13 DEC 2017 by ideonexus
Despair, Cynicism, and Absurdism
Whereas modern cynicism brought despair about the ability of the human species to realize laudable ideals, postmodern cynicism doesn't — not because it's optimistic, but because it can't take ideals seriously in the first place. The prevailing attitude is Absurdism. A postmodern magazine may be irreverent, but not bitterly irreverent, for it's not purposefully irreverent; its aim is indiscriminate, because everyone is equally ridiculous. And anyway, there's no moral basis for passing judgme... 1 
notes
notesI often see the attitudes of self-proclaimed cynics as actually expressions of despair. When I find myself enjoying media that these cynics claim to enjoy for nihilistic messages, like Rick and Morty, my appreciation of the media comes from what I see as absurdity.
16 FEB 2015 by ideonexus
Religious Children Less Capable of Distinguishing Fantasy...
In two studies, 5- and 6-year-old children were questioned about the status of the protagonist
embedded in three different types of stories. In realistic stories that only included ordinary events,
all children, irrespective of family background and schooling, claimed that the protagonist was a
real person. In religious stories that included ordinarily impossible events brought about by divine
intervention, claims about the status of the protagonist varied sharply with exposure to religion.
C... 1 notes
notes24 JAN 2015 by ideonexus
Economic Forecasting VS Science Fiction Predictions
There are two ways to predict the progress of technology. One way is economic forecasting, the other way is science fiction. Economic forecasting makes predictions by extrapolating curves of growth from the past into the future. Science fiction makes a wild guess and leaves the judgment of its plausibility to the reader. Economic forecasting is useful for predicting the future up to about ten years ahead. Beyond ten years it rapidly becomes meaningless. Beyond ten years the quantitative chang... 1 notes
notes24 JAN 2014 by ideonexus
Hippocratic Oath
I swear by Apollo the physician, by Asclepius, by Heahh, by Panacea and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture. To hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture; to impart...
1 The original.
22 JAN 2014 by ideonexus
Descartes Rules
I thought the following four [rules] would be enough, provided that I made a firm and constant resolution not to fail even once in the observance of them.
The first was never to accept anything as true if I had not evident knowledge of its being so; that is, carefully to avoid precipitancy and prejudice, and to embrace in my judgment only what presented itself to my mind SO cleariy and distinctly that I had no occasion to doubt it. The second, to divide each problem I examined into as many ... 1 notes
notesThe basis for empiricism, even if he abandons them in his own arguments.
23 MAR 2013 by ideonexus
Emotions Happen, But Don't Let Them Cloud Judgement
let’s revisit
that initial encounter in The Sign of Four,
when Mary Morstan, the mysterious lady
caller, first makes her appearance. Do the
two men see Mary in the same light? Not
at all. The first thing Watson notices is the
lady’s appearance. She is, he remarks, a
rather attractive woman. Irrelevant,
counters Holmes. “It is of the first
importance not to allow your judgment to
be biased by personal qualities,” he
explains. “A client is to me a mere unit, a
factor in a problem. The...Folksonomies: emotion mindfulness
Folksonomies: emotion mindfulness
Another example using Watson and Holmes.
19 JAN 2013 by ideonexus
Post Modernism Leads to Totalitarianism
There is objective truth to be learned by observation, and the knowledge gained gives power that other "ways of knowing" have not. But the more dangerous problem with postmodernist thinking is its a priori nature. Not truth, but a political goal has to be served—in this particular case the goal of openness, or tolerance without judgment. But without acknowledgi objective truth, all arguments become rhetorical and therefore can go on forever—and we are either paralyzed by it or we must res... 1 notes
notesWhen facts are relative and belief makes reality, then the best strategy is to hold to your belief uncompromisingly.
21 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Don't be Buffaloed by Elites
Don't be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world. Folksonomies: elitism
Folksonomies: elitism
1 notes
notesThey can be inbred and weak.
11 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
The Dinosaur: A Poem
Behold the mighty dinosaur,
Famous in prehistoric lore,
Not only for his power and strength
But for his intellectual length.
You will observe by these remains
The creature had two sets of brains—
One in his head (the usual place),
The other at his spinal base.
Thus he could reason 'A priori'
As well as 'A posteriori'.
No problem bothered him a bit
He made both head and tail of it.
So wise was he, so wise and solemn,
Each thought filled just a spinal column.
If one brain found the pressure s...About how dinosaurs have two brains, one in the rear (don't know if this is true or not, but I remember hearing this).
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.
