,調整體能,只待明春春雷滾動,再重新奮起。 "江東子弟多豪俊,卷土重來未可知。"