Wikipedia

Free, high-quality, to every person, in their language

Digital evangelist, Jimmy Wales expressed a very nice goal (The goal of Wikipedia is to give a free, high-quality encyclopedia to every single person on the planet in their own language) and it was refreshing to read that he hopes and thinks the online community will eventually serve a greater purpose and that he thinks “we’re going to get more community activism that’s empowered by innovative tools that are coming up online”. Thanks for sharing Nicole and Jimmy.

Thanks also to SJC for commenting on recent VIIP post: The career, Software Developer; and for writing a related post on his blog.

For everyone, on everything

Ideally the forty days following 28 May 2007, which ended on 7.7.7, queued a beginning of a positive future, where individuals and countries around the globe alike more truly begin to unify higher purposes and achieve significant milestones (e.g.). Ideally the creativity and collaboration of the global community are being increasingly harnessed. Ideally in the process, technology is being increasingly leveraged along with software and information while entertaining ways are being found to deliver messages to help bring people together (e.g.). Ideally the world is very much now beginning to live within the mystery of an increasingly usable web for everyone, on everything (e.g., 1, 2, 3). Ideally each of us will find ways to develop or contribute something positive as part of web 3 on route to somehow helping to truly enable a perfect vision leap year (2020) which increasingly helps make things better for all, for everyone. Ideally the value-inherent to the future history of the World Wide Web Family will increasingly enable peace and innate joy that is intrinsic and pervasive. Thank you for whatever goodness you inject to help mature and creatively embed a positive mindset in all peoples and creations. Ideally by 2020 the internet increasingly becomes, on balance, more a force for good (for an interesting poll from 2007, click here).

Enhance life

A feeling of profound awe and respect and often love. A complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways such as to have an attitude that work was fun. What you have just read are sample definitions for the word reverence. Albert Schweitzer received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for his philosophy of reverence for life. 1952 was a leap year.

Albert Schweitzer nourished hope in a humankind that is more profoundly aware of its position in the Universe. His optimism was based in belief in truth and his worldview was based on his idea of reverence for life which he believed to be his greatest single contribution to humankind. His view was that Western civilization was in decay because of gradually abandoning its ethical foundation - those of affirmation of life. It was his firm conviction that the respect for life is the highest principle. Here is one of his famous quotes: Reverence for life affords me my fundamental principle of morality, namely that good consists in maintaining, assisting, and enhancing life, and that to destroy, to harm, or to hinder life is evil. I came upon the quote when reading the handbook of software architecture October 23, 2007 post (Debating The Morality Behind Software Development). The related CNET News.com article by Charles Cooper is here. Also see this related Computerworld comment. And here is a piece from an editorial review found on Amazon of Reverence for Life: Albert Schweitzer’s (1875-1965) system of ethical mysticism is based primarily upon Christ’s injunction, “Love the Lord thy God first and they neighbor as thyself.” He writes, “I can do no other than be reverent before everything that is called life. That is the beginning and foundation of all ethics.” Assembled by Meyer (Bible & Christian studies, Chapman Univ.) and the late Bergel (emeritus, Chapman Univ.), founder of the Albert Schweitzer Institute, this eclectic collection of essays is intended as both an appreciation of Schweitzer and a critical review of his ethics and metaphysics. {Just down the page you can also find the following words from the November 5, 2002 review of the book by Midwest Book Review: The Ethics of Albert Schweitzer For The Twenty-First Century is an inherently impressive selection of profound essays by humanitarian Albert Schweitzer, enhanced with an eclectic variety of soul-searching commentaries on his thoughts and recommendations. … Reverence For Life is highly recommended as life-affirming, fundamental and thoughtfully constructed reading.}

“True philosophy must start from the most immediate and comprehensive fact of consciousness: I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live.” — Albert Schweitzer

Life and love in Albert Schweitzer view are based on respect for every manifestation of life, and a personal, spiritual relationship towards the universe.

Ideally as the universe increasingly comes together ethically and morally with reverence for life, leaps by 2020 and beyond will continually enhance life.