In the Light
“Let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).
A focal plane array (1) is an electro-optical device that receives incident radiation and generates a signal that can be detected, processed, and converted into useful information. The processing usually involves embedded software in the device or a separate computer connected via a network. The incident radiation may be in the infrared spectrum, such as emitted by a hot object traveling through space, or in the visible spectrum, such as light from the sun or a distant star or reflected by the moon. State-of-the-art focal plane arrays are used as sensors in astronomy, astrophysics and other scientific applications, and are essential in military space surveillance and missile defense systems. The quality and performance of the system are dependent upon the design and manufacturing precision of the electro-optical device itself, as well as the software algorithms used for information processing. The signal-to-noise ratio of the device often determines whether it can be trusted in the intended application. The system must be capable of discriminating the relevant radiation wavelengths from background noise, otherwise the information that is generated is useless and potentially misleading. In the case of a missile defense system, spurious signals generated by decoys or stray radiation may prevent the interceptor from tracking and engaging the target, which would allow the space shield to be penetrated and render us vulnerable to an enemy attack.
Bringing an issue or item into the “light” suggests a favorable condition in which something that was previously hidden from sight is revealed or made accessible for observation, analysis, and action. In contemporary culture, social media, some mainstream media, and even some religious institutions, the protective filters of critical thinking and objectivity have been rendered vulnerable to an influx of bad information and background noise. We should fine-tune our sensors and information management algorithms so that our awareness and sensitivity to truth remain sharp and focused. We can practice wise discernment while being open to new ideas that have potential value, or we risk the habit of accepting and disseminating bad information that it is favorable to our preconceived notions or preferred narrative, while rejecting and even censoring information that is contrary to our mental model of reality. This leads to social and religious divisions and political polarization.
The bible often uses the term “light” to refer to truth (2), (3), (4), (5), as contrasted with darkness, which is the absence of truth or the intention to obscure truth. Whether or not one is under conviction that the sacred scriptures are an inspired source of light as revealed by God, I trust that each of us will choose to seek truth and to act on it for the common good.
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1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staring_array
2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1%3A5&version=NKJV
3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+11%3A10&version=NKJV
4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A7&version=NKJV
5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A9-10&version=NKJV
