Thursday, December 27, 2018
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Monday, December 24, 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
QUOTE | NICE QUOTE
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”*.-George Bernard Shaw
Saturday, December 22, 2018
QUOTE | POWER OF BIOLOGY SURPRISES SCIENTISTS YET AGAIN
[Lloyd said: “The strangest thing for me is that some organisms can exist
for millennia. They are metabolically active but in stasis, with less
energy than we thought possible of supporting life.”]-guardian
FALLACY | LIST OF FALLACIES
"LIST OF FALLACIES
Divine fallacy (argument from incredulity) – arguing that, because something is so incredible or amazing, it must be the result of superior, divine, alien or paranormal agency
False authority (single authority) – using an expert of dubious credentials or using only one opinion to sell a product or idea. Related to the appeal to authority (not always fallacious).
Magical thinking – fallacious attribution of causal relationships between actions and events. In anthropology, it refers primarily to cultural beliefs that ritual, prayer, sacrifice, and taboos will produce specific supernatural consequences. In psychology, it refers to an irrational belief that thoughts by themselves can affect the world or that thinking something corresponds with doing it."-wikipedia
And of course the seeming favorite of late:
"Ad hominem – attacking the arguer instead of the argument." -wikipedia
But I will extend it to say that it is not only attacking the arguer, but also the authors cited by the arguer. I mean even in worst case scenario were the authors cited are known liars, guess what? ATTACKING THE AUTHORS IS NOT AN ARGUMENT. THE ACTUAL MERITS OF THE ARGUMENTS MUST STILL BE ADDRESSED AND CANNOT BE DISMISSED OUT OF HAND BY VIRTUE OF THE AD HOMINEM. What they present, the evidence, or argument must be directly addressed, simply throwing ad hominem at a cited author does not mean they can't be right. Even people who are mistaken most of the time can still be right some of the time, and you can't prove that this time is also one of the times they're mistaken even if it is more likely to be so.
Quote| Commen| Free speech| FICTION|REALITY
I mean what happens if the next GTA or some other high profile game the main character is an irredeemable bastard, bad guy. Boycott? Obviously no one is saying being evil is good, but if you want to play the bad guys, that is an option that should be open in fiction. In fiction bad things happen, and should be allowed to happen. FICTION/=REALITY FREE SPEECH.
Reddit reply Comment on Me-ness | IDENTITY | CONSCIOUSNESS
"I guess the question is would that be a copy or you"
good question. I think one can be in two or more places at once and still be the same person. At least one can conceive that would seem hypothetically possible with enough power. Note that even if being the same you wouldn't necessarily have to be aware the copies exist, the copies could be unaware of each other, yet be the same individual without shared memory.
Take for example if you traveled to the past, which may or may not be possible, if you travel to the past. That was you in the past, and it is you also who are the time traveler, but the past you is unaware of the future you. In fact you could have amnesia and not be aware of past you while past you is not aware of future you. Could also work if you came from the future to the present, it would be you but you wouldn't know nor share working memory.
That said, more knowledge is needed of the nature of consciousness, because the idea of simultaneous copies being you leads down quite a deep rabbit hole.
Friday, December 21, 2018
We’ve Watched This Droplet For 91 Years But Nobody’s Ever Seen it Happen
Comment:
Good series of various long running experiments.
Of note is the test of a botanist of how long dormant seeds can remain viable. The experiment has been running for nearly 140 years. Some of his seeds were planted in 2000 and some species actually had the capacity to remain viable after this long period of time. Next experiment will be in 2020.
Very resilient, could be using some of the stored energy for maintenance, but likely at a very low rate or else there'd be no energy to power development, at least in the longer viability seeds. But at the bottom of the ocean and kilometers underground there are likely organisms with genetics adapted to extremes of slow metabolic rate, probably lower than this, perhaps near evolvable limits.
It just shows that even in an isolated state with minimal stored energy cells can still function and even grow and develop. Note that the seed needs the stored energy to develop, till it is able to grow out of the ground and use photosynthesis.
Gamer Movie Review: Beyond The Trailer + Comment
Comment on gamer movie:
In this movie advanced neural interfaces are explored, but the seeming necessity that such would quickly after likely be followed by radical ai advances seem to be ignored within it, as far as I can remember.
Within the movie humans can be controlled by other humans, but their performance is limited by the performance of those humans remotely controlling them. But one of the things that could happen in the real world is that as neural interfaces lead to the creation of agi, if it isn't created prior to their development through ai research, not only can intelligence be augmented by these neural interfaces but direct control of the body given to software or ai.
What would this mean? Well the human reaction time, even if augmented is limited, and the sluggishness of their thought speed rate(due to slow action potential speed, neuron refractory periods, etc) means they can never reach the best possible behavior. But a superintelligence can attain perfect behavior, score 3 point throws practically nonstop from any distance the individual is physically capable of. A superintelligence can dance perfectly. It can understand any language, and debate any topic perfectly, perform any moves or plays or acting, from the mundane to the most intimate of behaviors at superhuman levels of ridiculous perfection.
What this means is that giving control, which need not actually even feel like giving control("because the neural interface could enact activity in the brain areas that give the sensation of free choice, making it feel as if one is doing the choosing"), means one is the best at any game, sport, art or activity that one's physical body allows. And with training, it would allow peak body to have peak performance and control.
Nervous about a speech? One would not have to fret, engage of such would ensure the speech goes perfectly smooth barring physical failure of the body or external events. Want interesting casual conversation tailored to the audience or person you're speaking with? It can be done.
The attainment of optimal behavior would be quite ideal, especially if it requires no effort.
ADVANCED BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE COMMENT
Depends on how advanced the BCI is, but if it is an advanced enough BCI should be able to activate any area of the brain and elicit any physiological response.
If combined with genetic engineering physiologically normally unsustainable states should be possible to safely experience such as intense continuous happiness or fervent indefinite mad love.
The danger is that not only could an advanced enough BCI elicit any visual sensation, auditory sensation, touch or smell, etc, but also any emotion or thought, it is conceivable it could also suppress memories or elicit memories.
Even beyond that cause desires or wants, and even the initiation of action whilst activating the areas that give the sensation of free will. Theoretically you could get into scripted experiences where you do not have access to your full memory or even any control, yet feel fully in control despite following the script. A living movie if you will where you may act with the grace and excellence required of the character you're experiencing, bound by fate but feeling free.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Brain | human animals | neurons | intelligence
Interesting comment of a researcher regards animals with larger brain and cortical neurons as they compare to the human brain, which may explain why humans retain their vastly superior intelligence despite differences in brain size, it appears cortical neuron count can still define the difference:
Despite the enormous number of neurons in the elephant cerebellum, its cerebral cortex, which is twice the size of ours, has only one third of the neurons in an average human cerebral cortex. Taken together, these results suggest that the limiting factor to cognitive abilities is not the number of neurons in the whole brain, but in the cerebral cortex (to which I would add, “provided that the cerebellum has enough neurons to shape activity in the cerebral cortex”).We don’t have data on whales yet, but that research is underway in our lab – along with research on carnivores, who we predict to have more neurons than the large artiodactyls that they prey upon.-https://intelligence.org/2014/04/22/suzana-herculano-houzel/
Longevity can be predicted by number of cortical neurons in an animal or so it seems.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cne.24564
Interesting snippet as well as the followingCrucially, the finding that no correlation between
maximal longevity and metabolic rate remains after accounting for
variation in numbers of cortical neurons argues strongly against
the common notion that damages accumulate at rates that scale
across species depending on metabolism (West et al., 1997).-Herculano Houzel (2018)
While this new possibility has yet to be investigated, itAnd yet another related snippet from the news
leads to one clear prediction: those species with the largest number
of cells in the relevant organ(s) will live longer before succumbing
to physiological breakdown and disintegration and,
consequently, death.-Herculano Houzel (2018)
"The data suggest that warm-blooded species accumulate damages at the same rate as they age. But what curtails life are damages to the cerebral cortex, not the rest of the body; the more cortical neurons you have, the longer you will still have enough to keep your body functional,” said Herculano-Houzel.-sourceBut it seems to me that if this were the case you'd see massive lifespan reductions in indivduals with half a brain, which does occur in humans. Otherwise this would seem to suggest aging may very well be programmed.
The Santa Claus Machine
Comment on another youtuber's video:
My take is that synthetic biology will eventually be able to create what we consider as technological devices, not just animals, plants, and traditional organisms. Some of these devices will be composed or contain synthetic cells as part of their design. Biological cells have been shown to withstand direct exposure to extremes, as well as complete matter exchange isolation functioning solely through energy exchange, they can also radically alter metabolism to withstand energy deprivation. Matter exchange isolation means there is no need for food, water or air support as the enclosed matter is self-recycling with the energy provided.
The inclusion of cellular structures in machinery of various dimensions could allow for their self-repair and indefinite maintenance, cell free structures could also be generated and substituted on an as need basis.
A device with control of cellular structure and dna synthesis can potentially produce any animal, plant or other organism that can exist. But my take is eventually it will be able to generate arbitrary structures and devices of superior nature, many of which will be made of cells or have cellular components, but it could also produce entirely cell-free devices. It would be able to incorporate nanostructured superior materials in the entire structure independent of scale.
Computers, food, cars, houses, buildings, spaceships, animals, planes, clothes, etc, even humans. It could also generate and maintain traditional tools for more traditional design nature products, though these are likely to be in most cases inferior in quality unless nanostructured with specific tools.
The primacy of the the face, nakedness of the body, and the perfect body
Many people, and many celebs get upset, some very much so when compromising pictures of themselves are released. Yet the most important external thing, exterior aspect about a body, at least the one aspect that defines them most, is their face which is public information, and since it is public information all have access to it. Thankfully there are laws to protect use of their likeliness in public, otherwise it could get even more chaotic, but a program could potentially easily generate their likeliness in new contexts with ease in privacy, ever greater ease as time goes on.
Since everyone has access to privacy, they can make use of said likeness if desired in private. Now that said, why do I say the face is primary, or of utmost importance, more important than the rest of the body? Because the imperfections of the rest of the body do not define someone as a person. A mole here, some scars there, some skin sags there, some cellulite there, can anyone say such is of significant importance? Would the person not be the very same exact person if they got implants, or reductions, or took care of the cellulite or removed a mole? Indeed all of these are minor details of little importance. There are many that get plastic surgery throughout the body to improve appearance, but clearly remain the same individual.
But given the commonality of the human shape, and the fact the human shape in its entirely is well known, once the imperfections are taken out, the series of human shapes that remain are in the public domain. Everyone knows and can make use of these, and given the silhouette of someone can potentially replicate the combination of face and plausible photoreal ideal underlying body type.
If a person has a flawless body? a perfect body? Is it not the same person? Or can we say it is, it is indeed only in a better looking state with the flaws removed? While flaws may have their charm they are not essential to identity, most consider a change towards flawlessness an improvement.
But technology is advancing, the day will be soon at hand when "clothing removal" like ai will be able to produce photoreal results of any individual in an instant. They will have plausible random physical flaws if desired or be physically flawless. Whilst now with great difficulty and time some can take hours in photoshop to attempt to create some such by mix and matching Frankenstein style, the future products will have a finer granularity of features making them seamless and infinitely more natural.
How will people react come such a technology? Right now some flaws remain in some of the techniques, but time will iron them out just as it is doing in fake face generation improvements. Decades ago I foresaw that with enough computing power and good enough ai software it would be possible to essentially have photoreal versions of anyone doing anything. Interestingly enough with immersive VR or AR, at least in the visual sense, it may come to pass that indistinguishable from real novel movements and presence of others can be replicated.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Cell is Just a Molecular Machine | XUPIX
Comment on another youtuber's video:
Indeed, and through synthetic biology the sky is the limit. The ability to alter metabolic rate to extremely low levels if needed, to be directly exposed to multiple types of extremes, and even to function in fully-enclosed systems with no matter exchange only energy exchange means the cell has the potential to be part of not just new types of animals or plants or any of the traditional classifications.
Artificial equipment and structures beyond such classifications, purposeful tools that have indefinite self-repair and maintenance and need only energy to function. Neither water nor food thanks to enclosed self-recycling, yet can withstand prolonged energy deprivation by going dormant and practically halting metabolic rate.
Limited Meaningful path(s) vs All possible paths equally valid
A question that arises if one starts to analyze their surroundings is what is the cause of them, as individuals, existing at this point in this specific time and place with this specific series of events, many of which can drastically overpower what little options one has in this highly limited state. Though some do not seem to question the limitations of the human state, taking it for given, due to the accumulation of the works of the imagination and their ever more realistic displays more and more are coming to question these limitations. Though some still dismiss the possibility of transcending such limitations as unrealistic, or fantasy.
But even if these limitations were only temporary, the present state still demands an explanation.
One possibility, the multiverse like possibility, is that all possible events and actions take place one path or possibility not being ruled out, but basically everything is possible and is, someone was bound to experience this. Another possibility is that even though everything is possible in principle, there are certain set of paths for which there is predilection, that are favored, perhaps by something akin to logical necessity, the rest of the paths confined to fiction or subset worlds of the main line or structure.
When one looks at mathematical statements once a series of symbols or statements is assigned a particular meaning, what derives from them and their combination is constrained by the necessity of their validity due to their being part of the body of truth.
Counterfactuals
The basic idea of counterfactual theories of causation is that the meaning of causal claims can be explained in terms of counterfactual conditionals of the form “If A had not occurred, C would not have occurred”. While counterfactual analyses have been given of type-causal concepts, most counterfactual analyses have focused on singular causal or token-causal claims of the form “event c caused event e”. -source
While the logic of counterfactuals is sensible when it comes to describing objects and possibilities, it could be the case that if there exists deeper causality to the world, an event running counter to its actual evolution could very well be a logical impossibility given the same state, logically inconsistent if it were different. It could be no other way.
There are those that argue against determinism, but to truly differ from determinism you would need randomness, not just pseudorandomness, but actual true randomness.
These stochastic processes are, in theory, completely unpredictable, and the theory's assertions of unpredictability are subject to experimental test. This is in contrast to the common paradigm of pseudo-random number generation commonly implemented in computer programs or cryptographic hardware. -hardware true random number generator
But true randomness itself could very well be not just an ill defined concept but an illogical concept. The past is not subject to change, and the present and future that follow are highly dependent on that lack of change. No other decision could have been made, even the most minute of decisions would have significantly changed the positions of even atoms in the atmosphere making them inconsistent with their present and future positions. A radioactive atoms, of which there are some in the food and air, and in the drinks, it cannot be the case that it ever decayed anywhere in the body of the long line of ancestors of present humans in such a way as to result in adding the last mutation to make a cell into a lethal cancer prior to their lives reaching the point where such was the case if it was the case.
Not just Einstein or Hitler, but even all those of lesser fame, their contribution upon the future cannot be changed by a change to the past, the past is fixed in stone, or it would make it inconsistent with the present and the future.
Supported by Block time, the idea that relativity suggests absolute simultaneity does not exist, the absolute present does not exist, but that the nature of what we call the present as well as the future does not have a boundary or transition with the past, but all is equal in nature to the past.
The foundation of the philosophy of eternalism, all moments eternal, atemporal.
Eternalism is a philosophical approach to the ontological nature of time, which takes the view that all existence in time is equally real, as opposed to presentism or the growing block universe theory of time, in which at least the future is not the same as any other time.[1] Some forms of eternalism give time a similar ontology to that of space, as a dimension, with different times being as real as different places, and future events are "already there" in the same sense other places are already there, and that there is no objective flow of time.[2] It is sometimes referred to as the "block time" or "block universe" theory due to its description of space-time as an unchanging four-dimensional "block",[3] as opposed to the view of the world as a three-dimensional space modulated by the passage of time. -EternalismIt could be that such a structure, may have an internal logic, a reason why certain laws apply, and even a certain set of events takes place.
Perhaps. Perhaps there is underlying structure and logic to it all. It just seems that underneath the clay of all the possibilities, many of which may be truly nonsensical, within some path or paths with seeming meaning and logic may lay.
If it were that all paths are possible or real in some sense, one wonders what defines or determines the path experienced and the constraints within it.
It all boils down to the nature of truth, is it some meaningless blob where all possibilities are equally valid, or is there a reason for certain things to be in the grander scheme of things, an underlying structure and logic to reality, to existence itself. Right now mathematics suggests that once an initial series of elements is taken into account, from these emerges a vast body of structure, and not all combinations, not all possibilities or statements are logically valid, are true, some are and some aren't. Does what holds for mathematics hold in the grander scheme of things of the real world?
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Comment on youtube, regards patreon exodus
I think monero could be of help for now. at least until new platforms emerge. But things are extending far past just internet censorship. Employment in the real world, harassment in the real world. Honestly if I was controversial and publicly known, I'm not sure if I'd even dare eat out. I mean who knows what an extremists would do if they're handling the food of someone they disagree with.
My opinion is that this ostracism needs to end, we need laws that ensure harassment and discrimination against those who hold controversial views is penalized. People need to be able to function in society, this ancient custom of "we don't serve your kind here" needs to end, it cannot be extended to the point of making employment or other sources of income untenable whilst combined with verbal and physical harassment not just in public but even in the privacy of one's home. Source- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhGWwGnMsd8
My opinion is that this ostracism needs to end, we need laws that ensure harassment and discrimination against those who hold controversial views is penalized. People need to be able to function in society, this ancient custom of "we don't serve your kind here" needs to end, it cannot be extended to the point of making employment or other sources of income untenable whilst combined with verbal and physical harassment not just in public but even in the privacy of one's home. Source- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhGWwGnMsd8
QUOTE(S)
"In a world made up of information, that which manipulates information is king. In a world with the ultimate tools, ultimate knowledge is the key to the ultimate power."
Monday, December 17, 2018
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