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Search: Posts Made By: Reivax
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 7th January 2015, 02:54 AM
Replies: 17
Views: 1,942
Posted By Reivax
It's certainly not a very compelling hypothesis...

It's certainly not a very compelling hypothesis compared to some of the others listed. It's extremely vague, and as you mentioned, it would be extremely hard to confirm or disconfirm. I think its...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 6th January 2015, 06:42 PM
Replies: 17
Views: 1,942
Posted By Reivax
Here are some hypotheses - some substantially...

Here are some hypotheses - some substantially better than others.

Neurobiological Accounts of Dreaming


Activation synthesis hypothesis (Alan Hobson and Robert

McCarley):

During REM...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 15th December 2014, 08:56 PM
Replies: 797
Views: 96,902
Posted By Reivax
This is my thinking as well. Cognitive science...

This is my thinking as well. Cognitive science can naturalise value by acknowledging that all affective experiences are either positively or negatively valenced - that is - affective conscious...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 4th December 2014, 08:20 PM
Replies: 189
Views: 11,536
Posted By Reivax
Ockham's razor instructs us to avoid multiplying...

Ockham's razor instructs us to avoid multiplying entities beyond necessity. If multiple universes are necessary, then so be it - it's not a simplifying too, it's an optimising one. At this point in...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 30th October 2014, 10:27 PM
Replies: 206
Views: 10,412
Posted By Reivax
There's this well known universal rule. You don't...

There's this well known universal rule. You don't contact a civilization unless they have flying cars or hover-boards. That's the litmus test for contactability.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 16th October 2014, 05:19 AM
Replies: 1,597
Views: 136,880
Posted By Reivax
Bernardo, I congratulate you on coming up with a...

Bernardo, I congratulate you on coming up with a very comprehensive list of arguments given by materialists against idealism. As a physicalist, I don't see the need to come up with any additional...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 27th September 2014, 12:23 AM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
Are you sure you are not just referring to one of...

Are you sure you are not just referring to one of these (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Rhinoc%C3%A9ros_blanc_JHE.jpg)? :D
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 26th September 2014, 10:45 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
The only drawback in an interesting discussion...

The only drawback in an interesting discussion like this is that it reminds me what I am missing out on by not being very good at maths. I have not formally studied maths since year 10 in...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 26th September 2014, 10:12 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
Why aren't they called bicorns then? :p

Why aren't they called bicorns then? :p
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 26th September 2014, 10:11 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
Fictionalism is just a response to platonism...

Fictionalism is just a response to platonism which has been pervasive in mathematics. For what it's worth, I am on the fence, but find fictionalism an interesting and potentially satisfactory...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 26th September 2014, 09:39 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
I don't see why you can't demonstrate that it is...

I don't see why you can't demonstrate that it is a false statement to say that 'unicorns have 2 horns' (within the fiction). We clearly can't find a real unicorn and observe how many horns it has,...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th September 2014, 11:17 PM
Replies: 45
Views: 2,468
Posted By Reivax
One suggestion is that mathematics is a fiction...

One suggestion is that mathematics is a fiction in the same way that the James Bond universe is a fiction. We can say things such as "James Bond is an agent" and this is true, but only within the...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th September 2014, 07:41 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
You're right, I should be more careful when using...

You're right, I should be more careful when using this terminology. It's quite apparent that many here are not really a fan of Chalmers and maybe I'm not doing myself any favours borrowing...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th September 2014, 07:26 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
Here is a useful website that describes...

Here is a useful website that describes connectionism quite well if anyone is interested!

http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/curriculum/connectionism_intro/connectionism_1.php
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th September 2014, 07:22 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I think you are right, but what people typically...

I think you are right, but what people typically have in mind is certainly not indicative of anything. Their familiarity with the term is clearly going to stem from digital computers which they...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 25th September 2014, 04:27 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
Am I the only one here who thinks that the brain...

Am I the only one here who thinks that the brain is a computer? I am not saying that brain is analogous to a computer, I am saying that the brain computes, and therefore is a type computer. Here it...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 19th September 2014, 08:07 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I am fine with this as long as you are making a...

I am fine with this as long as you are making a descriptive claim, i.e. societies do tend to hold different conceptions of right, wrong, good, and bad. But if you're saying that there is a normative...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 19th September 2014, 07:44 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I am currently enrolled in a philosophy elective...

I am currently enrolled in a philosophy elective at university which attempts to show how science can give us a foundation for morality. I am really enjoying it so far, but it's only halfway through....
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 18th September 2014, 01:46 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
It depends what you mean by 'environment' - I...

It depends what you mean by 'environment' - I used it in a very loose way. Do you think your own brain is a part of the environment? If you answer in the affirmative, then yes, the environment is...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 17th September 2014, 09:25 PM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
It might seem like a simple question, but our...

It might seem like a simple question, but our senses are actually quite a complex faculty. We have many senses, more than just the 'traditional' five.

In veridical cases, our senses represent the...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 17th September 2014, 08:49 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
Empiricism is all about going out into the world...

Empiricism is all about going out into the world and verifying claims with observation and experience - using our senses. There's really not much more to it.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 13th September 2014, 07:34 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
This is pretty uncontroversial. You are...

This is pretty uncontroversial. You are essentially just suggesting that evolution is not truth-tracking. All that matters in evolution is the relentless propagation of genes. There are many examples...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th September 2014, 01:58 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. ...

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here.

I understand the metaphysical aspect of your position, but not the epistemic aspect. What do you mean by 'empirical pluralist'?
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th September 2014, 12:40 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
Folk Psychology is a theory that posits that...

Folk Psychology is a theory that posits that beliefs and desires exist. It is typically defended as being an inference-to-the-best-explanation, especially given its success in predicting behaviour....
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 11th September 2014, 11:28 PM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
PixyMisa, given that you are an eliminativist...

PixyMisa, given that you are an eliminativist about consciousness, what are your thoughts on Folk Psychology (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/folkpsych-theory/)? Do you think we should remove...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th September 2014, 08:25 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
Maartenn100, these are particularly good articles...

Maartenn100, these are particularly good articles by Massimo Pigliucci on both qualia (specifically inverted qualia) and p-zombies:
...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th September 2014, 08:14 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
The primary thought experiment that has led...

The primary thought experiment that has led people to believe that qualia do exist is The Knowledge Argument (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qualia-knowledge/#2).

As PixyMisa has highlighted,...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th September 2014, 06:23 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I completely disagree. Cognitive science is the...

I completely disagree. Cognitive science is the relevant field concerned with how the mind works. Cognitive science is interdisciplinary, so neuroscience does feature in cognitive science. However,...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th September 2014, 05:40 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
So psychology is not a real science?

So psychology is not a real science?
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th September 2014, 05:12 AM
Replies: 1,011
Views: 65,430
Posted By Reivax
I have not read Damasio's book, but his...

I have not read Damasio's book, but his integrated information approach is very promising. It is at least the kind of theory we need.

I also think this is another great contender:
...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 4th September 2014, 04:37 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 2,789
Posted By Reivax
It depends who you ask. ;) The eliminative...

It depends who you ask. ;)

The eliminative materialist will tell you that consciousness is not what we think it is and that we are deluding ourselves. They deny the existence of qualia. The...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 3rd September 2014, 07:58 AM
Replies: 22
Views: 3,738
Posted By Reivax
While I'm in agreement with most of the article,...

While I'm in agreement with most of the article, I think the quantum consciousness section was glossed over a bit, missing out some of the important details - especially regarding this claim:


...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 12th May 2014, 04:14 AM
Replies: 92
Views: 9,007
Posted By Reivax
I am in agreement with others regarding MWI being...

I am in agreement with others regarding MWI being superior. The Everettian interpretation to my knowledge, trumps all other interpretations, even though it is not the most popular.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 26th April 2014, 09:27 PM
Replies: 850
Views: 39,861
Posted By Reivax
Cognitive scientists generally do not concern...

Cognitive scientists generally do not concern themselves with the substrate so much, in this case the neuroscience side of things. This is how it has been explained to me:

Cognition is thought to...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th April 2014, 01:46 AM
Replies: 198
Views: 11,101
Posted By Reivax
I don't think it's fair just accrediting this to...

I don't think it's fair just accrediting this to 'new agers', I think this sort of idea has been around for a long time and is broadly considered to be a philosophical position concerning the...
Forum: Social Issues & Current Events 4th April 2014, 01:32 AM
Replies: 26
Views: 2,726
Posted By Reivax
If you're going to kill any organism, why not...

If you're going to kill any organism, why not kill mosquitoes? They tend to affect everyone in the population, are not bound by the sea, and spread many malicious diseases that lead to an increased...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 4th April 2014, 01:25 AM
Replies: 20
Views: 3,411
Posted By Reivax
I'd say something like: "Beneficial...

I'd say something like:

"Beneficial mutations are extremely rare, while harmful and benign ones tend to be more common, but all that is required for the mechanism of NS to work is that there are...
Forum: Social Issues & Current Events 11th March 2014, 05:12 AM
Replies: 4,999
Views: 462,276
Posted By Reivax
Not sure if this has been posted yet, but just...

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but just saw it before:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/21912148/terror-group-claims-responsibility-of-missing-malaysia-airlines-mh370/
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 23rd February 2014, 01:20 AM
Replies: 505
Views: 21,814
Posted By Reivax
You are referring to the embodied mind and the...

You are referring to the embodied mind and the extended mind theses?
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 19th December 2013, 09:19 PM
Replies: 136
Views: 3,816
Posted By Reivax
I completely agree with you. As humans we have...

I completely agree with you. As humans we have created many terms, which while appearing to be conceptually coherent, just do not describe the physical universe. A true 'nothingness' is impossible,...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 9th December 2013, 10:01 PM
Replies: 1,118
Views: 57,020
Posted By Reivax
Presupposing that the metaphysics of causality...

Presupposing that the metaphysics of causality extends beyond the universe is problematic to start with.

Most of the time we observe causes preceding effects, and we make an induction that 'the...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st November 2013, 03:26 AM
Replies: 166
Views: 7,454
Posted By Reivax
Occam's razor is not a simplifying tool, it's an...

Occam's razor is not a simplifying tool, it's an optimizing tool.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 9th November 2013, 12:58 AM
Replies: 219
Views: 11,523
Posted By Reivax
The Frame Problem...

The Frame Problem (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/frame-problem/)
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 15th October 2013, 02:12 AM
Replies: 359
Views: 21,428
Posted By Reivax
What if I told you that random mutation is only...

What if I told you that random mutation is only one part of evolution? There is a reason why many bacteria and insects have essentially remained the same since the beginning, because they are fit for...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 15th October 2013, 02:05 AM
Replies: 100
Views: 5,715
Posted By Reivax
Depends what you mean by 'good'. I would argue...

Depends what you mean by 'good'. I would argue that most foods can be apart of a *healthy* diet when moderated or regarded as as 'treats', but of course diets differ from person to person. There is...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st September 2013, 01:38 AM
Replies: 21
Views: 2,490
Posted By Reivax
Icerat is on the money. The Journal of...

Icerat is on the money.

The Journal of Cosmology is not a reputable journal. That's not to say that there aren't any good articles published in it, but it is to say that the controversial,...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th September 2013, 09:08 AM
Replies: 1,811
Views: 64,406
Posted By Reivax
+1 to the 'philosophy is useful' side To...

+1 to the 'philosophy is useful' side

To deny philosophy is to deny history. It happened, it's here to stay and I bet you'd miss it if it was gone. I am fairly confident that something equivalent...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 19th September 2013, 07:27 AM
Replies: 5
Views: 995
Posted By Reivax
This sounds interesting, is this the video you...

This sounds interesting, is this the video you are referring to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0pwKzTRG5E

The video talks about mirror neurons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_neuron)...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 19th September 2013, 05:35 AM
Replies: 5
Views: 995
Posted By Reivax
Could you please expand marplots? I am honestly...

Could you please expand marplots? I am honestly not sure if you are making a joke about the terms 'embedded' and 'embodied' when you mention a 'seeded connectionist approach', or if you are actually...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 18th September 2013, 08:52 AM
Replies: 5
Views: 995
Posted By Reivax
Embodied and Embedded Cognition

Some of you might be familiar with the connectionist (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/connectionism/)approach to cognition which utilizes abstract and idealised artificial neural networks (ANNs)...
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