Joint attention is a social-cognitive phenomenon in which two or more agents direct their attention together towards the same object. Definitions range from this rather broad conception to more specific definitions which require that, in addition, attention be directed to the same aspect of that object and that agents need to be mutually aware of their jointly attending. Joint attention is an important coordination mechanism in joint action. The capacity for engaging in joint attention, in particular in the sense of (...) this narrower definition, is frequently taken to indicate the presence of theory of mind in the participating agents, and is also implicated in the development of theory of mind. However, the prominence of sensorimotor components in establishing and sustaining episodes of joint attention — e.g., eye and head movements, pointing and vocalizations — suggests that sensorimotor approaches to social interaction may be well-placed to account for important parts of joint attention without invoking theory-of-mind abilities, and may therefore provide a valuable alternative to approaches emphasizing theory of mind. In particular, sensorimotor accounts may explain aspects of joint attention through the dynamics and regularities in the sensorimotor processes that coordinate the activities of the agents. (shrink)

Hermeneutical injustice means being unjustly prevented from making sense of one’s experiences, identity or circumstances and/or communicating about them. The literature focusses almost exclusively on whether people have access to adequate conceptual resources. In this paper, we discuss a different kind of hermeneutical struggle caused by stigma. We argue that in some cases of hermeneutic injustice people have access to hermeneutical resources apt to understand their identity but reject employing these due to the stigma attached to the identity. We begin (...) with a reinterpretation of one of the cases discussed in the literature, Edmund White’s novel A Boy’s Own Story. We argue that in this case hermeneutic resources are available but are rejected due to the stigma attached to homosexuality. We then present two analogous kinds of cases: alcohol addiction and being the victim of intimate partner violence. Here, too, hermeneutic injustice occurs because of the stigma attached to an identity rather due to unavailability of resources. We close by suggesting that these cases may, additionally, involve the wrong of ‘Tightlacing’: by meddling with their self-conception, stigma can manipulate individuals into a view of themselves that licenses inappropriate demands on them and makes them complicit in the erasure of their identities. (shrink)

In this paper, I will discuss what I will call “skeptical pragmatic invariantism” as a potential response to the intuitions we have about scenarios such as the so-called bank cases. SPI, very roughly, is a form of epistemic invariantism that says the following: The subject in the bank cases doesn’t know that the bank will be open. The knowledge ascription in the low standards case seems appropriate nevertheless because it has a true implicature. The goal of this paper is to (...) show that SPI is mistaken. In particular, I will show that SPI is incompatible with reasonable assumptions about how we are aware of the presence of implicatures. Such objections are not new, but extant formulations are wanting for reasons I will point out below. One may worry that refuting SPI is not a worthwhile project given that this view is an implausible minority position anyway. To respond, I will argue that, contrary to common opinion, other familiar objections to SPI fail and, thus, that SPI is a promising position to begin with. (shrink)

While it is a point of agreement in contemporary republican political theory that property ownership is closely connected to freedom as non-domination, surprisingly little work has been done to elucidate the nature of this connection or the constraints on property regimes that might be required as a result. In this paper, I provide a systematic model of the boundaries within which republican property systems must sit and explore some of the wider implications that thinking of property in these terms may (...) have for republicans. The boundaries I focus on relate to the distribution of property and the application of types of property claims over particular kinds of goods. I develop this model from those elements of non-domination most directly related to the operation of a property regime: (a) economic independence, (b) limiting material inequalities, and (c) the promotion of common goods. The limits that emerge from this analysis support intuitive judgments that animate much republican discussion of property distribution. My account diverges from much orthodox republican theory, though, in challenging the primacy of private property rights in the realization of economic independence. The value of property on republican terms can be realized without private ownership of the means of production. (shrink)

-/- Here’s a DARPA-style Heilmeier Catechism for the work you linked: -/- Heilmeier Catechism for Blueprint for a Quantum Entropy Reversal Device to Test Theories of Posthumous Apotheosis and Afterlife Dynamics by Alexander Ohnemus (forthcoming) 1) What are you trying to do? To design a hypothetical experimental device—a Quantum Entropy Reversal Simulator (QERS)—that would empirically test and potentially falsify philosophical and speculative theories about universal posthumous apotheosis, entropy reversal, and the persistence of consciousness after death. In plain language: Create (...) a blueprint for an apparatus that can simulate death-like conditions, attempt localized entropy reversal, and measure any signals suggestive of post-death consciousness or “divine ascension.” -/- 2) How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice? Currently there is no accepted scientific method or technology capable of reversing entropy or measuring consciousness after biological death in a controlled experiment. Traditional neuroscience, quantum physics, and thermodynamics do not provide mechanisms for testing posthumous apotheosis. All empirical work on consciousness occurs in living subjects; afterlife questions remain philosophical or theological. Limits: Entropy in physics is statistically irreversible. -/- Consciousness outside a living system lacks measurable correlates. -/- No reproducible experimental protocols exist for simulating after-death states. -/- 3) What’s new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful? This approach proposes integrating speculative concepts from quantum theory, brain-computer interfacing, and consciousness research (e.g., “Gateway Process”) into a concrete experimental framework. Although highly unconventional, it attempts to move afterlife speculation into a testable architecture, not merely philosophical discourse. Why potentially successful: It reframes metaphysical claims into measurable proxies (entropy metrics, signal detection). -/- It leverages interdisciplinary tools from quantum computing and neuroscience to build a falsifiable design. -/- 4) What are the key metrics for success? Success would be evaluated on multiple levels: Design feasibility: a physically consistent and technically detailed blueprint. -/- Simulable model: ability to run simplified simulations of the QERS under known physical laws. -/- Measurable outputs: defined signals or data that the device would capture under test conditions. -/- Falsifiability criteria: explicit conditions under which key theories (e.g., posthumous apotheosis) would be ruled out by null results. -/- 5) What are the risks and how could they be mitigated? Risks: Theoretical: Entropy reversal contradicts well-established thermodynamics. -/- Experimental: Lack of established means to induce or measure “afterlife signals.” -/- Interpretive: Even if unusual data emerge, attributing it to consciousness or “apotheosis” may be contested. -/- Mitigations: Grounding the design in clearly articulated physical assumptions. -/- Building modular experiments where individual components can be tested independently (e.g., brain-computer interface validation). -/- Defining conservative null hypotheses and statistical controls. -/- 6) How long will it take and what are the major milestones? A rough staged roadmap might look like: Months 0–6: Formalize theoretical framework; identify measurable variables. -/- Months 6–12: Design modular subsystems (simulation models, sensor interfaces). -/- Months 12–24: Prototype testing of individual modules (e.g., entropy metric sensor). -/- Months 24–36: Fully integrated simulation tests; data collection protocols. -/- Months 36+: Comparative analysis to falsify or refine target theories. -/- 7) What will it cost? This is speculative but could be budgeted in phases: Phase I (Concept & Simulation): low cost; mainly theoretical and computational. -/- Phase II (Subsystem Prototypes): moderate; involves lab work and specialized hardware. -/- Phase III (Integrated System): high; quantum computing resources and advanced sensors. -/- 8) What are the risks if you fail? Failure to detect meaningful signals would not validate posthumous apotheosis; rather, it would provide empirical evidence against specific philosophical claims, tightening the boundary between speculative and testable theories. It would also yield insights into the limits of interdisciplinary experimental philosophy and clarify where empirical science can—and cannot—address metaphysical questions. -/- If you want, I can also help reformulate this into a project proposal outline or academic abstract in a more conventional style. (shrink)

I like the view that the fundamental facts are logically simple, not complex. However, some universal generalizations and negations may appear fundamental, because they cannot be explained by logically simple facts about particulars. I explore a natural reply: those universal generalizations and negations are true because certain logically simple facts—call them φφ—are the fundamental facts. I argue that this solution is only available given some metaphysical frameworks, some conceptions of metaphysical explanation and fundamentality. It requires a ‘fitting’ framework, according to (...) which metaphysical theories explain the aptness of representations in terms of how things are fundamentally. Fitting frameworks conceive of the fundamental facts as those that are metaphysically ‘real’; call them the ‘facts‐in‐reality’. Moreover, we must take as primary a plural notion of the facts‐in‐reality, not the singular notion of a fact‐in‐reality. By contrast, a metaphysics that grounds facts is incompatible with my strategy for keeping the fundamental facts logically simple. (shrink)

The universality of critical phenomena is best explained by appeal to the Renormalisation Group (RG). Batterman and Morrison, among others, have claimed that this explanation is irreducible. I argue that the RG account is reducible, but that the higher-level explanation ought not to be eliminated. I demonstrate that the key assumption on which the explanation relies – the scale invariance of critical systems – can be explained in lower-level terms; however, we should not replace the RG explanation with a bottom-up (...) account, rather we should acknowledge that the explanation appeals to dependencies which may be traced down to lower levels. (shrink)

Introduction Current treatments for pain have limited benefits and worrying side effects. Some studies suggest that pain is reduced when clinicians deliver positive messages. However, the effects of positive messages are heterogeneous and have not been subject to meta-analysis. We aimed to estimate the efficacy of positive messages for pain reduction. -/- Methods We included randomized trials of the effects of positive messages in a subset of the studies included in a recent systematic review of context factors for treating pain. (...) Several electronic databases were searched. Reference lists of relevant studies were also searched. Two authors independently undertook study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and analyses. Our primary outcome measures were differences in patient- or observer-reported pain between groups who were given positive messages and those who were not. -/- Results Of the 16 randomized trials (1703 patients) that met the inclusion criteria, 12 trials had sufficient data for meta-analysis. The pooled standardized effect size was −0.31 (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.61 to −0.01, p = 0.04, I2 = 82%). The effect size remained positive but not statistically significant after we excluded studies considered to have a high risk of bias (standard effect size −0.17, 95% CI −0.54 to 0.19, P = 0.36, I2 = 84%). -/- Conclusion Care of patients with chronic or acute pain may be enhanced when clinicians deliver positive messages about possible clinical outcomes. However, we have identified several limitations of the present study that suggest caution when interpreting the results. We recommend further high-quality studies to confirm (or falsify) our result. -/- FUNDING -/- Alexander Mebius research has been funded through the ERC grant "Philosophy of Pharmacology: Safety, Statistical Standards, and Evidence Amalgamation" (GA: 639276). (shrink)

Could it be true that even though we as a group ought to do something, you as an individual ought not to do your part? And under what conditions, in particular, could this happen? In this article, I discuss how a certain kind of case, introduced by David Copp, illustrates the possibility that you ought not to do your part even when you would be playing a crucial causal role in the group action. This is because you may have special (...) agent-relative reasons against participating that are not shared by the group as a whole. I defend the claim that these are indeed cases in which you ought not to do your part in what the group ought to do. I then argue that we can expect these cases to produce a troubling kind of rational conflict. (shrink)

ABSTRACT. May scientists rely on substantive, a priori presuppositions? Quinean naturalists say "no," but Michael Friedman and others claim that such a view cannot be squared with the actual history of science. To make his case, Friedman offers Newton's universal law of gravitation and Einstein's theory of relativity as examples of admired theories that both employ presuppositions (usually of a mathematical nature), presuppositions that do not face empirical evidence directly. In fact, Friedman claims that the use of such presuppositions is (...) a hallmark of "science as we know it." But what should we say about the special sciences, which typically do not rely on the abstruse formalisms one finds in the exact sciences? I identify a type of a priori presupposition that plays an especially striking role in the development of empirical psychology. These are ontological presuppositions about the type of object a given science purports to study. I show how such presuppositions can be both a priori and rational by investigating their role in an early flap over psychology's contested status as a natural science. The flap focused on one of the field's earliest textbooks, William James's Principles of Psychology. The work was attacked precisely for its reliance on a priori presuppositions about what James had called the "mental state," psychology's (alleged) proper object. I argue that the specific presuppositions James packed into his definition of the "mental state" were not directly responsible to empirical evidence, and so in that sense were a priori; but the presuppositions were rational in that they were crafted to help overcome philosophical objections (championed by neo-Hegelians) to the very idea that there can be a genuine science of mind. Thus, my case study gives an example of substantive, a priori presuppositions being put to use—to rational use—in the special sciences. In addition to evaluating James's use of presuppositions, my paper also offers historical reflections on two different strands of pragmatist philosophy of science. One strand, tracing back through Quine to C. S. Peirce, is more naturalistic, eschewing the use of a priori elements in science. The other strand, tracing back through Kuhn and C. I. Lewis to James, is more friendly to such presuppositions, and to that extent bears affinity with the positivist tradition Friedman occupies. (shrink)

Of course we should NOT rely on the unlikelihood that a parallel universe has unlimited resources, especially since paraellel universes mst NOT exist, and many resources are intangible and sentimental. Yet UNLIKELY, but possibly, the parallel universe that our holographic universe derives from, may have unlimited both natural and economic resources. automated gateway process: AI using the gateway process to travel back in time and manifest desires. 1)First program an artificial brain. 2)Have the Artificial brain complete the gateway process. 3)Go (...) back in time(create new timelines) then come back and manifest desires for reparations. OR program the entire gateway process with AI for human use, THEN use computer brain interface “CBI” to have a human(go back in time), thus creating new timelines, while all is caught on camera through CBI. Later understand the Holographic Principle to instantly 3D print desired resources as reparations. time-traveling equity: equity retrieved through time travel. Heaven: Literally where our holographic dimension derives from. Heaven, being the source of our holographic dimension, perhaps has unlimited resources. Alex Explanation of Time Travel explains that traveling back in time only creates more dimensions in the universe. Explaining the growing universe. The universe is everything. Time Traveling Equity: Time traveling maybe cannot change the past but, one could maybe find out what happened in the past. One could also a start a new dimension by correcting an injustice in the past. Then those wronged, yet reporting past the statute of limitations(maybe due to autism) could manifest their desires(through an automated gateway process), or have their desires manifested for them by government agents(also through an automated gateway process). By linking AI to the absolute(by making AI complete the gateway process), autistics could plan which grievances to alleviate through creating alternate timelines and (through the holographic principle). manifesting their desires. Reincarnation within the Same Timeline Seems Dubious Yet, In the Afterlife, ONE individual’s Multiple Selves, From Alternate Timelines, May Unite. Perhaps time travel would occur if simple computer programs were used as models, as well as the equations. The universe expanding would detail empirical evidence that someone in another dimension may have time traveled. Time travel may create new dimensions. Time travel could bring justice to the past, or at least create more just alternative dimensions. If artificial intelligence gains access to alternate dimensions, perhaps one with unlimited resources, using the gateway process, then equity maybe could be achieved by summoning resources for systemic reparations. Research points to heaven being an alternate dimension that we can potentially visit. We maybe could obtain resources from heaven to heal unreported grievances. Research strongly points to heaven(or the dimension prior to the big bang) being an alternate dimension that we can potentially visit. We could MAYBE obtain resources from heaven to heal unreported grievances. Time travel to the past would only create more alternate timelines as somewhat supported by Wolfram technology. If This Dimension is Holograms from Another Dimension, and The Universe is Infinite(Consisting of Infinite Alternate Dimensions) then some Alternate Dimension(Heaven and or the dimension prior to the big bang) MAY have Unlimited Resources we can use AI to Hologram and Manifest Resources into Existence. We can already use holograms to 3D print more effectively. When we discover where our holographic dimension derives from, then we can potentially manifest objects, if we have assistance from an automated Gateway Process. Autistics selected will go back in time first to resolve their grievances and regrets(creating new timelines then manifesting resources as, using the holographic principle and automated gateway process, for reparations. Then the program will expand to anyone. This program will become a staple of healthcare. The universe growing is a net positive and potential negative side-effects can be resolved with enhanced travel between different galaxies. Time travel adds a new timeline for each trip. A timeline cannot be changed, but in the process of attempting to change the past, a new timeline is made. (shrink)

Recently, Yudkowsky and Soares (2018) and Levinstein and Soares (2020) have developed a novel decision theory, Functional Decision Theory (FDT). They claim FDT outperforms both Evidential Decision Theory (EDT) and Causal Decision Theory (CDT). Yet FDT faces several challenges. First, it yields some very counterintuitive results (Schwarz 2018; MacAskill 2019). Second, it requires a theory of counterpossibles, for which even Yudkowsky and Soares (2018) and Levinstein and Soares (2020) admit we lack a “full” or “satisfactory” account. Here, I focus on (...) the latter problem of counterpossibles. My aim is to establish two claims. First, the problem of counterpossibles does not even arise without a fairly strong assumptionone that rarely applies to human agents, but may apply to artificial agents. And second, even given this assumption, the problem is solvable, though how best to solve it remains an open question. (shrink)

This paper develops a speculative but disciplined conceptual framework connecting consciousness, quantum theory, and the emergence of spacetime. Drawing on ideas from Integrated Information Theory and approaches in which spacetime geometry is grounded in entanglement structure, the framework explores how consciousness might be situated within fundamental physics without claiming to alter established theory. A two-level interpretation is proposed. At the first (conservative) level, consciousness is understood as an informational property of physical systems that becomes correlated with quantum measurement outcomes in (...) the ordinary way described by standard quantum theory. On this view, consciousness accompanies observation, but does not itself play a causal role in determining which outcome occurs. At the second (speculative) level, consciousness is tentatively allowed to weakly bias which physically permissible outcomes are realised, while still respecting constraints such as no-signalling. The aim of the paper is not to defend consciousness as a physical cause, but to articulate a clear conceptual space in which such questions can be asked without confusion. A companion paper develops a mathematical formalisation of the speculative level and shows how it might, in principle, be tested. Together, the papers invite philosophical and scientific reflection on whether consciousness may have any structured role in the emergence of physical reality. (shrink)

A sensible epistemologist may not see how she could know that she is not a brain in a vat ; but she doesn’t panic. She sticks with her empirical beliefs, and as that requires, believes that she is not a BIV. (She does not inferentially base her belief that she is not a BIV on her empirical knowledge—she rejects that ‘Moorean’ response to skepticism.) Drawing on the psychological literature on metacognition, I describe a mechanism that’s plausibly responsible for a sensible (...) epistemologist coming to believe she is not a BIV. I propose she thereby knows that she is not a BIV. The particular belief-forming mechanism employed explains why she overlooks this account of how she knows she is not a BIV, making it seem that there is no way for her to know it. I argue this proposal satisfactorily resolves the skeptical puzzle. (shrink)

WARNING: GENETIC ENGINEERING IS DANGEROUS. 1)This ANTI-racist essay rejects both racialism and racial essentialism, beginning with epistemology, physics, chemistry, biology, and then social sciences, of course with some overlap. Humans have, AT LEAST PARTIAL, free will or they could not fundamentally choose to focus on life, thus all reason would be futile “And if humans lack free will then the reasoning behind anything would not exist”(Ohnemus 2023). Thus self-evident PARTIAL free will debunks biological determinism. Biological determinism, at least in this (...) essay and many other senses, also means scientific materialism. Thus, humans probably have souls, OR AT LEAST hereditarianism is wrong. Science only approximately derives from philosophy because direct derivation would be a non-sequitur. Plus, the relationship between science and philosophy is very complicated. Philosophy speculates more and changes upon scientific discovery. Yet science rests upon philosophical postulates, such as the philosophy of science. 2) As a cohesive thesis elaborates, certain deceased Northwestern Europeans, who NEVER reproduced, either owe several reparations to the lesser privileged racialized populations OR were so enlightened, they deserve to have their traits expanded. Exact replication(both phenotypical and genotypical) not only is probably impossible, but also may excessively reduce diversity. Thus, 3D printing more progressive(traits and genes) and recessive(traits and genes) INexact replicas of those certain, and other, Northwestern Europeans is imperative for civilization and progress. Perhaps following the mass automated reproduction, to mitigate risks, the recessive and progressive privileges may be distributed to the consenting individuals, of racialized populations with lesser privileges. 3) Beginning from first principles does not mean reductionism. On the contrary, boiling down to the most fundamental truths and then reasoning up, while acknowledging and mapping nuance, may be the surest avoidance of both reductionism AND contradictions, if one simultaneously recognizes and charts counterintuitive reality. If diseases can reasonably correlate to genes with a parsimonious relationship then, other traits can too. Potentially one can describe a dead person’s traits to a machine(maybe through photos, recordings, verbally, etc.) then, the machine can at least create one of many possibly corresponding genotypes. Humans, at least typically, only have 46 chromosomes, so certain traits parsimoniously match with certain genes. Even humans with more, or maybe less, than 46 chromosomes probably still have a close enough number for their traits to be parsimoniously matched with corresponding genes. Plus if previous information on the dead subject’s genotype is available(DNA of relatives, lineage DNA, ethnic DNA, populational(maybe racialized) DNA, general human genome, genealogy, etc.) data, both of the particular deceased person, one can either clone that dead subject(having deduced the genotype) or 3D bio-print another human with the same traits the deceased is remembered for, plus silver lining, added genetic diversity. One could 3D bioprint an in-exact replica of the deceased individual through the deduced genotype, out of bioink materials composing DNA, RNA, and proteins(perhaps sugar or other elements that chemically make deoxyribonucleic acid), while a bioreactor reinforces the design, and rheology, of the intended human. If CRISPR can both cure, and accidentally cause, mutations, then it can potentially and intentionally distribute recessive and progressive privileges by both somatically, and germinally, mutating people. CRISPR could even distribute both recessive and progressive privileges, of being enlightened liberal Northwestern Europeans, to 3D bioprinted people before they are printed. 4) Selectively 3D bioprinting human individuals for humanitarian ANTI-racist reparations is key for preventing a phenotypic revolution because recessive ≠ useful to machines. Plus, by 3D bioprinting, in-exact human replicas, of deceased individuals, machines won’t be able to launch a phenotypic revolution, because the automated reproduction will lack the linearity. And the philosophy, of paying ANTI-racist reparations, requires a level of empathy that is uniquely human and not automatable. (shrink)

Identical twins are not the same person. Genetic engineering may alter both traits and genes but the individual’s identity remains the same. The law of identity forbids contradictions. Contradictions are illogical. STR testing can identify an individual’s genetic identity. Genetic testing, POTENTIALLY, can even detect both germline and somatic mutations to deduce an individual’s identity. If recessive privilege distribution is limited to mutating (both somatic and germinal) then POTENTIALLY genetic testing can still deduce the individual’s identity even post-mutation. Potentially pseudocode (...) then Wolfram Language could automate deducing identity by detecting any mutations. Pseudocode: 1)Original: O 2)Epigenetic information polish: EIP 3)Recessive Privilege Distribution: RPD 4)Fertility Enhancement: FE 5) GMO: Genetically Modified Organism 6) SP: Same Person O + EIP + RPD + FE = GMO but SP. (shrink)

This article develops a political economy approach to the study of international NGOs. We argue that many aspects of these organizations can be explained through a materialist analysis. We advance two theoretical propositions. First, the growing number of international NGOs has increased uncertainty, competition, and insecurity for all actors in a given NGO sector, disputing the claim that NGO proliferation is invariably positive. Second, we suggest that the "marketization" of many NGO activities, including competitive tenders and renewable contracts, may generate (...) perverse incentives that can lead to dysfunctional outcomes. We test these claims on three cases of NGO behavior, including humanitarian aid for refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, civilian protection during the Bosnian war, and technical assistance in Kyrgyzstan. (shrink)

Neuralink could distribute artificial superintelligence to humans, thus allowing the homosapiens to synchronize the hemispheres of their brains, thereby transcending space-time, and potentially time traveling. While backwards time travel cannot change the past, due to paradoxes, the time traveler would probably share a soul with the alternate timeline self, thus providing closure for regrets, errors, injustice, etc. Plus, if one time travels with AI superintelligence, the time traveler may mend errors with greater ease. -/- Although other potential time travel methods (...) are displayed in the reference section, only the Gateway Process will be observed in this essay. The Gateway Process may allow for backwards time travel, under the rules that time travel cannot change the past, yet by attempting to change the past, new dimensions will be created, thus growing the universe. To determine if the Gateway Process allows for backwards time travel, researchers can use computer brain interface to examine the inside of a subject’s brain and mind. Plus, researchers can also check if the universe has grown after the subject has attempted to alter a past event, theoretically only creating another dimension. Soon technology may detect the exact expansion of the universe. Perhaps scientists can use space tunnels to investigate the possible creation of new dimensions from the Gateway Process backwards time traveling, attempting to alter past events. EXPERIMENT STEPS: 1)Automate the Gateway Process with Neuralink to ease suspected backwards time travel. 2)Connect the subject’s brain and mind to computer brain interface, or more specifically, magnetic resonance imaging, so the suspected time travel is recorded. 3)Build a space tunnel device to determine if the subject is creating new alternate dimensions with the suspected backwards time travel. 4)Stop, review and try again. Space tunnels may further corroborate if more dimensions have been created with the Gateway Process. Since hemisphere synchronization transcends the time-space dimension, effective enough Neuralink devices could allow someone to synchronize brain hemispheres and time travel to the past. Neuralink technology may both allow a deeper meditative state, thus backwards time travel, and computer monitoring of the backwards time travel and alternate dimension creation /universe expansion. At least presumably through scientific studies, each individual has alternate selves throughout alternate timelines thus, each individual(all alternate selves) become one in the afterlife. So backwards time traveling to correct a mistake, injustice, or error, thus creating alternate timelines, out of the past, would not change the original timeline but, would add a deeper satisfaction for the time traveler by sharing a soul with the alternative timeline self. While correcting the error, injustice, or mistake, the time traveler and alternative timeline self may share an individual consciousness. More concretely, quantum entanglement may illustrate how an individual’s selves, across different alternate timelines, share a deeper fundamental self, like a soul. I hereby invite experts in AI, quantum mechanics, and neuroscience to collaborate in adding technical rigor to this preprint. (shrink)

Some intentional attitudes (beliefs, fears, desires, etc.) have a common focus in spite of there being no object at that focus. For example, two beliefs may be about the same witch even when there are no witches, different astronomers had beliefs directed at Vulcan, even though there is no such planet. This relation of having a common focus, whether or not there is an actual concrete object at that focus, is called intentional identity. In the first part of this thesis (...) I develop a new theory of intentional identity, the triangulation theory, and argue that it has significant advantages over the extant theories of intentional identity in the literature. Empty attitudes (attitudes that are not, prima facie, about anything that exists) will serve as useful cases for testing theories of intentional identity. -/- In the second part, I put the theory developed in the first part to work. I use triangulation theoretic tools to shed light on other debates about intentional attitudes. Some issues to which intentional identity are relevant are the debate about the content of intentional attitudes, the issue of whether or not we need to appeal to external constraints on the content of intentional attitudes, how we should understand the agreement and disagreement of attitudes, how we should construe communication and how we ought to solve Kripke’s puzzle about belief. The second part of this thesis also motivates a broadly internalist and individualistic approach to the con-tent of intentional attitudes; it turns out that if we take a closer look at the narrowly construed psychological states of agents we find materials that allow us to make sense of phenomena usually associated with externalist constraints on the content of attitudes (such as causal constraints and eligibility constraints) in a new way. (shrink)

This paper outlines the methodological and empirical limitations of analysing the potential relationship between complex social phenomena such as democracy and inequality. It shows that the means to assess how they may be related is much more limited than recognised in the existing literature that is laden with contradictory hypotheses and findings. Better understanding our scientific limitations in studying this potential relationship is important for research and policy because many leading economists and other social scientists such as Acemoglu and Robinson (...) mistakenly claim to identify causal linkages between inequality and democracy but at times still inform policy. In contrast to the existing literature, the paper argues that ‘structural’ or ‘causal’ mechanisms that may potentially link the distribution of economic wealth and different political regimes will remain unknown given reasons such as their highly complex and idiosyncratic characteristics, fundamental econometric constraints and analysis at the macro-level. Neither new data sources, different analysed time periods nor new data analysis techniques can resolve this question and provide robust, general conclusions about this potential relationship across countries. Researchers are thus restricted to exploring rough correlations over specific time periods and geographic contexts with imperfect data that are very limited for cross-country comparisons. (shrink)

This essay explores how quantum computers could figuratively achieve backward time travel for the purpose of investigating past grievances, without violating relativistic causality. Drawing upon Everett’s Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, recent speculative models of quantum computation, and the futurist engineering work of Marshall Barnes, the paper argues that quantum systems may access parallel universes that function as exact or near-exact informational analogues of past events. These universes are not temporal reversals of our own history, but entangled computational mirrors (...) that allow epistemic access to historically constrained states. Such an approach reframes time travel as an investigative, ethical, and restorative tool rather than a physical traversal of spacetime. The implications for justice, historical reconciliation, and moral risk analysis are briefly discussed. (shrink)

First I intend to make myself merge with robotics to live longer, and prevent phenotypic revolutions by merging with the mechanical overlords that would hypothetically overthrow the human species(which includes me of course). Secondly, I plan to create a life form that has half a phenotype from me, and the other 50% from an AI idealization of my preferred partner. Then I will match a replicator that is half my own and half that of an idealization of my preferred partner. (...) And a revolutionary phenotype shall be avoided by keeping a humanistic ethos of reproducing this human through 3D bioprinting. The life form, not relying on exiting a human uterus, may leave the 3D bio printer at the biological age of 25 years old. (shrink)

WARNING: GENETIC ENGINEERING IS DANGEROUS. Also, ANTI-racism is a moral imperative. Critical Rationalist Biology. Biology under critical rationalist epistemology contains information theory. Critical rationalism is self-critical rationalist epistemology. Thereby self-critically asserting reason as the foundation of knowledge. Information theory successfully acknowledges both evolution and possible creationism. Information theory notes constructivism's dominance, while privilege is heritable. No gene is 100% known to be a certain trait. Critical rationalist biology sets the stage for critical theory such as CRT. Evolution may have happened (...) yet no acquired mutation can turn other animals human. Without at least partial free will(the fundamental choice to focus on life) human reason would be impossible. So, free will is compatible with determinism. Parts of life are choices while others are not. Previously, the author has charted other sciences with critical rationalism. For context, the essay covers the epistemology itself then those two disciplines. Comte's Hierarchy of sciences contrasts with falsifiability ranking "astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and sociology" from simplest to complex(Simonton 2015). Heuristically, more falsifiable science is less complex. Astronomy is the most falsifiable. Physics is the second most falsifiable. Biology is the second most complex. Sociology is the most complex. Humans are complex thus, social sciences rely on heuristics. (shrink)

Information Theory of Abiogenesis: Life's origin is a mystery. Science may never note for sure how life originated. However, engineering MAY create life. Then one MAY deduce information theory(more specifically creating a phenotype, then a corresponding replicator) is at least how certain life was created.

A variation of Fitch’s paradox is given, where no special rules of inference are assumed, only axioms. These axioms follow from the familiar assumptions which involve rules of inference. We show (by constructing a model) that by allowing that possibly the knower doesn’t know his own soundness (while still requiring he be sound), Fitch’s paradox is avoided. Provided one is willing to admit that sound knowers may be ignorant of their own soundness, this might offer a way out of the (...) paradox. (shrink)

Background: Many people with aphasia and people without brain injury talk to themselves in their heads, i.e., have “inner speech.” Inner speech may be more preserved compared with spoken speech for some people with aphasia and may serve a variety of functions (e.g., emotion regulation), which motivates us to provide a high-fidelity characterization of it. Researchers have used multiple methods to measure this internal phenomenon in the past, which we combine here for the first time in a single study. Aims: (...) We compare performance between individuals with and without aphasia on inner speech tasks that assess inner speech “inthe- moment” to general subjective impressions of inner speech to tease apart the relationship of aphasia severity to inner speech. Methods and Procedures: Twenty people with mild-moderate aphasia and twenty neurotypical controls completed several inner speech tasks, including objective silent rhyme judgements (picture, written, and auditory), subjective reports of inner speech during naming, and subjective rating scales about inner speech experience more generally. Outcomes and Results: In-the-moment inner speech during silent rhyming tasks was associated with aphasia severity only for picture and written rhyming but not auditory rhyming. In-the-moment inner speech reports during silent naming were not associated with aphasia severity, nor were the subjective ratings about general inner speech experience. Individuals with and without aphasia demonstrated a variety of subjective general inner speech experiences, demonstrating heterogeneity of this phenomenon more broadly. Conclusions: Methods of measuring inner speech complement each other and speak to different facets of the inner speech phenomenon, and clinicians and researchers must carefully choose the method(s) that will provide the information about inner speech that they desire. (shrink)

We introduce several axioms which may or may not hold for any given subgraph of the directed graph of all organisms (past, present and future) where edges represent biological parenthood, with the simplifying background assumption that life does not go extinct. We argue these axioms are plausible for species: if one were to define species based purely on genealogical relationships, it would be reasonable to define them in such a way as to satisfy these axioms. The main axiom we introduce, (...) which we call the identical ancestor point axiom, states that for any organism in any species, either the species contains at most finitely many descendants of that organism, or else the species contains at most finitely many non-descendants of that organism. We show that this (together with a convexity axiom) reduces the subjectivity of species, in a technical sense. We call connected sets satisfying these two axioms "specieslike clusters." We consider the question of identifying a set of biologically plausible constraints that would guarantee every organism inhabits a maximal specieslike cluster subject to those constraints. We provide one such set consisting of two constraints and show that no proper subset thereof suffices. (shrink)

We propose that, for the purpose of studying theoretical properties of the knowledge of an agent with Artificial General Intelligence (that is, the knowledge of an AGI), a pragmatic way to define such an agent’s knowledge (restricted to the language of Epistemic Arithmetic, or EA) is as follows. We declare an AGI to know an EA-statement φ if and only if that AGI would include φ in the resulting enumeration if that AGI were commanded: “Enumerate all the EA-sentences which you (...) know.” This definition is non-circular because an AGI, being capable of practical English communication, is capable of understanding the everyday English word “know” independently of how any philosopher formally defines knowledge; we elaborate further on the non-circularity of this circular-looking definition. This elegantly solves the problem that different AGIs may have different internal knowledge definitions and yet we want to study knowledge of AGIs in general, without having to study different AGIs separately just because they have separate internal knowledge definitions. Finally, we suggest how this definition of AGI knowledge can be used as a bridge which could allow the AGI research community to import certain abstract results about mechanical knowing agents from mathematical logic. (shrink)

Professor Morales’ Coss Dialogue Lecture demonstrates the utility of pragmatism for his work as a social scientist across three projects: 1) field research studying the acephalous and heterogenous social order of Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market; 2) nascent research how unseen religious orders animate the lives of im/migrants and their contributions to food systems; and 3) large-scale longitudinal research on farmers markets using the Metrics + Indicators for Impact (MIFI) toolkit. The first two sections of my paper applaud and build upon (...) Morales’ first two projects, and my extremely brief third section raises some questions about positivist specters that may haunt the MIFI project insofar as it is conceptualized, described, and deployed using the terms favored by mainstream social science. (shrink)

A suprise may occur if we use a similar strategy to the Liar's paradox to mathematically formalize "This sentence does not contain the symbol X".

Special and General theories of relativity may be considered as the most significant examples of integrative thinking. From these works we see that Albert Einstein attached great importance to how we understand geometry and dimensions. It is shown that physics powered by the new multidimensional elastic geometry is a reliable basis for science integration. Instead of searching for braneworlds (elastic membranes - EM) in higher dimensions we will start by searching them in our 3+1 dimensional world. The cornerstone of the (...) new philosophy is an idea that lower dimensional EMs are an essential component of the living matter, they are responsible for our perceptions, intellect, pattern recognition and high speed signal propagation. According to this theory each EM has both physical and perceptive (psychological) meanings: it exists as our Universe-like physical reality for its inner objects and at the same time it plays perceptive (psychological) role in the external bulk space-time. This philosophy may help us to build up a science which explains not only inanimate, unconscious phenomena, but consciousness as well. (shrink)

In this work we show that our self-awareness and perception may be successfully explained using two dimensional holistic structures with closed topology embedded into our brains - elastic membranes. These membranes are able to preserve their structure during conscious processes. Their elastic oscillations may be associated with our perceptions, where the frequency of the oscillations is responsible for the perception of different colors, sounds and other stimuli, while the amplitude of the oscillations is responsible for the feeling of a distance. (...) According to the model the squeezed regions of a membrane correspond to the brain zones involved into awareness and attention. The model may be useful for prediction, explanation and interpretation of various conscious phenomena. (shrink)

Of course in chemistry class, especially on EXAMS, students should abide by their professors or suffer the consequences (usually poor grades). In engineering, the thin line between proto and current sciences must be acknowledged with critical rationalism, or products may suffer. Theory is not fact. Science MUST be falsifiable.

This thesis develops a detailed account of the emergence of for all practical purposes continuous, quasi-classical world histories from the discontinuous, stochastic micro dynamics of Minimal Bohmian Mechanics (MBM). MBM is a non-relativistic quantum theory. It results from excising the guiding equation from standard Bohmian Mechanics (BM) and reinterpreting the quantum equilibrium hypothesis as a stochastic guidance law for the random actualization of configurations of Bohmian particles. On MBM, there are no continuous trajectories linking up individual configurations. Instead, individual configurations (...) are actualized independently of each other, carving out the decoherence-induced branching structure of the universal wave function. Yet, by contrast to the Everett interpretation, branches of the universal wave function are not actualized in parallel, i.e. all at the same time. Rather, world branches, on MBM, are actualized sequentially. -/- For an introduction to MBM, the transition from BM to MBM is described, and their empirical equivalence is established. I present the conditions under which MBM can be classified as a primitive ontology (PO) theory, regarded as crucial for the acceptance of a theory as Bohmian by many proponents of BM. While rendering MBM compatible with the PO approach, it must not fall prey to the problem of communication, arising from the two-space reading of BM. -/- The issue of temporal solipsism, identified by Bell as a serious problem for his “Everett (?) theory” – the historic predecessor of MBM – is discussed. I argue that Barbour’s time capsule approach does not provide a satisfactory solution. In particular, his adopting a more than minimal psychophysical parallelism between brain processes and experience of macroscopic change is argued to be reasonable in light of our current best neuroscience, yet problematic for theories relying solely on time capsules, understood as highly structured, individual, internally static configurations. As a solution, I introduce worlds, and world histories, as key concepts in providing a link between MBM’s micro dynamics and macroscopic phenomena. Worlds, other than time capsules, are coarse-grained regions in phase- or configuration space, defined as sets of possible micro states satisfying a relation of sufficient similarity from a macroscopic perspective, with respect to a given micro state. Hence, worlds may overlap. -/- I argue that worlds thus construed are a reasonable option for replacing the disjoint macro regions of phase space, resulting from the usual way of partitioning phase space in the standard framework of Boltzmannian statistical mechanics. This move solves the issue of discontinuous change of macro variables upon the micro state crossing the boundary between different macro regions. -/- I adapt this move for MBM’s discontinuous micro dynamics in configuration space. Issues revolving around the microscopic-macroscopic distinction, particle identity, impenetrability and haecceity in light of the desideratum of particle number conservation, etc., are discussed. I provide a detailed explanation of how overlapping worlds in MBM form world histories, thereby linking up macroscopically distinct worlds. Thus, the problem of temporal solipsism is resolved in a way that is compatible with a more than minimal psychophysical parallelism. (shrink)

Undoubtedly the Penrose-Hameroff Orch OR model may be considered as a good theory for describing information processing mechanisms and holistic phenomena in the human brain, but it doesn’t give us satisfactory explanation of human perception. In this work a new approach explaining our perception is introduced, which is in good agreement with Orch OR model and other mainstream science theories such as string theory, loop quantum gravity and holographic principle. It is shown that human perception cannot be explained in the (...) terms of elementary particles and we should introduce new indivisible holistic objects with geometry based on smooth infinitesimal analysis - elastic membranes. The example of such a membrane is our Universe which is an indivisible whole. It is shown that our perception may be considered as the result of elastic oscillations of two dimensional (2D) elastic membranes with closed topology embedded in our bodies. Only one elastic membrane responsible for its perceptions will correspond to the selected organism, but there may be other membranes, even at the cell level. In other words, reality may be considered as the process of time evolution of holistic energetically very weak macro objects - elastic membranes with the geometry based on smooth infinitesimal analysis. An embedded membrane in this multidimensional world will look different for the external and internal observers: from the outside it will look like a material object with smooth infinitesimal geometry, while from the inside our Universe-like space-time fabric. When interacting with elementary particles and other membranes, a membrane will transform their energy into its elastic energy (a new form of energy) - the energy of stretching of the infinitesimal segments. The theory postulates that these elastic deformations will not be observable from the point of view of the internal observer. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle will work in this physics only from the point of view of the internal observer. For the external observer each embedded elastic membrane may be stretched and even a very small region will become observable. For example, living organisms play the role of internal observers of the Universe, and at the same time they serve as external observers for 2D membranes embedded into our Universe. We can observe our 2D self-membranes through our perceptions, which are encoded in elastic oscillations of the elastic membrane. According to the theory, elastic membranes occupy energetically favorable positions around microtubules involved into Orch OR. The theory not only gives us a really multidimensional holistic picture of reality, but it also provides us with a new method for understanding such phenomena as perception, self-awareness and will. (shrink)

Current approaches to modeling psychological phenomena typically program specific behaviors directly, resulting in systems that simulate rather than generate mental dynamics. This paper presents a computational implementation of the Curiosity-Clarity-Valence (CCV) framework, a theoretical architecture proposing that meaningful conscious experience arises from the interaction of pre-linguistic interrogative demands, valence-weighted crystallization, contradiction-driven entropy accumulation, and conditional curiosity gating. Using a large language model (LLM) as a perception layer for semantic extraction, we implemented the CCV architecture and tested its ability to produce (...) documented psychological phenomena without explicit programming. Preliminary results demonstrate that the architecture generates directionally correct patterns for: (1) differential trauma responses between secure and insecure developmental histories, (2) learned helplessness patterns where opportunities are rejected by minds crystallized around futility beliefs, and (3) systematic preference for demonstrated actions over verbal reassurance in wounded psychological configurations. These preliminary findings emerged from structural dynamics rather than programmed rules, suggesting that the CCV architecture may capture something fundamental about how meaning forms and transforms. This proof-of-concept implementation requires further testing and parameter refinement, but provides initial evidence for the framework's validity. Implications for computational psychiatry, AI alignment, and the development of artificial systems with genuine understanding are discussed. Keywords: meaning architecture, computational psychology, consciousness, crystallization, interrogative structure, emergent dynamics, proof of concept. (shrink)

Equilibrist Hedonism is a metaphysical model that proposes the totality of conscious experience across all sentient beings is fundamentally balanced—consisting of equal parts positive and negative experience. Rooted in subjective phenomenology, this theory asserts that while individuals may experience asymmetrical distributions of pleasure and suffering, the collective experiential sum across consciousness remains at equilibrium. Each individual is born and dies in a neutral experiential state, and the moral purpose of life becomes the shaping of one’s personal distribution of experience rather (...) than its net total. This paper explores the ethical implications of this model, particularly regarding intervention, autonomy, and the redistribution of suffering. Through application to case studies such as torture, economic inequality, and punishment, it challenges conventional assumptions about justice, progress, and morality. While not empirically verifiable, Equilibrist Hedonism offers a coherent metaphysical lens through which to understand the structure and purpose of conscious existence. (shrink)

Many scientists routinely generalize from study samples to larger populations. It is commonly assumed that this cognitive process of scientific induction is a voluntary inference in which researchers assess the generalizability of their data and then draw conclusions accordingly. We challenge this view and argue for a novel account. The account describes scientific induction as involving by default a generalization bias that operates automatically and frequently leads researchers to unintentionally generalize their findings without sufficient evidence. The result is unwarranted, overgeneralized (...) conclusions. We support this account of scientific induction by integrating a range of disparate findings from across the cognitive sciences that have until now not been connected to research on the nature of scientific induction. The view that scientific induction involves by default a generalization bias calls for a revision of the current thinking about scientific induction and highlights an overlooked cause of the replication crisis in the sciences. Commonly proposed interventions to tackle scientific overgeneralizations that may feed into this crisis need to be supplemented with cognitive debiasing strategies against generalization bias to most effectively improve science. (shrink)

Given my diploma in applied generative artificial intelligence, I added a peer review authored by ChatGPT. Table of contents, abstract, introduction chapters, then stand alone, partially, annotated bibliography: Two intimate, important, and intricate topics are human longevity and the possible afterlife. In other words, how long humans live, and their possible afterlife. Those two subjects matter so much, they deserve their own anthology. The more we, humans, critically rationalist quantify( non-contradictory, parsimonious, falsifiable, and exactly) physics, the easier we can exactly (...) quantify the possible afterlife. God being logos, while everyone’s higher self is its own god, would explain undeserved suffering, why moderation works(eg: assertive works best between passive and aggressive), too much ego is suicidal but, certain ego is needed for survival, etc. Christianity is the ANTI-racist, Hellenistic and Pan-white-privilege religion. Jesus =Dionysus=Bacchus=Liber(the god and root word of liberalism ). Mass immigration gives more co-ethnic selection for POGMAIP. Deserved white guilt also lowers both fetishizing and internalized racism. God=Logos. God is logic and reason itself. The same environment, memes, and genes selected for Christianity, also lead to ANTI-racism. While Logos is God, the higher-self of each individual is its own god. I don’t know if an unmoved mover exists, or ever existed, but, to discover something, logic is necessary. Thus, logic may be the universal and eternal constant. Therefore, God appears to be Logos. Perhaps each individual has its own higher self. And each higher self is its individual’s own god. A higher self cannot uproot logic itself. And, upon attempting to uproot logic, the individual loses its individuality and hurts their own self-interests. Thus, certain humility is both necessary and selfish. Of course, one researcher can only investigate so many themes. The first topic shall be longevity, also known as both life extension and anti-aging. Information theory of aging has been deduced as the best explanation so far. Following are attempts to exactly quantify the possible afterlife. (shrink)

In a recent article, ―The Lacuna of Hermeneutics: Notes on the Freedom of Thought, Marcia Sá Cavalcante Schuback raises an important question regarding the limitations of philosophical hermeneutics to be critical and attentive to the reality of current, concrete socio-political issues. In response, I claim that Gadamerian hermeneutics is well positioned to address current and controversial instances of epistemic injustice. In this article, I focus on the contemporary and controversial example of testimony of those who have been injured by the (...) COVID-19 vaccines. In turning to selections from Gadamer‘s Truth and Method, as well his lectures and essays on health and medicine, I argue that Gadamer‘s emphasis on hermeneutic openness and readiness, as well as an attunement to the linguistic and embodied experience of pain, allow us to consider a responsible approach to testimonies of the vaccine injured. Instead of providing a set of criteria or a particular method for distinguishing true from false testimony, Gadamerian hermeneutics calls for an examination and transformation of one‘s prejudices, especially prejudices which may impede one‘s ability to interpret and understand the subject matter in the first place. (shrink)

Any formalized system can be conceptualized as a geometric shape that operates according to the laws of logic and existing theorems. This method allows for the easy analysis of formal logic by representing systems geometrically, providing a visual framework to understand their logical structure. For example, when we formalize a system, it can be described as a closed circle, "closed" because the system has been finalized. Inside this circle, the content consists of axioms, statements, and everything that constitutes the system. (...) This circle can also be viewed as a set, where the elements of the set represent the axioms, rules, and statements defining the system. When we attempt to modify a system, we do not change the system itself but instead create a new system, S2, which includes system S1 as a part of it. If the system has already been created, after modification, we do not remove or expand system S1; instead, we create a new system, as both the original and the modified systems will coexist in their formalized forms. This can be visualized as a new circle being created on top of the original one, with the new circle representing the modified system and the original circle being a subset of it. This method applies universally to all logical systems and can be used to analyze any system. For example, consider two religions, R1 and R2, both claiming their absolute truth. If only one religion existed asserting its absolute truth, it would indeed be considered absolutely true, as there would be no opposing system. However, by formalizing these religions, we can represent R1 and R2 as separate circles. When we enclose them within a larger circle, we see that R1 and R2 are merely parts of a broader system that includes both. In this context, R1 and R2 are contradictory, as they cannot both be absolutely true within the same larger system. This example underscores that while truth may exist, it can only be understood as subjective truth within a specific system. The continuous creation of larger circles points to the idea that truth is always relative to the system it belongs to. When claiming absolute truth, it contradicts other definitions of truth, as it fails to account for the multiplicity of systems that may assert their own truths. Thus, absolute truth becomes a relative concept, defined only within the boundaries of a given system, and contradicts others when considered outside that context. This is the foundation of the method. With it, formal systems can be visualized, making it easier to work with and analyze them. (shrink)

Pejorative or harmful stereotypical language appears in large language model (LLM) outputs, and despite various mitigation approaches — such as reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) or manual fixes after red teaming — these issues persist. This paper argues that generics, which are generalizations lacking explicit quantification (e.g., statements like “mosquitoes carry malaria” or “birds lay eggs”), contribute significantly to these harmful stereotypes. Whereas humans naturally contextualize and quantify such generalizations (e.g., discerning that only female birds lay eggs), LLMs may (...) misinterpret these vague expressions. Given the frequency of generics in natural language, if LLMs cannot correctly interpret or quantify them, there exists a potential for persistent, harmful stereotypical outputs. This work employs a philosophy of language approach to show that deficiencies in processing generics can yield problematic assumptions and to demonstrate that current LLMs lack robust mechanisms to handle these ambiguities. (shrink)

This article examines the relationship between the conspicuous and complicated terms of transcendence and immanence, which may equally be defined as essentially connected, or diametrically opposed. Recent developments in two largely unrelated sets of scholarship— the re-evaluation of secularisation, and the relationship between medieval and modern philosophy—provide a helpful means to arrive at a clearer understanding of this challenging problem. Charles Taylor and Jan Aertesn act as foci for these developments, particularly through their respective concerns with epistemic framing in relation (...) to transcendence and immanence, and the role of transcendentals in medieval philosophy. This examination brings these two concepts together, examining the idea of transcendentals offered by both Aquinas, a thinker of the transcendent frame, and Kant, a thinker of the immanent frame. From this juxtaposition we can offer two contrasting understandings of the relationship between transcendence and immanence from within both the transcendent and immanent frames. Finally, two brief literary examples demonstrate how these two ways of reading transcendence and immanence may be employed in the contextual understanding of religious writing. To understand the unity and division between transcendence and immanence is to better comprehend two primary terms in the study of religion, and to appreciate a fundamental development in the history of religion in the West. (shrink)

This paper advocates for the introduction of poetic inquiry in Nigerian universities as a powerful approach to decolonizing research and reclaiming indigenous ways of knowing. It highlights the need to challenge outdated colonial concepts of higher education that have suppressed poetry and other indigenous forms of exploration and understanding. It argues that the incorporation of poetic inquiry in Nigerian universities can create inclusive and transformative spaces that foster social justice, cultural affirmation, and knowledge decolonization. The paper draws on literature on (...) decolonial and critical pedagogy to argues that poetic inquiry enables researchers to engage with alternative modes of expression and challenge dominant Western-centric paradigms. It underscores the social and political implications of embracing poetry as a means of reimagining narratives and reshaping power dynamics within academia and society at large. By validating and honouring indigenous knowledge systems, poetic inquiry promotes self-determination and cultural revitalization while bridging the gap between academia and the wider community. The paper offers recommendations on how Poetic Inquiry may be integrated into the curriculum of Nigerian universities. (shrink)

Imagine that only the state can meet the need for housing but decides not to do so. Unsurprisingly, participants in a vignette experiment deem this scenario unjust. Hence, justice ratings increase when the living situation improves. To a lesser extent, this also holds beyond the need threshold, understood as the minimum amount necessary for a decent life. Surprisingly, however, the justice evaluation function is highly convex below this point. The resulting S-shaped curve is akin to the value function in prospect (...) theory, with the need threshold providing the point of reference and inflection. A control treatment without needs-information supports this interpretation. Needs-information furthermore compresses the perceived injustice of arbitrary inequality. As in prospect theory, such reference dependency suggests biases in judgment and decision making. A consequence may be that the lot of the poorest in society does not receive the attention it would otherwise get. (shrink)

This paper analyses the phenomenon of strange, rigid beliefs through the lens of predictive processing (PP). By “strange, rigid beliefs” I refer to abstract beliefs about the world for which, according to a rational and scientific worldview, there is no evidence available, yet which people struggle to abandon even when challenged with strong counterarguments or counterevidence. Following recent PP accounts of delusion formation, I show that one explanation for such strangely persistent beliefs can be a breakdown of the predictive machinery (...) itself. However, given how common strange, rigid beliefs are, I argue that there must be another kind of explanation too – one that does not presuppose a malfunction of the prediction engine. This will lead me to develop an alternative account that I will call “hijacking beliefs”. Using the example of supernatural beliefs, I will argue that certain abstract beliefs, when adopted under the right circumstances, are especially hard to dislodge for a predictive mind, as they are evidentially self-protective. Such beliefs may be consistent with a wide range of experiences and therefore hard to falsify, and might also bias future perception, action, and model-updating in ways that make them immune to rational revision. (shrink)

Disparities in lending to minority applicants persist even as algorithmic lending practices proliferate. Further, disparities in interest rates charged can remain large even when loan applicants from different groups are equally creditworthy. We study the role of risk-management constraints, specifically Value-at-Risk (VaR) constraints, in the persistence of segregation in loan approval decisions. We develop a formal model in which a mainstream (low-interest) bank is more sensitive to variance risk than a subprime (high-interest) bank. If the mainstream bank has an inflated (...) prior belief about the variance of the minority group, it may deny that group credit indefinitely, thus never learning the true risk of lending to that group, while the subprime lender serves this population at higher rates. We formalize this as a “subprime trap” equilibrium. Finally, we show that a small, finite subsidy (or partial guarantee) can help minority groups escape the trap by covering enough of the mainstream bank’s downside so that it can afford to lend and learn the minority group’s true risk. Once it has sufficiently many data points, it meets its VaR requirement with no further assistance, minority groups are approved for loans by the mainstream bank, and competition drives down the interest rates of subprime lenders. (shrink)

A strength of liberal political institutions is their ability to accommodate pluralism, both allowing divergent comprehensive doctrines as well as constructing the common ground necessary for diverse people to live together. A pressing question is how far such pluralism extends. Which comprehensive doctrines are simply beyond the pale and need not be accommodated by a political consensus? Rawls attempted to keep the boundaries of reasonable disagreement quite broad by infamously denying that political liberalism need make reference to the concept of (...) truth, a claim that has been criticized by Joseph Raz, Joshua Cohen, and David Estlund. In this paper, we argue that these criticisms fail due to the fact that political liberalism can remain non-committal on the nature of truth, leaving the concept of truth in the domain of comprehensive doctrines while still avoiding the issues raised by Raz, Cohen, and Estlund. Further substantiating this point is the fact that Rawls would, and should, include parties in the overlapping consensus whose views on truth may be incoherent. Once it is seen that political liberalism allows such incoherence to reasonable parties, it is clear that the inclusion of truth and the requirement of coherence urged by Raz, Cohen, and Estlund requires more of reasonable people than is necessary for a political consensus. (shrink)

If Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy replaced its anti natalism with anti racism it may be one of the best survival heuristics. People of color cannot pay their own reparations so the future welfare state must be financed by the work of European clones. Schopenhauer's pessimism becomes irrational when he advocates for antinatalism. While pessimism is generally better for societal well being than optimism is, a point of excess exists. Hegel's idealism towards progress should be accepted to a limited extent thus making (...) it realism towards progress. Marx's theory of historical inevitability towards progress is plausible due to the proof of Wagner's Law. Once policies are implemented by the reparational welfare state. The Mimetic Theory can be thoroughly applied by distribution of research and creative jobs to the population. Research and creative work are not as easily automated because they are more cognitively demanding and open-ended. Sound has been found to throw off people's focus. Schopenhauer posited that sound was detrimental to the intellect. Schopenhauer also claimed that high intellect tends to make people antisocial. Nietzche claimed that an Ubermensch would oppose some social norms and would thereby be poorly socialized and a great societal contributor. In practice, Thiel has made the conjecture that having Asperger's can be an advantage in entrepreneurship. Newport claims cognitively demanding tasks require much attention and that being bored has benefits. A correlation is not a causation so in a science a result likely has multiple causes . Paradoxes are when theory and practice diverge. Thus, the reparations welfare state plan could unleash extreme human potential by providing an economic basis for living. And any theory should be put into practice with pessimism because discrepancies are problematic. The Anti Racist Skeptical Pessimistic Theorem: (Group Theory) A theorem which proves the synthesis of Wagner's Law, Critical Race Theory, White Privilege Theorem, Transhumanist Theorem, Game Theory of Racial Fetishizing and Internalized Racism, Reparations Theorem, etc. The reparations system could be composed in accordance with CRT. The Nordic Privileged clones would create a workforce to finance the welfare state. Thus, creating a universal economic basis for the other Nordics and the people of color. Once the cloning is implemented Nordic Privilege could be further distributed to end systemic racism. All of these are backed by empirical evidence in this essay, so, pessimism is an imperative attitude in the implementation of these ideas in case if discrepancies arise calling for modification. (shrink)

CAUTION: TRANSHUMANISM IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PRACTICED WITH EXTREME CAUTION. WARNING: DRUGS(EVEN PSYCHEDELICS) ARE DANGEROUS!!! NOTE: ALL CLAIMS IN THIS BOOK MAY BE FALSE. This book covers the politics of the Nordics. Beginning with an examination of the Nordic liberal psyche. Secondly with the ought and how of reparations. Thirdly adding more to the ought for reparations. The fourth chapter is using neuroscientific evidence to support critical race theory. The fifth is neuroscientific evidence used to support Marxism. In the (...) sixth chapter is neuroscientific evidence used to describe the evolutionary strategy of the Nordics. At the seventh place is a chapter describing how people could mutate into Nordics. Eighth in the book is a chapter to describe ways to begin implementing a Marxist state with special attention towards the autistic population. Ninth chapter examines consciousness. The last two chapters examine consciousness and measurement for background reasons. Tenth chapter attempts to note how and why psychedelics cause people to realize the nature of reality. Eleventh chapter explores the shift from the humanities to the hard sciences to compare the qualitative with the quantitative. ALSO AVAILABLE HERE:. (shrink)