30 NOV 2015 by ideonexus
The Inability of the Human Mind to Comprehend
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad...
1 21 APR 2014 by ideonexus
Faith-Based Empiricism
Before you judge the analogy with theology as being too harsh, conduct the followingexperiment.
Randomly select one of your own publications from a year or two ago
and think about what would be involved in reproducingthe results. How longwould
it take, assumingyou would be able to do it? If you can’t reproduce those results, why
do you believe them? Why should your readers?
Our inability to reproduce results leads to a debilitatingparadox, where we as
reviewers and readers accept highly em...Folksonomies: empiricism reproducibility
Folksonomies: empiricism reproducibility
1 
notes
notesSo much important information is left out of journal articles that often the results are not reproducible.
08 AUG 2013 by ideonexus
The Siren Server
A Siren Server, as I will refer to such a thing, is an elite computer, or coordinated collection of computers, on a network. It is characterized by narcissism, hyperamplified risk aversion, and extreme information asymmetry. It is the winner of an all-or-nothing contest, and it inflicts smaller all-or-nothing contests on those who interact with it. Siren Servers gather data from the network, often without having to pay for it. The data is analyzed using the most powerful available computers, ... 1 notes
notesWeb services that entice people to contribute to them, and whose contributions are then aggregated in various forms for the profit of the server owner.
22 MAR 2013 by ideonexus
Nogo receptor 1 Key to a Plastic Mind
Formation of lasting memories is believed to rely on structural alterations at the synaptic level. We had found that increased neuronal activity down-regulates Nogo receptor-1 (NgR1) in brain regions linked to memory formation and storage, and postulated this to be required for formation of lasting memories. We now show that mice with inducible overexpression of NgR1 in forebrain neurons have normal long-term potentiation and normal 24-h memory, but severely impaired month-long memory in both...Folksonomies: memory plasticity
Folksonomies: memory plasticity
1 NgR1 found to be key in the formation of long-term memories.
26 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Cognitive Rigidity
Experience may blind us from recognizing obvious solutions to problems. Research shows that physicians and health care professionals are likely to overlook the correct diagnosis in cases which do not match their experience [1]. Similar findings have been reported concerning difficulties in reframing clinical situations as experienced by healthcare professionals [2], [3], and difficulties of managers and decision makers in replacing existing procedures with new, improved and simpler ones [4]. ...Folksonomies: plasticity cognitive rigidity
Folksonomies: plasticity cognitive rigidity
When experience blinds us to possibilities it hurts our professional abilities and can even lead to cognitive pathologies.
26 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Survey of Studies on the Benefits of Meditation
...there has been a growing body of research over the last years examining various cognitive abilities related to mindfulness, most of which focusing on various measures of attention and memory... Although some studies did not find differences between meditators and non-meditators in rigidity related tasks (e.g [47], [48]), others have found that meditators exhibit decreased Stroop interference [49], [50](in a Zen meditation sample). The Stroop task requires participants to name the ink color...Folksonomies: meditation
Folksonomies: meditation
Decreased Stroop interference, superior visual perspective switching, superior verbal fluency, improved category production tasking, and reduced rumination.
12 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Geometry Seems Disconnected from Reality
Why is geometry often described as 'cold' and 'dry?' One reason lies in its inability to describe the shape of a cloud, a mountain, a coastline, or a tree. Clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones, coastlines are not circles, and bark is not smooth, nor does lightning travel in a straight line... Nature exhibits not simply a higher degree but an altogether different level of complexity. Folksonomies: complexity geometry
Folksonomies: complexity geometry
1 notes
notesIt deals with orbs and squares, but clouds and trees are much more complex.
01 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Failure to Produce Fake Results Confirms a Model
One of the most striking evidences of the reliability of the organic chemist's methods of determining molecular structure is the fact that he has never been able to derive satisfactory structures for supposed molecules which are in fact nonexistent. 1 notes
notesExample from organic chemsitry's inability to produce structures for molecules that do not exist.
23 JUL 2011 by ideonexus
Government by the Consent of the Governed
Some convenient tree will afford them a State-House, under the branches of which, the whole colony may assemble to deliberate on public matters. It is more than probable that their first laws will have the title only of REGULATIONS, and be enforced by no other penalty than public disesteem. In this first parliament every man, by natural right, will have a seat.
But as the colony increases, the public concerns will increase likewise, and the distance at which the members may be separated, wil... 1 notes
notesA revolutionary idea from Thomas Paine's famous pamphlet.
30 MAY 2011 by ideonexus
What is the Enlightenment?
Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [dare to know] "Have courage to use your own understanding!"--that is the motto of enlightenment.Folksonomies: enlightenment sapere aude
Folksonomies: enlightenment sapere aude
1 notes
notesThe maturation of mankind into a daring world of self-education.
