I've recently read the first two books of Jeff Vandermeer's science fiction trilogy, 'The Southern Reach': 'Annihilation' and 'Authority'. The second book was just released, with the third and final book scheduled to be released later this year. The series is about a mysterious area of land that has been cut off from the outside … Continue reading The Southern Reach
Month: May 2014
SMBC: Math and the universe
The question I've asked multiple times lately. Is the universe math, or math the universe? (Click through for full sized version.) via Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
What is religion?
Pascal Boyer in his book 'The Fracture of an Illusion' asserts that religion does not exist. Boyer points out that "religion" doesn't exist as a concept in most societies. When Boyer, an anthropological expert in religion, says that it doesn't exist, he's making a statement that might seem silly on its face. After all, if religion … Continue reading What is religion?
I don’t share Stephen Hawking’s worry about AIs
This essay by three physicists: Stephen Hawking, Max Tegmark, Frank Wilczek, along with Stuart Russell (the one computer scientist), seems to be getting a lot of attention. It keeps popping up in my various feeds, showing up in various venues. With the Hollywood blockbuster Transcendence playing in cinemas, with Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman showcasing clashing visions … Continue reading I don’t share Stephen Hawking’s worry about AIs
Bye-bye, Blu-ray: Video-on-demand and streaming options are gaining on you
After decades of losing format wars (anyone remember the Betamax vs VHS wars?), Sony finally won one in the last decade with Blu-ray. Pity for them that it's turning out to be a pyrrhic victory. The Blu-ray optical disc format, once a bastion of hope for reviving the home entertainment industry, is struggling to survive … Continue reading Bye-bye, Blu-ray: Video-on-demand and streaming options are gaining on you
You don’t always know what you’re saying
If you think you know what you just said, think again. People can be tricked into believing they have just said something they did not, researchers report this week. The dominant model of how speech works is that it is planned in advance — speakers begin with a conscious idea of exactly what they are … Continue reading You don’t always know what you’re saying
Response to the Response: How God Became Jesus « Christianity in Antiquity (CIA): The Bart Ehrman Blog
Earlier this week I reviewed Bart Ehrman's new book, 'How Jesus Became God', and noted that there was already a response book to it. Now Ehrman has posted a response to that response on his blog. He posted it publicly (ie not paywalled). My publisher, HarperOne, asked me to write a 1000-word response to the … Continue reading Response to the Response: How God Became Jesus « Christianity in Antiquity (CIA): The Bart Ehrman Blog
What Astronomy Says About Religion | Seth Shostak
It's a recurrent experience that never fails to perplex me: Random people will seek my advice on questions of religion. Rather than posing queries about how the cosmos works, they want me to enlighten them on why. Bottom line: We were so ordinary as to be thoroughly invisible -- as would be any other worlds, … Continue reading What Astronomy Says About Religion | Seth Shostak
When It Comes to Neanderthals, Humans May Be the Borg
The extinction and competition hypotheses for the demise of the Neanderthals, notably suggested by interdisciplinary scientist and author Jared Diamond, hinge on the idea that humans were more advanced than Neanderthals. Commonly claimed are the following: that humans had more communicative abilities, were more efficient hunters, had superior weaponry, ate a broader diet, and had … Continue reading When It Comes to Neanderthals, Humans May Be the Borg
SelfAwarePatterns 