PROBABLISTIC HEALTH

In order to understand the probabalistic view of health a few simple concepts are necessary. Health is indicated by an organism's distance from equilibrium. The further from equilibrium an organism is, the greater its organization and state of health. Equilibrium is the state of maximum disorder or greatest entropy. Thus, as an organism approaches equilibrium health declines and visa versa, the move from equilibrium moves towards health Therefore, an intelligent life form would conclude that it must move further from equilibrium if survival were its goal. What does this mean from a practical point of view? The answer is aproached by each individual as the search for the evolving solution is maintained within the context of lifelong learning. This process becomes a fulltime perspective as one applies and refines this simple concept of moving further from equilibrium to all aspects of ones existence. Our lifes energy becomes more functionally applied as less energy is wasted on primative nonfunctional organized structures that waste life. What are functional organized structures? A few specific examples can serve as guides.

Healthy minded individuals get pleasure out of accomplishment, which means something is built, something is ordered, negative entropy is created. Mental structures must be considered within the context of dissapative strutures and their probabilities. Dissapative structures are flow dependent structures that streamline energy flow making it more efficient. There are many more mental states that are not consistent with health (growth) than there are ones that contribute to it. Thus these rarer states intrinsically have more energy associated with them.

The same principles guide physical realities. For example, when a sport is first tried, one is less capable at it than after much practice and effort has been invested in it. A novice skiing down a hill will occupy much space that is not optimal for the task at hand. Likewise, the speed and direction that body parts move will not be optimized. The probablistic view would be that there are many "wrong" ways to ski down the hill and relatively few "right" ones. Training results not only in functionally reduced degrees of freedom for the superficial body but likewise in the biochemistry of the fitter individual. The choise of more limited physical or mental spaces that are harmonious with cooperative evolutionary forces is intrinsically more powerful than to exist without entering into these spaces due to lack of capacity. In fact, all things that healthy individuals in a healthy society value, conform to the paradigm that there is value in the move from equilibrium. Our planet, its ecosystem, nations, communities, families and ourselves all evolve by these principles. Knowledge is the rate determining factor.

 

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