Sensitivity vs Political Correctness

An important distinction between them:

Racism is not when I don't like them. Racism is when I don't respect them.

Theist, Atheist or Neat?

The theist answers "yes" to the question "Do you believe that god exists?". The atheist responds "no" either because he does not know or because he believes god does not exist.

Personally, I do not even understand the question. I am a Neat!

You?

Consciousness definition

Consciousness is the ability of an entity to:

1. observe reality
2. be aware of its own limits within reality, i.e. which parts of reality are external and which internal to itself
3. symbolically internalize aspects of its own observations in the forms of data and models
4. process the data using the models
5. use the output of processing in 4 to (re)act both internally and externally to itself.

Who needs Dogmatism?

No one has ever had to defend Euclidean Geometry from heretics.

Dogmatism is only ever needed to defend beliefs that do nοt work.

What is Knowledge?

Knowledge is belief that works as expected.

Equivalently, Control Enhancing Belief.

Dogmatism in Science & Religion

Dogmatism is for science what sin is for religion, undesirable but inescapable. Dogmatism is for religion what knowledge is for science, desirable but unattainable._ 

Pessimist, optimist, realist & visionary

"The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
The realist adjusts the sails."

William A. Ward

...and the visionary adjusts the sails in such a way as to direct the ship towards a wonderful new land.

Ελεύθερη Βούληση - Free Will

Η ικανότητα συνειδητής επιλογής που δεν μπορεί να προβλεφθεί.

The ability for conscious choice that cannot be predicted.

My political compass, full disclosure

http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

_____________________________________________________

World's Smallest Political Quiz

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz

Αφιέρωση στους ιδεαλιστές

Αισθάνομαι την ανάγκη να αφιερώσω σε όλους τους ιδεαλιστές αυτού του κόσμου, το ρητό που ήταν γραμμένο στην σκοπιά που φύλαγα μια εποχή:

"To all the virgins thanks for nothing!".

Petition against Guantanamo Bay

There must be a better way to protect our democracy from the hands of terrorists than destroying it with our own.

Sign a petition of Amnesty International against Guantanamo, the global symbol of democratic setbacks of the 21st century.

The Scientist's Creed with explanatory comments

V1.07

The Creed	Comments
	Reality and its attributes.
I believe in one reality	Reality is unique.
that is accessible,
objective,	The same to all observers.
and dynamic,	Changing.
and in no other authority.	Anti-dogmatism: Reality is the ultimate authority.
	Symmetries: Scientific Laws.
And in the existence of timeless symmetries	Symmetries Exist, i.e. reality is organised, i.e. some conceivable worlds are excluded from being possible.
which delineate reality's dynamics	Symmetries limit reality's possible changes i.e. phenomena.
thus providing the only basis	This limitation / organosis of reality is the only available means...
for exerting some control	...to influencing reality as desired, i.e. successfully anticipating the outcome...
through conscious actions,	...by acting on it (the scientist and her actions are part of reality).
including predictions.	Predictions of future changes are themselves a kind of control over reality.
	The scientist's objective.
I believe that acquiring the means	Science is primariry about acquiring the means of control (knowledge of the symmetries), as opposed to application of those means (technology) which is not a primary project for the scientist.
for controling reality
is a worthy goal
whose promotion I choose
as my personal objective.
	Rationality (or Logic)
I believe that rationality	Rationality is loosely used to mean, 'the rules used by all scientists to think, argue with and convince one another, on scientific issues'.
is the reflection	Rationality, even if not fully, explicitly & clearly known...
of one of the most generic symmetries of all.	..., exists and is objective. It is also very generic as it applies to virtually all of reality's dynamics.
	Scientific tools: Technology.
I believe that the control potential	Tools are intelligent constructions that enhance the potential for control over reality...
of intelligent beings
can be enhanced by tools,
which are constructions of their own
that exploit the symmetries	...by exploiting the symmetries.
to achieve specific goals.	E.g. a fur is a tool which keeps a person warm by exploiting the thermodynamic physical laws.
	Evidence.
I believe in evidence	Evidence exists.
which are the records	Evidence are records...
of reality's dynamics,	...of how reality changes, i.e. of phenomena.
accessible only by the senses	Evidence is empirical in nature. Technology used for scientific (as opposed to life practical) purposes.
as enhanced and rendered more objective
by tools of observation, measurement
and recording.
I believe that evidence expose the summetries	Evidence expose the symmetries by making apparent the patterns produced by them.
through their repetitive patterns
which patterns are themselves accessible	The human mind and intelligence in general, are capable of making sense of the patterns exposed by evidence, therefore approximate the symmetries that produce the patterns.
at least in part
by intelligence
including the human mind.
	Imagination & Intuition.
And in imagination and intuition	Imagination & Intuition produce hypotheses regarding scientific laws, that change how existing evidence is viewed and highlight the need for additional evidence to test them.
that contribute falsifiable hypotheses
regarding the symmetries
thus shedding new light
in existing evidence
and guiding the search for new.
	Research / Experiments.
And in the great utility	Research & Experiments are very useful evidence gathering projects, with the goal to test specific hypotheses, by analysing the relevant patterns.
of acquiring additional targeted evidence
to elucidate relevant patterns
and test the corressponding hypotheses,
or even producing it myself by	In experiments, control is exercised for the scientific process itself! The symmetries are 'forced' to show their hand by causing the relevant phenomena, under close control.
inducing closely controlled dynamics
relevant to the symmetries under examination.
	Inescapable Uncertainty.
I believe in the need for clear distinction	It's very important to distinguish between actual scientific laws and what these laws are currently considered to be, by science.
between my presumptions for the symmetries
and the actual symmetries themselves,
and in my inescapable inability	The two can never be ascertained to coincide, even when they actually do coincide.
to ascertain that the two coincide
irrespective of the available amount of evidence,
and also that subjectivity	Subjectivity is what makes scientists feel erroneously certain that, what they presume the symmetries to be, are the actual symmetries.
is the main reason
that blurs this most important distinction.
	Continuous Research via a Competitive peer review process, is indispensible.
And in the need therefore,	Because presumed symmetries are never guarranteed to coincide with the actual ones...
for continuous, diligent and free search	...there's a constant need for searching for inconcistencies between the presumed symmetries and the actual ones. This search needs to be free...
for inconsistencies between the two,
using all available ethical ways and tools
by anyone interested,	...and open to anyone.
and in any case	The results of a single individual, however well qualified, are not enough. Anyone's work has to be competitively tested by others.
by the competitive joint action
of several qualified specialists.
	Anti-dogmatism, feedback mechanism.
Finally I believe that	The Creed does not change the fact that reality is the ultimate authority. Even this text will need to be modified, together with any other view, if it proves to not lead to a worldview that actually works.
the perpetual enhancement
of the means to control
stands as my highest priority
and certainly above all current presumptions
even the ones stated
in this very text._

Please find here the same text without the comments, and here a discussion on why a Scientific Creed text is needed in the first place.

Το ίδιο κείμενο στα Ελληνικά, εδώ.

How does Science differ from Faith?

Science is a faith!

But this is exactly what religious believers say about science, to reduce it to an equal philosophical footing with religious faith. Why would I agree with them? Well, ... , even religious people can be right in some of their claims and I really think this is one of them. Not that science is philosophically on an equal footing with religious faith. Only that science is ultimately faith based.

The Scientist's Creed

V1.07

The text is still work in progress, based on comments as well. Please note which version the comments refer to.

1. 1. I believe in one reality
   2. that is accessible,
   3. objective,
   4. and dynamic,
   5. and in no other authority.
2. 1. And in the existence of timeless symmetries
   2. which delineate reality's dynamics
   3. thus providing the only basis
   4. for exerting some control
   5. through conscious actions
   6. including predictions.
3. 1. I believe that acquiring the means
   2. for controling reality
   3. is a worthy goal
   4. whose promotion I choose
   5. as my personal objective.
4. 1. I believe that rationality
   2. is the reflection
   3. of one of the most generic symmetries of all.
5. 1. I believe that the control potential
   2. of intelligent beings
   3. can be enhanced by tools
   4. which are constructions of their own
   5. that exploit the symmetries
   6. to achieve specific goals.
6. 1. I believe in evidence
   2. which are records
   3. of reality's dynamics
   4. accessible only by the senses
   5. as enhanced and rendered more objective
   6. by tools of observation, measurement
   7. and recording.
   8. I believe that evidence expose the symmetries
   9. through their repetitive patterns
   10. which patterns are themselves accessible
   11. at least in part
   12. by intelligence
   13. including the human mind.
7. 1. And in imagination and intuition
   2. that contribute falsifiable hypotheses
   3. regarding the symmetries
   4. thus shedding new light
   5. in existing evidence
   6. and guiding the search for new.
8. 1. And in the great utility
   2. of acquiring additional targeted evidence
   3. to elucidate relevant patterns
   4. and test the corresponding hypotheses,
   5. or even producing it myself
   6. by inducing closely controlled dynamics
   7. relevant to the symmetries under examination.
9. 1. I believe in the need for clear distinction
   2. between my presumptions regarding the symmetries
   3. and the actual symmetries themselves,
   4. and in my inescapable inability
   5. to ascertain that the two coincide
   6. irrespective of the available amount of evidence,
   7. and also that subjectivity
   8. is the main reason
   9. that blurs this most important distinction.
10. 1. And in the need therefore
    2. for continuous, diligent and free search
    3. for inconsistencies between the two
    4. using all available ethical methods and tools
    5. by anyone interested
    6. and in any case
    7. by the competitive joint action
    8. of several qualified specialists.
11. 1. Finally I believe
    2. that the perpetual enhancement
    3. of the means to control
    4. stands as my highest priority
    5. and certainly above all current presumptions
    6. even the ones stated
    7. in this very text._

Find here a discussion on why a Scientific Creed is needed, and here The Scientific Creed with explanatory comments.
To κείμενο στα Ελληνικά εδώ.

Rationality vs. Intuition

Rationality is just one of our intuitions. And not even the strongest...

First posted on FB on 8/6/2010

What is racism?

Racism is the systematic differential treatment of all members of a group, which creates a negative impact on their welfare and is justified by invocation of a perceived statistical pattern, prejudicial or accurate, that is considered characteristic for the group.

Earthly and alien afterlife

I wonder... Is the soul the same for all life or is it different depending on the form of physical existence? Do aliens end up at the same heaven and hell as us humans or god reserves a separate pair for each form of intelligent species?

The fear of Death

Isn't it strange that death is, both at the same time, the ultimate fear and the ultimate consolation?

First posted it on FB on 14/10/2010

Ontological Paradox resolved

Two friends A and B are casually talking and time travel enters the conversation:

...
A: Do you believe in time travel?
B: Are you serious? Of course!
A: You mean of course not?
B: No! I mean of course I do!
A: (Surprised) Are you serious? You've never told me that. How come?
B: Not only I believe in it. I do it all the time!
A: (Even more surprised) What do you mean? Really?
B: Sure! Just yesterday I traveled back to the Golden Age of Pericles in Athens, for a while.
A: (Very excited) You really mean that? That's incredible! What did you see, did you see the Parthenon being built?
B: No, I'm afraid not.
A: Did you see Pericles speaking in agora?
B: No, I'm afraid not.
A: Did you see Phidias sculpting the golden statue of goddess Athena?
B: Unfortunately I didn't see that either...
A: What did you see then?
B: Mmm, to be entirely honest, I couldn't see anything at all...
A: (Deeply disappointed) Oh no, what a pity! Why, what happened, something went wrong with your time machine?
B: No, everything was ok, exactly as it was at the time but, you see, I couldn't see anything myself because, back then, I hadn't been born!

Crisis is...

Crisis is the situation where "business as usual" is no longer an option._