James of Seattle
@jamesofseattle.bsky.social
Observer on the world, trying to keep things straight.
Reposted by James of Seattle
Tomorrow at 1pm ET / 6pm GMT, The Persuaders will be discussing Cory Doctorow's latest book Enshittification, which describes how monopolistic online platforms make all our lives worse. Join them for edification about enshittification! www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLwn... @petemandik.bsky.social
8: Enshittification
YouTube video by Keith Frankish
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Tomorrow at 1pm ET / 6pm GMT, The Persuaders will be discussing Cory Doctorow's latest book Enshittification, which describes how monopolistic online platforms make all our lives worse. Join them for edification about enshittification! www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLwn... @petemandik.bsky.social
Reposted by James of Seattle
Sinners, and other TV notes
Since I've been reviewing a lot of horror lately, I could see you being skeptical about my constant disclaimers that I'm not much of a horror fan. But the truth is some horror is so good in its non-horror elements that it's compelling even for people not into horror.…
Since I've been reviewing a lot of horror lately, I could see you being skeptical about my constant disclaimers that I'm not much of a horror fan. But the truth is some horror is so good in its non-horror elements that it's compelling even for people not into horror.…
Sinners, and other TV notes
Since I've been reviewing a lot of horror lately, I could see you being skeptical about my constant disclaimers that I'm not much of a horror fan. But the truth is some horror is so good in its non-horror elements that it's compelling even for people not into horror. That's the case with Sinners, which I'm late to the party on.
selfawarepatterns.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Sinners, and other TV notes
Since I've been reviewing a lot of horror lately, I could see you being skeptical about my constant disclaimers that I'm not much of a horror fan. But the truth is some horror is so good in its non-horror elements that it's compelling even for people not into horror.…
Since I've been reviewing a lot of horror lately, I could see you being skeptical about my constant disclaimers that I'm not much of a horror fan. But the truth is some horror is so good in its non-horror elements that it's compelling even for people not into horror.…
There is a nice discussion comparing panpsychism and panqualityism in @philipgoff.bsky.social ’s substack. (Link in first reply)
The Psychule (aka Pattern Recognition) Theory of Consciousness is a Minimal Unifying Model, so the following thread shows how to unify panpsychism and panqualityism .
The Psychule (aka Pattern Recognition) Theory of Consciousness is a Minimal Unifying Model, so the following thread shows how to unify panpsychism and panqualityism .
November 27, 2025 at 8:44 PM
There is a nice discussion comparing panpsychism and panqualityism in @philipgoff.bsky.social ’s substack. (Link in first reply)
The Psychule (aka Pattern Recognition) Theory of Consciousness is a Minimal Unifying Model, so the following thread shows how to unify panpsychism and panqualityism .
The Psychule (aka Pattern Recognition) Theory of Consciousness is a Minimal Unifying Model, so the following thread shows how to unify panpsychism and panqualityism .
Reposted by James of Seattle
![Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihwhjblp5lyiwp63ouar7ocfea7evmckytoeo7rkfuoo4gw5rnrra@jpeg)
November 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by James of Seattle
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by James of Seattle
Maybe we’re already part of a hive mind
I recently discovered the new TV show Pluribus, about a scenario where the whole world gets turned into a hive mind, an annoyingly nice one, at least in the initial episodes, but where a few humans turn out to be immune to the virus that converts everyone…
I recently discovered the new TV show Pluribus, about a scenario where the whole world gets turned into a hive mind, an annoyingly nice one, at least in the initial episodes, but where a few humans turn out to be immune to the virus that converts everyone…
Maybe we’re already part of a hive mind
I recently discovered the new TV show Pluribus, about a scenario where the whole world gets turned into a hive mind, an annoyingly nice one, at least in the initial episodes, but where a few humans turn out to be immune to the virus that converts everyone else, including the cantankerous protagonist, Carol Sturka. The hive mind in the show appears to work via telepathy, enabled by alien sequences of DNA.
selfawarepatterns.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Maybe we’re already part of a hive mind
I recently discovered the new TV show Pluribus, about a scenario where the whole world gets turned into a hive mind, an annoyingly nice one, at least in the initial episodes, but where a few humans turn out to be immune to the virus that converts everyone…
I recently discovered the new TV show Pluribus, about a scenario where the whole world gets turned into a hive mind, an annoyingly nice one, at least in the initial episodes, but where a few humans turn out to be immune to the virus that converts everyone…
Reposted by James of Seattle
New blog post!
The fourth of my five-part review of Sapiens by Yuval Harari. This one covers the Scientific Revolution and its entanglement with capitalism.
www.evphil.com/blog/review-...
The fourth of my five-part review of Sapiens by Yuval Harari. This one covers the Scientific Revolution and its entanglement with capitalism.
www.evphil.com/blog/review-...
Review of “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari (4/5)
Time now for the penultimate review of Sapiens . In the first three parts, we saw the emergence of our species, its spread around the globe, and some of the unifying forces that have made...
www.evphil.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:54 PM
New blog post!
The fourth of my five-part review of Sapiens by Yuval Harari. This one covers the Scientific Revolution and its entanglement with capitalism.
www.evphil.com/blog/review-...
The fourth of my five-part review of Sapiens by Yuval Harari. This one covers the Scientific Revolution and its entanglement with capitalism.
www.evphil.com/blog/review-...
Reposted by James of Seattle
Here's the recording of today's episode of The Persuaders, in which Pete and I have a rational discussion about irrationalism www.youtube.com/watch?v=duI3...
@petemandik.bsky.social
@petemandik.bsky.social
7: Are your beliefs rational?
YouTube video by Keith Frankish
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Here's the recording of today's episode of The Persuaders, in which Pete and I have a rational discussion about irrationalism www.youtube.com/watch?v=duI3...
@petemandik.bsky.social
@petemandik.bsky.social
Reposted by James of Seattle
Overheard at #SfN25: “It’s up to us to reflect the truth.”
“This is not a sprint, this is not a marathon, this is a relay.” (Advocate for science, and when you get tired, let someone else do it for a while, then get involved again…
#StandUpForScience #SciPolicy #Advocacy #Neuroscience #Neurosky
“This is not a sprint, this is not a marathon, this is a relay.” (Advocate for science, and when you get tired, let someone else do it for a while, then get involved again…
#StandUpForScience #SciPolicy #Advocacy #Neuroscience #Neurosky
November 18, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Overheard at #SfN25: “It’s up to us to reflect the truth.”
“This is not a sprint, this is not a marathon, this is a relay.” (Advocate for science, and when you get tired, let someone else do it for a while, then get involved again…
#StandUpForScience #SciPolicy #Advocacy #Neuroscience #Neurosky
“This is not a sprint, this is not a marathon, this is a relay.” (Advocate for science, and when you get tired, let someone else do it for a while, then get involved again…
#StandUpForScience #SciPolicy #Advocacy #Neuroscience #Neurosky
Reposted by James of Seattle
The Persuaders will be live again tomorrow at 1pm EST, 6pm GMT, when they will asking if our beliefs are formed by rational processes and if it matters. The Truth Demon may also put in an appearance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=duI3... @petemandik.bsky.social
7: Are your beliefs rational?
YouTube video by Keith Frankish
www.youtube.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
The Persuaders will be live again tomorrow at 1pm EST, 6pm GMT, when they will asking if our beliefs are formed by rational processes and if it matters. The Truth Demon may also put in an appearance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=duI3... @petemandik.bsky.social
Reposted by James of Seattle
Guess what? youtu.be/zpXvEhl2YXE?...
14 Beauty
YouTube video by Pete Mandik
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Guess what? youtu.be/zpXvEhl2YXE?...
Reposted by James of Seattle
What if ALL the sun's power was focused in one place?
What the latest What If? video in collaboration with
@minuteearth.bsky.social!
youtu.be/qu8nx1qUwEU
What the latest What If? video in collaboration with
@minuteearth.bsky.social!
youtu.be/qu8nx1qUwEU
What if ALL the sun’s power was focused in one place?
YouTube video by xkcd's What If?
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 10:29 PM
What if ALL the sun's power was focused in one place?
What the latest What If? video in collaboration with
@minuteearth.bsky.social!
youtu.be/qu8nx1qUwEU
What the latest What If? video in collaboration with
@minuteearth.bsky.social!
youtu.be/qu8nx1qUwEU
Reposted by James of Seattle
John von Neumann Shot Lightning From His Arse
John von Neumann Shot Lightning From His Arse
www.theintrinsicperspective.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
John von Neumann Shot Lightning From His Arse
Reposted by James of Seattle
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
After watching the new Frankenstein movie this weekend, I decided to correct something. I'd never read the original novel by Mary Shelley. I was familiar with the overall story, but I think it came from reading a comic book adaptation at some point decades…
After watching the new Frankenstein movie this weekend, I decided to correct something. I'd never read the original novel by Mary Shelley. I was familiar with the overall story, but I think it came from reading a comic book adaptation at some point decades…
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
After watching the new Frankenstein movie this weekend, I decided to correct something. I'd never read the original novel by Mary Shelley. I was familiar with the overall story, but I think it came from reading a comic book adaptation at some point decades ago, one I knew was heavily abridged. A key question upfront was which version to read: the…
selfawarepatterns.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
After watching the new Frankenstein movie this weekend, I decided to correct something. I'd never read the original novel by Mary Shelley. I was familiar with the overall story, but I think it came from reading a comic book adaptation at some point decades…
After watching the new Frankenstein movie this weekend, I decided to correct something. I'd never read the original novel by Mary Shelley. I was familiar with the overall story, but I think it came from reading a comic book adaptation at some point decades…
Reposted by James of Seattle
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
I’m a fan of this opinion. It’s another reason billionaires shouldn’t exist and drive our culture.
I’m a fan of this opinion. It’s another reason billionaires shouldn’t exist and drive our culture.
Investors’ ‘dumb transhumanist ideas’ setting back neurotech progress, say experts
Fascination of investors such as Elon Musk with uploading their brains to computers is hindering progress in curing disease, say scientists
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
I’m a fan of this opinion. It’s another reason billionaires shouldn’t exist and drive our culture.
I’m a fan of this opinion. It’s another reason billionaires shouldn’t exist and drive our culture.
Reposted by James of Seattle
Can you having feelings you're not aware of? My latest Substack post on "Unconscious Consciousness."
philipgoff.substack.com/p/unconsciou...
philipgoff.substack.com/p/unconsciou...
Unconscious Consciousness
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
philipgoff.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Can you having feelings you're not aware of? My latest Substack post on "Unconscious Consciousness."
philipgoff.substack.com/p/unconsciou...
philipgoff.substack.com/p/unconsciou...
Reposted by James of Seattle
The sparky, disorderly, collaborative flow of progress.
We've come a long way in understanding the deep physical structure of everything, but humans realising things is always a messy business.
Wonderfully clear short presentation by @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT7D...
We've come a long way in understanding the deep physical structure of everything, but humans realising things is always a messy business.
Wonderfully clear short presentation by @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT7D...
Sean Carroll: Einstein’s most radical thought
YouTube video by Big Think
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:08 PM
The sparky, disorderly, collaborative flow of progress.
We've come a long way in understanding the deep physical structure of everything, but humans realising things is always a messy business.
Wonderfully clear short presentation by @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT7D...
We've come a long way in understanding the deep physical structure of everything, but humans realising things is always a messy business.
Wonderfully clear short presentation by @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT7D...
Reposted by James of Seattle
Frankenstein and other TV notes
Last night I watched Guillermo del Toro's new version of Frankenstein. As I frequently point out on this blog, I'm not a big horror fan, but I've frequently been impressed with del Toro's work, and Frankenstein is a classic. And it strikes me as more of an…
Last night I watched Guillermo del Toro's new version of Frankenstein. As I frequently point out on this blog, I'm not a big horror fan, but I've frequently been impressed with del Toro's work, and Frankenstein is a classic. And it strikes me as more of an…
Frankenstein and other TV notes
Last night I watched Guillermo del Toro's new version of Frankenstein. As I frequently point out on this blog, I'm not a big horror fan, but I've frequently been impressed with del Toro's work, and Frankenstein is a classic. And it strikes me as more of an existential exploration than one invoking horror just for horror's sake. We all know the story.
selfawarepatterns.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Frankenstein and other TV notes
Last night I watched Guillermo del Toro's new version of Frankenstein. As I frequently point out on this blog, I'm not a big horror fan, but I've frequently been impressed with del Toro's work, and Frankenstein is a classic. And it strikes me as more of an…
Last night I watched Guillermo del Toro's new version of Frankenstein. As I frequently point out on this blog, I'm not a big horror fan, but I've frequently been impressed with del Toro's work, and Frankenstein is a classic. And it strikes me as more of an…
Reposted by James of Seattle
The Persuaders have been reading Jonathan Birch's The Edge of Sentience, and they will be asking which animals are conscious and what policies we should adopt to minimize animal suffering. Live tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1pm EST, 6pm GMT!
www.youtube.com/live/J9ueoVk...
@petemandik.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/live/J9ueoVk...
@petemandik.bsky.social
5: Animal consciousness
What is like to be a bat, a rat, or a cat in a hat? Another case for The Persuaders! Keith and Pete have been reading Jonathan Birch's 2024 book The Edge of Sentience, and they will be asking which an...
www.youtube.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM
The Persuaders have been reading Jonathan Birch's The Edge of Sentience, and they will be asking which animals are conscious and what policies we should adopt to minimize animal suffering. Live tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1pm EST, 6pm GMT!
www.youtube.com/live/J9ueoVk...
@petemandik.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/live/J9ueoVk...
@petemandik.bsky.social
Reposted by James of Seattle
Canada's NICE agent greeting Americans disembarking cruise ships is how we mock Trump's dystopianism while making you all feel welcome.
October 25, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Canada's NICE agent greeting Americans disembarking cruise ships is how we mock Trump's dystopianism while making you all feel welcome.
I’ve mentioned that we are *in* the singularity. This is what I’m talking about. (H/T @adamfrank4.bsky.social )
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5k7...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5k7...
Why 2025 is the single most pivotal year in our lifetime | Peter Leyden
YouTube video by Big Think
www.youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I’ve mentioned that we are *in* the singularity. This is what I’m talking about. (H/T @adamfrank4.bsky.social )
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5k7...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5k7...
For anyone interested in the idea that pattern recognition is the basis of consciousness [Psychule Theory!], this video w/ @drmichaellevin.bsky.social will be a useful discussion of the role of patterns in nature and intelligence:
youtu.be/imTnPhE20YQ?...
youtu.be/imTnPhE20YQ?...
The Hidden Realm of Patterns Animating Life & The Universe | Dr. Michael Levin
YouTube video by Jack Roycroft-Sherry
youtu.be
October 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
For anyone interested in the idea that pattern recognition is the basis of consciousness [Psychule Theory!], this video w/ @drmichaellevin.bsky.social will be a useful discussion of the role of patterns in nature and intelligence:
youtu.be/imTnPhE20YQ?...
youtu.be/imTnPhE20YQ?...
Reposted by James of Seattle
sure, if you enjoy the horrifying limits of human perception
October 25, 2025 at 12:22 PM
sure, if you enjoy the horrifying limits of human perception
This is a really good discussion, and now I can never watch a video with Chalmers without thinking “Math Guy” …
Listen to @petemandik.bsky.social and me talking persuasively about consciousness www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ow4...
5: Our weird beliefs about consciousness
YouTube video by Keith Frankish
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
This is a really good discussion, and now I can never watch a video with Chalmers without thinking “Math Guy” …
Reposted by James of Seattle
Videos from the Natural Philosophy Symposium are coming online at last! We start with the opening plenary by David Chalmers @davidchalmers.bsky.social: Can There Be a Mathematical Theory of Consciousness? Commentary by Ryan Smith.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsve...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsve...
David Chalmers, Can There Be a Mathematical Theory of Consciousness? | Natural Philosophy Symposium
YouTube video by Hopkins Natural Philosophy Forum
www.youtube.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Videos from the Natural Philosophy Symposium are coming online at last! We start with the opening plenary by David Chalmers @davidchalmers.bsky.social: Can There Be a Mathematical Theory of Consciousness? Commentary by Ryan Smith.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsve...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsve...