What, Why & How do we Know ?
I’ve been sitting on this Physics of Consciousness link for a while, without so far watching the video interviews, because of both the topic and the participants. I’m a bit sceptical I’ll hear anything newly convincing, but I will take a look. (Also worth linking because of the overall range of material on Robert Lawrence Kuhn’s “Closer … Continue reading “Physics of Consciousness”
Vive La Différance – or a white swan in the hand is worth more than risking a few black feathers in the bush. I’ve regularly used the Derridan version of difference (différance) ironically and usually when talking about gender differences. That minefield of: what differences there really are between men and women (specifically archetypically, but … Continue reading “Vive La Différance, Again.”
Two or three threads came together this morning. Ongoing debates about European responses to “immigrants”, “anti-semitism” and “islamism” – politically correct to the point of perversion of sense. Insanity. And of course later (lower down) #Chilcot. Where to start? Here a piece by Chris Corrigan posted on Facebook by Johnnie Moore, on managerialism and the … Continue reading “Managerialism, Leftism, Scientism, You Name It.”
Attended an interesting event at Teeside Sceptics in the Pub last night, to hear Jonathan McLatchie talking on “The Case For Intelligent Design”. His case – that the best description for evolution involves “intelligent cause” as well as random events – is entirely scientific, though obviously the quality and validity of the science is impossible to judge … Continue reading “Jonathan McLatchie and the Case for Intelligent Design.”
Hat tip to @SamiraShackle for drawing my attention to @FrankieBoyle’s Comment is Free piece in the Grauniad. The theme and conclusion is telegraphed in the title, but the content is explicitly about the seemingly deranged rationale of supporting vaguely motivated bombing in Syria but resisting direct support for Syrian refugees. It’s a very intelligent read, … Continue reading “Our addiction to “Weary Rationale” @FrankieBoyle”
Identity Politics It is increasingly topical that names used to identify “groups” become contentious topics. Muslim vs Islamist, Humanist vs Christian Humanist, Race vs Ethnicity, Gay vs Straight, CIS vs Trans, Sex vs Gender, Ukraine vs Crimea, Greece vs Europe, UK vs its parts, Locations vs Communities, even species of Monkeys vs Humans. (Post Note … Continue reading “Identity is not (not just) politics?”
Interesting post from Morgan Giddings, with a Facebook response from Sabine Hossenfelder: Morgan I have mostly maintained a façade of being that “rational, materialist scientist” most of the time … … it was always unsettling to think that consciousness is just some byproduct of what is a random universe made up of a bunch of bouncy-balls. … Continue reading “Is there life beyond materialist science? @metamorgan says F*ck it.”
Blogging after quite a hiatus, more of which in the next post, and reading a first book since October, the two not unconnected. Received Dan Dennett’s “Intuition Pumps – and Other Tools for Thinking” as a Christmas present. No secret here on Psybertron that I’m a big fan of Dennett, and Intuition Pumps is a … Continue reading “Hold Your Definition”