Nathan Eric Dickman
@nericdickman.bsky.social
philosophy & religions | hermeneutics & phenomenology | pedagogy & equity | using questions to think (2021) | what are views? | he
Pinned
When you read a sentence produced by a GPT chatterbot, and you believe you understand what that sentence *means,* that is the same thing as imagining a bunny in a cloud. Or it’s like believing a compliment from a pathological people-pleaser.
The benefit of a semantic theory of imagination lies precisely in approaching the image through its verbal nucleus, then proceeding from the verbal to the non-verbal, from the semantic to the sensible, and not vice versa...
December 17, 2025 at 6:13 AM
The benefit of a semantic theory of imagination lies precisely in approaching the image through its verbal nucleus, then proceeding from the verbal to the non-verbal, from the semantic to the sensible, and not vice versa...
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
Thou shalt not condemn “violent rhetoric” after your ally is murdered and then mock the murder of someone who criticized you.
December 15, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Thou shalt not condemn “violent rhetoric” after your ally is murdered and then mock the murder of someone who criticized you.
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
you think the death penalty is bad. but what if last meals contain the secret to the best meals we haven't cooked yet?
America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. But what if AI is the way to restart the world’s idea machine?
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:28 PM
you think the death penalty is bad. but what if last meals contain the secret to the best meals we haven't cooked yet?
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
Everything is national security.
a man wearing sunglasses is sitting in a chair making a funny face .
Alt: a man wearing sunglasses is sitting in a chair making a funny face .
media.tenor.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Everything is national security.
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
I don’t know man if capitalism has just resulted in a small network of pedophiles destroying all life on earth then perhaps we should consider that it is a complete and utter failure as a system
December 16, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I don’t know man if capitalism has just resulted in a small network of pedophiles destroying all life on earth then perhaps we should consider that it is a complete and utter failure as a system
The need to understand Hamas, and to persuade our governments to engage the movement politically rather than purely through a military or “anti-terrorism” optic, remains urgent. ~Cobban & Khouri, Understanding Hamas, 8
December 16, 2025 at 4:12 AM
The need to understand Hamas, and to persuade our governments to engage the movement politically rather than purely through a military or “anti-terrorism” optic, remains urgent. ~Cobban & Khouri, Understanding Hamas, 8
So Iowans are being stationed throughout West Asia (or the “Middle East”—east of what??), some have heen killed, supposedly to fight “terrorism.”
However, there is literally a rogue genocidal State of Israel that has nukes pointed at the US.
However, there is literally a rogue genocidal State of Israel that has nukes pointed at the US.
December 15, 2025 at 10:47 PM
So Iowans are being stationed throughout West Asia (or the “Middle East”—east of what??), some have heen killed, supposedly to fight “terrorism.”
However, there is literally a rogue genocidal State of Israel that has nukes pointed at the US.
However, there is literally a rogue genocidal State of Israel that has nukes pointed at the US.
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
Again I'm just gonna point out that people got fired for quoting Charlie Kirk's own words!
Also if we take Trump's post literally then it sounds like Trump is saying that Reiner is dead because he criticized Trump
Just saying, this is many steps beyond quoting the dead person's words
Also if we take Trump's post literally then it sounds like Trump is saying that Reiner is dead because he criticized Trump
Just saying, this is many steps beyond quoting the dead person's words
Thomas Massie, who has a lot of very bad opinions and policies, appears to be one of the only Republicans who has at least a set of principles he refuses to ignore. Low bar for sure, but it's notable regardless
December 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Again I'm just gonna point out that people got fired for quoting Charlie Kirk's own words!
Also if we take Trump's post literally then it sounds like Trump is saying that Reiner is dead because he criticized Trump
Just saying, this is many steps beyond quoting the dead person's words
Also if we take Trump's post literally then it sounds like Trump is saying that Reiner is dead because he criticized Trump
Just saying, this is many steps beyond quoting the dead person's words
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
just thinking about that time the American police wouldnt even go into a school in Uvalde to stop a shooter but a regular citizen, an immigrant of a different faith, put himself in the direct line of fire at Bondi.
December 15, 2025 at 2:22 PM
just thinking about that time the American police wouldnt even go into a school in Uvalde to stop a shooter but a regular citizen, an immigrant of a different faith, put himself in the direct line of fire at Bondi.
God does not want to be believed in, to be debated and defended by us, but simply to be realized through us. ~Buber, "Jewish Religiosity" in On Judaism, 94
December 15, 2025 at 8:22 AM
God does not want to be believed in, to be debated and defended by us, but simply to be realized through us. ~Buber, "Jewish Religiosity" in On Judaism, 94
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
people who believe this do not hold liberal arts degrees, to a person. we must abolish business schools
People who believe the liberal arts are inherently bullshitting unsurprisingly extremely excited to replace the liberal arts with bullshitting at scale as a service and charging for it
December 15, 2025 at 2:28 AM
people who believe this do not hold liberal arts degrees, to a person. we must abolish business schools
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
This is their dream come true
"39,000 fewer foreign-born child care workers since Trump took office in January."
"77,000 fewer American mothers of preschool-aged children in the workforce since that time, a result that researchers found is tied to the impact of ICE arrests."
#USA #Labour #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
"77,000 fewer American mothers of preschool-aged children in the workforce since that time, a result that researchers found is tied to the impact of ICE arrests."
#USA #Labour #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
ICE arrests are forcing American moms to leave their jobs
A new analysis shows that increased immigration enforcement is reducing labor in the child care workforce. The ripple effect is impacting mothers with young children.
19thnews.org
December 15, 2025 at 1:44 AM
This is their dream come true
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
more power to any Dean who makes the case that their discipline-specific standard for AI is refusal, and AI refusal will be what they integrate into the curriculum
It's hard to overstate how impossible this demand is from Purdue's administration to implement these AI requirements by next fall. We are nowhere close to understanding what AI proficiency means or what it looks like in education.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
December 14, 2025 at 4:58 PM
more power to any Dean who makes the case that their discipline-specific standard for AI is refusal, and AI refusal will be what they integrate into the curriculum
San Jose State joins the ranks of Flat Earther Institutes:
Universities will keep sexual predators on the faculty because their "hands are tied by tenure." Turns out protesting genocide is all it takes to loosen those unshakable chains.
Tenured US professor fired over pro-Palestinian protests contests dismissal
Sang Hea Kil is first tenured faculty member fired from a public university in connection to the protests
www.theguardian.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:28 PM
San Jose State joins the ranks of Flat Earther Institutes:
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
@unicef.org reports a “shockingly high” number of malnourished children in Gaza. Months after the ceasefire, babies are still dying of hunger and treatable conditions due to blocked aid. tinyurl.com/8hvesa6c
December 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
@unicef.org reports a “shockingly high” number of malnourished children in Gaza. Months after the ceasefire, babies are still dying of hunger and treatable conditions due to blocked aid. tinyurl.com/8hvesa6c
Tomorrow more Palestinians will die, but in the places where the bombs are built and launched it will have no bearing on mortgages, bills, employment. Indeed, in many of these places, what will have a real economic effect is if the bombing stops…
December 10, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Tomorrow more Palestinians will die, but in the places where the bombs are built and launched it will have no bearing on mortgages, bills, employment. Indeed, in many of these places, what will have a real economic effect is if the bombing stops…
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
ICE stormed a residence hall at Augsburg University, detained an undergrad, and aimed rifles at students and staff then admitted they had no warrant to be on campus.
This is state violence. This is terror. And this is exactly what Trump’s America unleashes on our communities.
This is state violence. This is terror. And this is exactly what Trump’s America unleashes on our communities.
December 8, 2025 at 3:12 PM
ICE stormed a residence hall at Augsburg University, detained an undergrad, and aimed rifles at students and staff then admitted they had no warrant to be on campus.
This is state violence. This is terror. And this is exactly what Trump’s America unleashes on our communities.
This is state violence. This is terror. And this is exactly what Trump’s America unleashes on our communities.
The proven genocidal State of Israel must immediately and completely disarm. Until then, the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has not stopped.
And stop saying it’s “not a genocide,” because all the absurdly flagrant smears of leftists as “terrorists”
And stop saying it’s “not a genocide,” because all the absurdly flagrant smears of leftists as “terrorists”
December 9, 2025 at 2:13 AM
The proven genocidal State of Israel must immediately and completely disarm. Until then, the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has not stopped.
And stop saying it’s “not a genocide,” because all the absurdly flagrant smears of leftists as “terrorists”
And stop saying it’s “not a genocide,” because all the absurdly flagrant smears of leftists as “terrorists”
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
This is a perfect example as to why we need AI regulation yesterday.
AI cannot be the arbiter of whether human beings can live or die. This is an excuse for insurance companies to fire human workers and make our healthcare system even more nightmarish for a quick buck.
AI cannot be the arbiter of whether human beings can live or die. This is an excuse for insurance companies to fire human workers and make our healthcare system even more nightmarish for a quick buck.
"Starting Jan. 1, in six states selected to take part in a federal pilot program, traditional Medicare recipients will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered --
private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny..."
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny..."
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
Thousands of Washington state Medicare users could soon have claims denied by AI
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
www.kuow.org
December 8, 2025 at 8:19 PM
This is a perfect example as to why we need AI regulation yesterday.
AI cannot be the arbiter of whether human beings can live or die. This is an excuse for insurance companies to fire human workers and make our healthcare system even more nightmarish for a quick buck.
AI cannot be the arbiter of whether human beings can live or die. This is an excuse for insurance companies to fire human workers and make our healthcare system even more nightmarish for a quick buck.
This proven felon fraud TACO, and fanatic KKKirk MAGAs, seriously believe that air is just empty space, as ignorant as flat earthers.
December 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
This proven felon fraud TACO, and fanatic KKKirk MAGAs, seriously believe that air is just empty space, as ignorant as flat earthers.
Yikes.
Full orders list: www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...
Cert petition: www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
Religious anti-vaxers have had a very encouraging day at the Supreme Court.
Cert petition: www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
Religious anti-vaxers have had a very encouraging day at the Supreme Court.
December 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Yikes.
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
"The math is brutal and the juxtaposition stark: millions for OpenAI while pink slips go out to longtime lecturers. The CSU isn’t investing in education—it’s outsourcing it, paying premium prices for a chatbot many students were already using for free."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself
Students use AI to write papers, professors use AI to grade them, degrees become meaningless, and tech companies make fortunes. Welcome to the death of higher education.
www.currentaffairs.org
December 7, 2025 at 3:37 PM
"The math is brutal and the juxtaposition stark: millions for OpenAI while pink slips go out to longtime lecturers. The CSU isn’t investing in education—it’s outsourcing it, paying premium prices for a chatbot many students were already using for free."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
Literally arresting people just before they're sworn in as citizens. What was that about "do it the right way" again?
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
December 7, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Literally arresting people just before they're sworn in as citizens. What was that about "do it the right way" again?
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Reposted by Nathan Eric Dickman
"I’ve concluded that instead of teaching students to read and write, I should be teaching them how to prompt AI better. If only I’d had a better education in AI prompt writing, I’d be able to get AI to create more AI-proof teaching materials for me."
I Need AI to Write Better Lesson Plans So My Students Stop Using AI to Write Their Papers
I care deeply about my students’ learning, but with all the new technologies available to help them cut corners, I worry that they’re not doing the...
buff.ly
November 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM
"I’ve concluded that instead of teaching students to read and write, I should be teaching them how to prompt AI better. If only I’d had a better education in AI prompt writing, I’d be able to get AI to create more AI-proof teaching materials for me."
In solidarity with the smeared TA, another grad TA excuses students for attending the justified protest (but—obviously—not for ignorant and anti-educational counter-protest attendance).
Second TA also put on leave *for doing the correct thing.* The supervising prof’s statement?
Second TA also put on leave *for doing the correct thing.* The supervising prof’s statement?
December 7, 2025 at 12:11 AM
In solidarity with the smeared TA, another grad TA excuses students for attending the justified protest (but—obviously—not for ignorant and anti-educational counter-protest attendance).
Second TA also put on leave *for doing the correct thing.* The supervising prof’s statement?
Second TA also put on leave *for doing the correct thing.* The supervising prof’s statement?