Thursday, May 3, 2018
Koch money influences GWU
That is, George Washington University, which let the Kochs have control over hiring and firing for their donations. Via such hiring they also control the academic programs that promote their version of Libertarianism, thus purportedly adding credibility. This interview with Black provided the history of how the Kochs and their kin had a long-term plan to take over not just academia but government, courts, media etc. And they've largely succeeded.
Epigenetic memories passed down for 14 generations
At least in nematodes. As such memories can be inherited without affecting the DNA, like Holocaust survivors.
Who is the healthiest President?
Opposite extremes based in reality. That is, if you accept reality.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Eagleman on consciousness
An excerpt from Episode 3 below of his PBS series The Brain.
"To understand the role consciousness plays [...] I think of consciousness like the CEO of a large corporation. Within the brain, there are thousands of automated departments, each working on its own task. Some departments can overlap and collaborate, but what happens if there's a conflict between them? [...] When this happens, it's time for the boss to get a call. [...] Your conscious mind tries to work out what's best and make an executive decision. Consciousness is the arbiter of conflicting motivations in the brain. It has a unique vantage point, one that no other part of the brain has access to. [...] Consciousness is one of evolution's greatest creations. It allows the brain to arbitrate the vast workings of the unconscious. It allows the brain to react to unexpected events. And it allows the brain to see itself. In acting as a long-term planner, consciousness has led us to become the most successful species on the planet."
"To understand the role consciousness plays [...] I think of consciousness like the CEO of a large corporation. Within the brain, there are thousands of automated departments, each working on its own task. Some departments can overlap and collaborate, but what happens if there's a conflict between them? [...] When this happens, it's time for the boss to get a call. [...] Your conscious mind tries to work out what's best and make an executive decision. Consciousness is the arbiter of conflicting motivations in the brain. It has a unique vantage point, one that no other part of the brain has access to. [...] Consciousness is one of evolution's greatest creations. It allows the brain to arbitrate the vast workings of the unconscious. It allows the brain to react to unexpected events. And it allows the brain to see itself. In acting as a long-term planner, consciousness has led us to become the most successful species on the planet."
Curry is back
He made his playoff debut last night in the Warriors victory over the Pelicans. Curry only played 27 minutes yet had 28 points. He's back and going to be the driving force for the rest of the playoffs.
Cavs v. Raptors game one
Exciting game that went to overtime with the Cavs winning a close one. Highlights below.
Damasio: The Strange Order of Things
The video below is of Damasio discussing his new book. Some samples:
Damasio talks about feelings as the mental expression of ongoing homeostatic states (23:30). He discusses feelings in physiological and biological terms here as critical to generating subjectivity. He then goes into emotional feelings, which expand on this basic homeostatic function. All of which is necessary to the phenomenological, qualitative aspects of self consciousness.
Starting around 38:00 he discusses the differences between automatic, nonconscious action programs and conscious, valenced feelings. Valenced feelings are part of evolutionary natural selection.
"Feelings open the way for a higher level of homeostatic regulation driven by conscious deliberation" (53:45).
Damasio talks about feelings as the mental expression of ongoing homeostatic states (23:30). He discusses feelings in physiological and biological terms here as critical to generating subjectivity. He then goes into emotional feelings, which expand on this basic homeostatic function. All of which is necessary to the phenomenological, qualitative aspects of self consciousness.
Starting around 38:00 he discusses the differences between automatic, nonconscious action programs and conscious, valenced feelings. Valenced feelings are part of evolutionary natural selection.
"Feelings open the way for a higher level of homeostatic regulation driven by conscious deliberation" (53:45).
Comey's released memo was not classified
Fact checking yet another Dump lie, which now number in the thousands.
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