Michael Flynn's Blog, page 97

Quote of the Day

Today's Quote, brought to you by Sir Arthur.

“The materialist who is convinced that all phenomena arise from electrons and quanta and the like controlled by mathematical formulae, must presumably hold that his wife is a rather elaborate differential equation; but he is probably tactful enough not to obtrude this opinion in domestic life.”

-- Sir Arthur Eddington, The Nature of the Physical World (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1928), p.341.

"I cannot be blamed...."

The Passing of the Modern Age

A fellow named Deogolwulf posts elsewhere on the Web, here copied without comment. 
He is writing about the UK. 

Some of our country’s “advanced”-level students of history have been complaining about a question which appeared in an examination: “How far do you agree that Hitler’s role 1933-45 was one of despotic tyranny?”. [1:] The phrase “despotic tyranny” has caused some upset:

“[I:]t is elitist . . . to assume every history student is going to have come across...

Getting a Move On

The Parmenides Challenge

The Thomist makes the following observation:Parmenides’s challenge to philosophy is his claim that motion and becoming are opinions as opposed to truths. Motion and becoming, according to him, are no more features of the world than pain is a feature of a dental drill. We are certainly used to challenges like this: for several centuries, for example, people have insisted that colors and tastes and other “secondary qualities” are not features of the world, but some sort ...

Incoming! Duck!

Up Jim River

From Tor's Winter List, April 2010
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Up Jim River
Michael Flynn
A triumph of the New Space Opera: fast, complicated,
wonder-filled!

Hugo Award finalist and Robert A. Heinlein Award-winning SF
writer Michael Flynn returns to space opera with Up Jim River.

There is a river on Dangchao Waypoint, a small world out beyond
Die Bold. It is a longish river as such things go, with a multitude
of bayous and rapids and waterfalls, and it runs through many a
strange and hostile country. Going up it, you ...

No Singularity?

The Age of Progress is Over. 

Here are two article worth musing over.

www.takimag.com/blogs/article/the_myth_of_technological_progress/

and

www.spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/robotics-software/singular-simplicity

But.... what about the Internet?  And new medicines?  And...?

I think what the Taki article was trying to get at was the radical nature of the changes that have not taken place lately.  Whatever progress has occurred has been "more and better" of the same old stuff. 

The Kano Principle...

Town Hall Rules

Yes, Apparently They Do

But Does It Work the Other Way?

It's Official.  Climate Change is a Religion.

At least in Old Blighty:
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/06/employment-tribunal-dismissal-climate-change

Judge David Sneath said at the employment tribunal: “[Nicholson:] has certain views about climate change and acts upon those views in the way in which he leads his life. In my judgment his belief goes beyond a mere opinion.”

The decision, which is being challenged by the company, comes two years after the law on religious discrimination was changed ...

Quote of the Day

"I scoff at America."
-- Erich Ludendorff, Generalquartiermeister, Imperial German Army,
upon being told of the possible consequences of resuming unrestricted submarine warfare

+ + +

"They don't pay me to think, they pay me to be an Admiral."
-- Vice-Admiral Sir Archibald Berkeley Milne, Commanding, British Mediterranean Fleet
November 1912-August 1914

+ + +

  "I take command of this gun!"
- Rebel soldier, throwing himself upon the muzzle of a cannon during the assault on the 153rd Pennsy...

This is Kool

Electrifying News About Trees

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Elephants All the Way Down

Don't Laugh.  They're Poisonous
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