"Sai Weng Shi Ma" is a phrase from a well-known Chinese fable, in English "Sai Weng lost his horse". This fable speaks about how a seemingly bad situation can turn out to be good, and vice versa.
The story begins with Sai, an elderly man, who was the proud owner of a magnificent stallion. However, the horse, in a twist of fate, escapes and ventures into the wilderness of Barbarian territory. The villagers, empathising with Sai's loss, offer their condolences, but he simply responds, "Who can discern whether this is a stroke of misfortune or a blessing in disguise?"
In an unexpected turn of events, the stallion returns the following week, leading a herd of wild horses from the Barbarian lands. Sai's stable multiplies, and he finds himself in a position of wealth. The villagers, astounded by his sudden prosperity, congratulate him on his good fortune. Yet, the old man simply responded, "Who knows if it's good luck or bad luck?"
The narrative continues in this vein, Sai's son suffers a broken leg while riding one of the new horses, and again, Sai's response remains the same. Following this, the Barbarians wage war and every able-bodied man is conscripted. Sai's son, unable to fight due to his injury, survives the war, and Sai escapes the heart-wrenching fate of losing his son.
Each twist and turn in the story, each layer of complexity, alters the perception of what constitutes good or bad luck, and yet each time Old man Sai’s reply to the congratulations or commiserations of the villagers remains unchanged.
The saying lends itself to several interpretations, especially concerning the themes of fate and luck. The tale's finale hints at the idea that every setback might harbour a hidden advantage, akin to the English concept of a blessing in disguise or there being "a silver lining in every cloud". However, the story also subtly implies that what initially seems like a stroke of good luck may lead to unforeseen misfortune.
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 (KJV)
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
What is true here about interpreting the meaning of the ebb and flow of life's challenges and triumphs is also true for the ultimate framing of human meaning in the Cosmos. The Cosmic story has a framing, or rather we often have it framed for us by others. To find an ultimate frame we would be wise to learn from Old man Sai and step back from the immediate story we find ourselves in and practice flipping the narrative.
Metanarratives of Physics
The story of physics is embedded within our broader human narrative. As physics evolves, it experiences revolutionary shifts at various stages, each influenced by and influencing the grander narratives of society. This iterative process is akin to the layers of Sai's story, each adding a new dimension to our understanding. The crux of the matter is that no single narrative can encapsulate the entirety of human experience, let alone the physics and cosmology of the universe.
As we delve deeper into the story of physics, we'll examine some of the concepts as they emerged in history, exploring how these ideas were framed in their time and how we can perceive them today. We'll question whether our perspectives are too narrow or if our framing is too limited. Just as Sai's experiences could not be wholly captured by the labels of 'good luck' or 'bad luck', our understanding of the universe cannot be confined to a single interpretation or perspective.
Everyone is part of a larger story, whether they realise it or not. Becoming aware of this is akin to awakening and learning from each other the wisdom hidden in each of those stories is enlightenment.
In addition to examining the framing of the story, I want to go beyond the "how" questions and get back to exploring the "why?" questions of a two year old. Each of us has a personal narrative that drives us to ask this question. We are not merely humans conducting experiments in a lab; we are driven by a purpose. So let's embark on this journey of exploration together, shall we?
Choose your own adventure:
Physics and human meaning or
Cosmic Perspective
