The End of Quantum Reality is available on DVD, Bluetooth and streaming

As of the 13th of May, Rick Delano's thought-provoking film The End of Quantum Reality is available on DVD, Bluetooth and streaming.

Please see the Philos-Sophia website for further information.

Here are a few tasters from the film:

"Above the entrance to the Platonic Academy at Athens, we are told, was an inscription that read: No one ignorant of geometry should enter here.  The plane of this ancient geometry was conceived of as a void, as something which had the potential to receive existence only by the act of generation.  It begins then with a single point.  Only two instruments exist for the constructions of Euclidean geometry: the first is the straight edge which allows the line to come into existence.  The second is the compass which brings the circle into existence by the act of rotation and joins the source to the perimeter.  We will refer to the simple construction as the cosmic icon.  This icon represents the cosmos as proceeding from God, as the source and centre of creation, spanning across an intermediary domain into the corporeal world in which we live our lives.  Beyond that lies the chaos of outer darkness.  Where then do the particles and fields of physics enter the picture?  Where do these entities fit into the cosmic icon?  And how then in the end to we get from these particles and fields to the world in which we live and move and have our being?"

"We are approaching a very singular moment in history that doesn't happen often."

"What then is the quantum enigma?  It resides in the fact that there are no physical particles in the quantum world.  That actual particles come into existence abruptly, in the act of observation or measurement.  So what is there before measurement?  Not a thing." 

"It thus became apparent that the act of observation or measurement has a profound and unpredictable impact upon the physical system itself, an undeniable fact which physicists could not explain."

"It is time to take stock of what has befallen us, time to break the spell."

Smith's analysis is stunning, administering a triple coup de grace to Cartesian bifurcationism, Darwinism and Einsteinian relativism. His proposed resolution of the quantum enigma is breathtakingly simple and daringly traditional. The film may serve as a fitting introduction to his written œuvre we have covered earlier on this blog.

See Amazon for a selection.

A 13th century hymn, Chaucer and Gerald Manley Hopkins

This post introduces a beautiful hymn, possibly Franciscan in origin, that was brought to Britain by French friars in the 13th century. It appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, where the scholar Nicholas sings it in Latin to the accompaniment of his psaltery:

3213         And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,
                    And all above there lay a fine psaltery,
3214         On which he made a-nyghtes melodie
                    On which at night he made melody
3215         So swetely that all the chambre rong;
                    So sweetly that all the room rang;
3216         And Angelus ad virginem he song;
                    And "The Angel to the Virgin" he sang;
3217         And after that he song the Kynges Noote.
                    And after that he sang the King's Tune.
3218         Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.
                    Very often his merry throat was blessed.

[From The Miller's Prologue and Tale, An Interlinear Translation. The Middle English text is from Larry D. Benson., Gen. ed., The Riverside Chaucer, Houghton Mifflin Company; used with permission of the publisher.]

psaltery: An ancient or medieval stringed instrument with a sounding board or box, similar to the dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.

Kynges Noote: King's Song or Tune; this has not survived. 

The text in Latin

The Annunciation. Willem Vrelant. 1460s.Getty Museum.

1.

Angelus ad virginem,

Subintrans in conclave,

Virginis formidinem

Demulcens, inquit "Ave!

Ave, regina virginum:

Coeli terraeque dominum

Concipies et paries intacta

Salutem hominum;

Tu porta coeli facta,

Medela criminum."

2.

"Quomodo conciperem,

Quae virum non cognovi?

Qualiter infringerem,

Quae firma mente vovi?"

"Spiritus sancti gratia

Perficiet haec omnia.

Ne timeas, sed gaudeas

Secura, quod castimonia

Manebit in te pura

Dei potentia."

3.

Ad haec, virgo nobilis

Respondens inquit ei,

"Ancilla sum humilis

Omnipotentis Dei.

Tibi coelesti nuntio,

Tanti secreti conscio,

Consentiens et cupiens videre

Factum quod audio,

Parata sum parere

Dei consilio."

4.

Angelus disparuit

Et statim puellaris

Uterus intumuit

Vi partus salutaris.

Qui, circumdatus utero

Novem mensium numero,

Hinc exiit et iniit conflictum,

Affigens humero

Crucem, qua dedit ictum

Hosti mortifero.

5.

Eia Mater Domini,

Quae pacem reddidisti

Angelis et homini

Cum Christum genuisti!

Tuum exora filium

Ut se nobis propitium

Exhibeat, et deleat peccata,

Praestans auxilium

Vita frui beata

Post hoc exsilium.

Listen to a sung version here. (Verses 1, 2 & 3)

Notes on Latin vocab

castīmōnĭa, ae, f. purity of morals, morality,

conclāve, is , n. clavis: a room, chamber

cōnscius adj. com- + scio, knowing in common, conscious with, participant, accessory, witnessing

dē-mulcĕo, lsi, mulctum, 2, v. a., to stroke down, to stroke caressingly (rare), to soften

frui  to enjoy the proceeds of, to have the use of. 

formīdō, inis, f.: dread, dismay, apprehension, terror, fear

īnfringō, frēgī, frāctus, 3, a.: to break in; break

in-tŭmesco, mŭi, 3, v. n. inch., to swell up; to rise

mĕdēla, ae, f. medeor, a healing, cure, a remedy

partus , ūs, m.: a bringing forth; birth,

sŭb-intro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n., I to go into secretly, to enter by stealth, steal into

vīs, vīs, pl., vīrēs, vīrium: strength, force;

vŏvĕo, vōvi, vōtum, 2, v. a. and n.  to vow, i. e. to promise solemnly or sacredly; to devote, dedicate, consecrate something

English translation (1) Modern

1

The angel came to the Virgin,

entering secretly into her room;

calming the Virgin's fear, he said, "Hail!

Hail, queen of virgins:

you will conceive the Lord of heaven and earth

and bear him, still a virgin,

to be the salvation of mankind;

you will be made the gate of heaven,

the cure of sins."

2

"How can I conceive,

When I have never known a man?

How can I transgress

resolutions that I have vowed with a firm mind?"

"The grace of the Holy Spirit

shall do all this.

Do not be afraid, but rejoice

without a care, since your chastity

will remain in you unspoilt

through the power of God."

3

To this, the noble Virgin,

replying, said to him,

"I am the humble maidservant

of almighty God.

To you, heavenly messenger,

and bearer of such a great secret,

I give my consent, and wishing to see

done what I hear,

I am ready to obey

the will of God."

4

The angel vanished,

and at once the girl's

womb swelled

with the force of the pregnancy of salvation.

He, protected by the womb

for nine months in number,

left it and began the struggle,

fixing to his shoulder

a cross, with which he dealt the blow

to the deadly Enemy.

5

Hail, Mother of our Lord,

who brought peace back

to angels and men

when you bore Christ!

Pray your son

that he may show favour to us

and blot out our sins,

giving us help

to enjoy a blessed life

after this exile.

English translation (2) 13th Century

This is a thirteenth-century English version; it can be sung to the same tune as the Latin, and the manuscript (BL Arundel 248) has the music, followed by the Latin, then the English text. See A Clerk of Oxford blog.

1

Gabriel, fram evene king

Sent to the maide swete,

Broute hire blisful tiding,

And faire he gan hire greten:

"Heil be thu, ful of grace arith,

For Godes Sone, this evene lith,

For mannes loven

Wile man bicomen

And taken

Fles of thee, maiden brith,

Manken fre for to maken

Of senne and devles mith."

2

Mildeliche im gan andsweren

The milde maiden thanne:

"Wichewise sold ichs beren

Child withhuten manne?"

Thangle seide, "Ne dred te nout;

Thurw tholigast sal ben iwrout

This ilche thing

Warof tiding

Ichs bringe.

Al manken wrth ibout

Thur thi swete chiltinge,

And hut of pine ibrout."

3

Wan the maiden understud

And thangles wordes herde,

Mildeliche with milde mud

To thangle hie andswerde:

"Hur Lordes theumaiden iwis

Ics am, that her aboven is.

Anenttis me

Fulfurthed be

Thi sawe,

That ics, sithen his wil is,

Maiden withhuten lawe

Of moder have the blis."

4

Thangle wente awei mid than

Al hut of hire sithte;

Hire wombe arise gan

Thurw tholigastes mithe.

In hire was Crist biloken anon:

Suth God, soth man ine fleas and bon,

And of hir fleas

Iboren was

At time,

Warthurw us kam God won.

He bout us hut of pine

And let im for us slon.

5

Maiden moder makeles,

Of milche ful ibunden,

Bid for hus im that thee ches,

At wam thu grace funde,

That he forgive hus senne and wrake,

And clene of evri gelt us make;

And evne blis

Wan hure time is

To sterven

Hus give for thine sake

Him so her for to serven

That he us to him take.

To hear a haunting version of this 13th century Middle English carol, click on:

Gabriel: Fram Heven King 

(3) An extempore rendition of the above text (tbc)

Gabriel from heaven’s king

sent to the maiden sweet,

brought her blissful tidings

and courteously he did her greet:

Free from impairment are you, full of grace indeed.

For God’s son, this heaven’s light,

for love of man will man become, and take

flesh of thee, fair maiden,

to make mankind free

of sin and the devil’s might.

All graciously him to reply

The gentle maid began:

"How ever could it be that I

Should be with child without a man?"

The angel said: "Now fear ye nought, 

Through the Holy Ghost there shall be brought

About this very thing 

Of which the news to you I bring.

All mankind's safety is wrought

Through this dear child

And out of woe is brought.

When the maiden understood

And heard the angel's word,

Graciously, in gentle mood

To the angel she answered:

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord

Who over her resides;

And may it be

Fulfilled in me

This saw,

That I according to His will addressed

A virgin outside nature's law

As mother may be blessed.

The angel went away

All out of her sight

Her womb then swelled without delay

Through the Holy Ghost's might.

In her was Christ not one

But true God and true man in flesh and bone

And of her flesh

Was born

In time,

Wherefore God did for us atone

And bought us out of pain

And let Him for us be slain.

O maiden mother peerless

In whom sweet mercy abounds

Ask Him who chose thee fearless

Whom heavenly grace surrounds

That He forgive our sin and guilt

And make us clean just as He wilt;

And Heaven's bliss sublime

When arrives our time

To die

He grants to us for thine own sake

So pleasing her thereby

That He will to Himself us take.

English interpretation (4) by Gerald Manley Hopkins

The translation below is a poem by Gerald Manley Hopkins, S.J. (1844-1889), who used the Latin text as a basis for his composition.

1

Gabriel, from heaven's king

Sent to the maiden sweet,

Brought to her blissful tiding

And fair 'gan her to greet.

'Hail be thou, full of grace aright!

For so God's Son, the heaven's light,

Loves man, that He | a man will be | and take

Flesh of thee, maiden bright,

Mankind free for to make

Of sin and devil's might.'

2

Gently to him gave answer

The gentle maiden then:

'And in what wise should I bear

Child, that know not man?'

The angel said: 'O dread thee nought.

'Tis through the Holy Ghost that wrought

Shall be this thing | whereof tidings | I bring:

Lost mankind shall be bought

By thy sweet childbearing,

And back from sorrow brought.'

3

When the maiden understood

And the angel's words had heard,

Mildly, of her own mild mood,

The angel she answered:

'Our Lord His handmaiden, I wis,

I am, that here above us is:

And touching me |fulfilled be | thy saw;

That I, since His will is,

Be, out of nature's law

A maid with mother's bliss.'

4

The angel went away thereon

And parted from her sight

And straightway she conceived a Son

Through th' Holy Ghost His might.

In her was Christ contained anon,

True God, true man, in flesh and bone;

Born of her too | When time was due; | who then

Redeemed us for His own,

And bought us out of pain,

And died for us t'atone.

5

Filled full of charity,

Thou matchless maiden-mother,

Pray for us to him that He

For thy love above other,

Away our sin and guilt should take,

And clean of every stain us make

And heaven's bliss, | when our time is | to die,

Would give us for thy sake;

With grace to serve him by

Till He us to him take. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Pastor noster - panem nostrum quotidianum

Research for a booklet presenting the Golden Rosary (Rosarium Aureum) has opened up a fascinating series of etymologies.

Pastor bonus. J-J Tissot

The Introit for today's Mass may serve as an introduction:

Si díligis me, Simon Petre, pasce agnos meos, pasce oves meas. Allelúia, allelúia
If thou lovest me, Simon Peter, feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Allelúja, allelúja.
[John 21:15-17]

This reminded me of the particular text which first sparked my curiosity: (highlights have been added to the excerpted texts below)

[8] Et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis super gregem suum.
[8] And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. [Luke 2]

The entry on pastor in the OED revealed the following:

< Anglo-Norman and Middle French pastour, pastor, pastur shepherd, spiritual leader (12th cent. in Old French; French pasteur ) and its etymon classical Latin pāstor shepherd, person who tends flocks and herds, in post-classical Latin also person who has the spiritual care of a body of Christians (Vetus Latina, Vulgate) < pāst- , past participial stem of pāscere to feed, give pasture to (see pascent adj.) + -or -or suffix.

Logeion has the following:

pāstor, ōris, m.: one who feeds; herdsman, shepherd, (pāscō)
pasco, pāvi, pastum, 3, v. a. and n. root pa-; Sanscr. gō-pas, herdsman; Gr. πατέομαι; cf. pabulum, pastor, Pales, panis; perh. also, Penates, penum, to cause to eat, to feed, pasture.

pābulum, ī, n.: feeding material; food, pasturage, pasture

Păles, is, f. the tutelary deity of shepherds and cattle

pānis, is, m. In gen. plur., panium, [from the root pa, to feed; whence also πάομαι, pabulum, and pasco], bread, a loaf.

penates With Vesta and Lar, the household gods of the Romans; strictly the guardians of the store-room for food (penus) 

penus , ūs and ī, m. and f.: also penus, oris, n. (rel. to penes, Penātēs, penetrō), that which is stored within; the household store of provisions; stores, provisions, viands  Cf pantry

Pān, Pānŏs (acc. Pāna), m., = Πάν, Pan, the god of the woods and of shepherds

From Wiktionary:

penus: From Proto-Italic *penos, from Proto-Indo-European *pén-os (“food”), from *pen-. Compare penes, Lithuanian penė́ti (“to feed”)

From  the Indo-European Etymological Dictionary - Indogermanisches Etymologisches Woerterbuch (JPokorny)

Root / lemma[A lexical item as it is presented, usually in a standardized form, in a dictionary entry; a definiendum.] : pap(p)aEnglish meaning: Daddy; mealGerman meaning: Kinderlallwort for `Vater; Speise'Material: Gr. πάππα Vok., -ου Gen. `Papa', πάπας πατρὸς ὑποκόρισμα, πάππος `grandfather' (out of it lat. pappus), παππίᾱς `Vöterchen', παππάζειν `Papa say'; skyth. Ζεῦς Παπαῖος; lat. pāpa, pappa Kinderlallwort for `dish, food; father', pappō -āre `eat'; nhd. pappen `eat'; pappo (papo), āre, v. a., to eat pap, to eat:
Root / lemma: appaEnglish meaning: fatherGerman meaning: `Vater'; LallwortMaterial: compare gr. ἄππα, ἀπφά, ἄπφα, ἀπφῦς (Theokrit) `dad'; toch. В appakke `father' (this -(a)kke from ammakki `Mutter').References: WP. I 47.

pa/pe and be/be: The sources suggest a root meaning food (grass, hay etc for livestock). Could this also be the root of Bethlehem, usually understood as “house of bread” or “house of meat:” accordingly, “house of food.”

This cursory examination suggests the following reflections:

The pater (father) is chiefly responsible for feeding his family. Similarly, the pastor (shepherd) is responsible for ensuring his sheep and lambs have pasture (food). Abel offered a lamb in sacrifice to his heavenly Father. The patriarch Joseph pastured his sheep near Bethlehem. David, born in Bethlehem, was a shepherd (pastor) watching his flocks nearby. Lambs were offered as sacrifices in the Temple at Jerusalem. One thousand years later, shepherds (pastores) were watching their flocks by night when an angel of the Lord appeared to them; these pastores went straightaway to Bethlehem, the "House of Bread/Flesh/Food". Tradition has it that they offered lambs as gifts. There they saw the chief Shepherd Himself, laid in a "manger" (where food is offered for animals). The baby was later to be identified by His cousin John as the "Lamb of God"; He would call Himself the pastor bonus (the good shepherd). To provide nourishment for His listeners, He multiplied bread in the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. He, the good shepherd, would offer to feed His flock with Himself (St John, chapter 6). At the Last Supper, He offered the first Mass and gave Himself to His Apostles under the form of bread (panis) as they made their first Holy Communion, partaking of the body, blood, soul and divinity of the Word made flesh.

"Baby" ("bébé" etc) derives perhaps from a man's first utterance after birth - "baaa!" (cf vāgĭo, īvi or ĭi, 4, v. n. of young children, to cry, squall) After all, do not  children call lambs "baa lambs" and are not sheep immortalised in nursery rhymes as "Baa baa black sheep"?

What a tightly woven miracle of etymological strands, deserving a lengthier study and showing once again how words all seem to point to the Word: In principio erat Verbum...

Updates
le pain (Fr), el pan (Sp), il pane (It)
pasta,panini (It)
PÂTE nom féminin: xiie siècle, paste. Issu du latin pasta, « pâte (de farine) », emprunté du grec pastê, « bouillie », lui-même tiré de passein, « saupoudrer ».
PÂTÉ nom masculin: xiie siècle, pasté. Dérivé de pâte.

1st of May 1914: In Memoriam

In memoriam: here is a treasured photograph dating from the first of May 1914.

The scene is the village celebration of May, a scene that would have been replicated throughout the realm.


The author's father features in the picture, aged nine (beneath arrow).

Requiescat in pace.

Ad multos annos

All our birthday wishes and prayers are offered today to a son of whom it may be said: in quo dolus non est [John 1: 47]

Protection from Drowning: T

Picture the seaside scene from the mid 1980s: The sky is cloudless and a pleasant breeze cools the holiday-makers enjoying a break on the beach.The staccato cries of wheeling seagulls play against the muffled sound of surging surf.The tide has gone out, exposing the sand and the great groynes, stretching their water-weathered wands out into the sea.  E is relaxing on a deck-chair, high up on the pebbly strand. The girls have gone off in search of shells and adventure. P is knee-deep in the sea, with his D not far away. Toddler T, as happy as a sand boy, is busy with his bucket and spade.

Suddenly, a shout from P rings out:

'Dad! What's T doing?'

D turns to look. Horror of horrors. Little T is purposefully toddling over to one of the pools of water left by the outgoing tide next to a nearby groyne. These pools can be deceptively deep as the sand is scoured out and away by the tide.

D sprints over to the pool. Almost in slow-motion now, T is bending over the water with his bucket and...  he stumbles forward. D arrives just as T's head disappears under the water. He grabs the scruff of his T-shirt and hauls him out. Sea-soaked and blithely bedraggled, T spits out a mouthful of water and then laughs, quite unfazed by his brush with the sirens of the deep.

The sand-side of the groyne pool was very steep and the water was a good foot deeper than T's height. It could have ended very differently but for several, alert Angeli.. D.G.

Author's treasured gift from T.