Philosopher 🔮 Outer space PhD researcher 🪩 Space, Place, Cosmos explorer 🧠 Futurist [url=https://pixelfed.social/futurebasedorg]@futurebasedorg[/url] 🤖 Tutor, lecturer and cultural programmer
Here' a thought: Watch the stars every now and then.
I happened to walk past the planetarium, and to be honest, I bought a ticket because I saw that the one and only Tomás Saraceno has an exhibition: Cosmic Threads. In my master's, I wrote about his work, but I never had the chance to see it in person. Stunning. I sat on a bench for a while, my neck at a 90-degree angle, staring at the work.
Or you know what? If the stars aren’t visible because you have a clouded vision (especially when it is pitch dark around you), art has the same effect in many ways. Namely, that many fears are unfounded or stem from the inability to accept the insignificance of our existence, causing us to grasp wildly at life in an attempt to gain control. A weird thing to say maybe, in these disturbing times, but did you know that nihilism can be incredibly liberating?
#philosophy #art #artscience #science #planets #space
In the pitch dark along tall pines, with fluttering pigeons. Strong wind, snow, and cold. A flashlight to make the bus stop. I was told I had the full Danish experience.
Wow, what an amazing experience in the land of Tycho Brahe (I’ve read so much about him!). The stories about the observatory, science, religion, and the vastness of place, space, and the cosmos are incredible. The community of Brorfelde, the failures that form the larger part of science, and the dedication to scientific pursuit were all so inspiring. Rundetårn, with its spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower, is steeped in rich history.
I also really found a kindred spirit in Emilie—our view of the world, our perspective on people, and our fascination with the universe.
I have so many stories and insights to share with you, and I will. But first, I need to ponder a bit more.
#philosophy #philofscience #rundertaarn #brorfelde #denmark #cosmos #space
In the upcoming months, this will be my look: focused on my screen, writing.
I’m incredibly excited to be writing my book with @uitgeverijtenhave !
What is the book about? Imagination, the cosmos, place, and space.
For many—except for the handful of astronauts who have been to space—space is an abstract concept. We do not know how it feels; we do not know what it is like to be there. Yet, we are all connected to it, and it is a place full of meaning and history. Every discovery we make in the universe reflects back on ourselves. This makes it important not only to focus on the technical and scientific aspects of space research but also to pay attention to the stories that drive these discoveries.
In this collection, I describe my journeys to observatories and space research institutes, driven by a desire to learn more about the significance of looking outward from each specific place. I see these expeditions not just as scientific adventures but also as opportunities to place space research and its history in a broader perspective.
Each location tells stories that go beyond the technical marvels of space exploration; they offer a window into the human experience, our dreams, and the lessons we have learned. What does space say about our place in the universe? And what can these discoveries teach us about the essence of our existence? How do stories about the cosmos shape the way we explore the future?
This writing highlights the beauty of gazing at the stars while we remain, inevitably and essentially, inhabitants of Earth. It invites reflection on our responsibilities as both earthly and cosmic citizens. By sharing these stories, I hope to create a space for contemplation and dialogue, where science and philosophy meet and enrich each other.
My gratitude goes to Rick and Uitgeverij Ten Have for their trust.
#book #writer #philosophy #space
"If a spaceship came by from the friendly natives of the fourth planet of Altair, and the polite captain of the spaceship said, 'We have room for one passenger; will you spare us a single human being, so that we may converse at leisure during the long trip back to Altair and learn from an exemplary person the nature of the race?'"
This is a quote of Ursula Le Guin's short stroy, The Space Crone (1976). In this story, Le Guin goes on to suggest that, an elderly woman—a "crone"—would be the most suitable representative of humanity.
She argues that such a woman, having experienced the full spectrum of life's stages, embodies the essential quality of humanity: change. The crone's wisdom and acceptance of life's transformations make her an exemplary ambassador.
"The trouble is, she will be very reluctant to volunteer. "What would an old woman like me do on Altair?" You ought to send one of those scientist men (...) I never did anything. But she knows it won't wash. She knows, though she won't admit it, that no scientist has not got and will never go where she has gone, that the scientists and the shamans have not done what she has done.
Into the spaceship, Granny."
I think I have a new favorite: 'The moon is the conscience of the earth'- by Soren Kierkegaard. If we consider the earth as symbolic of human existence—full of activity, desires, and distractions—the moon could represent conscience as an ever-present but often ignored force that quietly oversees, reminds, and judges. The moon is always there, even when it is not visible. Similarly, conscience is an internal reality that we may try to suppress, but it never truly disappears. It remains in the background, influencing our actions and thoughts. #philosophy #sorenkierkegaard #science #ethics #moon #moongazing
7.2.2025 09:39I think I have a new favorite: 'The moon is the conscience of the earth'- by Soren Kierkegaard. If we consider the earth as symbolic of human existen...
For many people—more than we might realize—life is a paradox. Noisy and calm. Trivial and meaningful. Fleeting and lasting. Dark and light. Too often, we forget to make room for this contradiction. But it’s precisely this duality of life that also makes it so beautiful.
Anya Janssen work bring to light the paradoxes and contradictions of life. This text aims to shed light on both sides of that paradox as reflected in her work. There is both presence and absence. A being and a non-being. The insignificant and the profound. Fleeting moments and unforgettable ones. A painting is but a snapshot. A lasting expression of something fleeting. What, then, does a finished painting truly say?
Painting is language, and in this language, the nuances of grief, loss, and memory are captured in ways words could never permit, and never will. What is heavy is also pink. What is dark is full of warmth. What is ugly is also beautiful. What is emotional is also technical. It shows how grief is connected to life: how grief is a process that does not stay still, but continuously transforms itself, revealing in details—the folds in a duvet and pillow, motel light just touching the room.
Life can be overwhelming, on many fronts at once. All those big and small things, together. Life is wonderful. And heavy. Difficult and light to digest. It is precisely that tension—between intensity and stillness—that makes life captivating. It is a circling. A dance. A turning movement. Life is a sequence of thresholds—moments when you feel, experience, and simply exist. 🌟🌟🌟
Above are small excerpts from the essay I wrote about Anya’s new series, Perennial (a beautiful word). I’m so happy to got the chance of working with Anya and learning about her thoughts and way of working. She is one of the most warm and extraordinary people I know, and I’m lucky to call her a friend. #art #philosophy #writing #philosophicalpoetry
About two weeks ago, I was in a car accident. I was almost at a standstill at a traffic light on a busy intersection when a car crashed into the back of my vehicle, catapulting my car into the guardrail.
Within minutes, the road was cordoned off by the police, and two ambulances arrived. In the ambulance, I was checked over – half crying, half laughing, cracking silly jokes out of a mix of relief and shock. Eventually, the police brought me home while my car was towed away.
What moved me most were the reactions of the people around me: strangers who immediately stopped to help, the whole circus of people ensuring my safety, my colleagues, friends and family showing concern. I haven’t experienced many situations like this in my life (thankfully), and perhaps that’s why it left me feeling so amazed.
I happened to be reading a piece by Emmanuel Levinas today, in which he writes about the face of the other. The face of the other confronts us with something outside of ourselves, something that touches us on a level we cannot ignore. It’s as if the other – through their presence – opens a door in our closed-off selves, suddenly placing us in direct relation to them.
These moments of experiencing the other don’t happen all the time. If they did, we wouldn’t be able to go about our daily lives. But sometimes, in certain situations, they arise.
Reflecting on the accident, I realized I had experienced exactly such a moment. Despite the chaos and the shock, I can still see the faces clearly: the drivers who stopped, the ambulance workers. Perhaps, for some of them, I was also a Levinasian moment – pulling them, for an instant, out of their own bubble.
This accident, as unfortunate as it was, ended up aligning beautifully with my thinking. It reminded me of how we sometimes, suddenly, find ourselves deeply connected to the other. #philosophy
The idea is quite simple: Start visiting research sites, such as radio telescopes, to allow for a more poetic approach to my PhD research, learn more about the space and place-making of research, and exchange thoughts with scientists on-site.
The first visit took me to Latvia, where I explored the Irbene Telescope and the VIRAC University in Ventspils together with designer/artists Jippe Liefbroer and Elza Berzina. The second visit is planned for February, to Denmark, where I’m collaborating with fellow scientist Emilie Skulberg to arrange visits to two observatories. I’ve been following Emilie’s work for quite some time—her research on black holes and cosmic dust are amazing—, we met a few times for coffee and I’m absolutely thrilled that she’s willing to join me on this journey. The travel will also include a visit to the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, where my promotor leads a research group.
What started as a quite simple idea is steadily taking shape into a fashttps://pixelfed.social/i/web/compose#cinating project. I’m deeply engaged in writing and planning, working to expand and refine this research.
Picture, taken in June this summer: The radio telescope at Dwingeloo. The 25-m Dwingeloo antenna came into operation in as the world's largest radio astronomy antenna. Construction started in 1954, and the telescope was completed in 1956. The radio telescope has a diameter of 25 m.
Hi 👋 new here! I'll be posting about my research - imagination and space - and all the amazing places I get to visit because of this. 📸I'll post about film and philosophy and my work. I teach philosophy at an art academy and I'm a programmer art and technology in a theatre. :-)
13.1.2025 19:06Hi 👋 new here! I'll be posting about my research - imagination and space - and all the amazing places I get to visit because of this. 📸I'll post about...