Try this one instead. It's a more complete set of definitions, but it does lack that particular insulting quality that you seem to hold so dear.
From your link: 1 - 3. A small part; a bit: moved a fraction of a step. 2 - 3. a small piece; fragment 3 - 3. a part of a whole: Only a fraction of the members were present. 3 - 4. a small part or segment: only a fraction of the cost.
And yet I love the never ending posts about how America is the ONLY country which is a threat to liberty. It certainly is pushing at the boundaries of crazy but at least it is still ostensibly legal to download that manual.
FTFY. But republicans (and democrats, but less explicitly) are working hard to "fix" that.
These programs are thrust on us, and we have to really complain for even the slightest hope of the patriot act to not be renewed.
Money is the root of all problems. Best action is to reduce its influence: http://www.wolf-pac.com/
If we stumble we may drag everyone to the ministry of love with us.
And Junior gets the award for worst character ever. But he has huge competition from the characters in Falling Skies, where cheap appeals to emotion are the norm.
IMHO, the best sci-fi series airing now is Continuum.
I know you aimed at being sarcastic, but I bet the number of non-US users is quite significant. Regardless, your post would benefit of using the U+2e2e character.
but culture and reason keeps us away from our primeval instincts
It's important to realise that culture and reason are equally the product of primeval instincts. [...] As an AI researcher and life-long student of the mind, that is my opinion.
Sure, emotion is the base of reasoning. As a fellow AI researcher myself, I suggest for those curious on the subject to read "The Feeling of What Happens", by Antonio Damasio.
How does this play out in the real world? Well, consider homosexuality and homophobia. Pro-gay groups like to say that homosexuality is "natural", and homophobia is a "cultural construction. Anti-gay groups like to say the opposite. Both are wrong.
Would you care to elaborate? From what I know homosexuality is actually natural, occurring in several species (as anecdotal evidence, I had a neighbor that had a dog that seemed to enjoy being mounted by other dogs:p). OTOH, what could possibly be the reason for homophobia except group thinking? It is not caused by culture, but it is certainly reinforced.
Human suffering happens because we are born with so many different competing instincts within us. The structure of the mind determines how we cognize and "reason" about these instincts.
I agree. But just to make sure we're on the same page, when you say "structure of the mind" you are also considering our mental tools (e.g. language) right?
There is nothing in the universe that we can recognize outside of this stuff of thought. There is nothing "important" outside of what our instincts tell us.
I understand what you mean, but I don't think you should use "instinct" in this context. Instinct is an innate behavior, what you're referring to is "emotional response". You're not born programmed to feel that 1+1=0 is wrong, so you don't have the instinct. Later on you learn a bit about algebra and you create the expectation that 1+1=2, so when you see the first statement you get the emotional response that it is wrong (what people call intuition). Then you learn that plus sign may mean +_{mod 2} and it was actually correct, and you decide to go do Tibet to become a monk, living happily in the here and now.
The hallmark of what it means to be human and not some other species is that we are not only capable of such things, but much better at doing it than any other. It is in our nature to improve ourselves through cultural and technological innovations. What you're thinking of is much more universal; merely 'animal' or 'mammalian'—perhaps 'great ape' at best. If anything deserves the title of 'human', it should be the struggle between the two.
Exactly my point.
Don't be so cynical as to deny the natural legitimacy of your own idealism.
Not at all, my point is that the common use of the term reflects only the ideal, when it should also encompass the bad aspects of being human.
And it is in itself an instance of group thinking. We are humans, therefore human must mean something positive only.
There is something that I'm still not fully convinced (and therefore I welcome comments) but I don't think the terms human and humane convey the right meaning. We humans are by nature pretty fucked up, but culture and reason keeps us away from our primeval instincts (to the point most of us don't even acknowledge they're still there). You can argue that culture and reason is part of the human condition, but even so it is not enough to curb a significant part of our population. And even if it is ugly, you should not deny it is part of being human.
In particular, I think we should change our culture in order to avoid the biases of: 1. group thinking 2. believing without evidence
When/if we get there, we'll still be humans, but we'll not behave as humans anymore.
Now when a 3rd-world country decides to ignore pharmaceutical patents to save its people from dying, that is crossing the line! Retaliation through economic restrictions must apply!
UEFI was never intended to improve security. Along with Microsoft's extensions it was designed as a lock-in tool. Too bad we had to wait until it pops up everywhere just to accept reality.
FTFY. There were plenty of warnings, but people like to deny what's there standing in front of their noses.
That is exactly what is happening. This is following specific revelations from Snowden. It has been described as, 'really bad."
Described as "really bad" by whom? The government? Fox News? Only "credible" sources.
As I said before, any ill-intended person with more than half a neuron would plan as if a lot of security measures are in place. What Snowden revealed doesn't affect that at all.
The relatives of all the hundreds of innocent people murdered in the strikes disagree, I presume. But you lack the empathy required for understanding that.
And to explain the situation in Pakistan, I'll give you an allegory. Imagine Rick Perry is the president of the USA, and extraterrestrial aliens invade and start bombing California. He says "yeah! kill them liberals, I mean, terrorists!!!". Btw, the aliens gave a lot of gold to Rick Perry.
[...] the fact that successful terrorist campaigns will draw more recruits.
Citation needed. But regardless, do you know what is even more successful in drawing more terrorist recruits? Murdering hundreds of innocent people in drone attacks [which is itself a terrorist attack, however you try to justify.]
Snowden's mass of public revelations are available to all [...] including for evil purposes.
Please, give me an example of evil use of the information he revealed.
The only thing that I can imagine is making ill-intended people aware they should protect their communications... but that affects only the stupid ones, and only if they don't want to get caught pos facto, e.g. Boston bombers.
These clowns don't have anything more important to work on?
Of course they have: try to repeal obamacare for the 41st time. If at first you don't succeed... [ anyone knows how much did these attempts cost so far? ]
Slashdot Mirror
Try this one instead. It's a more complete set of definitions, but it does lack that particular insulting quality that you seem to hold so dear.
From your link:
1 - 3. A small part; a bit: moved a fraction of a step.
2 - 3. a small piece; fragment
3 - 3. a part of a whole: Only a fraction of the members were present.
3 - 4. a small part or segment: only a fraction of the cost.
So, it seems you need the following link:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+do+dictionaries+work%3F
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=definition+fraction
2. A small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something.
So, not only a jackass, an idiot one at that.
So, seriously people. Work for change. Donate money to the ACLU, EFF, etc.
Also, http://www.wolf-pac.com/ You can help by signing the petition, donating money, or helping organize the movement in your state.
Do your part and we won't have to rely on luck.
And yet I love the never ending posts about how America is the ONLY country which is a threat to liberty. It certainly is pushing at the boundaries of crazy but at least it is still ostensibly legal to download that manual.
FTFY. But republicans (and democrats, but less explicitly) are working hard to "fix" that.
These programs are thrust on us, and we have to really complain for even the slightest hope of the patriot act to not be renewed.
Money is the root of all problems. Best action is to reduce its influence: http://www.wolf-pac.com/
If we stumble we may drag everyone to the ministry of love with us.
True, and a really scary thought.
And Junior gets the award for worst character ever. But he has huge competition from the characters in Falling Skies, where cheap appeals to emotion are the norm.
IMHO, the best sci-fi series airing now is Continuum.
They do. It is called taxes.
You pay to be spied on, good deal!
I know you aimed at being sarcastic, but I bet the number of non-US users is quite significant. Regardless, your post would benefit of using the U+2e2e character.
I was not going to answer, but I think you should watch this video that was published today: http://youtu.be/0iPCzxRgAVY
As I said before, those actions only create more terrorists.
but culture and reason keeps us away from our primeval instincts
It's important to realise that culture and reason are equally the product of primeval instincts. [...] As an AI researcher and life-long student of the mind, that is my opinion.
Sure, emotion is the base of reasoning. As a fellow AI researcher myself, I suggest for those curious on the subject to read "The Feeling of What Happens", by Antonio Damasio.
How does this play out in the real world? Well, consider homosexuality and homophobia. Pro-gay groups like to say that homosexuality is "natural", and homophobia is a "cultural construction. Anti-gay groups like to say the opposite.
Both are wrong.
Would you care to elaborate? From what I know homosexuality is actually natural, occurring in several species (as anecdotal evidence, I had a neighbor that had a dog that seemed to enjoy being mounted by other dogs :p). OTOH, what could possibly be the reason for homophobia except group thinking? It is not caused by culture, but it is certainly reinforced.
Human suffering happens because we are born with so many different competing instincts within us. The structure of the mind determines how we cognize and "reason" about these instincts.
I agree. But just to make sure we're on the same page, when you say "structure of the mind" you are also considering our mental tools (e.g. language) right?
There is nothing in the universe that we can recognize outside of this stuff of thought. There is nothing "important" outside of what our instincts tell us.
I understand what you mean, but I don't think you should use "instinct" in this context. Instinct is an innate behavior, what you're referring to is "emotional response". You're not born programmed to feel that 1+1=0 is wrong, so you don't have the instinct. Later on you learn a bit about algebra and you create the expectation that 1+1=2, so when you see the first statement you get the emotional response that it is wrong (what people call intuition). Then you learn that plus sign may mean +_{mod 2} and it was actually correct, and you decide to go do Tibet to become a monk, living happily in the here and now.
The hallmark of what it means to be human and not some other species is that we are not only capable of such things, but much better at doing it than any other. It is in our nature to improve ourselves through cultural and technological innovations. What you're thinking of is much more universal; merely 'animal' or 'mammalian'—perhaps 'great ape' at best. If anything deserves the title of 'human', it should be the struggle between the two.
Exactly my point.
Don't be so cynical as to deny the natural legitimacy of your own idealism.
Not at all, my point is that the common use of the term reflects only the ideal, when it should also encompass the bad aspects of being human.
And it is in itself an instance of group thinking. We are humans, therefore human must mean something positive only.
It would mean we are becoming human.
There is something that I'm still not fully convinced (and therefore I welcome comments) but I don't think the terms human and humane convey the right meaning. We humans are by nature pretty fucked up, but culture and reason keeps us away from our primeval instincts (to the point most of us don't even acknowledge they're still there). You can argue that culture and reason is part of the human condition, but even so it is not enough to curb a significant part of our population. And even if it is ugly, you should not deny it is part of being human.
In particular, I think we should change our culture in order to avoid the biases of:
1. group thinking
2. believing without evidence
When/if we get there, we'll still be humans, but we'll not behave as humans anymore.
Now when a 3rd-world country decides to ignore pharmaceutical patents to save its people from dying, that is crossing the line! Retaliation through economic restrictions must apply!
UEFI was never intended to improve security. Along with Microsoft's extensions it was designed as a lock-in tool. Too bad we had to wait until it pops up everywhere just to accept reality.
FTFY. There were plenty of warnings, but people like to deny what's there standing in front of their noses.
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot
That is exactly what is happening. This is following specific revelations from Snowden. It has been described as, 'really bad."
Described as "really bad" by whom? The government? Fox News? Only "credible" sources.
As I said before, any ill-intended person with more than half a neuron would plan as if a lot of security measures are in place. What Snowden revealed doesn't affect that at all.
No, a drone strike isn't terrorism.
The relatives of all the hundreds of innocent people murdered in the strikes disagree, I presume. But you lack the empathy required for understanding that.
And to explain the situation in Pakistan, I'll give you an allegory. Imagine Rick Perry is the president of the USA, and extraterrestrial aliens invade and start bombing California. He says "yeah! kill them liberals, I mean, terrorists!!!". Btw, the aliens gave a lot of gold to Rick Perry.
[...] the fact that successful terrorist campaigns will draw more recruits.
Citation needed. But regardless, do you know what is even more successful in drawing more terrorist recruits? Murdering hundreds of innocent people in drone attacks [which is itself a terrorist attack, however you try to justify.]
Snowden's mass of public revelations are available to all [...] including for evil purposes.
Please, give me an example of evil use of the information he revealed.
The only thing that I can imagine is making ill-intended people aware they should protect their communications... but that affects only the stupid ones, and only if they don't want to get caught pos facto, e.g. Boston bombers.
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction. ;)
Also... surely you're not suggesting that the NSF isn't listening in on Africa.
For the good of all of us. Except the ones who are dead.
Nopz, neither Monty Python, nor Balut (thank you AC, I wasn't aware of its existence).
The reference was to the Chinese story in the movie Three Extremes.
Including aborted fetuses. They're crunchy. [let's see who gets the reference...]
These clowns don't have anything more important to work on?
Of course they have: try to repeal obamacare for the 41st time. If at first you don't succeed... [ anyone knows how much did these attempts cost so far? ]
They're helping him. That will make Russian speed up the asylum process.
The brother was humping his sister, when she said "you fuck much better than dad." He then replied "yeah, mom said the same."