About Me — Kai Taraporevala. Greetings! My name is Kai Taraporevala.
By: Kai Taraporevala
Tags: Life, Science, Humanism, About Me, Outdoors

Life — Painting by Katayun Taraporevala

Greetings! My name is Kai Taraporevala.

Bio

Where — I was born in Mumbai and have lived in India, the U.K., France, the Middle East, and Singapore. Being as comfortable in the East as in the West, I find the commonality of people in different geographies overwhelmingly more dominant than differences. These commonalities include the good (genuine warmth on an individual level), the bad (pervasive, common human biases wherever one looks), and the ugly (tribal loyalties and fixed ideologies).

— I was born in Mumbai and have lived in India, the U.K., France, the Middle East, and Singapore. Being as comfortable in the East as in the West, I find the commonality of people in different geographies overwhelmingly more dominant than differences. These commonalities include the good (genuine warmth on an individual level), the bad (pervasive, common human biases wherever one looks), and the ugly (tribal loyalties and fixed ideologies). What — As a student, I studied physics (I.I.T. New Delhi), materials science (University of Dundee), and general management (INSEAD — Fontainebleau). A couple of years ago, I am now 56, the weight of knowing that I still do not deeply understand even small parts of the universe (myself and other humans included) energized me to begin a course in mathematical physics, remote learning, part-time, at the fantastic Open University in the U.K.

— As a student, I studied physics (I.I.T. New Delhi), materials science (University of Dundee), and general management (INSEAD — Fontainebleau). A couple of years ago, I am now 56, the weight of knowing that I still do not deeply understand even small parts of the universe (myself and other humans included) energized me to begin a course in mathematical physics, remote learning, part-time, at the fantastic Open University in the U.K. Family and Next-gen — My wife and I have three children, all grown up and active in creative fields (fine arts, music, writing-journalism). My advice to them is that we need to make a living, but that true meaning in life comes from pursuing creative activities and keeping one’s expenses below one’s income. Real poverty attaches to those whose minds scurry about all day without kindness or creative thoughts. My parents, at 97 and 87, my sister, cousins, other family members, and friends generate lots of love and happiness.

— My wife and I have three children, all grown up and active in creative fields (fine arts, music, writing-journalism). My advice to them is that we need to make a living, but that true meaning in life comes from pursuing creative activities and keeping one’s expenses below one’s income. Real poverty attaches to those whose minds scurry about all day without kindness or creative thoughts. My parents, at 97 and 87, my sister, cousins, other family members, and friends generate lots of love and happiness. Learning — I have made many mistakes in life. Some of these mistakes are painful to think about, yet this has contributed immensely to my growth. The philosopher Daniel Dennett writes that “Making mistakes is the key to making progress. When you make a mistake, you should learn to take a deep breath, grit your teeth, and then examine the mistakes as ruthlessly and dispassionately as you can manage.” I find it useful to recall the words of Epicurus, who wrote, “Misfortunes must be cured by a sense of gratitude for what [is and] has been and the knowledge that what is past cannot be undone.”

Reading is like breathing. You stop living when you stop reading.

Passions and Topics I Write About

A Test of Knowledge — I still remember, when I was in middle school, the thrill of discovering that there is a path to learning without blind belief. This is the feedback based, iterative, and experimental core of the scientific method. The mathematician Morris Kline asked, “What is our recourse to countering illusions and erroneous intuitions?” Richard Feynman, the wonderful physicist, answered that “The test of all knowledge is experiment.” There are subtleties and deeper aspects to the scientific method (as a test of knowledge), but it is the best way to avoid fooling oneself. Feynman cautioned, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”

I still remember, when I was in middle school, the thrill of discovering that there is a path to learning without blind belief. This is the feedback based, iterative, and experimental core of the scientific method. The mathematician Morris Kline asked, “What is our recourse to countering illusions and erroneous intuitions?” Richard Feynman, the wonderful physicist, answered that “The test of all knowledge is experiment.” There are subtleties and deeper aspects to the scientific method (as a test of knowledge), but it is the best way to avoid fooling oneself. Feynman cautioned, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.” Humanism — Humanism is both a framework within which the scientific method can best be practiced and a way of living based on the scientific method and utilizing the findings of science in all aspects of the universe. It makes humans aware that they, themselves, are responsible for the value systems they set up and live by. Humanism rejects ideologies and provides a synthesis of the sciences and the arts that helps work towards living a better, well thought out life.

— Humanism is both a framework within which the scientific method can best be practiced and a way of living based on the scientific method and utilizing the findings of science in all aspects of the universe. It makes humans aware that they, themselves, are responsible for the value systems they set up and live by. Humanism rejects ideologies and provides a synthesis of the sciences and the arts that helps work towards living a better, well thought out life. Mathematics and the Findings of Science — There are some amazing finds from humankind’s quest to understand the universe. The biologist, Edward. O. Wilson, writes, “Humanity is part of nature, a species that evolved among other species. The more closely we identify ourselves with the rest of life, the more quickly we will be able to discover the sources of human sensibility and acquire the knowledge on which an enduring ethic, a sense of preferred direction, can be built.” Mathematics as an abstraction and generalization of patterns is one of humans’ most significant inventions. Mathematics grapples with some of the most mind-boggling concepts, such as infinities and limits. It is also a form of poetry that, alas, millions of people miss out on.

There are some amazing finds from humankind’s quest to understand the universe. The biologist, Edward. O. Wilson, writes, “Humanity is part of nature, a species that evolved among other species. The more closely we identify ourselves with the rest of life, the more quickly we will be able to discover the sources of human sensibility and acquire the knowledge on which an enduring ethic, a sense of preferred direction, can be built.” Mathematics as an abstraction and generalization of patterns is one of humans’ most significant inventions. Mathematics grapples with some of the most mind-boggling concepts, such as infinities and limits. It is also a form of poetry that, alas, millions of people miss out on. The Outdoors and Rugby Union — I was fortunate to have the privilege of trekking in the Himalayas. There are magical places on earth where one experiences first hand the expanse and beauty of the world outside our otherwise crowded cities. Rugby Union is a sport I played as a child and young adult. The camaraderie on and off the pitch is full of the joy of life. It’s a sport one plays full-on when on the pitch, but as soon as the final whistle blows, you embrace your friends on the other side and thank them for playing the game with you. I now jog 5k to 10k distances on most days, but when the family is not looking, I get on the rugby pitch again!

I was fortunate to have the privilege of trekking in the Himalayas. There are magical places on earth where one experiences first hand the expanse and beauty of the world outside our otherwise crowded cities. Rugby Union is a sport I played as a child and young adult. The camaraderie on and off the pitch is full of the joy of life. It’s a sport one plays full-on when on the pitch, but as soon as the final whistle blows, you embrace your friends on the other side and thank them for playing the game with you. I now jog 5k to 10k distances on most days, but when the family is not looking, I get on the rugby pitch again! Reading and friendships — A friend of my wife once commented that reading is not an option; it is like “breathing.” Without reading and then discussing topics with one’s friends, one is as good as dead. Reading books is a process that transcends time and space. Many of the authors whose books we read died long ago, and we rarely meet those that are still alive, and yet all of them communicate, dialogue with us, and often become our friends through their books.

Articles

In my spare time, I write because I have things I want to say, share, and discuss with a wider circle of people. I find social media both a boon (I can attempt to reach a wide audience) and a bane (some forms such as a few words on Twitter can only generate hot air). Writing is a craft and takes time to learn. Isaac Asimov wrote that “what will teach you [to write] is the careful reading of some of the masters of English prose.” What greater pleasure than to read and write in one’s spare time? Links to a selection from my growing list of medium articles are provided below.

Thank you for reading this, and warm regards to you all.