Prayer to Agni -the Lord of Fire.

 

Agni, My Lord of Fire

The giver of the fire of Purity

I pay homage to thee

Master of the Fire the purifies

In my mind, I bring forth thoughts

Which my intellect then churns

Agni, Minister of Sacrifice of Sin

The giver of the wealth of purity

More precious than all the gold in the world

My Lord of Fire, burn away the sins which I have accumulated

To be burnt as sacrifice in exchange for the riches of purity

Agni, Minster, Chief, Lord and God of Fire.

The Magical Stairway Tree ~ A Poem.

 

Dwelling in a secret forest where magic is at play

In it stands a magical tree proud in the brightness of day

Its trunk has bark of shimmering gold

This is the Magical Stairway Tree of old

A staircase winds up its trunk 

A magical passage thrusting into the sky

Leading to a mysterious place no one knows

Each step, in harmony play like harps

With each step, the journey starts

Its leaves whisper, like melodious violins

Each step takes the adventurer on his quest

Is there at the end a treasure chest

An enchanted tree leading to the sky

A child of nature of mystical intrigue

In the mind of the climber, a mysterious way

To the deepest realms beyond reality's gate

The mind is like a magical tree

Each step of thought takes you higher

Beyond the incipient seed of a thought

Working as busy as a bee

Up the winding stairway of thought

Each step increasing in depth

Into the deep of thought

Until the final step, where the conclusion is reached

Stargate ~ A Poem.

 

Beyond the expanse of the void,

Deep in the darkest corner of the cosmos,

In secret the Stargate lies,

A great portal to other universes,

A great secret still untold,

The portal is the passage through space and time,

Realms unknown , unseen and unthought, 

Cosmic secrets hidden in the void,

Galaxies beyond the perceptions of the mind,

In serenity the portal awaits,

It is the Stargate, the link to another universe,

A separate span of space and time,

The doorway to other alien worlds,

Where cosmic dreams fly to the stars,

to far worlds, sublime, unknown, unseen , all so serene,

The Stargate is a fable to be proven real,

A mystical key to that is not a dream,

To alien worlds that only rest in imaginations,

To such wonders beyond our wildest dreams,

In what we can see will even be surreal,

A ring of marvel, adorned with undeciphered script,

Built by alien sages long ago, whose names are unknown,

The ring hums with power, offering promise and wonder,

Persuading the discoverer to enter,

Then take flight to worlds of wonder,

The Stargate is a wormhole's gatekeeper,

A cosmic bridge, to beyond present space and time,

Through which the journey to a universe that is another,

The spectacular guardian, in the cosmos, it does reside,

The cosmic doorkeeper,

To travel to far off alien shores,

To tread on alien lands,

To seek other beings,

To see the beams of alien suns

Starlight Scorpion ~ A Poem.

Starlight Scorpion, dancing in the fiery sky,

Stylish dancer,  naughty prancer, with grace, up so high,

With sparkling armor, a warrior's stride,

You swagger in the heavens, far and wide, with a warrior's pride,

Carrying your deadly sting high on your tail,

Your sting is filled with lethal poison, you shake your tail,

Through the vast endless void of the Milky Way,

Shimmering and shining, you have your way,

Stealthily crawling the depths of space, 

Boldly daringly, space is your home,

A  stalker of the night, the universe is your home.

With your sharp claws, you crack meteors,

Commander of the darkness, you wield the night's prowess,

Dancing with a sinister ballet, you enchant all in the depths of the night,

Your strange ethereal deadly beauty is a breathtaking sight,

Oh! starlight scorpion, mysterious, sinister and surreal,

Stalking comets, meteors, and planets, you are so lethal,

Oh, Starlight Scorpion, stalker in the cosmic sea

Full of wonder and mystery.

Traverser of the galaxy, eternally you will be,

A sneaky killer of the night, born to be wild and free.

Beyond the Physical ~ A Poem.

What is matter but the five elements

What is the mind but beyond physical limits

The physical can be seen, touched and sensed

It is the metaphysical that can never be touched

Beyond the abilities of the instruments of science 

I sit here in deep meditation

My mind, my intellect in deliberation

I am not the body which can die

I am the spirit that resides in this mass of atoms

It is I who live and gives life to this machine

I sing the body electric into each fibre

I travel in my mind to beyond the physical limits

I am a spirit, I am a soul

I am not nature's child

I am the child of the metaphysical 

The Great Divide ~ A Poem.

Yawning is the gap beneath our feet

Differences make the divide

Differences of opinion, ideas, policies

Not seeing the commonality of existence

Money, power, resources and greed

Dividing and conquering, the elite's greed

Seeking power over others, their creed

Religion, race, and anything is used

To create the divide among all on Earth

Blood and tears, shed in vain

Power politicians and religious charlatans

All create the Great divide

Humanity no longer has meaning

The great divide has brought it to its end

The Bridge~ A Poem.

Uniting two separate ends

Set in strong foundations

A focal point for opposing teams

Then can dialog begin

The bridge is more than it seems

Subtle is its message

Meeting half way in compromise

Compromise to end conflict

A venue for making peace

Or just a business deal

The bridge reminds us the distance

The distance that can be breached 

Indra, My Lord ~ A Poem.

 

Oh Indra, Lord of the heavens, so high

Thunderer , striker with Vajra

With rapture and terror, striker of demons 

Striker of lightning,  ruling the skies

Seated on celestial heights

With mighty rapture you state your will

King of the Gods of the Aryavarta

You are manly and splendid

With thunderous roar and lightning nigh,

Reigning over Varuna, Rudra and all the other Gods

Striker of lightning with mighty vajra

In the pantheon of gods, you reign,

A celestial power, no mortal can feign

Mighty, manly Indra, my Lord and Master

The singers sing pious songs

All in supplication to you master thunderer

Wielder of the mighty vajra

Battler of the vile serpent

Split in the middle by the vajra

Ride in the skies, unchallenged, mighty Indra

Slayer of the serpent,  Oh, my Lord

You are the beacon of light, when the darkness of the demons stalk

Drinker of soma ,Giver of life

Supreme judge ,Might warrior

Leader of the Aryans

Lands beyond noble Aryavarta

Your own kingdom in Bharatvarsha

Bow the men of the Earth to Aryavarta and Indra

With your valiant steed your ride unchallenged

Glorious vajra, thunderbolt so bright

So deadly, so fierce, Demons take fright

In you chariot you ride across the universe

On your mighty elephant, mighty mirgahastin

Airavata, your noble marble white steed

Guiding the chariot where the sun does rise

Moonshadow ~ A Poem.

 

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

The night does not alarm me because you are my companion

I can loose my mind, so what, I don't need to worry

I can loose my money, but I won't beg

I can loose my friends, I will be better off all alone

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

The night sky is my blanket

I can go to another country, no one will know me

I can swim in the sea, great, I can see what lies beneath

I can die, so what, my troubles will be over

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you follow me wherever I go

My friend the moon is my teacher

I can learn anything from books, but that is temporary

I can fly in a jet, great, I can see the world

I can sing a song of joy, who cares if no one listens to me

Moonshadow, moonshadow, you are my trusty charioteer

I stalk in the night deep in my thoughts

If I loose all my money, so what, I have myself

If I ever meet God, after questioning me, I will question him

I can dream many dreams, great, I can entertain myself 

Critical Thinking - Asking the Right Questions.

 

Critical Questions.

In critical thinking, we know that we need to think carefully with attention, awareness, analysis and independent judgement. Yet there is something else that we must be cognizant about- it is an important attribute. That attribute is critical questions. Asking critical questions provides a stimulus and direction that propels us towards a continual ongoing search for  better options, decisions, or judgements. As such, we can define critical thinking as :

1. The awareness of a set of interrelated questions;
2. The ability to ask and answer critical questions at an appropriate time; and the
3. The desire to actively use the critical questions.

Note: Critical thinking consists of an awareness of a set interrelated critical questions, plus the ability to ask and answer them at appropriate times.

Thinking Styles.

There are two thinking styles or approaches that we must know about - The Sponge Approach and the Panning for Gold Approach. 

Sponge Approach.

The sponge approach is where we absorb information about the world. The advantage with the sponge approach is a process where the more information we absorb about the world, the more we are capable of understanding its complexities. The knowledge acquired provides a foundation for more complicated thinking later. A second advantage of the sponge approach is it is a relatively passive way to absorb information. There is no active listening or active reading. There is no interaction with what is being heard or read. The sponge approach does not require strenuous mental effort. It tends to be a rather quick and easy way to absorb knowledge, especially when the material is presented in a clear and interesting fashion. The primary mental effort involves concentration and memory. Absorbing information provides a productive start towards becoming a thoughtful person. But the approach has a serious drawback. It does not provide a method for deciding which opinion or information to believe and which to reject. Those who read like the sponge approach will believe everything they read or hear. Such people are mental puppets of whosoever they encounter. Decisions become accidents of association , instead of reflective judgements. People who follow the sponge approach do not choose what to believe or not to believe and what to reject or not. There is passive reception to what is heard or read without proper deliberation, attention, awareness, analysis and independent judgement. There is no interactivity to what is heard or read. The alternative to the sponge approach is the Panning for Gold Approach. The panning for gold approach is a process that provides a model for active readers , critical readers and active listeners as they try to determine the worth of what they read and hear. It is a challenging and tedious task, but it comes rich with tremendous reward. 

 Panning for Gold Approach.

The alternative approach is the Panning for Gold Approach. The process of the panning for gold approach provides a model for active readers critical readers and active listeners as they try to determine the worth of what they read or hear. It is a challenging and tedious task, but it comes rich with tremendous reward. This model of thinking requires active reading and active listening skills. In the panning for gold approach, the critical thinker sifts through the information interactively. The panning for gold reader asks himself a number of questions designed to uncover the best available decisions or beliefs. The reader who uses this approach frequently questions why the author or speaker makes various claims. He writes notes to himself in the margins indicating problems with the reasoning. He continually interacts with the material. His intent is to critically evaluate the material and formulate personal conclusions based on the evaluation.

The differences between the Sponge Approach and the Panning for Gold Approach:

Sponge Approach	Panning for Gold Approach
Emphasizes knowledge acquisition	Emphasizes/stresses active interaction with knowledge acquisition
There is no interaction with knowledge	There is interaction with knowledge
Reading and listening are done passively	Reading and listening are done actively and critically.
There is no evaluation of knowledge with arguments	There is evaluation of knowledge with arguments
There is passive participation with knowledge. Knowledge is not questioned	There is active participation with knowledge. Knowledge is questioned.

The Myth of the Right Answer - Is there such a thing?

Is there such a thing as aright answer? Our ability to answer questions often is dependent on the type of question that puzzles us. Is the question a social question, that is one about something we human beings debate about such as business, engineering, law or politics, such as should sanctions be imposed on a country? is it worthwhile to allow the sale of marijuana from pharmacies?  is it a scientific one, such as what is the distance of a moon from a planet?, and how old is a sword made thousands of years ago? or how much body fat does a fish have? When it comes to scientific questions such as the availability of oxygen on an exoplanet, the density of gold in an ore or the amount of cholesterol in your body can obtain reasonably accurate answers. They are answers a reasonable person can accept. This is because the physical world is in certain ways more dependable or predictable. There are ways to calculate, measure, observe and determine as compared to the social world. In physical sciences we can often arrive at the "right answer". But in social questions it is difficult to arrive at a "right answer". 

Questions about human behavior are different. That is because human behavior is unpredictable. The causes of human behavior are very complex resulting in that we cannot do more than to form intelligent guesses about why and when certain behavior will occur Additionally, because many of us care a great deal about explanations or descriptions of human behavior , we rather prefer that explanations or descriptions  of the rate of unemployment, the rate of inflation, the rate of foreign investment, the frequency of school dropouts at secondary level or the causes of domestic abuse, the causes of deforestation, that are consistent with what we believe. So, we bring our preferences to any discussion of those issues and resist arguments that are not consistent with them. Due to human behavior being so controversial and complex, the best answers we can find for many questions about our behavior will be probabilistic in nature. We couldn't hope to know with confidence what effects exercise has on our mental health, even if we were aware of all the available data.

Even yet, we still have to make a commitment to a specific plan of action if we want to avoid turning into "hollow men" or "nowhere women." But we will be far more receptive to the arguments made by those attempting to convince us to change our beliefs if we accept that our commitments are founded on probability rather than certainty. We might be mistaken about several of our views, after all. The questions that demand the most examination, regardless of the nature of the inquiry, are typically ones on which "reasonable people" cannot agree. In actuality, a lot of problems are fascinating precisely because there is a lot of debate on how to address them. In any debate, multiple points of view are involved. There are several valid points of support for various perspectives. Seldom will a stance on a social dispute allow you to declare, "This is unquestionably the correct position on the issue." Reasonable people wouldn't be discussing the matter if such certainty could be achieved. This essay will concentrate on these kinds of societal disputes.

The purpose of this essay is to provide you with the abilities necessary to formulate the best and most logical response possible, taking into account the problem's nature and the information at hand, even though we may not always find the "right answer" to societal issues. Usually, one must make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Frequently, we won't have the time or resources to find out all the pertinent information on a choice we have to make. Asking all the proper questions, for instance, is foolish when a loved one is complaining of excruciating chest pain and wants you to take him to the ER.

Thinking and Feeling:

You come across a conclusion for the first time with a background. You now know how to support certain causes, care about specific issues, and reject certain kinds of assertions. As a result, you always begin to question preexisting beliefs. You are emotionally attached to these preexisting beliefs. Since these are your opinions, it makes sense that you would want to defend them. This is an important topic to emphasize. Every decision we make is influenced by a wealth of personal baggage, including past experiences, goals, morals, education, and cultural norms. But in order to develop, you must acknowledge these emotions and, to the extent that you are able, set them aside for a while. You won't be able to listen intently to arguments from others that contradict or challenge your views until you make the effort. This transparency is crucial since a lot of our own opinions are not very rational; rather, they are the opinions of others, to which we have grown emotionally through time. Oftentimes, in fact, we take it personally when someone expresses an opinion that differs from our own. 

Being emotionally invested in a situation increases your risk of ignoring potential valid arguments for opposing viewpoints, which, if you were to listen to them, might be enough to convince you to alter your views.

Remember: Accepting or rejecting a position shouldn't be based mostly on emotional factors. Emotional involvement should ideally peak once thinking has taken place. Therefore, when reading, be careful not to let your emotions separate you from the arguments of people who you initially disagree with. Successful active learners are those who are open to changing their opinions. If you want to ever change your opinion, you have to be as receptive as you can be to concepts that at first seem strange or perilous. But critical minds are not automatons. Many topics are very important to them. Their willingness to put in all the effort required for critical thinking reveals the depth of that concern. But since critical thinkers are aware that their current views are subject to change, any passion they may feel is restrained.

Is it efficient to ask the question , "Who Cares?":

Asking good questions can be difficult but rewarding job. You will care significantly more about some disputes than others. You'll want to invest less time and effort in critically analyzing a dispute when its effects on you and your community are minor compared to more significant controversies. For instance, it makes sense to critically assess arguments in favor of and against the preservation of endangered species because taking a different stance on this matter has significant societal repercussions. Spending time determining whether blue is the preferred color of the majority of company executives is less useful. Your time has worth. Ask yourself, "Who cares?" before spending the time to analyze a problem.

Strong-sense Critical Thinking and Weak-sense Critical Thinking:

In critical thinking, we must take a stand or a position on an issue or argument. We could be faced with issues such as; Was the decision to impose the General Sales Tax at 15% right? Should the sale of alcohol be allowed to 16 year olds? Should the country be involved in foreign military campaigns? Is the President of Russia correct in not taking part in the trade talks? We will then be compelled to take a stand on such arguments or issues. Thus, we can use our critical thinking in two ways. Our critical thinking can be used to either (1) defend or (2) evaluate and revise our initial beliefs. By using the distinction between weak sense

and strong-sense critical thinking they can helps us appreciate these two antagonistic uses of critical thinking. 

Note: Strong-sense critical thinking is the use of the same skills to evaluate all claims and beliefs, especially our own.

Weak-sense critical thinking is the use of critical thinking to defend your current beliefs.

When we use critical thinking to defend our initial beliefs or we are paid to defend, then we are using weak-sense critical thinking. It is weak because to use critical thinking in this way is to be unconcerned with moving truth or virtue. The purpose of weak-critical thinking is to resist and destroy opinions different from ours. When we seek domination and victory over those who disagree with us as the sheer objective of critical thinking is to wreak the potentially humane and progressive aspects of critical thinking.

In contrast, strong-sense critical thinking requires the critical thinker to question all claims, including their own. By forcing ourselves to critically examine our initial beliefs, we help protect against self-deception and conformity. it is easy for us to stick with current beliefs, particularly when many people share them. but when we take this easy road, we run the great risk of making errors we could otherwise avoid.

The Satisfaction of Using the Panning-for-Gold Approach:

Critical thinkers find great satisfaction when to say "no" to an idea or opinion and to know why the response is inappropriate. If we regularly use the panning for gold approach, then anything that enters our minds will have been systematically examined first. When an idea or belief does pass the criteria developed here, it will make sense to agree with it - or at least until new evidence appears. Just imagine the great feeling when we know why we should ignore or accept a particular piece of advice. Frequently, those faced with an opinion different from their own respond by saying, "Oh, that's just your opinion." But the issue should not be whose opinion it is, but rather whether it is a good opinion. The sponge approach is often satisfying because it permits us to accumulate information. Though this approach is productive, there is much more gratification in being a participant in a meaningful dialogue with the writer or speaker. Reading and listening become much richer as we begin to see things that others may have missed. As we learn to select information and opinions systematically, we will probably desire to read more and more in a lifelong effort to decide which advice makes sense.

Critical Thinking and Effective Communication:

Many of the skills we will learn, as we become a more critical thinker, will improve the quality of our writing and speaking. As we write and speak, it helps to be aware of the expectations careful thinkers will have. Because our objective is communication, many of the questions the thoughtful person will ask in evaluating our speech or writing should serve as guides for our own attempts to communicate well.

References:

1. Browne, (M.N.)., & Keeley, (S.M). (2007). Asking the Right Questions.

          Pearson Prentice Hall.

2. Harris, R. (2021, January 9). Virtual Salt. 

         https://www.virtualsalt.com/introduction-to-critical-thinking/

Milky Way ~ A Poem.

 

Like a lord you spin

Majestic lord where my home is in

Powerful and magic you are 

Churning away in space

The dark void filled with your kind of many shapes and colors

Spinning with huge gravitational magnetic forces

Awesome to behold and mind blogging to comprehend

Majestic glowing lord of the universe

What power, what force, mighty milky way

Star lights so Bright ~ A Poem.

 

Star lights so bright

Glistening beacons deep in the night

I gaze upon each of you all alone in the dark

Wondering what you will say to me 

In secret whispers what lies my fortune

Star lights so bright

My companions of the night

Lonely I feel not my companions in the dark

The black canvas of the night laced scattered with gleaming stars

My distant companions blazing in the dark

Star lights so bright 

Beaming at me in the night

As I ponder alone about life

The nocturnal wind blows cold

Cooling the earth for tomorrow

With silent whispers you speak to me

Astral Dreamer.

 

The astral dreamer travels through the stars

Exploring the wonders of the cosmic realm

Beyond the Earth, Solar System, Galaxy and Universe

Waves of solar energy course through his being

The astral dreamer sees the glowing galaxies

Swirling churning mixture of stars

The creation and destruction all laid bare

The astral dreamer can see the secrets of the universe

Nothing be hidden from his view

The astral dreamer connects with the universe 

Flying faster than the speed of light

Flying faster than the speed of thought

In a sacred quest, pure magic

Stardust, moondust and the suns

Nothing remains hidden to the astral dreamer

Powerhouse of the universe

The void is endless and so is the astral dreamer

The quest is perennial and so is he an immortal

Connected in space and time

The Great Beyond.

 

As I pass through this life and to another 

I become a time traveler through the eons

Each life I leave behind, a forgotten time

Family and friends I leave behind

A new lifetime awaits in the great beyond

Alone I will travel into another timeline

A New body, a new identity, a new fate

Beyond the great beyond

Well after the zone of time

Desert Flower.

 

A flower in a desert is the most beautiful thing

It is a most precious and valuable thing

It is more beautiful than the most delicate rose

More perfumed than the sweetest dandelion

In a landscape parched and bare, a lifeless zone

It is a message to us , only known to the wise

A good heart is hard to find in world that is vile

So many people, yet few have good hearts

Most wear the misty veil of false hearts

Like a desert bare, hear and there

Is a good heart , so very rare

Its fragrance attracts every bee

See beyond the veil of the false

Once in a while you will stumble on the rare

Voyagers to afar.

 

Sailing forth, brave hearts, into the unknown

Caring not for fear's shrieks of caution 

Perils, danger and mystery

Bravehearts thirsty for adventure

Sailing forth shrugging all doubts

Sunshine, calm waters and fair wind

The sailors friends, welcomed in loving embrace

Storms, giant waves and deadly winds 

Eschewed but faced with dare

Sailing into uncharted waters, stout hearts

Brave mariners, daredevils, valiant heroes

See that mermaid or merman

See that giant squid or hungry whale

Islands of strange folk

Friendly or not, lets meet them

The salty sea spray is fodder

Adventure more sweeter than honey

Brave sailors, hearty mariners, adventurous explorers

Astral Dreams

 I drift into the deepest sleep

All is quiet, more silent than a pin drop

Moon shines brightly and close to the Earth

So near, I can touch its celestial face

I cross the river from the land of wake

And I walk the astral bridge to the world of sleep

In it I am an astral being

Not mortal, not vulnerable to pain

An astral spirit, free of chains

I drift from one realm to realm

In the deepest darkest phase of the night

Stars scattered across the dark hue of the sky

Comets whizzing past, take no notice of me

I am invisible, an astral spirit

The moon smiles brightly upon me

An astral spirit flying like a phantom in the night

Asteroids and clouds decorate the sky at night

Charmsters they are, schemers of delight

Wormholes : Space Short Cuts & Time Travelling.

 

What is a wormhole? To put it simply it is quintessentially a "tunnel" that connects two points in space-time that allow travel between them in such a way that travel through the wormhole could take much less time compared to the same trip as in normal space. Look it this way. Your friend lives 200 kilometres from you. You could just drive to your friend's town on a normal highway taking, suppose, three hours to arrive there. But if there was a wormhole between your house and your friend's house , you can arrive at your destination in, let's suppose, 30 minutes.
The concept of wormholes arose from mathematical solutions to the Einstein field equations for gravity that act as "tunnels" connecting different points in space-time that take travel between the points in a short time. Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen were the two scientists who developed the concept of a wormhole. They examined the weird equations and questioned what they actually stood for. These equations are now known to describe the impenetrable region of space known as a black hole. The surface of a black hole may hypothetically serve as a bridge connecting to another region of space, according to Einstein and Rosen. The experience might resemble going down your bathtub's drain and coming out into a second tub that looks exactly like the first one without getting stuck in the pipes.

A wormhole consists of two mouths, the entrance and exit, and a throat that is the passage-way that makes travel between the mouths possible. It is illustrated in the the diagram below:

The path through the wormhole is topologically distinct from other routes one could follow to the same destination. it is possible for wormholes to act as time machines because they are short-cuts through space-time. When someone enters through one entrance and exists through another point, then that person could exit at a time earlier than when they entered the wormhole. This could be a problem of for a traveler. What kind of aging process will occur and what if the traveler ends up in another universe?

So far scientists have not found a real wormhole and we must bear in mind it was a mathematical realisation only and not a real entity proven by science. Some scientists think that wormholes are not an actual possibility because they could be unstable. 

Gravity pulls every object in the universe, including the Earth and the rest of the planets in our solar system. Hence, gravity too would exert a gravitational force on a wormhole that will make it collapse as soon as it appears. In order to maintain stability for a wormhole, an unquantifiable amount of energy will be needed. If we follow that Kardeshev scale, perhaps a type four or five civilisation could generate enough energy to keep a wormhole stable . If a wormhole is not kept stable it will inevitably collapse under its own gravity. A powerful external force like a negative energy which would oppose the gravity could keep it stable. However, as far as scientists know, negative energies can only be created in small amounts. They will be much too small to counteract a wormhole's own gravity.

In summary, wormholes are tunnels in space-time that if they are traversable will allow a traveler to  enter through one point and leave at the other but in another universe. Wormholes have not been discovered yet. They are mathematical realisations. They could be unstable and cannot be kept open for long before they collapse due to the pull of their gravity. Unless negative energies can be used to keep them stable there is no way that thy can be kept open for long. Negative energies are not possible in large amounts to make this possible . For now, wormholes remain only mathematical realisations  only.

Alien Civilizations.

If alien civilisations exist then there must be a way to classify them. A hypothetical scale based on the correlation between the kind of civilisation and its energy availability combined with commensurate population growth was created by a Russian astrophysicist called Nikolai Kardashev in 1964. This scale is known as the Kardashev Scale. This is anchored on the logic that a society of intelligent beings develop more and more sophisticated technology their energy needs will increase along with population growth. They will have at their disposal various types of energy to use and this will not be from their home world but drawn from the stars and even the universe. 

The growth in demands for energy combined with population growth as a civilisation grows is true. As mankind moved from the Paleolithic Age, when we were still hunter-gatherers , into the Neolithic Age, when farming began, and into the Industrial Revolution there has a been a great need for coal, oil, gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power and now when we are in the Digital Age , also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there has been an ever growing need for energy. This need for energy reflects the complexity of the civilisation that needs it. As we travel through the expanse of space and time and our civilisation develops, there has been a parallel  exponential growth in population as economic growth expanded and many newly independent countries joined in the race towards economic development. When we were still hunter-gatherers back in the Palaeolitihic Age, our energy needs would have been simple.We needed wood to make fire to cook our food, give us light or illumination when its dark and perhaps to ward off dangerous animals. Wood was easily at our disposal then and easily sourced. When we moved into the Neolithic Age our farms and villages would have made use of wood, animal dung and beeswax as energy which we easily had. As we moved into the Copper and Bronze Ages and then into the Iron Age, our energy needs were still met with charcoal, oil, bitumen and coal, but the demand for them would had increased commensurate with population size. As the human population grew and steam and coal and fuel powered machines appeared in the form of trains, ships and eventually motorcars, our energy needs were met further by petrol and electricity and eventually nuclear power.. The current age sees the increased use of electricity for computers and their peripherals. Companies like IBM, Google,Daimler,and government organisations make use of banks of servers to store and distribute information. These devices consume vast amounts of electrical power and are met. This need is high due the population increase and economic development. This should hold true for an extraterrestrial civilisation that may have grown in a similar way as we humans have. We can see that as we progressed in our civilisations we had various kinds of energy at our disposal. Karsdashev observed this in 1964, and from there developed his scale.  

The scale that Kardashev classifies extraterrestrial civilisations are into three base classes. Type 1 , 2 and 3. Some astronomers expanded on the scale with type 4 and 5, but  these two classification were abandoned as unrealisable as will be explained. The criteria for classification was the energy consumption of each type of civilisation. According to Kardashev, there are three types of civilisations: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. All three types have energy resources at their availability and consequent disposal.  Although some astronomers have extended the scale to incorporate Type 4 and Type 5 it is thought that the energy needs of such civilisations would be equivalent to all the energy in the universe and in all universes and in all time-lines, that is at all stages of their development into sophisticated and technologically advanced states of civilisation. The Type 4 and Type 5 civilisations include not only their access to energy resources but their knowledge to construct the kinds of civilisations they exist in, that is the capability to develop advanced technology beyond what we on Earth can realise at this time.

Nikolai Kardashev.

To begin with, what is the type of civilisation of Earth at the present? Ours is a type 0 civilisation. According to Dr Michio Kaku, an American theoretical physicist, we are a type 0 civilisation because we still depend on fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal for much of our energy needs. We must also bear in my mind that we also use, uranium (a mineral) hydroelectric power and in small measure the so-called renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. These energy sources are all drawn from the earth or like solar power drawn from Earthbound solar panels. Dr Michio Kaku believes that for so long as we use fossil fuels we will always be a type 1 civilisation in about 100 to 200 hundred years time. He adds that the progress of science in the coming 100 years will determine whether we will remain a type 0 civilisation or we will perish!

Dr Michio Kaku.

A type 1 civilisation is one which is able to harness the power of the sun. This civilization will harness energy from a neighbouring star, transmit to their home world, store and satisfy its energy needs in order to keep pace with its increasing population. This is not possible for us on Earth at this time. We have yet to develop the technology to collect energy from our sun nor from a neighbouring sun. In order for us to do this, we will have to boost our current energy production by over 100,000 times to reach this level of ability. This would also mean that we would need to harness the entire energy output of the planet, that is to say, we must have control over the natural forces of volcanoes, the wind, waves and earthquakes. This is not really in our grasp but with advances in technology, we may arrive at that plateau where we can do so, but in comparison to more advanced civilisations, our feats will be small by comparison. 

A type 2 civilisation will  not only harness the power of its own star but control it by using gargantuan solar panel array called a Dyson Sphere.

An artisit's impression of a Dyson Sphere.

A Dyson Sphere will cover every centimetre of a star and in that way absorb every bit of solar energy issued by it. That civilisation would then store and use the energy. Alternatively, a type 2 civilisation may opt for nuclear fusion to obtain energy. This according to Dr Michio Kaku could be in the form of an enormous nuclear fusion reactor in orbit around a star where it will draw hydrogen for the star and produce fusion energy which will then be transmitted back to their planet for storage and use. Perhaps, we could see such society having several reactors around many stars doing the same. This is a civilisation that will have the capability to destroy with a massively powerful charged particle weapon, perhaps surpassing lasers, that can vaporise a large celestial body such as a comet or asteroid that could endanger its planet. It could also move its homeworld out of the trajectory of a gigantic comet or asteroid or even move another planet with the energy it has. 

A type 3 civilisation will have long surpassed any need for concerns about energy resulting in that species becoming a "master race" who now can concentrate on domination of the galaxy. This species can evolve into a specie that is part biological and part robotic. If we talk about human beings evolving in this way it will take a many many thousands of years to do so and we will call these beings cyborgs. We do not what an extraterrestrial specie will such beings but they too might evolve in this way. Cyborgs will have the gift of eternal life. If this occurs constant self-replication will witness an enormous expansion of population. This will then make it necessary for them to move large sections of their population to other inhabitable planets or they could make those planets inhabitable. They could then construct a large network of Dyson Spheres that are linked to each other thereby creating a galactic wide civilisation that controls space. They could collect the energy from their Dyson Spheres and relay it to their homeworld. However, there could be drawbacks in such a network. The laws of physics will constraint their efforts, especially the speed of light. The potential of travelling to other planets and stars will need speeds in excess of the speed of light, which according to Albert Einstein, cannot be exceeded.  The only they can work around the constraint of light speed is in two theoretical concepts: warp drive (https://futurismnews.tumblr.com/post/62055261581/sci-fi-becomes-sci-fact-the-real-star-trek-as/amp /  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive  ) and using wormholes (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-wormholes-real/). However, as regards wormholes, there is some scepticism if they are possible to use for travelling in space (https://phys.org/news/2018-12-scientists-dismiss-idea-wormholes.html).

An artist's conceptualization of a Type 3 Civilisation.

A type 4 civilization was seen by Kardshev as being far too advanced for any civilization to achieve. Nonetheless, there are many people who think that such as civilisation could be achieved. They are opposed by a few who that such a civilisation is realisable. A type 4 civilisation will be able to harness the entire energy content of the universe. Such a civilization would be able to travel the length and breadth of the universe. they could even possibly live inside supermassive blackholes. Their energy requirements would be far in excess of any technology that can be envisaged and use technologies completely alien to the laws of physics. These would be very exotic technologies that we cannot visualise let alone conceptualise.

A Type 4 Civilisation.

A type 5 civilisation might be the logical progression from the type 4 civilisation. The criteria for this kind of civilisation is beyond imagination or conjecture. There cannot be an adequate scientific explanation for it. The species of this civilization will live like gods of mythology with the knowledge to manipulate the universe to their advantage. It is simply beyond conceptualisation.

Links:

https://futurism.com/ocean-world-hidden-body-of-water-uncovered-on-saturns-moon-dione

https://futurism.com/kardashev-scale-this-is-what-life-will-look-like-when-we-harness-the-energy-of-the-entire-universe

https://futurismnews.tumblr.com/post/62055261581/sci-fi-becomes-sci-fact-the-real-star-trek-as/amp

https://mkaku.org/home/articles/the-physics-of-extraterrestrial-civilizations/

The Minotaur's Lament.

 

There can be no wretch in mythology born into such abject circumstances worse than the Minotaur. A half-man half-bull monster who never asked to be born in that way. An abomination. Too grotesque and shameful for the world to see. His stepfather's greed for sacrificing what was a gift from a god that is due back to that god. His mother's bestial lust for that bull, the curse of a god. Cast into a dark forlorn labyrinth, all alone except for his stepsister's comforting words and the horrifying food he was given ritually every seven years of seven virgin males and females from Greece. His gruesome and miserable life was brought to an end by a golden boy, a hero, always adulated and cherished - Theseus. This is the story of his release from a miserable life as told by him.

The Minotaur speaks to us his lament:

I never asked to be born in this way. What kind of a god punishes the innocent for another's sin? My stepfather, King Minos, was greedy for the bull gifted to him by Poseidon. King Minos wanted a magnificent white bull from Poseidon, the God of the Sea. Seeing Minos's piety and devotion to him, the master of the sea gifted him the most magnificent white bull that Gaia, Goddess of the Earth, will never bestow on a mortal. The bull strode out of the emerald blue of the sea and headed straight to King Minos. Minos was thrilled beyond his ability to contain himself. Never had he or anyone beheld such a wondrous sight. Ivory-hued, gentle-eyed, sweet-smelling, and beautiful of disposition was the bull from the sea. Minos prepared a special stable for the bull and spent days and nights admiring the creature. He fed it with the beast olives and gave it to drink the sparkling water from the peak of Mount Ida. 

The high priestess cautioned Minos that any gift from the gods must be returned in some form to them. The gods give nothing for free, however much a mortal deserved it. Minos didn't listen to her. Her emphatic pleas fell on ears that might as well be filled with wax. I know the priestess. Richly dressed in finest cloth, splashed in vibrant colors laid out in stripes. Her long hair, well combed and dressed, hung down to her chest. The high priestess and her priestesses didn't hate, loath, or fear me. They pitied me and often spoke to me through holes in the ceiling of the labyrinth.

King Minos, my stepfather, is still pink with yesterday's blessings. Still strong despite the silver in his hair. Strong of appearance. An indomitable and powerful man who exuded power. Wise, clever yet heartless, merciless and cold. he ruled with an iron fist. The Greeks dreaded him while his people adulated him, though they secretly feared him.  

My mother, Queen Pasiphae, didn't want anything to do with me. She, my mother, knowledgeful of the curse on Minos and helpless to act against the magic of a god, abandoned me. Too ashamed, she hid in the palace. Ariadne, my half-sister told me that my mother was once so beautiful, and had now become as haggard as a crone when she beheld me at my birth. She screamed in terror at the monster she had borne. Now she sits alone in her chamber, attended by handmaidens. Ariadne told me even a gorgon will shudder at the sight of her.

Ariadne was beautiful, with long dark hair, milky white of complexion and her soul, pure as gold. My comfort, my solace, and beloved sister. She alone in my half family was the only real family I had. Yet, when Theseus arrived, she too betrayed me and in turn betrayed by her lover. She escaped the insanity that surrounded me when Theseus arrived on Crete's resplendent shores.

My mind was haunted with the cries of my sacrificial victims. I long lost count of the number of young men and women I had killed and devoured. Their screams of fear, their anguish as well they entered the gloomy poorly lit labyrinth. That was how I came to be cast as a cannibal, a hideous monster whose mouth drools with wine red blood and yellow mucus filled spit. My head sporting ivory horns, a face that will even make a Gorgon shudder with terror, an evil demonic entity, cast away from sight. Do you think that I am a beast so cruel that I eat people? Eat the virginal innocents sent to me to avenge my stepbrother, Androgeus's, death at the hands of jealous Athenian youths. What is it to me if the Athenians were jealous of a capable athlete like Androgeus? I never knew him but I sympathise for his death for beloved Ariadne.

For many years I have been incarcerated in this dank cold gloomy prison-the labyrinth. The putrid stench of rotting human remains, and my own bodily waste made the air so rancid, that I left some parts of the labyrinth free so that I can breathe easily. You have no idea of what abject squalor is until you are imprisoned in an awful lamentable place like I am. It is dimly lit with torches thrown into it from trapdoors in the above ceiling that punctuate the ceiling by terrified slaves. With the torches, chunks of meat and beakers of water are regularly thrown at me as if I was a lowly unwanted dog when there was no human meat to devour. I stalk the twisting turning winding corridors of my filthy but ingeniously designed labyrinth. This doleful gulf, the labyrinth is my torment for something that was never my doing.

A person is a monster if you allow that person to be a monster. We are not born monsters. We are made into monsters. We become what others think we are or want us to be by allowing not us to be good people. We are never given any chance of redemption. We are never allowed to rise above our predicament. We react in kind and are pronounced as monsters without realizing that we merely react to how we are treated because we are helpless. If they can get some chance of redemption, if they can get some sort of reprieve, they will do so, even if it is near the time for them to die.

But today I think it will be my last on this horrid island so paradoxically set in the emerald blue of the splendid Aegean Sea. Today Ariadne told me that a splendid magnificent and handsome prince from Athens is here. His name is Theseus. He has come with virgin young men and women. Ariadne told me that Daedalus has given her a ball of string- the clue- to help Theseus find and kill me. She too will leave this awful island with her lover, in spite of her tyrannical and merciless cruel father. Ariadne had earlier bargained with mighty Zeus, the all father, that I will go to Elysium when I die. Zeus, tired of Minos's cruelty towards me and Poseidon’s, his brother, indifference towards me, in a great vision appeared to Ariadne, and agreed with her that I will go to Elysium. We agreed that it is only way I can get out of my misery and spare others of their suffering- the poor Greek boys and girls. 

Into this woeful doleful and hideous gulf come the Greek youths. Seven innocent boys and seven innocent girls. Fear not my brave Greeks, today the Minotaur will be no more. Your prince, the Greek golden boy-Theseus, will slay me. Ha ha! In your silly face king Minos, Theseus is being helped by Ariadne, your sweet princess, I hope that that Greek golden boy dispatches you after me. 

Wait! Now comes a cry calling my name. It is my liberator. I must do battle. I am the Minotaur, the slayer, the monster, but you do not know this, the fighter. I will die fighting. I reach for my double-bladed battle axe and sally forth. Happily, and merrily and with bravery I will die. For today, I will be free.

I saw the dimly lit hero and he saw me. He charged roaring like a boy on a testosterone 

fueled charge, and I, with a mighty roar that can shake mighty Olympus, making the ceilings to collapse, it pillars to fall in a thunderous crash. Charge I did and we fought. A sapling is what this Greek golden boy is, but a doughty fighter nonetheless. Finally, in a clever thrust of his sword into my heart, I felt a sharp pain. OH! What paradoxically sweet pain. For in pain I died. Breathing one last roar and blowing my final breath into my slayer's face, I die. I the Minotaur have breathed my last. Soon, in Elysium's golden fields I will stride. Mighty and proud, but feared not, the Minotaur.