Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you at least using a TRNG?
Currently Math.random(). random.org’s API would give true randomness sourced from atmospheric noise. Might add it in a future release.
How good is the RNG on NetBSD's ching(6)?
I built a free I Ching oracle web app
11–18 of 18 posts
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#12Also Terence McKenna said he used I Ching analysis/interpretation for his Timewave 2012 software and "Novelty Theory" or whatever his "the world is getting weirder and weirder" philosophy was called.
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#13Really cool, I like the interpretation part
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
A counter point is that if you are stuck in a 50/50 position, out sourcing the decision to some random other thing can break the dead lock. Like flipping to a random page on a book and going with the first word you see that is positive or negative (Bibliomancy). The occult language can make it sound mysterious but it can also sometimes just be a cover for a delegation of decisions.
It's a weak counter point in that it does not consider the long term effects. Using I Ching to make decisions is like using an LLM to think. At some point, you will atrophy the faculty of independent decision making. You are also neglecting that I Ching outcomes come with text and commentary that are by definition designed to affect your mindset -- "the image" -- (for the good of course but see below for that). This…
That's fascinating. The I Ching is centuries old. It's survived this long. The concept that knowledge should be witheld from people until they're ready is so anthical to our current beliefs. Or at least mine. It's history says that's not an invalid way of thinking about the world, so I'll have to think on that.
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a weak counter point in that it does not consider the long term effects. Using I Ching to make decisions is like using an LLM to think. At some point, you will atrophy the faculty of independent decision making. You are also neglecting that I Ching outcomes come with text and commentary that are by definition designed to affect your mindset -- "the image" -- (for the good of course but see below for that). This…
That's fascinating. The I Ching is centuries old. It's survived this long. The concept that knowledge should be witheld from people until they're ready is so anthical to our current beliefs. Or at least mine. It's history says that's not an invalid way of thinking about the world, so I'll have to think on that.
> The concept that knowledge should be witheld from people until they're ready is so anthical to our current beliefs.
It is not knowledge that is witheld. It is text. I also propose to you to consider the thought that true knowledge is only obtained by experience. The fundamental issue with psychologically potent text and images is that it can induce convictions based on misreading and misunderstanding.
IFF you can exercise the necessary self control to avoid premature utility of the I Ching, the entire work is of course a profound metaphysical model of human reality through the lens of Taoist sages based on a simple and elegant axiomatic framework that uses the concept of state-transitions & numbers 2 (forces) and 3 (places) to develop a comprehensive metaphysical system to consider "all things under the heaven".
> It's survived this long.
Mao tried getting rid of it. (I don't agree with all this btw, but just fyi.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Olds
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
A counter point is that if you are stuck in a 50/50 position, out sourcing the decision to some random other thing can break the dead lock. Like flipping to a random page on a book and going with the first word you see that is positive or negative (Bibliomancy). The occult language can make it sound mysterious but it can also sometimes just be a cover for a delegation of decisions.
It's a weak counter point in that it does not consider the long term effects. Using I Ching to make decisions is like using an LLM to think. At some point, you will atrophy the faculty of independent decision making. You are also neglecting that I Ching outcomes come with text and commentary that are by definition designed to affect your mindset -- "the image" -- (for the good of course but see below for that). This…
I don’t think “just throw a single coin” really captures how I Ching divination traditionally works.
The classical Dayan method is based on human participation through division and transformation. It is the only divination method recorded in the Book of Changes. Through repeated divisions, six yin or yang lines are formed, together forming one gua. To me, this feels closer to life: we make choices, exchange one thing for another, and move from one situation into the next.
Maybe the gua is simply a manifestation that helps us see the situation more clearly. Some people believe in it, and others do not. To me, its wisdom is a bit like a zero-knowledge proof: it reveals a pattern without fully exposing the mystery behind it.
It’s great to see people discussing this. I’m a huge fan of the I Ching and built a few websites around it, including https://knowunknowable.love and https://ichingdao.love, where I explore the I Ching, Daoism, and Mozi.
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you at least using a TRNG?
Currently Math.random(). random.org’s API would give true randomness sourced from atmospheric noise. Might add it in a future release.
You can also just stick one of these in your server!
Re: I built a free I Ching oracle web app
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a weak counter point in that it does not consider the long term effects. Using I Ching to make decisions is like using an LLM to think. At some point, you will atrophy the faculty of independent decision making. You are also neglecting that I Ching outcomes come with text and commentary that are by definition designed to affect your mindset -- "the image" -- (for the good of course but see below for that). This…
I don’t think “just throw a single coin” really captures how I Ching divination traditionally works. The classical Dayan method is based on human participation through division and transformation. It is the only divination method recorded in the Book of Changes. Through repeated divisions, six yin or yang lines are formed, together forming one gua. To me, this feels closer to life: we make choices, exchange one thing…
I didn't say that is how the I Ching works. Participation in the process is most certainly an important aspect of binding the psyche of the questioner to the results, which supports the view that the stalk method is indeed the way to consult the book, as that requires contemplating the question while going through the process.