Remembering Lothar Schafer

Below are some of the #randomscribbles I could share with Lothar, and receive his beautiful encouragement several several times.

Schäfer and his coworkers are interested in applying computational chemistry to the structural and dynamical properties of proteins. Recently we developed an algorithm that allows predicting backbone bond lengths and angles in proteins from first principles (i.e. ab initio calculations of peptides) with accuracy similar to that afforded by high resolution protein crystallography. In cooperation with Prof. Kris van Alsenoy of the University of Antwerp in Belgium, an investigation is under way to study the normal modes of vibration of proteins as a basis of modeling protein folding mechanisms.

In a second project, the general quantum nature of molecules is explored as a basis to support the pre-Darwinian view of evolution by natural law. Pre-Darwinian biologists believed that life forms are necessary and not contingent, and they wanted to explain the diversity of life forms by natural law, not by natural selection.

14th May 2015 II Title: and now you can be sure

are you sure?,

or are you sure enough?

as we drive life,

we only see crossroads,
here and there and all,
where have all the roads gone?

what do we do at the crossroads?

we pedal the accelerator,
floor the brakes,
and merrily wish to smooth ahead.

and why this bipolar?

Oh ! because a game is on.

a game of "i know",

and it stretches to "i know it all",

where prize is survival, sometimes thrival,

where the shame is "how come you don't know?"

a game where before you could reflect on your move,

the opponent packs a punch.
actually several opponents.

actually several punch.

and you are drawn into your punch,

and you keep punching,

and sometimes it hits, only yourself,

or hurts the other, below the belt,

but most times its mayweather and pacquiao.

and we self-declare winners,

and how much we love to win?
of all that we know, how do we really know?

things change their wear and look every minute,

do we have the purity to see the naked truth,
its there right in front of us.

so what do we really carry with us?

proximity to approximate all the time,
its always approximate,
all the things and all the know, all the time,

never sure or fully sure,
and if ever, then its a sure dream.

so how do we drive on this journey called life?

epistemic humility, a great driver,

that whatever we know, is limited by a very high margin.

that others know as well,

that deep listening has deep purpose,

that reason is private, going public.

when you rise from who am I,

you can see self in other's eye, and now you can be sure,

and now you can be honest, and now you can be sure,

and now you can be fragile, and now you can be sure,

and now you can see teacher in everyone, and now you can be sure,

and now you can only seek and avoid the hide, and now you can be sure,

and now you see the roads again, and the crossroads become a muse, and now you can be sure.

and now you know the stupid use of boxing and driving, and yet be sure.