30 NOV 2015 by ideonexus
Leave "Terrestrialism at the Threshold"
Now all my tales are based on the fundamental premise that common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large. To me there is nothing but puerility in a tale in which the human form—and the local human passions and conditions and standards—are depicted as native to other worlds or other universes. To achieve the essence of real externality, whether of time or space or dimension, one must forget that such things as organic life, good a...Folksonomies: anti-humanism
Folksonomies: anti-humanism
1 08 OCT 2013 by ideonexus
Evolutionary Theory Does Not Justify Greed
Human nature as it now exists was formed in accord with the laws of evolution under conditions pertaining well before recorded human history. Fossils discovered in Ethiopia and Kenya now date human ancestors back at least 5 or 6 million years. Distinctly human species arose in Africa at least 2 million years ago, while present evidence indicates that modern humans are only about 100,000 years old. Therefore the conditions relevant to which genetic mutations were advantageous and which were no... 1 
notes
notesMany economic theories relying on "human nature" assume we are greedy, but this is not supported by the evidence. We might just as likely be generous and that is our evolutionary advantage.
03 OCT 2013 by ideonexus
Homo sapiens' Adaptability is Our Greatest Adaptation
All tools are externalizations of originally integral
functions. But in developing each tool man also extends the limits
of its usefulness, since he can make bigger cups hold liquids too
hot or chemically destructive for his hands. Tools do not introduce
new principles but they greatly extend the range of conditions
under which the discovered control principle may be effectively
employed by man. There is nothing new in world technology's
growth. It is only the vast increase of its effective r... 1 notes
notesWe extend ourselves through our tools.
25 JUL 2013 by ideonexus
Nature is Intrinsically Probabilistic
Here are the circumstances: source, strong light source; tell me, behind which hole will I see the electron? You say, 'Well, the reason you can't tell through which hole you're going to see the electron is, it's determined by some very complicated things back here: if I knew enough about that electron - it has internal wheels, internal gears, and so forth - and that this is what determines through which hole it goes. It's 50/50 probability because, like a die, it's set sort of at random - and...Folksonomies: quantum physics probability
Folksonomies: quantum physics probability
1 notes
notesThe light as a particle/wave duality make it impossible to predict where an electron will emerge in an experiment.
06 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Passive and Active Observation
It is usual to say that the two sources of experience are Observation and Experiment. When we merely note and record the phenomena which occur around us in the ordinary course of nature we are said to observe. When we change the course of nature by the intervention of our will and muscular powers, and thus produce unusual combinations and conditions of phenomena, we are said to experiment. [Sir John] Herschel has justly remarked that we might properly call these two modes of experience passiv...Folksonomies: observation experimentation
Folksonomies: observation experimentation
1 The difference between noting phenomena and experimenting with them.
04 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Big Bang Does Not Preclude a Creator
Hubble's observations suggested that there was a time, called the big bang, when the universe was infinitesimally small and infinitely dense. Under such conditions all the laws of science, and therefore all ability to predict the future, would break down. If there were events earlier than this time, then they could not affect what happens at the present time. Their existence can be ignored because it would have no observational consequences. One may say that time had a beginning at the big ba... 1 notes
notesBut sets limits on when it did the creating.
30 MAY 2012 by ideonexus
The Importance of Large Samples
Any experiment may be regarded as forming an individual of a 'population' of experiments which might be performed under the same conditions. A series of experiments is a sample drawn from this population.
Now any series of experiments is only of value in so far as it enables us to form a judgment as to the statistical constants of the population to which the experiments belong. In a great number of cases the question finally turns on the value of a mean, either directly, or as the mean diffe...Folksonomies: statistics sampling
Folksonomies: statistics sampling
1 notes
notesSmall samples introduce two potential errors.
30 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
The Social Darwinism of Wealth Consolidation
While the law [of competition] may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it insures the survival of the fittest in every department. We accept and welcome, therefore, as conditions to which we must accommodate ourselves, great inequality of environment, the concentration of business, industrial and commercial, in the hands of a few, and the law of competition between these, as being not only beneficial, but essential for the future progress of the race. Folksonomies: social darwinism
Folksonomies: social darwinism
1 notes
notesAndrew Carnegie argues that economic inequality is good for the species because it promotes natural selection.
28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Every Region is the Scientist's Fatherland
And when statesmen or others worry him [the scientist] too much, then he should leave with his possessions. With a firm and steadfast mind one should hold under all conditions, that everywhere the earth is below and the sky above and to the energetic man, every region is his fatherland.Folksonomies: politics science culture
Folksonomies: politics science culture
1 notes
notesA quote from Tycho Brahe urging scientists to move away when politicians or other authorities pressure them.
28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Robert Boyle's Definition of a Good Hypothesis
The Requisites of a good Hypothesis are:
That It be Intelligible.
That It neither Assume nor Suppose anything Impossible, unintelligible, or demonstrably False.
That It be consistent with Itself.
That It be lit and sufficient to Explicate the Phaenomena, especially the chief.
That It be, at least, consistent, with the rest of the Phaenomena It particularly relates to, and do not contradict any other known Phaenomena of nature, or manifest Physical Truth.
The Qualities and Conditions of...Folksonomies: hypothesis
Folksonomies: hypothesis
1 notes
notesA list of traits for good hypotheses and a list for excellent hypotheses.
