What, Why & How do we Know ?
Made no secret of the fact that I was never very impressed with Yuval Harari’s take on consciousness – what it is and how it functions – so was a little sceptical linking to this discussion facilitated by Indonesian blogger / you-tuber Gita Wirjawan. In terms of biological brains and minds, my trajectory has been … Continue reading “Solms and Harari on the Future of Humanity”
Opening Gambit [Links being added] [Q (21 Aug)]: “I understand that you have a professional engineering background and a strong interest in systems theory … If you would like to discuss this very important topic one on one I would be interested.” [A (22 Aug)]: “Sure, I most recently I summarised my interest here (18 … Continue reading “Strained Conversation”
[The following paraphrases “My Worldview” page.] I identify as Humanist (But then so do many people of faith who also value humanity.) Does that make me an Atheist? (Well kinda, maybe, but that’s jumping the gun on a metaphysical question, below.) As a Humanist, I’m also a Free-Thinker. (Part of what used to be called … Continue reading “I Identify as Humanist”
Kevin Mitchell (2018) “Innate – How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are” [This repeats and adds to relevant content from an earlier partial review.] Several of the more important books I’ve read recently have felt mostly like syntheses and restatements of things I already felt I knew one way or another – … Continue reading “Innate by Kevin Mitchell – Review”
[Work in Progress – Draft will be edited without notification.] [Feedback appreciated on the “See / Refs” – where more are needed? Meantime all those indicated will be elaborated and worked into the text. And obviously on the intelligibility of the text so far. Drafting arose out of the “Three Essays” post, particularly “Algorithms for … Continue reading “Information Ontology of Mind and Body”
Just a brief note – to recommend this edition of BBCR4 Positive Thinking. Citizens’ Assemblies and a rolling Citizens’ Convention are an idea I bought into over a decade ago. My logic is this: Democracy appears broken. Democracy of some kind (after Churchill) is nevertheless the best – or least worst – system available. Therefore … Continue reading “Citizens’ Assemblies / Conventions”
Definition as a Coffin? “Hold your definition” is a plea by philosopher Daniel Dennett, often cited here on Psybertron, when dealing patiently with his scientific friends. Any discourse that starts with apparently clear definitions, manipulated solely by logic, is inherently limited by the fit between the history of those definitions and future of reality. At … Continue reading ““Definition as a Coffin” – Cybernetics to Systems Thinking”
Never actually attempted Kant yet, despite lots of secondary references. I happen to be reading “Prince of Princes – The Life of Potemkin” by Simon Sebag Montefiore. A bit of Russian history – after a little Russian literary fiction – given today’s interest in historical borders of Ukraine, Poland et al. Not to mention Austro-Hungary, … Continue reading “Kantian Enlightenment”