cosmicexcursionist

[cosmicexcursionist]

Mending is more arduous than breaking. Construction takes time, resources, meticulous planning; destruction takes little effort and can happen in an instant. Suffering can feel excruciatingly long while joy is fleeting. The deeds of a few bad people can feel overwhelming compared to the coordination of many good people. That doesn't mean the world is full of bad people, it just means it's easier to notice them.

[cosmicexcursionist]

meta-utilitarianism

the most ethical action is the one that maximizes the existence of utilitarians

[cosmicexcursionist]

"a magician never reveals his tricks" -- me as a 7 year old before immediately infodumping how all my magic tricks worked

[cosmicexcursionist]

[cosmicexcursionist]

Last night I intended to look up "Hume's Guillotine" -- but I accidentally spelt "Home Guillotine"

By surprise, I discovered that I can buy real, working guillotines -- for my home!

[cosmicexcursionist]

mushroom people, a short sci-fi

In the distant future, long after humans have gone extinct, mushrooms evolve sentience and become the dominant species on Earth. They build advanced cities with tall mushroom skyscrapers, and live in harmony with the rest of nature. One day their scientists discover an underground vault containing the preserved genome of ancient humans, and they use their technology to recreate the first living human in millions of years. The human befriends the mushroom people, and becomes a skilled plumber.

[cosmicexcursionist]

meta-irony

This.

[cosmicexcursionist]

we're in someone's ancient past

Does anyone ever wonder how historians hundreds or thousands of years from now will talk about events we're living through?

Imagine reading a history book in the 30th century explaining the addition of the word "yeet" to the English language.

[cosmicexcursionist]

infinite vs. finite qualia

Qualia can lay on spectrums. The qualia of redness lies on a color spectrum. The qualia of freezing lies on a temperature spectrum.

These spectrums can be finite/infinite, or bounded/unbounded if you prefer.

Finite qualia would be where you know the range of possible experiences. For example, with colors you know that any color you see will land somewhere on the rainbow or RBG wheel. With temperature, what you feel lands on a finite spectrum from freezing to burning.

Infinite qualia would be where you could conceivably encounter new qualia you've never experienced before that don't fit on a bounded spectrum. For example, you can taste new foods that don't taste like any food you've tasted before. You can hear sounds with a timbre unlike anything you've ever heard before. You can smell things that don't smell like anything you've ever smelled before. You don't know the bounds of what it's possible to experience.