All User Thoughts


Irrational self-interest
Jan 04, 2012

Selfishness is often defined as an evil that deals with one caring for oneself more than for others. Many evils in the world are blamed on selfishness. Hunger, poverty and illness are supposedly all results of someone just...

Killer viruses - should we make them?
Dec 01, 2011

We all have previously learned about the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918, which killed between 20-40 million people worldwide in our history classes. Now with the advance of modern molecular biology techniques, it is entirely...

How to observe reality
Nov 13, 2011

Observing reality truthfully is an essential tool for human development. It is the tool that allows us to act in accordance with our environment, to modify it, and to enrich our lives. Observing reality increases human...

If I voted, Ron Paul is the man I would vote for
Aug 23, 2011

First, let me make this perfectly clear: I am an anarchist (or, more specifically, an anarcho-capitalist). I do not support any kind of government, including a president. The last election I voted in was for Ross Perot and...

Space and "empty space": Much ado about nothing, or is it?
Aug 17, 2011

Space is a concept which is very rarely correctly understand by anybody, including modern physicists. However, the purpose of this essay is not to discuss the confusions of others in relation to this concept. My purpose is...

The Davies Certainty Principle (Two-Minute Case Against The Heisenberg Unce
Aug 14, 2011

Most of you are probably aware of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. It states that it is not possible to know the precise position and momentum of subatomic particles such as electrons. (There is much debate as to...

Gaming theory - why it matters and a definition
Aug 12, 2011

As this is an article about the theory of games, I thought that, as I intend to do this systematically, I should start with a brief post defining what a game actually is. You might think that I could tell you to open up a...

College conspiracy - a worthless piece of paper called a college degree
Aug 10, 2011

James Fenimore Cooper once said: "All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an...

The Horse in the Plain
Jun 14, 2011

Once upon a time, in a land far away which has nothing at all in common with the world we humans inhabit, a horse was running free in the plain. He longed to climb up the mountains and see the world from a near-divine...

Ray Kurzweil - bringing my dreams to real life in a virtual world
May 23, 2011

When I was much younger, I told my father I believed I would live forever. He asked how that would happen and gently reminded me that we all die sooner or later. I explained that I believed we would figure it out in my...

All Second Life Intellectual Group Discussions


Then they came for the internet but, by that time...
Jan 19, 2012

As proud supporters of Creative Commons, we were encouraged to see so many websites effectively shut down or "go dark" on January 18, 2012 in protest of the tyrannical SOPA/PIPA bills that the US government and Hollywood's...

The choice between two progressives - Obama and Ron Paul?
Jan 16, 2012

What a completely ridiculous statement, right? Calling Ron Paul a progressive? So why are some prominent progressives suggesting that Ron Paul is more progressive than Obama? Liberals and progressives (there is a...

TIL why alcohol makes you dizzy
Dec 31, 2011

As we leave 2011, this is a useful time to reflect on the accomplishments you've made during the year, the challenges you've experienced, and your failures. Just as important, now is a good time to consider in what ways...

Dealing with pain during the holidays
Dec 29, 2011

The holidays are often difficult, and can be downright depressing, especially for those who have pain from a loss, a traumatic experience, or just plain loneliness (e.g., not having a date for holiday parties, not being...

It isn't illegal if the President does it
Dec 14, 2011

"Well, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal." So said President Richard Nixon in his 1977 interview discussing presidential authority. Fast-forward 30 years. "I was a constitutional law...

The last line of defense when the law is wrong
Nov 30, 2011

There's a button that some wear on election day. It says "I voted." It's as if voting makes them feel powerful. But the vote they cast typically isn't for a specific law - it's usually for a politician who they believe...

The Great Thanksgiving Hoax
Nov 21, 2011

Each year at this time school children all over America are taught the official Thanksgiving story, and newspapers, radio, TV, and magazines devote vast amounts of time and space to it. It is all very colorful and...

Modern marriage - a 2-year commitment with an option to renew
Nov 09, 2011

There's a funny wedding tradition where the married couple eats the top layer of their wedding cake one year later. (How great to finally have the extra space in your freezer, right?) For about half of all newlyweds, the...

TIL Plato didn't believe in Platonic love and supported erotica
Nov 08, 2011

Today I learned that Platonic love isn't what we thought it was. In fact, Plato didn't even believe in it, was pro-sex, thought erotica was a spiritual force that helps us find our true selves, and expressed these real...

What really matters in life - it should be our first lecture
Nov 03, 2011

Life is a constant struggle, especially because the lessons we learn are oftentimes knowledge gained after we really needed it. It's one of the reasons mentors are so important - they've "been there, done that." They coach...