Elon Musk, AI, and Simulation Theory - Andrarchy in Washington Square Park (Episode 1)
This is a New Kind of Show
I live a 5 minute walk from my favorite park in New York City (yes, part of the reason it's my favorite park is because it's five minutes away from me) and I recently decided that I'm going to at least try to go there every single night. It can be for a minute or an hour, but I want to go at least once a day.
The Show
After some more thought I decided that I should bring my camera as well, not necessarily for any specific purpose, but more as an experiment. What I've noticed about the camera is that it has an effect on all the people around it. Everyone who sees it can't help but modify their behavior in some way. Some people are curious, some afraid, some confused. People are often pulled to it like a magnet.
On Simulation Theory
Last night it inspired me to discuss a subject that was brought to mind by @lukestokes in his post My Simulation Theory Hypothesis. If you haven't already I highly recommend checking out his post. I plan on doing a more deliberate post on this subject in the future, but apparently last night I felt like talking about it in the park. Don't take anything I say too seriously, I'm just rambling and letting my thoughts flow, not knowing where they will lead. I also discussed what specifically I love about that park, how people thought Elon Musk was crazy and then forgot, and the still untapped potential of decentralized media platforms like Steemit.
Thanks for the shout out, Andrew. :)
I like this format. It almost felt like we were hanging out in the park, discussing philosophy.
I also like the idea that we tell ourselves stories to determine our own understanding of reality. I'd love to see you do a detailed post on epistemology. That, to me, is the core of why some people believe stories (even provably false ones). They have weak epistemologies; poor mechanisms for justified belief. Some use an epistemology based on tea-leaf reading, astrology, eye-witness testimony, or personal experience. Others on religion. Still others on reason, logic, empirical evidence, and skepticism.
Ultimately, though, I think very few "choose" their epistemologies. They just have them. They are an unobserved foundation of our perceptions and conclusions.
I hope we can all craft better stories and not dogmatically hold to them as our tools of measurement improve to gain even more accurate information.
You can't observe your own mind indeed... but we can observe the conclusions and results of those conclusions.
Thanks man. Glad it felt like that. Still ironing out exactly what it is :)
Visual poetry. I enjoyed watching all of that. I'm now wondering if that guy fell into the fountain and what the street artist was drawing. I will definitely be watching the follow up to Andrarchy in Washington Square Park.
Thanks! Glad you liked it :)
I'm reminded of Steve Albini's recording style when I watched this one. I felt like I was sitting there next to you listening to you talk while taking in the surroundings. Very surreal.
Thanks, that makes it sound pretty cool :)