Random musings

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obucard
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Re: Random musings

Post by obucard »

IMADreamer wrote:Are we going to have to close the random musings thread now because nothing is truly random.
Nah, just re-title the thread "not-so-random musings."

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lukethedrifter
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Re: Random musings

Post by lukethedrifter »

Inevitable Musings

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Re: Random musings

Post by Michael »

Arthur Dent wrote:
Michael wrote:Outside of some quantum mechanics [expletive] I'd argue it's likely nothing in the known universe is random. That includes us.

Goodbye free will!
Depends on what you mean by random. In the ordinary sense of the word, the classic example is a roll of dice, which is in some sense determined precisely by momentum and collision dynamics etc. Nonetheless, it’s actually much more useful to think of the dice in terms of probable outcomes of a random process than in terms of the physics of solid motion.

Same for thought processes, IMO. The case is probably even stronger there as there is some evidence that hardcore random quantum effects are important in the brain.
I agree it's likely random quantum effects could be important for the brain (Not doubting the concept, but I'm curious to see your evidence). However, from a non-philosophers perspective, that's different than free will.

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Random musings

Post by CardsofSTL »

Is it the musing that is random, or the subject that is being mused about, random?

Arthur Dent
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Re: Random musings

Post by Arthur Dent »

Michael wrote:
Arthur Dent wrote:
Michael wrote:Outside of some quantum mechanics [expletive] I'd argue it's likely nothing in the known universe is random. That includes us.

Goodbye free will!
Depends on what you mean by random. In the ordinary sense of the word, the classic example is a roll of dice, which is in some sense determined precisely by momentum and collision dynamics etc. Nonetheless, it’s actually much more useful to think of the dice in terms of probable outcomes of a random process than in terms of the physics of solid motion.

Same for thought processes, IMO. The case is probably even stronger there as there is some evidence that hardcore random quantum effects are important in the brain.
I agree it's likely random quantum effects could be important for the brain (Not doubting the concept, but I'm curious to see your evidence). However, from a non-philosophers perspective, that's different than free will.
For example, this:
http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/ar ... id=2682839

I’d argue that’s its only from the philosopher’s perspective where we get worried about free will. The ordinary sense of, “I can decide what I’m going to do and then do it” is mostly true. It’s only when you try to get all analytical and define free will as something that to exist would have to be outside fairly deterministic physical processes that the concept gets sketchy.

But just like the dice, understanding the outcomes by focusing on the intricate details of the physical processes is something of a blind alley that doesn’t explain what you want to know.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Random musings

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

I think they’re super dorky. But also very effective and you know what. You only live once so far as I know. So whatever. I’ll wear one.

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wart57
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Re: Random musings

Post by wart57 »

I guess a perk of ADHD is that one does not need drugs to have random musings. Sometimes it is tough to concentrate through all the noise in my head though.

MMmmm cold pizza.

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lukethedrifter
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Re: Random musings

Post by lukethedrifter »

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:I think they’re super dorky. But also very effective and you know what. You only live once so far as I know. So whatever. I’ll wear one.
Any guesses?
Bow tie? [expletive] ring?

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wart57
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Re: Random musings

Post by wart57 »

lukethedrifter wrote:
AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:I think they’re super dorky. But also very effective and you know what. You only live once so far as I know. So whatever. I’ll wear one.
Any guesses?
Bow tie? [expletive] ring?
Image

or...

Image

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Random musings

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Has the NTSB ever released its final report on the duck boat tragedy in Branson? All I can find is the preliminary report which is just the executive summary with no probable cause listed. I'm still curious if they are going to list the cause as human error, duck boat design, or something else. Looking at the previous duck boat investigation they did in Hot Springs, AR the cause was listed as inadequate maintenance with a recommendation to add reserve buoyancy.

I guess it takes a while for these things to come out. It took 3 years almost for them to publish the cause after the Hot Springs incident. Sheesh, that's a long time.

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