Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The system


We were playing Pro Evo Soccer (PES) on the PS3 the other day. After each match we became increasingly competitive about who wins, forcing us to do our best every time we play. Nevertheless, some times it seems like it just wont hit the back of the net no matter how hard we try. No matter how precise we setup the opportunity.

Which begs the question "why??!!!"

Then my friend mentioned "its all in the system". I had no idea what 'the system' meant at that moment.

I retreated into myself for some time trying to figure out what 'the system' means. Obviously its referring to the PES system. What is the 'PES system'??

well, its a system that allows me to input my decision (via action) into the system to produce an outcome or consequence that affects the PES match.

Does that mean that im part of 'the PES system'?
Then again, my opponent had to input his decision in order to make the same outcome possible.
Does this mean that we are part of 'the PES system'??
We are designed into the system as the system was designed to allow us to input our decision.

Following defeat in a match, we naturally wanted something to blame. Therefore we would blame it on the 'PES system'... (ignoring the fact that we are in fact part of the system. I decided on my actions and affected whether i won or lost) .The system that was designed to decide who wins or who loses in any particular match.

Then i started to wonder deeper into my thoughts,

The guy who made the 'PES system' must have been a genius to produce a system that enabled me to decide on something and let my decision affect the outcome of the match. He designed it so that when i decide to press shoot, the player would shoot the ball and hopefully the ball would hit the back of the net.

But the system was designed in the limited context of a football match. I could not have punched another player in the face even if i wanted and decided to.

In order for that to happen, the games designer would have to design a new system that allow me to punch another player when i decide to. The more opportunity for me to make my own decision, the more real the game becomes.

For a game to be totally real, the system would have to be designed so that we could do whatever we feel like doing. Which is actually doable in real life; We could do whatever we want to do.

So is real life a system?

Real life is still a system because it allows me to decide on something and let my decision affect the outcome.

You cant argue that there is no system, because there is a system that allows us to make our decision. The act of making a decision is within the design of the system.

As i mentioned earlier, we are part of the system. This is because im not the only one capable of making a decision. My decision and similarly your decision would affect a single outcome. There can not be more than 1 outcome. As seen through the win or lose of the PES match.

Therefore, i am part of 'the system', you are part of 'the system' and everything that we could see touch and act upon is part of 'the system'. Everything is part of 'the system' because everything was designed to allow us to to make a decision. Our decision is part of 'the system', and the outcome was allowed to happen because 'the system' was designed to allow it to happen.

If you insist that there is no system, then you are not 'thinking'. Because thought was allowed for in 'the system' in order for you to make a decision. The system goes like this:

Thought > Decision > Action > Reaction.

If you believe that everything is merely action and reaction, then there is no thought. If you believe that you are thinking and making your own decision.. then the above system is right. Is it not?


Like the 'PES system's designer, The designer of 'The system' would have to be a genius.


Then, at this point of thought, these words from the Koran struck me....
(I cant quote where ive heard it from, but im pretty sure ive heard it before)

If you think, then you will find god.
Dont try to figure out god. For he cant be comprehended. Thats why god asked us to think..not necessarily about anything in particular..but think about thinking. Then you can see that god must exist.

God is the creator of everything you see around you.
There must be a system that binds everything around us. Everything is part of 'the system' that allowed us to think and make decisions. And all systems must have its creator.

God is in you. God is in everything around you.
God is the very concept of 'the system' itself, We are also part of 'the system', everything around us is part of 'the system'.

Man was given the characteristics of god
First and foremost, we were given the ability to think. We are also given the ability to create. Not just static objects, but create systems as well.

Not only is Allah a genius for creating 'the system', he was even smart enough to tell us about the whole concept of 'the system'. Amongst countless other things he told us.

Science and Islam goes hand in hand, because Islam is a way of understanding the system, and science is also a way of understanding the system.

Isnt it all beautifully made and tied together? :)