I thought this was good: When You’re Thinking, You’re Actually Listening. It’s about how that voice in your head isn’t you; you’re the listener.
When You’re Thinking, You’re Actually Listening
Reply
Category Archives: Philosophy
Homework
This is a part of the homework feature of my blog, which is an ongoing conversation with my mate S.F.
Hey mate. Lovely to see you again, as always.
First, two things from last time which I forgot to write up:
I mentioned Veritasium which is a video blog of interest.
I have a note here that says “ASI”. And that’s all it says. Not sure what that was about?
I did consider writing my response to Mark Fisher‘s work Capitalist Realism (which is available on the web here), but in researching him and his work this evening I have learned that he died by suicide in 2017. I think suicide is the worst thing ever and I can’t bring myself to write something which tears strips off people who are no longer here to respond. (I intend to read Mark’s PhD thesis Flatline constructs: Gothic materialism and cybernetic theory-fiction.)
You mentioned Pick of the Litter, noting that dogs are trained to sometimes ignore the command of their master, particularly when it wouldn’t be safe.
One good thing about arguments with friends is that there is always time to pee.
Norvig’s Law: Any technology that surpasses 50% penetration will never double again (in any number of months).
This marketing dude Rory Sutherland is actually quite impressive. I hadn’t expected as much from someone in advertising! He has given a number of TED talks and there are many interviews with him on YouTube.
The documentary about the 2008 financial crisis that I mentioned was Inside Job. Not to be confused with the TV series with the same name (which is excellent, by the way).
My favorite philosopher of the day is Iain McGilchrist. I suspect my own beliefs and preferences diverge from those of McGilchrist but I do really enjoy his thought. I have watched a number of interviews with Iain McGilchrist. He has written a number of books, a few of which I have purchased and intend to read: The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World, The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, and The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning.
The book Thinking, Fast and Slow by psychologist Daniel Kahneman demarcates two systems of thinking: one fast and automatic, the other slow and deliberative.
The quotation “the stupid are cocksure, while the intelligent are full of doubt” is variously attributed (including to Bertrand Russell).
Check out Mr Inbetween, it’s really excellent!
Love you my brother, see you on Christmas Day! <3
Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule
Over on Rory Sutherland – Are We Now Too Impatient to Be Intelligent? | Nudgestock 2024 the inimitable Rory Sutherland made reference to Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule by Paul Graham. It’s helpful to be aware of these two types of schedule.
In the same video Mr Sutherland also referred to The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions – and How The World Lost its Mind which looks like it would be an interesting read.
Oh, and he referred to Social Acceleration: A New Theory of Modernity as well. I don’t think I’m going to spend the money or the time on that one, more’s the pity. I only have one life and can’t do everything I might wish I could.
RORY SUTHERLAND’S 10 RULES OF ALCHEMY
The YouTube recommender algorithm seems to have decided that I need plenty of Rory Sutherland in my diet. Which is fine by me, I think he’s great! This one is good: RORY SUTHERLAND’S 10 RULES OF ALCHEMY.
Rory Sutherland reading list
I just watched this presentation from Rory Sutherland: Rory Sutherland: Want Fewer People to go to A&E? Change the Name | Health | WIRED.
At the end he provides this reading list:
- Thinking, Fast and Slow
- Why Everyone (Else) Is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind
- The Company of Strangers: A Natural History of Economic Life
- The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
- Irrationality: the enemy within
- The Darwin Economy: Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions
- Nudge: The Final Edition
- The Rational Animal: How Evolution Made Us Smarter Than We Think
I don’t have the time (or money) to read all of those books, the book I picked to read was Nudge.
Leopold Kronecker and Georg Cantor
The following is this from ChatGPT.
ChatGPT 4o
You said:
tell me about Leopold Kronecker and Georg Cantor
ChatGPT said:
Leopold Kronecker and Georg Cantor were both influential mathematicians in the 19th century, particularly known for their work in number theory and the foundations of mathematics, especially in the realm of set theory. Despite their shared contributions to mathematics, they had significantly different philosophies, leading to a famous intellectual clash.
Leopold Kronecker (1823–1891)
- Background: Kronecker was a German mathematician born in what is now Poland. His early work focused on algebraic number theory and elliptic functions.
- Philosophy: Kronecker was known for his finitist view, believing that mathematics should be grounded in finite processes and integers. He famously said, “God made the integers; all else is the work of man,” reflecting his skepticism of mathematical concepts that extended beyond whole numbers, such as irrational and imaginary numbers.
- Opposition to Infinity: Kronecker was critical of the use of infinite sets and actual infinity, viewing them as metaphysical rather than mathematical. He opposed theories that relied on concepts he saw as unverifiable, which placed him at odds with his contemporaries who explored infinite sets.
- Legacy: While Kronecker’s finitist approach limited his acceptance of certain ideas, his rigorous approach to numbers influenced the development of constructive mathematics and intuitionism.
Georg Cantor (1845–1918)
- Background: Cantor, a German mathematician of Russian descent, is most famous for founding set theory, a significant milestone in modern mathematics.
- Set Theory and Infinity: Cantor’s groundbreaking work involved formalizing the concept of infinity. He introduced the notion of different “sizes” or cardinalities of infinity, showing that some infinities are larger than others (e.g., the set of real numbers is “larger” than the set of natural numbers).
- The Continuum Hypothesis: Cantor formulated the continuum hypothesis, a famous problem related to the cardinality of the real numbers, which became one of the most studied problems in set theory.
- Conflict with Kronecker: Cantor’s work on infinite sets was revolutionary, but it attracted criticism, especially from Kronecker. Kronecker viewed Cantor’s ideas as overly abstract and not grounded in what he saw as “acceptable” mathematics. This opposition from a respected figure in the mathematical community contributed to Cantor’s struggles and led to isolation.
- Legacy and Impact: Despite the initial resistance, Cantor’s ideas became fundamental to modern mathematics, influencing disciplines like logic, computer science, and philosophy. Set theory underpins much of contemporary mathematics and has shaped the development of various branches of theoretical math.
The Intellectual Clash
Kronecker and Cantor’s differing philosophies on the nature of mathematics epitomized a larger debate about the role of abstraction, infinity, and rigor in mathematics. While Kronecker sought to keep mathematics within the bounds of constructivism and the finite, Cantor’s work extended it into the transfinite, opening new realms that were later embraced by mathematicians worldwide. Their clash highlights one of the pivotal points in the philosophy of mathematics, influencing views on mathematical foundations for generations.
Strawberry
For the record:
Seven things people learn too late in life
I thought this was good: Seven things people learn too late in life.
Assange Free
Today newspapers around the globe announce that Assange is free.
And about time too, amirite?
No good deed goes unpunished.
If we’re going to live in functioning democracies we need to know what our institutions are doing in our name.
Assange, a true servant of the people.
Homework
This is a part of the homework feature of my blog, which is an ongoing conversation with my mate S.F.
Hey mate. Lovely to see you again, as always.
I ended up getting these cards printed at clickmedia.com.au to take with me on Wednesday to ElectroneX:
I mentioned Iain McGilchrist, he’s a psychiatrist who dabbles in philosophy. I think he has a really excellent and interesting view of things. It’s hard to summarise his position but he is very interested in the difference in perceptive capabilities of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. He has a YouTube channel over here: @DrIainMcGilchrist and if you search for him you will find many a fascinating interview.
You told me to check out Succession (TV series).
I found the Four Corners video you mentioned, over here: Self-defence or genocide? Asking Israel’s powerful voices about Gaza | Four Corners.
I mentioned Eben Moglen, who has a website over here: moglen.law.columbia.edu. I find Eben inspirational. He’s always talking in grandiose eloquence about the importance of free software, if you search for him on YouTube you are bound to find something of interest.
I mentioned Annie Jacobsen, she’s a pretty interesting cat. She has written a number of books on conspiracy-theory-like topics. I recently read her book Nuclear War: A Scenario.
I have a note here that says “positive view on nihilism” but I forget what that was about. Something I wanted to tell you, now lost to time. But searching for ‘positive view on nihilism’ turns up a bunch of interesting results! (Oh. Wait. Found it! It’s a video I wanted you to see: Optimistic Nihilism.)
Oh, another note I don’t remember: “void of ‘huh'”. I assume we were being hilarious.
There is an urban myth that the first human projectile that made it into space was a manhole cover from nuclear testing facilities for Operation Plumbbob in 1957. I dunno if it’s true, but it’s a good story!