Wednesday, February 01, 2017

Hmm …

… Study: The universe could be a hologram - AOL News. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

"Many scientists, philosophers, and business leaders believe that there is a 20-50% probability that humans are already living in a computer-simulated virtual world," the report states.

The report alleges that it is conceivable that future civilizations created the world we know as a simulation of their ancestors.
Anything that you can form a concept of is conceivable. This strikes me as another example of creeping essentialism — putting the categories of thought before actual being.
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5 comments:

  1. Dave Lull10:52 AM

    You Aren't Living in a Hologram, Even if You Wish You Were

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  2. Lee12:04 PM

    'Anything that you can form a concept of is conceivable.'

    This is not really a workable definition of 'conceivable', for it would mean that everything we put into words is conceivable. Please give me an example of something that is inconceivable, and I'll point out that by stating an example, it has become conceivable. You'd have contradicted yourself. I prefer a usage-oriented approach to language.

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    Replies
    1. Frank Wilson7:27 PM

      I can't actually put into words anything that is actually inconceivable, precisely because I cannot conceive it. When we call something inconceivable or unthinkable, we are using hyperbole, as in an unthinkable crime, which turns out not only to have not been unthinkable, but actually was committed.

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    2. Lee2:07 AM

      To come at this another way:

      'This strikes me as another example of creeping essentialism — putting the categories of thought before actual being.'

      I don't see the notion of exploring possibilities which have no basis in yet observable being as dangerous or detrimental. It's called imagination. But then again, I always have enjoyed SF/F.

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  3. Lee1:55 AM

    Then, the way you have it Frank, we should actually banish 'conceivable' from the language. Good luck!

    Language is symbol, language is metaphor, language is hyperbole. Stop trying to box it in. If I only wanted exactitude, I'd do maths. (And even then, there's poetry in some of the most advanced stuff.)

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