he physical attributes that humans found in-tuitive, like kinetic energy or acceleration, were all properties of an object at a givenmoment in time.
This poses the question/idea for us to think further about all that is out there that our brain cannot comprehend as humans. It made me think about all that I learned in physics class and how impossible it seemed to quantify even the most common of things.
Ireachedoutandtookthebowlomtheshelf. Themotiondidn’tfeellikesome-thing I was forced to do. Instead it seemed just as urgent as my rushing to catch thebowl when it falls on you: an instinct that I felt right in following.
This is interesting because it presents a different take on what it would feel like to lose the full concept of "free will", but still feel the same in daily life.
a sense of obligation to act precisely as she knew shewould?
Could this be why humans are afraid to explore possibilities other than free will? Maybe there is more out there but we are afraid to look for it in case this is the result
Giventhat,somemightsay,“yes, theoretically.” But speaking more concretely, most would answer “no,” becauseof ee will.
This wraps up the idea that humans choose to believe things that are easier to comprehend but may not be theoretically true. Humans may feel as if they have free will because they are unable to see that the future is already happening, so they tell themselves that they have the ability to choose in order to add hope to their lives. These ideas are very feasible when thought about in-depth.
I was growing to understand that, too.
This poses a question about whether or not learning/gaining information can expand our abilities and outlook on life as humans. It is clear that the narrator has gained a greater understanding of her life as a whole from studying the heptapods.
27“A non-zero-sum game.”“What?” You’ll reverse course, heading back om your bedroom.“When both sides can win: I just remembered, it’s called a non-zero-sum game.”“That’s it!” you’ll say, writing it down on your notebook. “Thanks, Mom!”“I guess I knew it aer all,” I’ll say. “All those years with your father, some of itmust have rubbed off.”
This section is interesting because the daughter seems not to look up to her mother for things always, in this instance, she ends up doing just that. However, it is not something that her mother had actually come up with herself, but something that she had remembered from her ex-husband.
can fight it as much as I want, but there’ll be no stopping myslide down that long, dreadful slope.
This statement was the one that really struck me and got me to think about what life would be like if I already knew my future. I find it to be very impactful because it poses a main thematic question of the piece: Are we in control of our futures or are they already mapped out for us and we just can't see them . This piece, with the introduction of the Heptapod languages makes fate seem tangible.