From George Ellis)
The Myth of a Purely Rational Life, pp14
World 3a: The world of physical possibilities, delineating possible physical behaviour
(it is a description of all possible motions and physical histories of objects). Thus it
describes what can actually occur in a way compatible with the nature of matter and
its interactions; only some of these configurations are realised through the historical
evolutionary process in the expanding universe. We do not know if laws of behaviour
of matter as understood by physics are prescriptive or descriptive, but we do know
that they rigorously describe the constraints on what is possible (you cannot move in a
way that violates energy conservation; you cannot create machines that violate
causality restrictions; you cannot avoid the second law of thermodynamics; and so
on). This world delineates all physically possible actions (different ways particles,
planets, footballs, automobiles, aircraft can move, for example); from these
possibilities, what actually happens is determined by initial conditions in the universe,
in the case of interactions between inanimate objects, and by the conscious choices
made, when living beings exercise volition.
Thursday
Alzhieimer's Association Website "Myths" page
Alzheimer's Myths
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: In the past people believed memory loss was a normal part of aging, often regarding even Alzheimer’s as natural age-related decline. Experts now recognize severe memory loss as a symptom of serious illness.
Whether memory naturally declines to some extent remains an open question. Many people feel that their memory becomes less sharp as they grow older, but determining whether there is any scientific basis for this belief is a research challenge still being addressed.
Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal.
Reality: Alzheimer's disease has no survivors. It destroys brain cells and causes memory changes, erratic behaviors and loss of body functions. It slowly and painfully takes away a person's identity, ability to connect with others, think, eat, talk, walk and find his or her way home.
Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them.
---------------------------------------
Revision based on Mario Garrett's forwarding of my objections to AA. As of 5/1/12
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: As people age, it's normal to have occasional memory problems, such as forgetting the name of a person you've recently met. However, Alzheimer's is more than occasional memory loss. It's a disease that causes brain cells to malfunction and ultimately die. When this happens, an individual may forget the name of a longtime friend or what roads to take to return to a home they've lived in for decades.
It can be difficult to tell normal memory problems from memory problems that should be a cause for concern. The Alzheimer's Association has developed information to help you tell the difference. If you or a loved one has memory problems or other problems with thinking and learning that concern you, contact a physician. Sometimes the problems are caused by medication side effects, vitamin deficiencies or other conditions and can be reversed with treatment.
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: In the past people believed memory loss was a normal part of aging, often regarding even Alzheimer’s as natural age-related decline. Experts now recognize severe memory loss as a symptom of serious illness.
Whether memory naturally declines to some extent remains an open question. Many people feel that their memory becomes less sharp as they grow older, but determining whether there is any scientific basis for this belief is a research challenge still being addressed.
Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal.
Reality: Alzheimer's disease has no survivors. It destroys brain cells and causes memory changes, erratic behaviors and loss of body functions. It slowly and painfully takes away a person's identity, ability to connect with others, think, eat, talk, walk and find his or her way home.
Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them.
---------------------------------------
Revision based on Mario Garrett's forwarding of my objections to AA. As of 5/1/12
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: As people age, it's normal to have occasional memory problems, such as forgetting the name of a person you've recently met. However, Alzheimer's is more than occasional memory loss. It's a disease that causes brain cells to malfunction and ultimately die. When this happens, an individual may forget the name of a longtime friend or what roads to take to return to a home they've lived in for decades.
It can be difficult to tell normal memory problems from memory problems that should be a cause for concern. The Alzheimer's Association has developed information to help you tell the difference. If you or a loved one has memory problems or other problems with thinking and learning that concern you, contact a physician. Sometimes the problems are caused by medication side effects, vitamin deficiencies or other conditions and can be reversed with treatment.
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