pawsforthought

I have to wonder about the real-world applicability of any such simulation, under the assumption that the systems in question are chaotic, and so extremely sensitive to initial conditions.

Do we end up needing to simulate the whole world? Because, ultimately these systems are in fact one, and not separate at all.

Right. There are enough cases of extreme neuroplasticity following lobotomies, even hemispherectomies, that this case doesn’t seem too surprising. It is still fascinating though, that our brains are so malleable and self-reconfiguring.

The pragmatist in me says you make a good point. The idealist in me shrivels in disgust nevertheless.

Agreed.

Furthermore, I say billionaires need publicly shaming for such material extravagances. These superyachts are, quite frankly, an utterly irresponsible use of our shared and finite planetary resources.

Yet, people can and will use heuristics as GP does to make such inferences all the time. I don’t think we can help it. Whether that’s a problem depends on what one does with such an inference.

In the case of a suspected cold, it’s perfectly reasonable to keep one’s distance to try to avoid catching it, whether the supposition is correct or not.

Suspected depression? Harder to say, but at minimum I hope that appraisal engenders understanding and compassion. I think gently suggesting someone seek professional help is reasonable. I also think we have a tendency to overly pathologize perfectly normal mental states, however, and especially if (as the OP states) a person appraises themselves to be OK, then suggestion should not become insistence.

The real issue is that they’ll be forever restricted to Russian airspace.

Is nature going to put a stop to our rape of this planet by directly killing millions (maybe billions) through heat, fire, flooding, famine, drought, etc.? Is that what it will take? Am I wrong to be despondent about our capability as a species to prevent this coming catastrophe any other way?

To be fair, one should be comparing numbers of evidence-based dentistry journals to those of comparable sub-fields, not medicine as a whole.

The other points are also only anecdotes. Not to say I’m not inclined to believe them, but some better evidence is perhaps needed before declaring dentistry to be unscientific.

And let’s not forget that cheap meat is possible only because of industrial-scale mistreatment of animals, the abuse of antibiotics, mass devastation of the natural world to grow feed for said animals, etc., etc.

We reap what we sow. We’re killing Earth’s biosphere, and soon enough our own species will face its doom.

But hey, let’s get another bucket of chicken and keep stuffing our faces with hamburgers.

Watch either of these documentaries and tell me whether you’re still irked [0][1].

[0]:https://youtu.be/8gqwpfEcBjI

[1]:https://youtu.be/dvtVkNofcq8

If you can stomach it (and, frankly, I think anyone who eats meat should know how their food makes it to their plate), I suggest watching Earthlings [0] or Land of Hope and Glory [1].

For reference, an estimated 99% of all farmed animals in the US live in factory conditions [2].

[0]:https://youtu.be/8gqwpfEcBjI

[1]:https://youtu.be/dvtVkNofcq8

[2]:https://www.sentienceinstitute.org/us-factory-farming-estima...

When will people learn that wild animals should not be pets? This just saddens me.

“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”

Indeed, days of lived experience are not fungible.

Absolutely. I dislike the offhand dismissal of things as first world problems, most especially because, if we can find a way to a future where the rest of the world catches up in living standards, these will be everyone’s problems.

In what way did Firefox throw anything away with Rust? (Just don’t know the story.)

Let’s put this in perspective, walking biohazards for the professor, sure, and I wholeheartedly support his tirade.

The students to each other, not so much, but he’s right that they shouldn’t go to his class.

At least Spotify allows me to pay for the service.

I just wish that in return for that payment, they were a little more innovative with music discovery. They must be sitting on an absolute gold mine of data that could be used to create an incredible interactive discovery experience, but the best we get is enhanced playlists and Discover Weekly, unless I’m missing something.

Would I pay more money to them if they actually worked on this stuff? Yes, yes I would.