Max Tegmark's TEDx-Talk On Consciousness
Click the image to be directed to this video. Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzCvlFRISIM&list=PLsRNoUx8w3rMUmMTFuZhzmQxE0txdf18K&index=5 Summary: Those interested in consciousness will be aware of David Chalmer's "hard problem". This refers to the difficulty of understanding 'qualia', or, subjective phenomenological experience. For example, we may want to understand the colour 'red' which appears to us, phenomenologically, when we see a red car, a red apple or red hair (etc.). We may quantify this experience by measuring brain waves upon a subject's sighting of something red. But, it appears that even if we are presented with all that a physicalist can account for being 'red' (the mathematics, the science) we would see wavelength descriptions and brain waves. But we would not 'see', or 'feel' red amongst the equations. The equations would not suddenly turn from written letters and numbers into the colour 'red', despite being a 'complete' description of it. Therefore, it appears that there is something that it is like for us to see, or feel, 'red' above the physicalists description of it. We have subjective experience of 'red'. The problem becomes more complicated when we attempt to synthesise the idea of having a brain and a 'mind', where the 'mind' is responsible for this subjective experience and the brain more 'functional' duties such as motor control (movement). This is because if the physical (our brain) and the non-physical (our mind) inhabit the same space but yet are fundamentally distinct by following different physical laws, they cannot have any causal effect upon one another. If the 'mind' behaves according to the physical, material laws which we understand then it's the brain. If the mind does not behave materially (particles, chemical reactions etc.) then it cannot affect that which is governed by material laws. And so the 'mind' can have no affect upon the brain because if the 'mind' were to see 'red' and wanted the brain to pick up the juicy red apple because it looks delicious, it could not direct the brain towards it because it would have no way to influence it, physically. There would be no neurochemical influence, no synapses firing and the apple would not be retrieved. Max Tegmark (physics professor at MIT), discusses this debate within neuroscience, and theorises that we already have the ingredients to understand this hard problem, in this TEDx-Talk. For me this is a major step in synthesising qualia and the physicalist's understanding of the brain. And, ultimately, an extremely positive message: we have the tools already, so let's stop arguing and go forward! Theoretically, I love this. Enjoy!
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Philosophy Bites Rating: 10/10 Website: http://www.philosophybites.com Nigel Warburton (Twitter): @philosophybites David Edmonds (Twitter): @DavidEdmonds1000 Summary: Philosophy Bites is a series of podcasts which explore philosophical topics in bite-sized chunks. They're on topics old and new and explore specific philosophers to thought experiments. The interviews are conducted by Nigel Warburton and David Edmonds, and the interviewee an expert in the subject. The app is available for both Android (Amazon Store) and Apple (App Store). Personally, I absolutely love this app. I was devastated when I thought I'd lost it when moving over to Android but recently discovered it was available. For anyone interested in philosophy they are an absolute must. Lasting around 20 minutes each interview allows you to get into the heart of the subject whilst being short enough that you can get a quick, sharp burst of what it is that interests you, but yet, still deep enough to be satisfying. For me, in particular, this app is useful because I am an auditory learner, combined with always wanting to learn something and missing my old philosophy lectures, it allows me to feel as though I'm being taught again at my own leisure. I listen to them before I go to bed when I have time to sit and really take in the content. This is because they may be short but they are not particularly 'easy'. But I would argue that this is the way they should be: accessible whilst really engaging with the subject. Perfect for those who have an avid interest in the subject! Both Nigel and David have books available and run day courses. More information can be found via their Twitter accounts and the website. Enjoy! Working for one of Serco's Australian detainee centres - A guard's illustrated account Click the image above to be directed to this illustration. Summary: This is an absolutely fantastic piece of illustrated writing. I cannot recommend it highly enough if you want to understand the conditions faced by detainees in Australia, by someone who has encountered it first hand. However, the guard goes one step further to include the effects working for Serco had on his personal relationships, mental health and well-being. It is important to remember that Serco operate all over the world including within the UK. They have, with G4S, become the leading companies to fight for privatisation contracts within our criminal justice, prison and probation service. If this is what we can expect for our inmates and perhaps even our guards, this is in no way 'good news'. Perhaps there are similar stories happening within the UK right now. Source: http://serco-story.theglobalmail.org A few facts about detention: Australia: Australia's Migration Act 1958 requires people who are not Australian citizens and do not hold a valid visa to be detained. People in Australia without a valid visa are unlawful non-citizens. This could have happened because: they have arrived without a visa, overstayed their visa or their visa was cancelled. An estimated 5,867 people are currently detained in centres or 'alternative places of detention' with 1,006 of those being children under eighteen years old (January 31st, 2014 - statistics). The most common nationalities: Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine Authority and 'other'. Source: https://www.immi.gov.au/About/Pages/detention/about-immigration-detention.aspx UK: The UK's immigration detention is one of the largest in Europe. The single most common category of immigration detainees is those who have sought asylum at some point. In 2013 there was 30,387 people entering detention facilities which is an increase of 6% from 2012. However, only 3,115 were still in detention by the end of September 2013. 65 of those were children (down from nearly 1,000 children in 2009). 62% of detainees were detained for 29 days with 5% having been detained for one to two years. The most common nationalities seeking asylum are: Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Syria, Albania, Eritrea, Bangladesh, Libya, India, Nigeria and 'other'. It is important to note the 'other' category accounted for the highest number of applications. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2013/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2013 Source 2: http://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/briefings/immigration-detention-uk "Harsh Justice: Comparing Prisons Around The World" - Criminal Justice Degree Hub Summary: What three words would I use to describe this info-graphic? Interesting, informative and a little terrifying. For what three reasons? 1) Because who knew that China are responsible for the highest number of death sentences around the world seven times over at 11,051 (at least)? 2) Korea's death sentences are difficult to calculate because they're held in secret without legal proceedings? 3) Diyarbakir prison in Turkey is home to the most human rights violations per prisoner due to physical and mental torture, sexual abuse and inmates attempting takes on their own lives, some by fire? I guess we all do now. Source: http://www.criminaljusticedegreehub.com/worldprisons/ Book review - Robert Peston's "How Do We Fix This Mess?" (2013) Full title: 'How Do We Fix This Mess? The Economic Price of Having It All and the Route of Last Prosperity' Authors: Robert Peston and Lawrence Knight Price: I paid £8.99 from Waterstones Pages: 471 Rating: 9/10 Summary: For anyone looking to understand the financial crisis and how we got into this 'mess', this is the book. It is extremely easy to read as it's written in plain English, every sentence is interesting, it's witty and it reads like a novel you can't put down. Which, having read other books/articles on the matter, is no small feat. Peston takes you clearly through each inter-related nugget of the economy (speculative finance, it's casino culture and subsequent financialization, globalization, the banks, etc. [all of which you'll understand as you go along]) and exactly how we came to be in the position we are in today, how it is potentially going to get worse, how it could get better and interestingly... why London's so bloody expensive. But, critically (without political agenda) why we should be worried about the future of capitalism. Definitely worth the time if you have it. Enjoy! Another review: Financial Times - 'As good as it gets' http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/b0d7e408-0cb3-11e2-a73c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2q5gwz63b Hawking - (2013) A documentary of his life Length: 1hr 28 mins Source: YouTube Rating: 10/10 Year: 2013 Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shbs13XM3k0 Last watched: 22nd December 2013 Click the image to be directed to this documentary. Enjoy! Summary: If you are a fan of Hawking then this is an absolute must see. The documentary takes you through Hawking's life, in his own words. From his eccentric childhood, to his twenties and falling down the stairs at Oxford university (one of the first indicators he was unwell), to falling in love and of course his discoveries. Hawking has not only achieved far more than most human beings, but he has done it all on borrowed time. For forty-nine years he has surpassed medical expectations. Which has a certain kind of irony, considering his father had wanted him to study medicine but he chose physics instead. For me, the highlight was when Hawking was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the beginning of his PhD. His world had fallen apart, he wasn't expected to even live long enough to finish his postgraduate work and yet, for Hawking, what saved his life and gave him something to live for was not success, academic stature or fame. Instead, as he says, it was that he fell in love. A reminder from someone who has achieved so much, of what is really important when you're faced with losing everything. NASA's Flight Engineer - Mike Hopkins: @AstroIllini Until: March 2014 NASA Engineer - Karen Nyberg: @AstroKarenN Until: November 10th 2013 European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut - Luca Parmitano: @Astro_Luca Until: November 10th 2013 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) - Koichi Wakata: @Astro_Wakata Until: May 2014 NASA astronaut - Rick Mastracchio: @AstroRM Until: May 2014 Summary: These astronauts will be tweeting pictures, videos of them in space and commentary of what is happening on board the International Space Station (ISS). As close as we can get to being in outer space with them! Such as Karen Nyberg's (@AstroKarenN) image of dusk settling over the Himalayas on November 4th 2013... Or the view from her window. Source: Amiko Kauderer (@amikokauderer) - NASA spokesperson
Live Stream - International Space Station: Link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-iss-stream Or, click the image to be directed to this stream. Summary: "Live video from the International Space Station includes internal views when the crew is on-duty and Earth views at other times. The video is accompanied by audio of conversations between the crew and Mission Control. This video is only available when the space station is in contact with the ground. During "loss of signal" periods, viewers will see a blue screen. Since the station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, it experiences a sunrise or a sunset about every 45 minutes. When the station is in darkness, external camera video may appear black, but can sometimes provide spectacular views of lightning or city lights below." Source: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-iss-stream The International Space Station (ISS) and YouTube: Commander Chris Hadfield's - Space Oddity The first ever music video filmed in space made by a staple of ISS YouTube videos and information - on board Commander Chris Hadfield covers Bowie's 'Space Oddity'. Brilliant video! Time: 5:31 Click the image to be directed to this video. "Tears in Space (Don't Fall)" - Commander Chris Hadfield Commander Chris Hadfield has countless videos on YouTube filmed from the International Space Station (ISS) answering all our questions on what it's like living in space, from crying, brushing your teeth to using the suction toilet! Time: 1:25 Click the image to be directed to this video. integralCALC: The online calculus Academy: After realising I needed help with my Math, I did what many people do and I went online to look for Youtube tutorials. I soon stumbled across a video by Krista King, whereby I followed the links to her personal channel - intergralCALC. What I found surprised me. A fantastic, accessible and comprehensive guide through calculus which is designed almost like an online school. Upon signing up to the Academy Krista explains that she wants you to be part of the Facebook group and to introduce yourself. This made me nervous as my confidence in my mathematical ability is, well, non-existent. However, I introduced myself and explained that I would probably be asking lots of questions. My anxiety was met by complete strangers, many of whom are much more competent in Math than myself, welcoming me with open arms and encouragement. This appears to stem from Krista's own bubbly and enthusiastic approach to the subject whereby many of her videos open with a smile, a wave and "Hi everyone!". Not exactly what you expect from a calculus tutor. At 22,000 Youtube subscribers and 3 million Youtube views, Krista King has not only managed to explain something extremely complicated in an accessible, professional and well-designed way but she has also created a supportive online community where people feel comfortable enough to say "I don't get this!" knowing either Krista, or another member, will jump in and help out. All very impressive feats for something which involves Math! I wish Krista the best of luck and look forward to my future with integralCALC! Here is my interview with Krista where she explains more about the Academy: How long have you been tutoring and what is your background in calculus? "I've been tutoring math for a decade and tutoring calculus for about eight years. I took calculus in college and immediately after finishing it got a job tutoring calculus for the student athletes at my school. I loved it and kept that job all through school, then started making my YouTube videos after I graduated college as I realized I missed the tutoring." Why did you set up the academy? "While YouTube is an amazing resource, it's also a place where people get easily distracted, and sometimes it can be really hard to find what you're looking for. And a lot of people need more than just video when they're struggling with calculus. The Academy is a place where I can offer ad-free, distraction-free help with calculus, where I can organize the videos into manageable courses and order them in a way that makes sense. I can also offer written content, practice questions that let people quiz themselves so they can see if they're getting it, downloadable resources, and more. It makes for an incredibly more comprehensive experience than I could ever offer on YouTube!" How is the academy set up to help people improve their math and calculus skills? "So far, the Academy is organized into 12 comprehensive courses, 4 each for calculus 1, 2 and 3. At the beginning of each course is a section of downloadable resources to help you get through the course. Below the resources are groups of lessons that help keep the information digestible. Within the groups, each lesson topic starts with a written explanation and written examples (like your textbook, but WAY better), followed by a video lesson, and then a quiz. This format really helps you cement your understanding because you learn it in multiple formats and then you get the opportunity to test yourself. When you feel comfortable with a step, you can mark it complete and go directly to the next lesson. The ability to mark things complete and leave others incomplete really helps you track your progress through the Academy and see at a glance what you already understand and what you still need to review. Which means you know exactly what to study again when your next test comes along." How many members does the academy currently have? "integralCALC has 22K YouTube subscribers and 3M YouTube views. I launched the Academy near the end of April, 2013, and I've seen 33% average monthly growth since launch, even through the summer months which are generally slower than September through June, so I'm very excited!" What is your hope for the future of the academy? "I want the Academy to be unquestionably the best place to get calculus help online. I want everyone who signs up to get that "Finally!" feeling. So many people get frustrated because their textbook skips steps, their professor goes too fast and doesn't make sense to them, and they go online and can't necessarily find what they're looking for. I want them to join the Academy and find everything they need, and have it actually make sense. If the Academy takes away all the stress and makes people feel relieved for the first time, I'll have done my job." integralCALC - Main website: Link: http://integralcalc.pathwright.com Last used: September 2013 Click the image to be directed to this site. integralCALC's - Youtube Channel: Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheIntegralCALC Last used: September 2013 Click the image to be directed to this site. |
Alainah Rook
BA Criminology & Sociology
University of Kent Third year undergraduate Twitter: Alainah_NTR E-mail: [email protected] kent.academia.edu/AlainahR Archives
July 2014
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