RNG's recent activity
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Comment on There is no ‘hard problem of consciousness’ in ~humanities
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Comment on There is no ‘hard problem of consciousness’ in ~humanities
RNG LinkNon-philosophers including Rovelli do not understand the hard problem. At all. In a sense, everyone including physicalists about the mind grant there is a "hard problem". The hard problem can be...- Exemplary
Non-philosophers including Rovelli do not understand the hard problem. At all.
In a sense, everyone including physicalists about the mind grant there is a "hard problem". The hard problem can be summed up in a single sentence:
If we have ineffable phenomenal experiences, then these experiences are, in principle, indescribable in mathematical terms
This is because, trivially, if something is ineffable it is indescribable in any terms including mathematical terms. That's what ineffable means. "Physical things" are things that are in principle describable in mathematical terms. To understand the idea, we will need to understand what "phenomenal" and "physical" mean.
Phenomenal concepts are the language we use when we talk about "redness" or "pleasure". It is the "what-it's-likeness" or "qualitative nature" of an experience. The taste of mint, the smell of coffee. There are two important elements of these concepts: ineffability and privacy. These concepts are ineffable, which is to say that there is at least something about the experience that cannot be described to someone who hasn't had the experience before. If you are colorblind, I can't tell you what "redness" is, because when I talk about redness, I verbally "point" at an experience that only color-sighted people have had. They are "private" for roughly the same reason; we can never learn what it feels like to use echolocation by examining bat brains.
Physical concepts are all of the other kinds of language we use. Neuronal firings, avoidance behavior, disposition to become violent, etc. These are the "quantitative properties" of an experience. Quantities that fit neatly in formulas and models and describable mathematically.
Here are the broad categories of solutions here, none of which insist that "there is no hard problem":
- Type-a physicalism: the phenomenal, as stipulated, isn't describable in mathematics, and the phenomenal does not exist. "Consciousness" exists, but shouldn't be understood in terms of "felt experience" or "what-it's-likeness", rather in functional terms, behavioral terms, or otherwise in terms that in principle can be described in mathematics
- Tybe-b physicalism: the phenomenal, as stipulated, isn't describable in mathematics, but because there is an "a posteriori" identity (see below) between them and physical states, and physical states are describable, therefore the phenomenal is describable, even if it isn't conceptually reducible
- Anti-physicalism: the phenomenal, as stipulated, isn't describable in mathematics, and it exists independently of the physical
a posteriori identity: the ancients believed the morning star and the evening star were different stars. If you do more science, you discover they are both the same entity: Venus. We just had two ways of accessing, and two concepts for describing, the same entity. This is distinct from a priori identities which occur when two terms have the same definition (e.g., bachelors and unmarried men.)
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Comment on Boycotting palm oil in general is actually bad for the environment in ~enviro
RNG Link ParentI don't take anything Greenpeace says to be credible just because they allege it. They blocked the planting of life-saving golden rice and have vehemently and repeatedly misled the public about...I don't take anything Greenpeace says to be credible just because they allege it. They blocked the planting of life-saving golden rice and have vehemently and repeatedly misled the public about nuclear energy. This cannot be overstated: the Greenpeace-led bans on golden rice have killed millions of children.
If anyone wants to offset the genuine harm caused by this organization, I highly recommend donating to Helen Keller Intl’s Vitamin A Supplementation Program. This is one of the most effective, high-impact charities in existence at the moment, and donating can genuinely save children's lives.
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Comment on Modern, abstract art makes me angry in ~arts
RNG (edited )Link ParentThis is needlessly uncharitable. What did you aim to achieve making this point? The criticism of modern art seems obvious to me: it, at minimum, appears extremely low effort. Pointing this out, or...I would posit that this post displays a much higher degree of snobbism than any piece of modern art.
This is needlessly uncharitable. What did you aim to achieve making this point? The criticism of modern art seems obvious to me: it, at minimum, appears extremely low effort. Pointing this out, or being irritated by high value being assigned to what one perceives as low effort is not snobbism.
A meaningful contribution to this post would be to point out how the OP underestimates the level of effort involved, which you did in the case of monochromes (while also accusing the OP of the Dunning-Kruger effect. I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish with a cheap shot like that.)
Not for nothing, but one can interpret the video as associating criticism of modern art with Nazism, which is ridiculous.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentThere are cheap, rapid-result swabs you can buy to test for lead. It's not a huge burden, and worth a couple of bucks if you are purchasing vintage.There are cheap, rapid-result swabs you can buy to test for lead. It's not a huge burden, and worth a couple of bucks if you are purchasing vintage.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentSorry I should've specified, in the US, soybean oil is just called "vegetable oil". All other oils, despite technically being "vegetable oils" have more specific names e.g. canola oil.Sorry I should've specified, in the US, soybean oil is just called "vegetable oil". All other oils, despite technically being "vegetable oils" have more specific names e.g. canola oil.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentI think if the sole purpose of the oil is seasoning, vegetable oil is the best choice. The reason I don't have veggie oil laying around is that canola is better for other cooking purposes.I think if the sole purpose of the oil is seasoning, vegetable oil is the best choice. The reason I don't have veggie oil laying around is that canola is better for other cooking purposes.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentVegetable oil is usually the go-to here for its high smoke point and neutral flavor. I use canola oil as it's neutral, has a slightly lower smoke point, but is healthier than vegetable oil (lower...Vegetable oil is usually the go-to here for its high smoke point and neutral flavor. I use canola oil as it's neutral, has a slightly lower smoke point, but is healthier than vegetable oil (lower saturated fat, higher omega 3s).
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentDo you have any recommendations for vegan dishes to cook with a cast iron skillet? I have recently gotten one after seeing a Lodge skillet for $25 and have now cooked some black bean patties and...Do you have any recommendations for vegan dishes to cook with a cast iron skillet? I have recently gotten one after seeing a Lodge skillet for $25 and have now cooked some black bean patties and vegan cornbread in it so far. Note, I think you should use more than a 1 for 1 when replacing milk with soy milk.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RNG Link ParentYou should turn it into it's own post. Excited to see the results! Also, I think it's stuff like this that keeps me coming back to tildes, I love the culture here.You should turn it into it's own post. Excited to see the results! Also, I think it's stuff like this that keeps me coming back to tildes, I love the culture here.
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Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is?
I've been thinking about getting into cast iron cooking. I need a new skillet, and I've seen recommendations for cast iron, but some things seem daunting: Seasoning. How bad is it really? Did you...
I've been thinking about getting into cast iron cooking. I need a new skillet, and I've seen recommendations for cast iron, but some things seem daunting:
- Seasoning. How bad is it really? Did you purchase a pre-seasoned pan and just cook with it? Do you re-season occasionally? How often? What oil do you use? What is your process?
- Cleaning. How do you clean your skillet? Soap and water? How do you know when you are done cleaning? What materials do you use?
- Unknowns. What did you not know until you started cooking with cast iron? Any surprise benefits/costs?
Have any of you used cast iron, then returned to Teflon or stainless steel after being disappointed in the experience? What are the biggest differences between cooking with cast iron and other materials?
Considering that non-stick manufacturing poses environmental risks, and iron may provide a net positive effect for folks needing more iron in their diet, it seems like this is a natural way to go.
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentWho on this list is credibly accused of doing any of these things?Who on this list is credibly accused of doing any of these things?
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentThere's ambiguity about what's being claimed here. It might be cleared up if you can answer my question from above: What am I wrong about? What would I have been right about if "Thiel just wrote...There's ambiguity about what's being claimed here. It might be cleared up if you can answer my question from above:
What am I wrong about? What would I have been right about if "Thiel just wrote their names down"?
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentI didn't make a statement on whether this "puts them in league" with Thiel or whether that's contemptible. My position is that this isn't sufficient evidence of someone being member of some child...yes putting yourself in league with Thiel - who is actively working to undermine Democracy and decency - is grounds for contempt.
I didn't make a statement on whether this "puts them in league" with Thiel or whether that's contemptible. My position is that this isn't sufficient evidence of someone being member of some child abusing cabal of elites controlling the globe. Many are too quick to jump to conspiracy theories once only held by the far right.
If Thiel just wrote their names down, then you're right
I would've been right about what? What am I wrong about? Maybe you meant to reply to a different message?
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentWhere's the source for some cabal controlling the world? Should I sit out of the next election since "they" actually secretly control everything? The evidence certainly isn't contained in the link...It’s wild learning that there’s a secret cadre of elites who control the globe.
Where's the source for some cabal controlling the world? Should I sit out of the next election since "they" actually secretly control everything? The evidence certainly isn't contained in the link above. That some rich people attended the same seminar is not sufficient evidence for wild conspiracy theories.
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentWhat is your perception of events where either case is "the illuminati is real"? That wealthy people talk to each other is not some world shattering revelation. That some of the wealthy people...What is your perception of events where either case is "the illuminati is real"?
That wealthy people talk to each other is not some world shattering revelation. That some of the wealthy people turn out to be bad is also not mind blowing. I think with both Epstein and now this people take a kernel of truth and run with it. It's to the point that many good left leaning people think all the worlds governments are part of a cabal of baby eaters or something. This isn't significantly different from pizzagate or q-anon in my opinion.
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Comment on Leak exposes members of Peter Thiel’s secretive ‘dialog’ society in ~society
RNG Link ParentWho on the list constitutes an "Epstein-class pedolite"? Note that not everything I say here may characterize your beliefs, but it's been something that's been on my mind when I see comments like...Who on the list constitutes an "Epstein-class pedolite"?
Note that not everything I say here may characterize your beliefs, but it's been something that's been on my mind when I see comments like this from good and well-meaning people. I understand generalized anger at "elites", especially reactionary ones. I do worry about the state of contemporary discourse. We seem to determine massive swaths of the population are complicit eating babies or something with the only evidence having been on a mailing list.
There's something about the Epstein stuff that has led many to tilt towards satanic panic-levels of paranoia. I understand wanting rub the Epstein conspiracy stuff in the right's face, given that narrative is now more effectively wielded against the right than the left. But, I am comfortable challenging irrational thinking when the right did it (pizzagate, qanon), and I'm more than happy to confront it when I see it on the left.
Yes there are evil elites. Yes, a portion of them are abusive criminals who should rot in prison. But having contact with Thiel or even Epstein does not constitute meaningful evidence of being part of some pedo conspiracy; many other more plausible theories predict this data equally well.
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Comment on What internet discussion sites remain? in ~tech
RNG Link ParentThere is one skill you have that I am envious of: you seem to know how much we should care about something. How much should I care about Jan 6th? White House UFC stadium? The anti-weaponization...There is one skill you have that I am envious of: you seem to know how much we should care about something. How much should I care about Jan 6th? White House UFC stadium? The anti-weaponization fund? (my guess for you is "a lot", "not at all", "some")
I feel like I don't even know where to turn for sober analysis of what's going on, other than following random people online like yourself who seem sane. I just need to know the reasons to care/not care about The Latest Thing™ everyone is worried about.
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Comment on What do you think of robots in the military? in ~tech
RNG Link ParentI'm not for autonomous weapons, but they don't seem quite as bad as mines which are already used. A mine determines you are an enemy combatant worthy of death for solely having stepped on some...I'm not for autonomous weapons, but they don't seem quite as bad as mines which are already used. A mine determines you are an enemy combatant worthy of death for solely having stepped on some small patch of ground. That means a Russian soldier, a deer, or a child playing in the woods 150 years from now.
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Comment on What internet discussion sites remain? in ~tech
RNG LinkMost of the content I engage with is on Substack. Text-focused discussions on whatever you care about. Maybe someday u/skybrian will pick back up his AI blog. Though my vote is for...Most of the content I engage with is on Substack. Text-focused discussions on whatever you care about. Maybe someday u/skybrian will pick back up his AI blog. Though my vote is for culture/political writing; I find his perspective to be be uniquely cogent and insightful.
Some of the biggest substacks are big for a reason; if you want a start, I recommend Bentham's Bulldog and Scott Alexander as they should be of interest to the kind of person who frequents here.
Type-a physicalists don't say the kinds of things Rovelli says here, because what he is saying are straightforward mistakes. He at no point was able to provide a basic articulation of the debate, provide reasons for taking the type-a view, or even reference phenomenal concepts, on which most of the debate hangs. For instance, take the quote:
This is confused. The "explanatory gap" is the fact that the phenomenal conceptually underdetermines the physical (and vice versa.) I can't, a priori, do neuroscience by reflecting on my experiences, and (if we even have "felt experiences"), I couldn't know about the character of these "felt experiences" of someone merely by looking at their neurology. There are two broad physicalist responses to this worry, and it seems like Rovelli is unfamiliar with both of them.
I don't mind an aggressive tone. It's just disappointing how often relatively basic mistakes in the philosophy of mind gain traction. I don't blame you at all; it's kinda lame the editors didn't have someone familiar with the subject review prior to publication.