Tag Archives: Knowledge

Probability is relative

Posted on March 2, 2019 by

At Aeon, Nevin Climenhaga makes some interesting points about probability.  After describing different interpretations of probability, one involving the frequency with which an event will occur, another involving its propensity to occur, and a third involving our confidence it will … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Why are we real?

Posted on February 11, 2019 by

Nathaniel Stein has an interesting article at Aeon, The why of reality: The easy question came first, a few months after my son turned four: ‘Are we real?’ It was abrupt, but not quite out of nowhere, and I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , | 76 Comments

We entered the reputation age a long time ago

Posted on January 1, 2019 by

Aeon is currently highlighting articles from throughout 2018 that are editor favorites.  This morning, they highlighted one by Gloria Origgi, Say goodbye to the information age: it’s all about reputation now: There is an underappreciated paradox of knowledge that plays a … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

What is knowledge?

Posted on January 15, 2018 by

In the discussion on the last post on measurement, the definition of knowledge came up a few times.  That’s dredged up long standing thoughts I have about knowledge, which I’ve discussed with some of you before, but that I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , | 67 Comments

xkcd: Squirrel Plan

Posted on March 25, 2015 by

I have to say that this is along the lines of what I think about when people confidently assert the existence of the multiverse, their favorite interpretation of quantum physics, or any other metaphysical assertion. via xkcd: Squirrel Plan.  

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling: How not to be ignorant about the world

Posted on October 4, 2014 by

Worried the world is going to hell in a handbasket?  You’ll feel better after watching this video, and also get some insight into why you might have thought it was. Watching this video also reminded me of something I learned … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

SMBC: The curse of knowledge

Posted on September 8, 2014 by

Click through for full sized version. via Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. This strip reminds me of something I heard someone say in a presentation on communication strategies several years ago.  It was a concept the speaker referred to as “the curse of … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Is logic and mathematics part of science?

Posted on August 26, 2014 by

Last week was scientism week at Scientia Salon, and I reblogged a post by Coel Hellier on a defense of scientism, mostly by arguing that mathematics was actually part of science.  As I indicated in my comment on that reblog, … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How do you separate the objective from the subjective?

Posted on March 20, 2014 by

So, I’m a skeptic, and I’ve had my share of debates on comment threads with people about purported phenomena without scientific evidence.  One of the claims often asserted is that so many people have experienced it, there must be something … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , | 52 Comments

Proof that the external world exists?

Posted on January 22, 2014 by

Eric Schwitzgebel is reading Stannis Lem’s novel ‘Solaris’ and discovers in the novel a test of the existence of the external world: I instructed the satellite to give me the figure of the galactic meridians it was traversing at 22-second intervals … Continue reading →

Posted in Zeitgeist | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments