What, Why & How do we Know ?
HTLGI (How The Light Gets In) had a remote event – their “Winter Revel” – this past weekend, similar format to their twice-yearly Hay-on-Wye and London events, but hosted remotely on-line (*). I’m a big supporter of IAI/HTLGI, attending events over several years and reporting many excellent sessions and experiences here, as well as many … Continue reading “Reproduction Can Lead to Lower Complexity?”
Nearing the end of my reading of Cheryl Misak’s biography of Frank Ramsey in the chapter Wittgenstein Comes Home [and below, the penultimate chapter on the necessary layering of philosophy]. Previously so far: “Ramseyian Pragmatism” (this post). “A Vienna Interlude“. “The Hypocrisy of Debate“. “Ramsey, Wittgenstein, Gödel and the rest.” Final round-up: “The Best Consequences … Continue reading “Ramseyian Pragmatism”
Coincidentally, having just read and reviewed the Dennett piece at lunchtime today, after having it bookmarked for a month or two, I picked-up on a Twitter thread between Philip Ball and Sabine Hossenfelder on pretty much the same topic, but based on a piece I also had bookmarked for sometime, by Ball in Physics World. … Continue reading “Conscious Will – The View from Science”
Had one of those pet-hate Twitter-threads where someone makes a negative comment @me and dozens of others pile-on with “like” (and more) without any attempt to engage with the original point. (I used to have a pinned Tweet that said I routinely blocked such people.) You’re wrong. I am one of the theoretical physicists trying … Continue reading “I’m Not Wrong, Erik.”
Preamble This is probably as close as I’ll get to an actual review of Tim Bollands “Life the Universe and Consciousness”. I’ve made significant comments and references here three times already: Problems, Problems — Life, the Universe and Consciousness Life the Universe and Consciousness #2 Life, the Universe and Nothing New Under the Sun? And … Continue reading “The Review at the End of the Universe”
I previously devoted a whole post and made several other references to a new book by A T Bollands “Life the Universe and Consciousness“. Although addressing many of the same issues, problems with physical science, which are driving other current philosophers in the direction of panpsychism, Bollands is a “Universal Lifer”. In his book we … Continue reading “Life the Universe and Consciousness #2”
A thread with Massimo Pigliucci ended with this tweet from me. (I’m guessing he muted the conversation at that point): Anything derived from a metaphysics is testable by the methods of science. It may conflict with the existing body of science. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t add anything of value. You are a constant stream … Continue reading “Stoical in the Face of Metaphysical Doubt?”
[This piece extended in many footnotes below the line since original publication.] The cast of blue-tick players is: @glinner – Graham Linehan (since banned from Twitter) – vs – @frankieboyle – Frankie Boyle @billybragg – Billy Bragg @OwenJones84 – Owen Jones The recent round started with this Tweet, for which Glinner has got a fair … Continue reading “Calling Out Celebrity Supporters of Gender Self-ID”