Existential angst for Thursday

[dr synne]

https://onezero.medium.com/we-need-to-f ... e70919505b

But this concept is really the modern equivalent of a very old idea. It goes back thousands of years to Plato’s Cave and the Eastern religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, which explicitly put forth the idea that we are living in an illusory world called maya. The concept is also tied to the Judeo-Christian religions, which tell us that our good and bad deeds inside this world are being watched by “recording angels,” and we will be judged based on a viewing of these after death.

Today, not only is our video game technology getting good enough that we might be capable of building our own simulated worlds soon, but our scientists and technologists are proposing new experiments and interpreting findings of existing experiments that reveal that we may, in fact, already be in a simulation.

Should this research be pursued aggressively?

[Avon Barksdale]

Should this research be pursued aggressively?

No, no good can come of it.

It is a straightforward temptation to nihilism, violence and bloodshed.It dehumanises by default.

[dr synne]

Should this research be pursued aggressively?

No, no good can come of it.

It is a straightforward temptation to nihilism, violence and bloodshed.It dehumanises by default.

Which is weird because tinker with the terminology and it's like religious teachings which mitigate against nihilism and supposedly gives us meaning and purpose.

[Avon Barksdale]

Should this research be pursued aggressively?

No, no good can come of it.

It is a straightforward temptation to nihilism, violence and bloodshed.It dehumanises by default.

Which is weird because tinker with the terminology and it's like religious teachings which mitigate against nihilism and supposedly gives us meaning and purpose.

True, but not necessarily in a good way and religion can promote nihilism rather than mitigate against it.

We see that with religious based terrorism - if you are obsessed with the end of days and nothing much matters in this life because there is a celestial plane you are striving to reach you can justify all sort of barbarism. ISIS is a prime example of that.

[dr synne]

Should this research be pursued aggressively?

No, no good can come of it.

It is a straightforward temptation to nihilism, violence and bloodshed.It dehumanises by default.

Which is weird because tinker with the terminology and it's like religious teachings which mitigate against nihilism and supposedly gives us meaning and purpose.

True, but not necessarily in a good way and religion can promote nihilism rather than mitigate against it.

We see that with religious based terrorism - if you are obsessed with the end of days and nothing much matters in this life because there is a celestial plane you are striving to reach you can justify all sort of barbarism. ISIS is a prime example of that.

Don't know if I'd call that nihilism exactly, albeit still fucked up. It still has some end goal and purpose. True nihilism as I understand it is a complete absence of purpose or meaning. I'd say nutters like ISIS are an aproximation of nihilism in that they see no value in the material world, only the one to come. Goes to show that both believers and non believers can take a worldview to extremes.

[McAz]

Insofar as the physical universe we experience is looking increasingly likely that it is a product of information or code, then I suppose we are living in an illusion.

But why does it matter? If a table functions as a table and gives my pretendy cup of pretendy coffee a place to reside in between sips then why should I care how “real” it is?

Taoism teaches “what is is what is” - science is the exploration of “what is is what is”. If it is discovered that my table is simply a string of zeroes and ones it doesn’t alter its role as a pretendy coffee cup supporter.

[dr synne]

Insofar as the physical universe we experience is looking increasingly likely that it is a product of information or code, then I suppose we are living in an illusion.

But why does it matter? If a table functions as a table and gives my pretendy cup of pretendy coffee a place to reside in between sips then why should I care how “real” it is?

Taoism teaches “what is is what is” - science is the exploration of “what is is what is”. If it is discovered that my table is simply a string of zeroes and ones it doesn’t alter its role as a pretendy coffee cup supporter.

I agree, whether it's real or not, it's as near as dammit for the purpose of living this life.

I suppose though finding out we are-possibly- the playthings of some other being might undermine any sense of security or self agency. I tend to think that finding out that information would be more likely to undermine society.

[McAz]

Insofar as the physical universe we experience is looking increasingly likely that it is a product of information or code, then I suppose we are living in an illusion.

But why does it matter? If a table functions as a table and gives my pretendy cup of pretendy coffee a place to reside in between sips then why should I care how “real” it is?

Taoism teaches “what is is what is” - science is the exploration of “what is is what is”. If it is discovered that my table is simply a string of zeroes and ones it doesn’t alter its role as a pretendy coffee cup supporter.

I agree, whether it's real or not, it's as near as dammit for the purpose of living this life.

I suppose though finding out we are-possibly- the playthings of some other being might undermine any sense of security or self agency. I tend to think that finding out that information would be more likely to undermine society.

I suspect that the hypothetical beings that created the simulation that we are living in would be experiencing a similar crisis given that the simulation that they might be living in was inevitably created by beings cleverer than them.

[dr synne]

Insofar as the physical universe we experience is looking increasingly likely that it is a product of information or code, then I suppose we are living in an illusion.

But why does it matter? If a table functions as a table and gives my pretendy cup of pretendy coffee a place to reside in between sips then why should I care how “real” it is?

Taoism teaches “what is is what is” - science is the exploration of “what is is what is”. If it is discovered that my table is simply a string of zeroes and ones it doesn’t alter its role as a pretendy coffee cup supporter.

I agree, whether it's real or not, it's as near as dammit for the purpose of living this life.

I suppose though finding out we are-possibly- the playthings of some other being might undermine any sense of security or self agency. I tend to think that finding out that information would be more likely to undermine society.

I suspect that the hypothetical beings that created the simulation that we are living in would be experiencing a similar crisis given that the simulation that they might be living in was inevitably created by beings cleverer than them.

The old infinite regress argument which inevitably leads to head fuckery.

Which is why I think that reality is far far weirder than it is logical and explainable.

[McAz]

Insofar as the physical universe we experience is looking increasingly likely that it is a product of information or code, then I suppose we are living in an illusion.

But why does it matter? If a table functions as a table and gives my pretendy cup of pretendy coffee a place to reside in between sips then why should I care how “real” it is?

Taoism teaches “what is is what is” - science is the exploration of “what is is what is”. If it is discovered that my table is simply a string of zeroes and ones it doesn’t alter its role as a pretendy coffee cup supporter.

I agree, whether it's real or not, it's as near as dammit for the purpose of living this life.

I suppose though finding out we are-possibly- the playthings of some other being might undermine any sense of security or self agency. I tend to think that finding out that information would be more likely to undermine society.

I suspect that the hypothetical beings that created the simulation that we are living in would be experiencing a similar crisis given that the simulation that they might be living in was inevitably created by beings cleverer than them.

The old infinite regress argument which inevitably leads to head fuckery.

Which is why I think that reality is far far weirder than it is logical and explainable.

As did Einstein. And why I adopt the Taoist teaching of acceptance.

Maya is best thought of as a product of the ego, a constructed reality, rather than as a product of the external universe - which afaik is free of ego.

[dr synne]

You have a similar outlook as my friend Mr Quike on DS.
I'm one of those weirdos who thinks consciousness is the fundamental basis of reality, not matter.

[McAz]

You have a similar outlook as my friend Mr Quike on DS.
I'm one of those weirdos who thinks consciousness is the fundamental basis of reality, not matter.

It is certainly the basis of my reality. When I go, you all go too.

[dr synne]

Solipsism?

[McAz]

Solipsism?

For want of a better label...

...but without the negative connotation of self-centredness.

Personally, I adopt the Taoist concept that the internal universe (the self and the reality it constructs) should attempt to live in accord and balance with the external universe. We (that which we call “I’ or better, “I and I”) are in a symbiotic relationship with the external universe rather than it being something we live in or occupy. Thus, when I go it goes.

[dr synne]

Solipsism?

For want of a better label...

...but without the negative connotation of self-centredness.

Personally, I adopt the Taoist concept that the internal universe (the self and the reality it constructs) should attempt to live in accord and balance with the external universe. We (that which we call “I’ or better, “I and I”) are in a symbiotic relationship with the external universe rather than it being something we live in or occupy. Thus, when I go it goes.

Hmmm, for me because I believe everything originates in consciousness I see the universe as part and parcel of everything else, a bit like the simulation hypothesis, all originating from a single point - the programme so to speak. When I go it just gets recycled.

These of course are my opinions, not claiming to know the actual truth of the matter.