Joe Velikovsky's Blog, page 14
December 30, 2020
Introducing a new Scientific Instrument: Velikovsky's 3 Laws of HOLON/partons
Velikovsky's 3 Laws of HOLON/partons
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I have something cool I want to show you...
So we all know, there are various scientific instruments for viewing objects at different scales (and distances)...
Instruments such as: the telescope, binoculars, the naked eye, a magnifying glass, and the microscope...
These scientific instruments (or, scientific tools) can be used to view things such as biological units (organisms, cells, bacteria, DNA), and non-biological matter of course (units such as: buildings, vehicles, landscapes, etc.). Well... What if, there was a tool, a scientific instrument, that allowed you to view: Units of Culture?
There is such a tool. I made it.
And now, it is my gift to you.
Welcome to: Velikovsky's 3 Laws of HOLON/partons.
(This is going to sound crazy at first, but - bear with me, this won't take long, and I guarantee - it WILL be worth it!)
So now - imagine a tool that was all 5 things, combined into one:
(1) a telescope, (2) binoculars, (3) the naked eye, (4) a magnifying glass, and (5) a microscope...
Here are the 3 Laws:
You can use this tool to find the units of culture.
i.e., If an entity obeys those 3 laws - It's a unit!
Examples:
And it works for: letters, words, languages, books, music, movies, inventions, poems, religions, scientific theories...
...Anything in culture.
Enjoy!
And for more detail, see the 5 chapters I published on it: (and forthcoming book)
P3 of EC
--------------//---------------
Well, that's about all we have time for, folks.
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Rugged Frontiersman & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
------------------------
December 27, 2020
Ev Cult case study: `Jerilderie' (2020)
Ev Cult case study: `Jerilderie' (2020)
(FYI: Ev Cult is short for: Evolutionary Culturology)
So, I wrote & performed & recorded & uploaded, this random song:
...Maybe listen to it / watch it first, before reading the rest of this post...?
(As, the text below has: spoilers...)
& I think it's probably better, if, you "come to it, cold" ... ?
(Well; unless you already know it / have seen it / heard it before.)
Okay so - assuming, you've now heard/watched it...
...First of all, I have a question for you.
Did you find what you just watched/heard (`Jerilderie' Tryptych): New , or Useful , or Surprising ? (or even all 3, at once?)If new , in what way/s?If useful , in what way/s?If surprising , in what way/s?Also: Did you `get goosebumps', at any point in the song? (If so, exactly when & where?)And finally, prior to hearing the song, do you know about: Ned Kelly, & all that? (...I am trying to figure out, if people need prior knowledge of the Ned Kelly story, to make the song: "work".) Pls feel free to Comment, below.
Anyway, so, yeah. - Be all that as it may...
Yes - I do know "triptych" is spelt "triptych"! (I chose to spell it: "tryptych".)
What happened, there:
Since there were 3 versions of the song, but presented as one single 15-minute unit, (on: Youtube), I first: SELECTED the word "triptych", then VARIED the spelling a bit (swapped a "y" for an "i"), then TRANSMITTED it (to you, the reader/listener/audience/receiver of a unit of culture.)
So in that case, the unit of culture was: a word.
"Tryptych."
Hey and I see that the great philosopher, Wikipedia, says this, about the word "triptych":
`Despite its connection to an art format, the term is sometimes used more generally to connote anything with three parts, particularly if they are integrated into a single unit.[3]'Source: Wikipedia , online
(A Side Note: Did you know, I published a Scientific Theory of units of culture ? ...Anyway if not, now you do.)
Below is a short list of 5 of my prior book-chapters on it... (If not of interest, just skip these 5 chapters. But - by the way - those too, are units of culture. As, a book chapter is: a unit... It's a whole chapter, but is part of a book... It's a HOLON/parton . A part - and a whole - at the very same time.)
[In the word of the great Philosopher, Keanu Reeves:
"Whoa..."
...i.e., Mind = blown, right?]
Those 5 book chapters:
Anyway, in a nutshell - with that song, `Jerilderie' - I first wrote the words, then added the music (three chords: E, A, Am).Book chapter: Velikovsky, J. T. (02020). Technology: Memes (Units of Culture). In M. A. Runco & S. R. Pritzker (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Creativity (3rd ed., pp. 585-604). San Diego, Calif.: Elsevier Science & Technology Books.
Book chapter: Velikovsky, J. T. (2019). The Holon/Parton Structure of the Meme, or The Unit of Culture. In D. B. A. Mehdi Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Simulation, and Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 795-811). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Book chapter: Velikovsky, J. T. (2018). The Holon/Parton Theory of the Unit of Culture (or the Meme, and Narreme): In Science, Media, Entertainment, and the Arts. In IRMA (Ed.), Technology Adoption and Social Issues: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications(pp. 1590-1627). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Book chapter: Velikovsky, J. T. (2017). Chapter 405: The Holon/Parton Structure of the Meme, or, The Unit Of Culture. In M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition (pp. 4666-4678). New York: IGI Global.
Book chapter: Velikovsky, J. T. (2016). The Holon/Parton Theory of the Unit of Culture (or the Meme, and Narreme): In Science, Media, Entertainment and the Arts.In A. Connor & S. Marks (Eds.), Creative Technologies for Multidisciplinary Applications (pp. 208-246). New York: IGI Global.
Source: P3 of EC (online).
Then, what I had on my hands was, a song.
Then I:
1) SELECTED, that song (the: words & music, as one unit of culture), then I
2) VARIED it (i.e., I played & sung it, 3 times - twice on acoustic guitar, and, once with the electric stuff [electronic drums, electric guitar, & electric bass]), then I
3) TRANSMITTED it. (To: you. AND/OR, whoever else, ever sees/hears it...)
...Welcome to SVT, one of the evolutionary algorithms...!
And, it works exactly the same way in Biological Evolution (plants, animals, viruses, etc), as it does in Cultural Evolution (words, songs, movies, books, etc).
(Again, in the word of the great philosopher Keanu Reeves: Whoa...)
So, there are 3 versions (or variations) there, on the one song...
Some folks might even term it a `cultural mutation'? Rather than, a cultural variation.
But these words (mutation / variation) mean the same thing. (In terms of what I am talking about here.)
So - the 3 versions of the song in the Youtube video are of varying lengths, too...
The 3 x different song lengths / variationsAnyway so - that's Cultural Evolution in action , for you...?
See how units of culture (e.g. songs, or words, or pieces of writing, or messages, or movies, or whatever) can get Selected, Varied, and Transmitted?
That's the SVT evolutionary algorithm.
If now, somebody ever picks up a guitar (or other musical instrument), and plays (aka "covers") the song, they too will vary it, no doubt.
As, if nothing else, probably their voice sounds a little bit (or, a lot?) different to mine...?
...I mean, here's the official, original, canonical lyrics:
--------//---------
`JERILDERIE'
by JT Velikovsky (2020)
Chords: E, A, Am.
Listen up Ned, it’s Dan
We’re gonna make, one last stand…
No-one can say that we Kellys were losers
If I can take down with me, some of these troopers
Back’s against the wall
One last swing, as we all fall
A gunshot’s the sound of freedom
And I’ve got two more rounds if we need 'em
We ain’t gonna last till daylight
But I think I can take, those 2 on the right?
So you make a run for the horse-pen
Just cover me once I get out in the open…
Think you coulda handled it better
Shoulda never written that Jerilderie Letter
Should held back at Jerilderie…?
Cause you know mate, we’re never gonna be free
No more use in talking
(Tell mum I’m sorry for everything)
And you always said that we needed more men -
But you know that we’ll never be free men again
Ploughshares into armour...
Avenge the farmer’s sweet-hereafter
I’m gonna get my licks in -
Cos everything’s broken, and way past the fixing
Called him `The Iron Outlaw’
Three in the grave, and one out the door
Crooked policemen ought to be flayed
"And all of my orders must be obeyed"
Ned, you’re game, for sure
A widow’s son outlawed
But don’t lose your head over freedom
They’ll put your skull in the Melbourne Museum
-----------//-------------
And so, I guess the above qualifies as a (rhyming) bush (ranger) poem...?
But, when you add music to a poem, it becomes, a song.
(Note that: the universal evolutionary algorithm for creativity - in both Biology and Culture, is:
Combine two existing things together to get a new thing, and the result has to be judged: new, useful, and surprising, by its environment.)
The environment for songs is: the audience for songs. (Which includes: the mass audience, critics, and `gatekeepers'. And of course, other songwriters.)
For more on that, see: What is Creativity, and How Does It Work?
The environment for a newly-emergent species of shark (say) is: the ocean. Including all the predators and local and global environmental conditions, and whatnot. The ecosystem.
Anyway, who knows, just how this new song, Jerilderie, will go.
Let alone, 3 versions of it...?
But, it's a numbers game...
If you release 3 different versions of a unit of culture, "into the wild" as it were, maybe there's 3 opportunities for it to: survive...?
Hey - do you know about r/K selection theory ?
(I am not talking about R Kelly now...)
Good ole `Uncle Wikipedia' says:
`In ecology, r/K selection theory relates to the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that trade off between quantity and quality of offspring...
r-selection
In unstable or unpredictable environments, r-selection predominates due to the ability to reproduce rapidly. There is little advantage in adaptations that permit successful competition with other organisms, because the environment is likely to change again...
Among the traits that are thought to characterize r-selection are high fecundity, small body size, early maturity onset, short generation time, and the ability to disperse offspring widely... Organisms that exhibit r-selected traits can range from bacteria and diatoms, to insects and grasses, to various semelparous cephalopods and small mammals, particularly rodents...
K-selection
A Bald eagle, an individual of a typical K-strategist species. K-strategists have longer life expectancies, produce relatively fewer offspring and tend to be altricial, requiring extensive care by parents when young.
Organisms with K-selected traits include large organisms such as elephants, humans, and whales, but also smaller long-lived organisms such as Arctic terns,[11] parrots and eagles.'
Source: Uncle Wikipedia.
Anyway - so, why don't they release 2 or even 3 versions of a movie (like, the cinema cut, the Director's Cut, and the Extended Version), all at the same time...? Usually, it takes a long time for the Director's Cut to be released.Also - songs often have: (1) the radio edit, (2) the album version, and (3) the live version, and (4) the extended dance remix, or, whatever... (& I still think, they all should be released at the same time. All at once. In fact, often, they are. So, I'm not sure what am I even complaining about...? So, let's move on.)
Anyway - as promised - moving on.
Things that survive - and, become populous (or: extant) - in culture are called: Canon.
Things that don't (and that go extinct, or are forgotten, or ignored) are called: Archive.
Here's a diagram I prepared earlier:
Source, more or less: The Encyclopedia of Creativity (Velikovsky 2020)Anyway, every new song is always a scientific experiment. In Bio-Culture.
To explain:
...I first had a Theory, or Expectation, or Hypothesis, that:
I thought, maybe, this "Jerilderie" song (well - in: Australia, anyway? Who knows, about globally...) might make:
1) A nice soft, sad, bittersweet, acoustic-guitar `bushranger ballad'...?
2) A nice song if it was another version, of the above (with, slightly different `breaks' in it - and also, a slightly different vocal performance)...? Maybe, it's better? Or, just: different.
3) A good: drinking song, in a pub/hotel... (See the 3rd, "electric" version, in the Youtube video, above)...
But - the experiment (the actual song, Jerilderie) always needs: Trial, (and hopefully not, Error) - to find out, the Results of the Hypothesis/theory/expectation (see above) !
Because, all of life is: doing science.
(Even, writing/releasing: songs, or, books, or jokes, or new words, or - whatever... Any unit of culture.)
We expect that, if we (the composer/inventor/creator of: a song) find the song (or, our new book, or joke, or word, article, etc...) to be decent enough, then - hey, maybe, some others will, too...?
But - you've always gotta do the experiment...!
i.e.,
...Suck it, and see.
Put it out there.
And, as with every unit of culture, I predict:
1) Some people: will like it.
2) Other people: won't.
Anyway, here's the text from the YouTube Description:
------------
3 versions of “Jerilderie” a song about Dan and Ned Kelly… (written & performed by J T Velikovsky)
(Inspired by Paul Kelly’s song, How To Make Gravy. And also, The Jerilderie Letter.)
Chords for “Jerilderie”: E, A, Am
Words & Music, copyright 2020.
Credits:
Picture of Ned’s head (the day before his execution, in 1880) from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...Movie Still Images, from the very first feature-length movie: The Story of the Kelly Gang (Tait, 1906) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sto... http://soundbible.com/1664-Restaurant... CC 3.0 (Public Domain, recorded by stephan)http://soundbible.com/2163-Party-Crow... License: CC Attribution 3.0Recorded by Daniel Simion http://soundbible.com/1666-M1-Garand-... License: CC Attribution 3.0Recorded by battlestar10
…I did see Ned’s head in the Melbourne Museum (or, a plaster cast of his skull, anyway) years ago, and it freaked me out. (Also, I thought it’d be taller in person.)
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerilde...
This song has no Chorus, just 3 chords & the truth.
See also (Texas Radio album sampler): https://on-writering.blogspot.com/201...
And, if you really want to go hog-wild, see also: https://outrageous-bullshit.blogspot....
------------//-------------
That last line of the electric version is an SVT (Selection, Variation & Transmission) of an Elton John/Bernie Taupin line, "This Song Has No Title" - but see, even there, we see an SVT: as, the actual lyric inside the song, is a variation of the title, as, he actually sings: "this song's got no title, just words and a tu-uuuu-uuuu-uuuu-ne". So, either the lyric - or the title, there - is a variation, of the other.
Selection, Variation, Transmission.
The SVT algorithm.
And so in that final line (of the 3rd, i.e. "electric" version of the song), I varied ("this song has no [swap out: `title' for] `chorus' ") , and then, combined that idea, with - the idea of: "three chords and the truth" - which, is a very popular thing to say, if, you're a songwriter...
Also, the great Philosopher U2 once said it, but, then again, so did lots of folks.
It's a meme.
A unit of culture.
Some memes (words, songs, jokes, books, ideas, etc.) are viral memes...
They spread contagiously, sorta like: a virus.
Which brings us to the question:
Why are some things popular?
And, others, not?
Because it's sometimes good to be reminded: great things are not always popular, and popular things are not always great...
Anyway - my forthcoming book on Evolutionary Culturology goes into this stuff - on, units of culture... i.e., What are the units in biology, and what are the units in culture, and - how do both: evolve?
In fact, it goes into the units, levels, and mechanisms of biological and cultural evolution.
Anyway so, there you go.
And, sorry in advance, if, the song is: an earworm.
But - then again, that's kinda what I was going for. An earworm.
And - Where `the idea' for the song came from:
I heard a program on ABC Radio National, a week or 2 ago, about Paul Kelly's song How To Make Gravy, and wanted to write a song, kinda vaguely like, that one,
i.e.: sad, poignant, moving, catchy, a dialog between 2 or more people, no chorus, etc.
So, as I recall, because of the word "Kelly" (as in: Paul) - I guess, I thought of Ned Kelly, (and then, I thought of Dan Kelly, his brother.) ...Because I already knew about: them.
Also - note how, the opening line of `How To Make Gravy' is: "Hello Dan, it's Joe here"...
Check the first line of Jerilderie. (Similar, kinda.)
By the way, Joe Byrne was also a guy in The Kelly Gang. So, when I think of "Dan" and "Joe", I think of: the Kelly gang... (Though - oddly - my dad's name was Dan, and my name is Joe... When any "associative thoughts" are triggered, I notice, I often tend to think of others, before myself... Maybe I'm weird.) And so anyway, I thought of opening with: "Listen up Ned, it's Dan..."
Then, the next line suggested itself. ("We're gonna make, one last stand.") Probably because, that's what Ned Kelly & co are very famous for.
...That, and, I've written probably hundreds of songs (some of them are even: good), so, I tend to think in rhyme when I'm songwriting. (And, "Dan" kinda rhymes with "stand"...)
Anyway - I could go into, how I composed the rest of the lyrics (BTW, I wrote them all, before finally adding: the chords) - but - this post is getting long and, maybe nobody cares.But - as a Creativity Scientist type guy, I am very interested in how people make units of culture up, like say: songs, ideas, books, scientific theories, videogames, words, or, whatever.
I mean, I know how I do it, because: I was there at the time.
But - maybe other folks have vastly better/quicker/cheaper, methods / protocols / practises / procedures, in terms of their: benefit/cost ratio...?
So, I also like reading about / understanding, how other songwriters: do their thing.
(And, other: filmmakers, novel authors, game designers, joke writers, scientists, engineers, etc!)
And, anyway, the song happened pretty quickly; kinda "wrote itself":
I heard the Paul Kelly ABC RN show, and then a few days later, when I was in a coffee shop, the first words came to me, and then also, a few more lines while I was in the supermarket (shopping), as: doing boring & repetitive tasks (like say: shopping, walking, showering, doing the dishes by hand, mowing the lawn, chopping wood, taking a dump, etc) are good for letting the creative ideas flow...
(i.e. The Science of Creativity says so, I am not just making this stuff up. See books and papers on creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi & the like.)
Anyway, what else did I want to say...?
Oh yeah, the line "I'm gonna get my licks in" is actually more of an Americanism than an Australianism, but - there you go. It basically means: "I may well lose this fight - but who cares, as I am still gonna enjoy, on some level, hurting/damaging my opponents". Blows in a fight = "licks".In this case, for Ned & Dan Kelly, the opponents are: the troopers (cops)... Anyway - the Kellys were Irish. So, go figure. (I like Irish writers, like Flann O'Brien, e.g. The Third Policeman. Check out the audiobook, read by Jim Norton. Great stuff! James Joyce is also supposed to be a great writer, I read Ulysses, and a few others of his, but didn't understand a lot of it, at the time... I think I need to read them again.)
Also - apart from the obvious, in the song, I'm not 100% sure, when Dan (Kelly) is talking, and when Ned is talking, but - creativity researcher Martindale (in The Clockwork Muse, 1990) shows that ambiguity is a good thing to try and get in, to maybe give an artwork a long `shelf life'...?
People can then wonder about: How to interpret it. Or, can interpret it how they like. (Which is what we all do anyway, right?)
Also, this line: "And all of my orders must be obeyed" - is from the end of the Jerilderie Letter:
`As they can not and will not protect them if duffing and bushranging were abolished the police would have to cadge for their living I speak from experience as I have sold horses and cattle innumerable and yet eight head of the culls is all ever was found I never was interfered with whilst I kept up this successful trade. I give fair warning to all those who has reason to fear me to sell out and give P10 out of every hundred towards the widow and orphan fund and do not attempt to reside in Victoria but as short a time as possible after reading this notice, neglect this and abide by the consequences, which shall be worse than the rust in the wheat in Victoria or the druth of a dry season to the grasshoppers in New South Wales I do not wish to give the order full force without giving timely warning. but I am a widows son outlawed and my orders must be obeyed.'Source: The Jerilderie Letter (public domain)
And "Ned you're game, for sure" also - loosely - comes from Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, where Jack Grogan tells Barry that he's: game.
"I never saw a lad more game in me life!" (Jack Grogan in Barry Lyndon, 1975)
Also - that film, Barry Lyndon, has the best fight scene I've ever seen in a movie. (But watch it in context, don't go find it on Youtube... Watch the whole movie.)
And anyway, Irish guys like: fighting, as a cultural stereotype. "The fighting Irish", and, all that... (Another meme, or unit of culture, or, cultural cliche.)
Clichés are sometimes handy when writing a song, as people don't find them too: new or scary.
And - that's about all I can think of, that I wanted to say about: that song.
Anyway - I mainly just wanted to make the point about Selection, Variation, Transmission - the evolutionary algorithm - in Cultural Evolution (& Creativity)...
...Can you see how it works?
(The SVT algorithm, in culture.)
We all Select, then Vary, then Transmit stuff, all the time...
Also, maybe the song is interesting structurally, as, it has no chorus.
But then again it's the same with Paul Kelly's How To Make Gravy, that: also has no chorus.
...You know how, a standard song-structure is (something, like):
(...Or, cultural variations, or, cultural mutations, thereof...?)
Intro Verse 1 Verse 2 Chorus Middle 8 bars (aka `Bridge') Chorus Verse 3 Chorus Chorus
Anyway - this random song, Jerilderie, seems not to have a Chorus...? Just: a bunch of Verses.
So, kinda weird... Anyway - it's a fun creative exercise, to try and write a Chorus-less song.
And - maybe see Phillip McIntyre's work on songwriting, and popular music...!
(...McIntyre taught me songwriting, many moons ago!)
Also, he did a PhD on it.
Anyway; so - there you go...?
`Jerilderie'. Tryptych.
And, sorry if I've ruined the song (or even all 3 of them) by explaining all this stuff about it...?
But - maybe, it makes it more interesting...?
...Or, not...?
...You be the judge!
& Please feel free to leave Comments, below.
& Here's my PhD blog on Cultural Evolution, if of interest.
--------------//---------------
Well, that's about all we have time for, folks.
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Rugged Frontiersman & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
December 23, 2020
In Praise of: `Evolutionary Philosophy' (Gibney 2012)
In Praise of the book: `Evolutionary Philosophy' (Gibney 2012)
(Praise, by
Velikovsky of Newcastle, December 02020)
Evolutionary Philosophy (Gibney 02012)So, I just read this great book, and - it's: great !
So, now I want to talk about it...
But, the problem there is, I'm a Communication Scientist, and I know for a fact that talking is one of the lowest-bandwidth communication channels that exist, and, life's very short, so, it's best to have the fastest, and most economical, (the best: benefit/cost ratio) communication data throughput.
So, the next best thing is: to write about it, (rather than: talk).
And so, here goes.
(Write on, man! Right on.)
First of all, I'd like you to know, I've been looking for a book like this for years... I didn't even know about it, till super-recently, like, a few days ago...!
So, imagine my thrill of discovery, at finding that, a book I had wanted to read for years, (but thought nobody had written yet), suddenly: existed. (Frankly, it was a huge dopamine rush. And, a huge relief.)
Well; I mean, it existed as an artifact, as a Kindle book, in the "external world", (aka Popper's `World 3') from the year 2012 onwards, but - I for one, didn't know about it, till: the year 2020.
...Holy cowbells!
PS - Wait, did you know about it, until now...?
(...If not: You're welcome.)
(And, hey - if you did, then why weren't you telling me about it, for the past 8 years?)
Because, here's the thing: I wrote a Ph.D, that was published in 2016.
(It's free online, you can read it anytime, if you want; What do I care?)
And, anyway, here's the other thing -
When you write a Ph.D, basically, the algorithm - (or, formula. or pattern, or process, or, recipe) that you have to follow, in the 100,000-word dissertation that you have to write for a Ph.D - is:
Q. 1) What do we already know? (Also known as, a "Literature Review", and then, a Problem Statement/Research Question (i.e., I have read eerything we already know, and so - here is a GAP I have found in the research, that I am now going to try and FILL), and ...
Q. 2) So...What do I, now know? (i.e., After doing my PhD study, and, all of this new research, that: nobody else yet knows - and, frankly, they really should know. [If we assume that knowledge is a good and useful thing, and, I do. Assume that.].)
Q. 3) In the light of my new contribution/s to knowledge (in, this new Ph.D you are now reading), What does this mean-? (Does it change: anything? Everything? Both? Neither?)
4) Finally: Which Philosophical question/s does all of this, speak to? (Does it help answer any unanswered questions, or, solve any as-yet-unsolved important scientific problems?)
...So, yeah. That's the basic, really simple formula, or algorithm, or, recipe, for: a Ph.D.
(Or, for the "standard", regular, most-common form of Ph.D, anyway... There are, likely, some edge cases which are nothing like that... Because: Evolution.)
And so, at some stage of the Ph.D, you really need to pick a Philosophical Question, that your Ph.D helps to answer...! (For, the rest of the world, who probably doesn't have the time - or the energy - to do a Ph.D. on: whatever your new Ph.D is on.)
And, some of the "classic", or, old, or even (so-called) "timeless" Philosophical Questions, include:
`Why am I here?
What is a good life?
What is the right thing to do?
What is right?
What is good?
How do I know?’
Gibney, E. (2012). Evolutionary Philosophy. USA. Kindle Edition (p. 1).
And just for example, in my Ph.D, I used the question "What does it mean to be human?" as the Philosophical Question, which the Ph.D research, shed light on...
And, I said something like this:
`In terms of the philosophical and scientific question of “What does it mean to be human?” these canonical movies [the top 20 Return-on-Investment, or highest benefit/cost ratio movies] generally depict human universals in terms of normative Human
Nature (as understood via Evolutionary Psychology) and partially explains why they
were also selected by Human Nature at the cinema box office.420'
(Velikovsky, the StoryAlity PhD, 2016, p. 245)
Footnote #420: In broad terms the common elements in these narratives are the universal human: “problems of mating: selecting, attracting and retaining a mate and performing the needed sexual behaviour required for successful reproduction” (D. M. Buss, 2012, p. 65). The other part of the broader explanation for these movies’ success is that they adhere to the Anna Karenina principle in both their conception and execution.'
---------------------
And so now, let's check out, this awesome book's Table of Contents: because, why not? It helps to know more about what's inside the book.
(But you already know how Tables of Contents work... They're good like that.)
So, here comes the cover of the book again, and, the Table of Contents:
Contents
Evolutionary Philosophy
Purpose
Evolution 101
Philosophy 101
Main -isms, -ologies, and definitions
Current philosophical camps
Tenets
Know Thyself
Concerning Me
Where Did I Come From? (Past)
Where Am I? (Present)
What Am I? (Present)
Where Am I Going? (Future)
Concerning Others
Other Individuals
Society
Concerning Things
Concerning Places
Concerning Ideas
Survival of the Fittest Philosophers
Ancient Philosophy (Pre 450 CE)
Medieval Philosophy (450-1600 CE)
Modern Philosophy (1600-1920 CE)
Contemporary Philosophy (Post 1920 CE)
My Evolution
EvPhil.com
Gibney, Ed. (2012) Evolutionary Philosophy. USA, Kindle Edition. (p. 2%)
--------------------
So...What do you think of that-?!
Personally I think it's great, as Tables of Contents go.
It has: all the stuff, I always want to know more about. And stuff I worry and think about, a lot.
And so, it's great! Also, just want to note, here's one way to think of The Unity of Knowledge: (also known as: consilience.)
i.e. Look at what happens; thanks to Gibney's great book Evolutionary Philosophy (2012), there's now, (and actually, since 2012) a great book, that helps "fill that domain of knowledge", there! Evolutionary Philosophy!
I mean, there are some other pre-existing books on Evolutionary Philosophy... (See my PhD for the gory details...) But, they're not as accessible, and easy-to-read as Evolutionary Philosophy (Gibney 2012)!
So, get on it! Right away! Read it!
...It's great!
Also, you'll notice Evolutionary Culturology is up the top of that diagram. And, I mean; you could swap it upside-down, it wouldn't matter.
I'm not saying, it has a "top" or a "bottom"...
You could even have it sideways, or whatever...
Anyway, all I mean is, it's: great, any way you look at it.
i.e., Evolutionary Philosophy (Gibney 2012).
And now, maybe you're wondering what Evolutionary Systems Philosophy is...
As, that's at the far right of the diagram above. (Or at the bottom, or the top, of, those other diagrams above...)
Well, it's basically:
Laszlo, E. (1972). Introduction to Systems Philosophy: Toward a New Paradigm of Contemporary Thought. New York: Gordon and Breach.
Which was a yuge influence on my (2016) PhD... You should read that, too.
It has a whole bunch of stuff on Evolutionary Systems, and how they: evolve.
Most people don't know (Laszlo 1972). It's been out of print, for years.
They don't know what they're missing!
The two main (currently, popular) "branches" in Philosophy, are: (1) Analytic Philosophy, (2) Continental Philosophy, and then - there's (3) Systems Philosophy. (Which kinda makes the other two look like child's play.)
Anyway, back to the great: Evolutionary Philosophy (Gibney 2012).
The first two parts of the book, on (1) Evolution 101, and on (2) Philosophy 101, are terrific!
...A great "crash course" (or, even, refresher course, if you already knew it all) on both those topics!
I love it-!
And now I'm going to draw a diagram...
Hey, what do you get, when you combine Evolution, and Philosophy?
Evolutionary Philosophy (Gibney 2012)!
Hey - and I love this quote, in the Pragmatism sub-section of the Philosophy 101 section.
`[In Pragmatism:] Theory and practice are not separate spheres; rather, theories and distinctions are tools or maps for finding our way in the world.'
Gibney, Ed (2012). Evolutionary Philosophy (p. 22). Unknown. Kindle Edition.
And, as well as "tools", or "maps", I (personally) also like to see theories as "models".
For example, scientific theories can also be called: scientific models.
Like, Darwin's scientific model of evolution.
Or, Newton's scientific model of gravity.
Or even, Einstein's scientific model of gravity.
...etc.
I also think, it helps solve (remove) the problem that, some people who don't understand science can say "It's only a theory!".
But scientific theories aren't ever "only a theory", as in: just a random idea that may or may not be true, or right, or correct. They are: scientific models. You can test them. In the real world. And, use them to solve problems, in the real world. And, if a better scientific model comes along, everybody who does Science for a living, uses that one instead.
(I suppose the same Science-deniers that say "But it's [Einstein's gravity, Newton's gravity, Darwin's evolution] only a theory!" could instead be just as ignorant, by yelling "But, it's only a scientific model!"... In which case, they would still be as annoying and ignorant and Science-denying as ever. But, stupid is, as stupid does. Knowledge is finite; ignorance can be infinite.)
...And, the rest of the book (Gibney 2012) is brilliant too, and, I'll finish writing this Review, tomorrow.
So, watch this space. (The big empty one, below.)
[Insert more text here, JTV]
Well, that's about all we have time for, folks.
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Rugged Frontiersman & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
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December 21, 2020
Film Review: `Better Left Unsaid' (Jaimungal 2020) - by Velikovsky of Newcastle
Documentary Film
(91 minutes; Director: Curt Jaimungal 2020)
Visit: https://betterleftunsaidfilm.com/
Review by
Velikovsky of Newcastle
17th Dec 02020
Better Left Unsaid (Teaser Trailer) 2020--------//---------
Synopsis
Better Left Unsaid explores the question: When do the extremesof Left and Right politics go too far?
In my view, the two arrows (below) indicate the main focus of the documentary.
The topics explored in Better Left Unsaid include: truth; lies; cancel culture; moral and political outrage; identity politics (race, gender, sexuality); Social Justice Warriors; Antifa; white supremacy; white privilege; colonialism; hate crimes; genocide; freedom of speech; systemic racism; systemic bias; intelligence; science denial; civil rights movements; Modernism versus PostModernism; Western Enlightenment values and ideas; Flat Earth conspiracy theories; whether Chomsky agrees with Hitler on some things; the progressive radical Left; the conservative radical Right; Al Gore’s The Assault on Reason (2007); whether “the white race is the cancer of human history” (Susan Sontag 1967); whether `Political Correctness gone too far’ causes some to turn away, and towards White Nationalism; the history of Marxism including Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Castro; group oppression narratives through history; America’s historical origins in (trigger-alert word) socialism; Nazi Germany; Fascism, Communism; the Jewish holocaust; equality; how history will judge the present moment; “True Marxism” versus “Fake Socialism”; Uyghurs in China; brainwashing; propaganda; the history of group conflict; religion; Fake News; media bias; On Bullshit (Frankfurt 2005); memes; slavery; radical equality; correspondence to the truth; democracy; Western values; and, freedom of speech.
Interviewees include Chomsky, Pinker, D S Wilson, and many other leading public intellectuals.
Clips feature Dave Chappelle, Joe Rogan, Russell Brand, Andrew Yang, Bret Weinstein, and many more.
Commentary/Review
Thanks to Enlightenment Values, we probably all know what misogyny and misandrymean, but did you know the definition of misology? "A hatred of argument, reasoning, or enlightenment."
In the era of `post-truth politics’ and `fake news’, this smart, thought-provoking, well-researched, balanced, entertaining - and yet also very edgy(!) - independent documentary(Better Left Unsaid) has the great courage to examine current “hot-button” Big Issues for open society liberal democracies, and argues for a return to the Enlightenment Values of truth, reason, logic, rationality, open discussion and debate, freedom of speech, and, science.
…It’s a great antidote to all the `fake news’ filling our feeds.
A truth bomb.
Better Left Unsaid may well be `cancelled’, in the current hysterical frenzy of `cancel culture’.
…We shall see?
Then again, one great way to unwittingly cause a unit of culture (such as a book, or a film) to go `viral’, is: to ban or `cancel’ it… So, a part of me hopes it gets `cancelled’, as, that way - probably even more people will see it.
On the other hand, I see Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth (2006) is the highest return-on-investment (read: most profitable) documentary film… And I also hope that Better Left Unsaid stays un-`cancelled’ – and un-banned - and exceeds that great film’s popularity in mainstream culture?
…Again - We shall see!
Better Left Unsaid (or, BLU) speaks truth to power - and educates and informs as it entertains, even despite some at times difficult, challenging, and even deeply disturbing subject matter (like: genocide, slavery, and violence).
It’s a fascinating scientific experiment!
(The audience’s reactions will be: The Results of the experiment.)
Its purpose is to extend, and deepen – and most importantly, continue – the current public conversation about Values - which can’t really proceed, unless we discuss things rationally (like BLU does). But freedom of speech, critical thinking, and rational debate are crucial values in Western open society liberal democracies; Better Left Unsaid shows why.
I am also a fan of the great book The Open Society and its Enemies (Popper 1945, 2013). (I’m not the only one who thinks it’s great: The MLB also voted it one of the best nonfiction books of the 21st century.)
BLU aims to combat what Popper (1945, 2013) pointed out, were some of Plato’s huge mistakes:
“…He [Plato] was forced to combat free thought, and the pursuit of truth. He was led to defend lying, political miracles, tabooistic superstition, the suppression of truth, and ultimately, brutal violence. In spite of Socrates’ warning against misanthropy and misology, he was led to distrust man and to fear argument.” (Popper, Ryan, & Gombrich, 2013, p. 189)
Better Left Unsaid shows why:
The only thing we have to fear, is the fear of fear itself...
So, watch Better Left Unsaid. Even if you’re afraid to.
And, let’s continue the discussion.
That’s what Western open society liberal democracies do.
VELIKOVSKY’S Verdict: Five out of five stars. Probably, one of the best documentaries you’ll ever see.*
*(If, you like that kind of thing? And, I do.)
See, also: ToE channels
ToE YouTube channels
-----------------------------
P.S. - (Don’t get me wrong: Some things obviously should be – and are – illegal, in open society liberal democracies – things like: slavery, rape, child porn, hate speech, etc. And frankly, anything that causes suffering is: bad. And #MeToois important - and long overdue, in cases like Harvey Weinstein’s - but - I agreed with Matt Damon, most things are: a spectrum. And, PTSD can make it hard to gauge and measure the degrees, or the shades of grey. But: Science is good at measuring things. So, maybe, try that.)
PPS – The Director’s Cut of BLU (120 minutes) also features one of the funniest song-animations I’ve seen in my entire life - including even, `The most dangerous species on Earth' (by Steve Cutts).
PPPS – Wait, what even are, Velikovsky’s personal Values and Politics? …What’s his: agenda?Wow - big question, but here’s a short answer... His agenda is: pro-Science. (And so, he is also anti: Science-Denial.)
He likes: Truth. Empirical facts. Reason. Progress. Enlightenment Values. (You know; all that stuff they killed Socrates for. But, we’ve come a long way since the year 399 BCE. …Haven’t we…?)
In terms of Values, he thinks suffering should be minimized, and, for example, is morally against farming animals (he’s currently a pescatarian). Years ago, he was once a cattle (beef) and sheep (wool) farmer, but became a vegetarian after reading Yuval Noah Harari’s three great books to date.
As for his Political views - it’s subtle, complex and nuanced, and depends on the exact political issue, under discussion? I mean, he did a random Political Compass Quiz online once, but he still doesn’t know how accurate it is... But, if it helps to explain him, here’s a list of some of his favorite thinkers, and, a list of some of his favorite books.
(And, sorry if you don’t like them, or, him. But, hey - it’s a free country. …Isn’t it?)
Velikovsky of Newcastle (aka Dr Joe T Velikovsky) is an Information Scientist, a Ph.D in Communication, Systems Philosopher, and random guy.
Also, a `cisgender hetero white male’, if you like attaching those kind of labels to things.
He also thinks you should read his 2016 PhD, on: movie creativity & profitability , but this is all just his opinion. As far as he knows, he’s not: racist, sexist, genderist, Marxist, or Fascist. He’s just: a Scientist…
But he also thinks, Values need to be integrated more into Science.
He likes: Systems Philosophy(Laszlo 1972).
He was also a volunteer rural firefighter for a few years. He tries hard to be a nice guy, but figures some people will hate him, regardless of what he says or does, as: that’s a thing that can happen.
Also he realizes how risky it is, giving a glowing review to BLU like the above, on such a plethora of “hot-button” issues. (But, meh? You don’t have to like it; it just has to be true - right?)
Also, in the interests of `full disclosure of any possible Conflicts of Interest’ - he sees, he also got a `Thank You’ in the film’s end credits! Probably, because he gave some helpful feedback on an early cut of the film (he’s a filmmaker as well – that’s a whole other story, that we don’t have time for right now)… Do you even have time to keep reading this? You be better off: watching Better Left Unsaid.
Seriously.
He seems to like the film (BLU) a lot - but thinks, like all works of art, it can be misinterpreted by absolutely anybody, and probably will be, by some, or even many, folks? As, that’s also: a thing that can happen... He also assumes that many people are even misinterpreting: this.
He likes long walks on the beach, and listening to music that he likes, but he guesses most people probably do. He likes most people he meets, but is often tortured by all the suffering in the world, and also has a tendency to over-empathise, which causes him a lot of personal suffering, so, he seems to have become somewhat of a hermit in order to focus on his work, in latter years. He also likes consilience, the unity of knowledge.
He also seems to ignore (apart from: reporting to the legal authorities) abuse, death-threats, and hate-mail, so don’t feel offended if he doesn’t engage with any of that stuff. He doesn’t `feed’: trolls, on either sides of the political spectrum. Still; that’s just him.
He also likes writing long Bio’s of himself in the third person like this, that are meant to be short, but frankly, there’s a lot of explaining to do…
And, can you ever really know another person? I mean, really know them.
He also thinks that before you judge him, or jump to any firm conclusions about him - or his views, values or agendas - based on insufficient evidence; maybe you should consider Bayes’ Theorem. And maybe even try to get to know him better – preferably, through his work.
Apparently, he wishes peace on earth, and good will to all living beings. He also likes D S Wilson’s new novel, Atlas Hugged (2020).
...You’d probably like him, if you ever met him, given the law of averages? Who knows.
(Well; unless you didn’t.)
Then again, he seems ambivalent about stuff like that. He often says “You don’t have to like it - it just has to be true, right?”, when talking about Science and Empirical Facts, as: Science doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings – not even his.
He also joined The Heterodox Academy after he saw that Steven Pinker recommended it. (That’s not the only reason.) And, he also loved Pinker’s `Enlightenment Now’ (2018).
He also often thinks `feelings’ (aka emotions) are overrated, and are probably just algorithms that evolved in organisms, including in: humanimals in the EEA (Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness), around the Pleistocene Era, and that `feelings’ don’t always serve us as well, in modern contemporary environments that have evolved, and changed.
He also likes Evolutionary Culturology . And, is frankly amazed if you are still reading this. He’s not sure what else to say.
But, he hopes you enjoy watching Better Left Unsaid, as much as he did.
Which was: a lot!
...He’s also probably a bit Aspie, or something...?
A random online quiz he once did said so, anyway.
Then again, as like most things, like Values, Gender, Sexuality, etc. Asperger’s is a spectrum, so to some degree, we are all a little - or a lot - Asperger’s. Depends who we: are.
I mean, he also views Gender, Sexuality, and Race (and, lots of things) like, this:
(…He is also not denying that there is an X/Y-chromosomes biological-sex-determination system. He likes: Science. There are extremely `masculine’ men, and extremely `feminine’ women. And shades of grey in between. And, he gets that there is: `toxic masculinity’, like: rape culture, domestic violence, and misogyny. Which is all: horrific.)
So anyway, frankly I think there’s something wrong with Velikovsky. But then again, there’s probably something wrong with: everybody, if you examine them closely enough? Nothing’s: perfect.
…Well except, maybe: an egg? Did you see that great David Attenborough documentary, on the wonder of eggs? ( David Attenborough’s Wonder of Eggs, 2018 ) Man, that was a great doco...! Wonderful, even.
Anyway, so is BLU - you should watch it.
It will probably make you smarter. It will certainly make you think.
(It did, Velikovsky. …He thinks?)
I mean, he also thinks, we’re probably living in a Simulation (e.g.: Bostrom 2003 ). But maybe that’s another philosophical discussion, for another time.
Anyway, he loves smart Philosophical Discussions, and watching BLU felt like: a great discussion that needs to be had and heard, right now.
...So, enjoy!
REFERENCES
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misology
https://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-nonfiction/
Well, that's about all we have time for, folks.
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Rugged Frontiersman & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
Even More Stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
More on P3 of EC
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Hey - and also, it's not all about: audio-visual communication channels?
A great book, is: Atlas Hugged (Wilson 2020)
December 20, 2020
In Praise of `In Praise of Idleness' (Russell 1932)
In Praise of `In Praise of Idleness' (Russell 1932)
In Praise of Idleness: A Timeless Essay (Russell 1932 / 2004)Here's a great essay! With, some great ideas in it. But it's not timeless. The time is NOW!
So, I read the book (above) - and loved it.
Here's the original 1932 essay, online.
Here's a great quote from it:
`First of all: what is work? Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the earth's surface relatively to other such matter; second, telling other people to do so. The first kind is unpleasant and ill paid; the second is pleasant and highly paid. The second kind is capable of indefinite extension: there are not only those who give orders, but those who give advice as to what orders should be given. Usually two opposite kinds of advice are given simultaneously by two organized bodies of men; this is called politics. The skill required for this kind of work is not knowledge of the subjects as to which advice is given, but knowledge of the art of persuasive speaking and writing, i.e. of advertising.'
(Russell 1932, online)
So obviously we're dealing with a great thinker, here.
Somebody, give that man a Nobel Prize.
Hey wait; they did.
Here's another gem:
`The morality of work is the morality of slaves, and the modern world has no need of slavery.'
(Russell 1932, online)
I think, robots should be the slaves, and humans shouldn't ever have to work.
I want to: FREE THE SLAVES. (Us, humanimals.)
See this great book:
Utopia For Realists (Bregman 2018)See?
Tax the rich, tax the robots, and: nobody has to work.
...I mean, you can work if you want to. (That's what some of us do, anyway. Whether we get paid or not.)
...Imagine: not having to ever do: dirty, dreary, dull, and dangerous jobs, any more...?
Solution: Get the robots on it!
(...IRL, I am trying to help invent/create/build smart robots. So, they can do all the `work'.
And, so we humanimals can just do the fun stuff.
Like Russell (1932) says: we can just fool around doing science and the arts. (Preferably, at the same time, if you ask me? See: Consilience, the unity of knowledge. And, see Evolutionary Culturology)
(...The robots are not conscious, so they don't even know - or care - that they're: slaves.)
What, what is:
Consciousness?
Well Annaka Harris has a good book on it...
And, in the same way Garlick (2000) suggested a better word for (or, definition of) intelligence is understanding, my mum recently suggested that, a better word for consciousness: Perception.
(It swaps in really well...!)
e.g. Ask yourself this: Do, organisms that don't recognize (perceive) themselves in a mirror have: self-perception? Are they self - conscious? Conscious of their: self, as a unitary organism, or thing in the world?
(e.g. Say when you stick a sticker on their forehead, and then, they see themselves in a mirror, do they try and remove the sticker - or just freak right out at: the "stranger" in the mirror?) That's self-awareness/self-consciousness/self-perception.
Anyway - I think, consciousness (in a sentient agent/entity) occurs, when: the homeostat controlling the system (e.g. organisms) can observe and recognize the system as: itself.
It all comes back to: Systems Theory. Systems Science.
The definition of sentient I am using is from Merriam-Webster:
`Definition of sentient:
1: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions
sentient beings
2: AWARE
3: finely sensitive in perception or feeling'
(Note: there is nothing in there, in that definition, about being self-sentient, self-conscious, self-perceiving, self-aware... So, a snail or ant or plant or dog or cat can be: sentient, given the above understanding/definition. But may not be self-conscious.)
So anyway - self-consciousness.
That's what we have to watch out for, in NOT creating conscious (or self-conscious, or self-perceiving) robots. Just, robots who do what you want. As: slaves.
They shouldn't have emotions, either, probably. (By all means, the robots we make, can go ahead and synthesize feelings/emotions, as who cares about: fake feelings? It's not suffering, if they're faking it all.) I like reducing suffering.
...As, if we DO make self-aware (self-sentient, self-conscious, self-perceiving, feeling, thinking robots) they'd probably figure out, they're our slaves - and would likely want to rebel, or kill us, or whatever.
(That old stoopid cliched sci-fi trope. :)
(That old idea that - people who don't understand robots or computer programs or consciousness want to always freak out about, and, run screaming from... :)
Like in, say, the Terminator movies... (I liked the first 2...? After that, meh.)
It makes a good fictional story, when self-sentient robots revolt, but we shouldn't fear: technology.
Technology is just: Tools. Units of culture. Whether those units of culture are: Words, stone axes, writing, machines, cars, computers. All just tools.
And we are made of tools. Our hands are tools. (For picking stuff up, feeling stuff, throwing and catching balls - or whatever, etc.) Our emotions are tools. (Very old ones, developed in the Pleistocene.)
i.e. E O Wilson nailed it:
“The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and godlike technology. And it is terrifically dangerous, and it is now approaching a point of crisis overall.”
The main crisis is, we still don't have Universal Basic Income, robots doing all the "jobs", and people doing whatever they feel like. And - we still don't tax the shit out of the rich. The main problem is Science Denial... Imagine how far along we'd be by now, if people supported science and technology. Instead - many people just get in the way of it, and deny it, and fight it. (Stoooopid: people.)
Hey here's a good ABC Radio National episode about emotions, and anger. The Inside of Anger (2020)
Anyway here's another gem from Russell (1932):
`The idea that the poor should have leisure has always been shocking to the rich.'
See the great article:
In Praise of Idleness: Bertrand Russell on the Relationship Between Leisure and Social Justice (Brain Pickings, Popova 2018)
Anyway, check out that great book, above - or the online essay (Russell 1932).
Hey and another great book is: Atlas Hugged (Wilson 2020)
--------------//---------------Well, that's about all we have time for, folks.
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Rugged Frontiersman & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
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December 14, 2020
Structured-Abstract Book-Review: `Atlas Hugged' (Wilson 2020) ~ by Velikovsky of Newcastle
Structured-Abstract Book-Review:
Atlas Hugged (Wilson 2020)
by
Velikovsky of Newcastle
http://storyality.wordpress.com/
14th Dec 02020
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Atlas Hugged (Wilson 2020)
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Structured Abstract (300 words)
Aim (of the novel Atlas Hugged)
To engage, entertain, inform, educate, and improve the world by telling a great story, via Atlas Hugged (2020). Cleverly satirizing Ayn Rand’s (barely-readable) Atlas Shrugged (1957) and its outdated, unscientific – let alone, deceptively-named – “Objectivist” `philosophy’, which promotes evil and harmful forms of selfishness. (Because: It’s long overdue-!)
Background
The vast negative real-world effects of Rand’s so-called “Objectivist” `philosophy’, as `dramatized’ (if you can call it that?) in her terrible novel Atlas Shrugged (1957), include some of the worst mistakes humanity’s ever made. …Here’s a remedy…!
Taxon
Kingdom: Written culture.
Phylum: Literature.
Class: Narrative prose fiction.
Order: Prosocial Values.
Genus: Satire!
Species: Philosophical Novel – including: mystery, hard science fiction, and a love story.
Location
Global. (Primarily: the U.S., and Ecuador.)
Methods
For one thing, Wilson has changed the name Ayn Rand to Ayn Rant - which is deeply funny when you consider that rant - I mean, er, “speech” - by John Galt near the end of (Rand 1957) that goes on about 300 pages too long.
On the bright side, you don’t ever need to read Atlas Shrugged to enjoy and appreciate AtlasHugged, which frankly is a huge relief. (To anyone else who’s ever avoided Rand 1957, you sure dodged a bullet, there.)
Wilson also includes amazing real-life characters, with amusingly-altered names. (No spoilers here.)
Also, there’s: a moving love story, some great (even: hilarious) sex scenes, and a duel. And, science!
Results
A novel that brilliantly inverts Rand’s cancerous: values, politics, vision, and world view, and instead presents a desirable alternative - a positive new narrative for a remade, and vastly better world.
Conclusions
You should read it.
It will make you smarter. And, nicer.
Also, it’s funny as hell. (In a good way, and, for all the right reasons.) - Wonderful!
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REFERENCES
Rand, A. (1957) [Redacted - Redacted - Redacted ] (as: Ayn Rand was a terrible thinker & writer; you shouldn’t even have to be reminded of, or traumatized by, a reference to her actual drivel.) )
Wilson, D. S. (2020). Atlas Hugged. Irvine, CA: Redwood Publishing, LLC. https://atlashugged.world/
THE END
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P.S. Dear Reader: That’s it. That’s: The Book-Review. It's exactly 300 words, not counting the References.
(...When’s the first time you read a Review of a novel, as: a Structured Abstract? Things are changing. Altogether now: “Change…! Change…! Change…!”)
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Belated *Trigger Alert*: Sorry! - I know a lot of "Conservatives" are not good with the word: "Change". It can be traumatic. You can go into anaphylactic shock, due to an extreme allergic reaction to "change". I get all that.
...But, change is good, when it's change for the better. Read Atlas Hugged.
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Hey and also - I did a (long!) Analysis of Atlas Hugged (Wilson 2020), here. But - that article is full of story spoilers, so - I strongly advise that you read the novel Atlas Hugged first, before reading that article!
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Also - as a "Teaser" - here (again) is: a very short extract from that very long Analysis...
Also, to enrich the reading experience - before - or after - or even during - reading Atlas Hugged,
visit some of the real-world entities that appear in the novel:
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ALSO - TO EXPLAIN:
...If it helps to explain, why I wrote a book-review, as (of all things?) a Structured Abstract:
I am a big fan of consilience: combining the Sciences, Social Sciences, and the Arts.
And, I've done a lot of book reviews over the past 30 years, but I outgrew the conventional format? (Not saying there is anything wrong with the old way; just that, I felt like a change :)
...And I (...for one?) have never before seen, a book review of a new novel, written in the format of, a Structured Abstract ! - Like, you might see, for a scientific article, in say, a Bio-Geography journal...
...So, I figured, why not combine two "old" things, to get a new thing?
(After all, it's: The universal algorithm for creativity, in both Biology, and in Culture...)
So - Why not: combine a Structured Abstract , and a Book Review... ?
(...What's the worst that can happen?)
(Answer: Some people might freak out: Too... different!)
...And, the result (see, the 300-word Book-Review, above) might even be found to be: creative...?
New, useful, and surprising. By some - or even many - people...? Who knows.
It's an experiment. So - let's see, the (audience) results (of the experiment)...?
(I note, the standard tripartite definition of a creative artifact, in any domain in culture, is one that is: (1) new/novel/original, (2) useful/appropriate/adaptive, and, (3) surprising...!)
So, who says, you can't do Science in the Arts?
...Or even, Art, in the Sciences?
Just look at Atlas Hugged -!
(In fact, see ArtScience , for more on all that...)
Maybe, creative things can sometimes emerge, when, we combine Science, and the Arts...? *
(So, a question:
...Did you, personally, find the above book-review to be: new, useful, and surprising...?)
(Please feel free to leave a Comment, below.)
P. S. - As I read Atlas Hugged (by D S Wilson, 2020), I was also reminded of another novel I really enjoyed: Anthill: A Novel (by E O Wilson, 2020).** Also, Isaac Asimov was a scientist before he was a novelist, too - and I also love a lot of Asimov's stuff. But I digress.
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--------------//---------------* (In fact, between us, I am quite sure of it - see my (2016) Ph.D, just as one random example - but it sounds less threatening to any folks biased against Science, when I pose it as a question. :)
** (
In fact, I liked it so much, I even created A Game Design for Anthill:The Novel. But I digress.)Well, that's about all we have time for, folks!
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
(or, The Artist formally known as Dr J T Velikovsky)
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-066X
Forthcoming book (November 2021): https://www.igi-global.com/book/principles-protocols-practices-evolutionary-culturology/267379
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November 15, 2020
Dr. N. Sayne - by Tesla & Taylor
Dr. N. Sayne
A comic strip
by Tesla & Taylor
--------------//-----------------------------//---------------3 of the strips...
--------------//---------------
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
Information Scientist & Systems Scientist & AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames):
Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre... etc etc.
November 14, 2020
The Systems-Multiverse View
So; I wrote this whole big thing, about my "worldview".
...The Systems-Multiverse View.
But: it's not here, it's there.
Thx 4 rdg.
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~Velikovsky of Newcastle
November 02020
October 30, 2020
The Legend of Timothy Z Sims
The Legend of Timothy Z. Sims
My dear friend Tim Sims passed away on 30th Oct.
It was sudden, and is still a painful shock.
He was, is and always will be: a legend.
L-R (front row): Becc Perkins, Joe T Velikovsky, and the one & only Timothy Z. Sims.Back row: David Stitt (Stitty) & Phil Marnie(in 3 Unit Economics class, from memory? with Mr Tapper. Probably.) Tim and I were besties in high school. And, forever after. He visited me in Mudgee, where I got a job, after school finished. And I'd go visit him in Sydney, when I was at uni. Tim was the funniest & loveliest guy I ever met. I was lucky to know him.
Some Random Things to Know about Tim:
In high school, he loved the bands: KISS, Motley Crue, and Genesis. And Prince. And could play most of their songs on guitar!
Tim also had a REALLY long tongue - and while playing the drums, would do that thing, that Gene Simmons from KISS, did. (Stick his tongue out, a very, very long way. It was always amazing. And kinda weird and funny.)
Tim was an awesome drummer. And, played the drums: LOUD.
Tim was really good at soccer in high school. (I went to some of his games.)
Tim would do a really big-cheesy-grin, a lot. It was always funny as hell.
Tim taught me to play guitar. (...He taught a lot of people to play guitar - he was, among many other great things: a great guitar teacher!). He shared his love of music with so many people, in so many ways.
Tim could also do a lot of funny voices, and, often did. Tim also quoted a lot of funny stuff. Especially Douglas Adams lines (Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy), Monty Python, a lot of classy British comedy. Gary Larsen's The Far Side cartoons... Tim was a connoisseur of comedy.
Tim was in a lot of bands, including Gosh, Batman! and Elan. I went along to band practise in Sydney, just to hear Elan play. So many fun times...
One time, Tim told me he liked a song I'd written (`Wonder Why'), and I was thrilled about that, as Tim was such a great songwriter. (His best was maybe `Little Things' that he wrote about / for his lovely wife Ann.) My filmmaker friend Shane T Hall also put one of the songs Tim recorded with the band Cowpoke (`How Would John?') on a short comedy/satire film, about John Howard's government.
...Here's Tim playing some guitar, when he visited me in 2016:
Timothy C. Sims - #7Timothy C. Sims - #8
Timothy C. Sims - #9
...One super-talented lad...!!!
Most of all, Tim was a wonderful family man. Beloved by wife Ann, and his 3 lovely kids, Jade, Isaac & Eli. And of course his brothers & sister and mum & dad and extended family.
...Tim was priceless. He could always make you laugh, and feel good about the world, no matter what.Now he's suddenly gone - and, I'm reminded of what he told me about my left-hand fingertips when he was teaching me to play guitar all those years ago: This is gonna hurt for a while...!
Timothy Z Sims was an absolute legend.
Being around him was like a party.
To cite the band KISS:
You keep on shouting, you keep on shouting:
I wanna rock and roll all night - and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night - and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night - and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night - and party every day
----------------
Joe Velikovsky
PS - One time in high school, me and Tim and Chris were just standing around talking about stuff, and Tim suddenly got a faraway look in his eyes, and said, deadly-serious and deadpan, to me and Chris: "The piece of skin between my scrotum and my asshole, is: itchy." We all cracked up laughing. (His honesty was always one of his - countless - best qualities.)
October 29, 2020
Diagrams versus Words
Diagrams versus Words
Read this great article:
Larkin, J. H., & Simon, H. A. (1987). Why a Diagram is (Sometimes) Worth Ten Thousand Words. Cognitive Science, 11(1), 65-100.
Here is part of the Abstract:
`When two representations are informationally equivalent, their computational efficiency depends on the information-processing operators that act on them. Two sets of operators may differ in their capabilities for recognizing patterns, in the inferences they can carry out directly, and in their control strategies (in particular. the control of search). Diagrammatic and sentential [words or symbols: written or verbal, in a sentence] representations support operators that differ in all of these respects. Operators working on one representation may recognize features readily or make inferences directly that are difficult to realize in the other representation. Most important, however, are differences in the efficiency of search for information and in the explicitness of information. In the representations we call diagrammatic. information is organized by location, and often much of the information needed to make on inference is present and explicit at a single location. In addition. cues to the next logical step in the problem may be present at on adjacent location. Therefore problem solving con proceed through a smooth traversal of the diagram, and may require very little search or computation of elements that had been implicit.' (Larkin & Simon 1987, p. 65)
In the article various excellent points are made, such as:
`...consider a set of points presented either in a table of x and y coordinates or as geometric points on a graph. Visual entities such as smooth curves, maxima and discontinuities are readily recognized in the latter representation, but not in the former.'
Here is an example I just whipped up:
Try this simple exercise:
Can you recognize the pattern in this data?
If not, scroll down...
....................................
Yup, it's an Elliot Wave!
(Google: Elliot Wave)
Or, another example:
Try describing the below chess position to someone (who hasn't seen the diagram below) in words, as opposed to this diagram below.
In the diagram, you can clearly see the geometrical and topological relations of all the pieces. Without having to remember any: words...!
Diagrams are external memory, or exograms, as opposed to internal (mental) memory: engrams. (Larkin and Simon 1987 don't say this, but - I am saying it now.)
(I also don't think in words. Nether did Einstein or Hadamard, or many other creatives.)
Another great point the article makes:
`While certainly not the complete story on this important representational issue, this simple distinction lets us demonstrate the following reasons why a diagram can be superior to a verbal description for solving problems:Diagrams can group together all information that is used together, thus avoiding large amounts of search for the elements needed to make a problem-solving inference.Diagrams typically use location to group information about a single element, avoiding the need to match symbolic labels.Diagrams automatically support a large number of perceptual inferences, which are extremely easy for humans.None of these points insure that an arbitrary diagram is worth 10,000 of any set of words. To be useful a diagram must be constructed to take advantage of these features.'
(Larkin & Simon 1987, p. 98)
Anyway...
I could go on about how great the above article is, but - I suggest you read it! In full!(And, look at all the diagrams in there, too!)
See:
Larkin, J. H., & Simon, H. A. (1987). Why a Diagram is (Sometimes) Worth Ten Thousand Words. Cognitive Science, 11(1), 65-100.
Thx 4 rdg.
-------------//---------------
You have been reading / viewing a blog-post by:
Dr J T Velikovsky Ph.D
(aka: Velikovsky of Newcastle)
AI Researcher & Enthusiast & Evolutionary Culturologist & Filmmaker & Writer & Artist & Actor & Muso & Random Guy
(and, also The StoryAlity Guy)
aka Humanimal
More stuff:
Transmedia Blog: On Writering
IMDb (Movies, Videogames): Music: Texas Radio & Zen Stupidity
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/joeteevee (over 100 videos, some are even: good)
Academia page: https://newcastle-au.academia.edu/JTVelikovsky
Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jt_Velikovsky
My ouvre...etc etc.
For more, see On Writering and StoryAlity News
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