April 22, 2013
New mysterianism is a philosophical position proposing that the hard problem of consciousness (explaining how and why we have qualia or phenomenal experiences — how sensations acquire characteristics, such as colors and tastes) cannot be resolved by humans. Neurobiologist Owen Flanagan noted in his 1991 book ‘Science of the Mind’ that some modern thinkers have suggested that consciousness may never be completely explained. Flanagan called them ‘the new mysterians’ after the rock group Question Mark and the Mysterians.
But the new mysterianism is a postmodern position designed to drive a railroad spike through the heart of scientism. The term has been extended by some writers to encompass the wider philosophical position that humans do not have the intellectual ability to solve (or comprehend the answers to) many hard problems, not just the problem of consciousness, at a scientific level. This position is also known as anti-constructive naturalism.
read more »
Posted in Philosophy |
1 Comment »
April 22, 2013
Hypokeimenon [hahy-puh-kay-muh-non], later called ‘material substratum,’ is a term in metaphysics which literally means the ‘underlying thing’ (‘subiectum’ in Latin). To search for the hypokeimenon is to search for that substance which persists in a thing going through change— its basic essence.
According to Aristotle’s definition (in ‘Categories’), hypokeimenon is something which can be predicated by other things, but cannot be a predicate of others. The existence of a material substratum was posited by English philosopher John Locke, with conceptual similarities to Jewish-Dutch rationalist Baruch Spinoza’s ‘substance,’ and German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s concept of the ‘noumenon’ (a purely mental entity).
read more »
Posted in Philosophy |
Leave a Comment »
April 22, 2013
Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple; it usually relates to the burden which a thing puts on someone trying to explain or understand it.
However, Herbert A. Simon (American political scientist, economist, sociologist, and psychologist) suggested, something is simple or complex depending on the way we choose to describe it. In some uses, simplicity can be used to imply beauty, purity, or clarity.
read more »
Posted in Language, Philosophy, Technology |
Leave a Comment »
April 22, 2013
Elegance is the attribute of being unusually effective and simple. It is frequently used as a standard of tastefulness, particularly in the areas of fashion and decoration. Some associate elegance with simplicity of design. Others understand the word in an opulent light as in tasteful richness of design or ornamentation. Visual stimuli are frequently considered elegant if a small number of colors and stimuli are used, emphasizing the remainder. The color white is often associated with elegance, usually along with blue or black.
Elegance is a synonym for beauty that has come to acquire the additional connotations of unusual effectiveness and simplicity. It is frequently used as a standard of tastefulness particularly in the areas of visual design, decoration, the sciences, and the esthetics of mathematics. Elegant things exhibit refined grace and dignified propriety.
read more »
Posted in Art, Language, Philosophy |
Leave a Comment »
April 22, 2013
A chain is a series of connected links which are typically made of metal. A chain may consist of two or more links.
According to the ‘Complete Guide to Chain,’ the metal link chain was invented in 225 BCE. The prevalent modern symbolism is oppression, due to the use for a mechanical restriction of the liberty of a human or animal. However, chains can also symbolize interconnectivity or interdependence.
read more »
Posted in Technology |
Leave a Comment »
April 22, 2013
Rust is a type of corrosion (the breakdown of materials due to reactions with their surroundings). Normally, when a material corrodes it becomes weaker, however some forms of high temperature corrosion can lead to the formation of protective compacted oxide layer glazes. Iron corrosion is called rusting.
When exposed to air or water for a long time, iron slowly decomposes into other chemicals, because of a reaction with oxygen molecules (air and water contain oxygen). Many other metals undergo equivalent corrosion, but the resulting oxides are not commonly called rust.
read more »
Posted in Science |
Leave a Comment »
April 21, 2013
A pizza saver is a device used to prevent the top of a food container, such as a pizza box or cake box, from collapsing in at the center and touching the food inside. A pizza saver is made of plastic and has three (sometimes four) legs. They are often white, and the common practice is to place one pizza saver in the center of the pizza before the box lid is closed for delivery.
The pizza saver is not re-used and is thrown away or recycled by the patron, although some people have found secondary uses for them such as egg holders when turned upside down.
read more »
Posted in Food, Money, Technology |
Leave a Comment »
April 20, 2013
Random Access Memories is the fourth studio album by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, which features collaborations with artists including Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, Giorgio Moroder, Pharrell Williams, Todd Edwards, DJ Falcon, Chilly Gonzales, Panda Bear, and Julian Casablancas.
Daft Punk began experimenting with material for a fourth studio album in 2008, whilst working on the ‘Tron: Legacy score.’
read more »
Posted in Art |
Leave a Comment »
April 19, 2013
Bicycle Day is April 19, 1943; Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann performed a self-experiment to determine the true effects of LSD, intentionally ingesting 250 micrograms of the substance, an amount he predicted to be a threshold dose (an actual threshold dose is 20 micrograms). Less than an hour later, Hofmann experienced sudden and intense changes in perception.
He asked his laboratory assistant to escort him home and, as use of motor vehicles was prohibited because of wartime restrictions, they had to make the journey on a bicycle.
read more »
Posted in Drugs |
Leave a Comment »
April 19, 2013
A hater is a person who expresses hatred in public forums, especially those found on the Internet such as YouTube. Haters are distinguished from trolls who seek to attract attention by making provocative comments.
Haters may become organized into groups and the seven stage model of hate crime developed by Schafer and Navarro for the FBI may explain their behavior: 1) the hater finds other with similar views to form a group; 2) the group develops symbols and rituals to identify itself; 3) the group shares its views to bond; 4) the target is taunted; 5) the target is attacked; 6) the target is attacked with weapons; and 7) the target is destroyed.
Posted in Language, Politics |
Leave a Comment »
April 18, 2013
Cephalopod [sef-uh-luh-pod] intelligence has an important comparative aspect in the understanding of intelligence because it relies on a nervous system fundamentally different from that of vertebrates. The cephalopod class of molluscs, particularly the Coleoidea subclass (cuttlefish, squid and octopuses), are considered the most intelligent invertebrates and an important example of advanced cognitive evolution in animals.
The scope of cephalopod intelligence is controversial, complicated by the challenges of studying these elusive and fundamentally different creatures. Classical conditioning of cephalopods has been reported, and a study in 1992 concluded that octopuses practice observational learning. However, the latter idea is strongly disputed, and doubt has been shed on some other reported capabilities as well. In any case, impressive spatial learning capacity, navigational abilities, and predatory techniques remain beyond question.
read more »
Posted in Science |
Leave a Comment »
April 18, 2013
Panpsychism [pan-sahy-kiz-uhm] is the theory that everything in the universe is somehow sentient or conscious and connected parts of a whole. Panpsychists believe that all matter in the universe has some degree of consciousness.
In other words the substance of the universe is composed entirely of mind or consciousness. This is not to say that rocks have a mind but that the individual atoms and other particles in the rock have some sort of awareness and are aware of each other. Panpsychism is opposed to materialism or any doctrine that argues that the reality of the universe is composed solely of matter.
read more »
Posted in Philosophy |
Leave a Comment »
The Daily Omnivore 