Comments

  • The Andromeda Paradox
    If that's not immediately apparent, I think you have to read up a bit more on GR in general. You can in any case Google it by combining search terms.
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    You think it's peculiar that in a setup where event A follows B, where one person moves towards those events, that person will see A before the other person, where for both observers those events and their sequence are set by the parameters of the setup? The past, present and future are set by the setup for both, the simultaneity is merely a consequence of their relative velocity but neither has any effect on the sequence of events. Observation by the first person has zero consequences for the second person.
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    it's about that thing actually happening for one person before another person.Michael
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    Your statement assumes a privileged frame of reference. It's not coherent within the context of relativity theory.
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    I don't see anything peculiar about it. Let's assume it's Ann and Bill again, where Ann moves with 5 m/s towards the Andromeda Galaxy. To simplify it, they are immortal, the earth and the Andromeda Galaxy are at a fixed distance of 25 million lightyears from each other and Ann can just walk through space. While Bill stays put, Ann moves toward the light coming towards her showing the events as they unfold. Of course she's going to see the decision to invade Earth before Bill does. By the time the light reaches her, she's simply closer to it. She's been walking millions of years towards it already. Once Bill sees the decision happening, for Ann at that point, having walked at 5 m/s for all that time, the light reaching her then is 15 days later and the armada is already on its way.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    "Uhuh... co-mingled is the word".

    Don't know why that stuck out to me.

    I also love his defence is "I was too busy to comply with the law".
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    Is that just because we don't know what is happening, or is it because there's nothing happening? A realist would presumably say that something is happening right now in a galaxy far, far way, but if special relativity is true then what's happening right now depends on our individual, relative velocities, such that what's happening right now in a galaxy far, far way in your reference frame isn't what's happening right now in a galaxy far, far away in my reference frame.Michael

    Maybe start out smaller and see if you still have a problem with it. This just extrapolates what we know happens at smaller scales and then it doesn't feel so weird at first. Take the train example. Ann is on the train, Bill is at the station. In the middle of the train is a light, which is switched off. The beam of the light is aimed at the front and the back of the train, where two identical clocks hang that are synchronised. They will stop when a light hits the sensor. The train moves at 120 km/hr. As it enters the station the light is switched on, travels through the trains and hits the clocks. Bill films this.

    Ann gets off and she and Bill compare notes. Ann says, the clocks were hit simultaneously by the light and stopped at the exact same time. Bill says, that's weird, I can clearly see on my film that the light hit the back of the train before the front.

    Do you feel comfortable saying both are correct because neither has a privileged frame of reference? If yes, what makes the Andromeda example different for you? If not, why not?
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    I thought you were asking how? The formula explains how. Although obviously not different universes but different reference frames.
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    See the formula in my previous post as to how.

    They don't. You can't perceive something 2.5 million light years away that is simultaneous with what you see looking at this text. Not until 2.5 million light years have passed, and as that light nears the "paradox" resolves itself.
  • The Andromeda Paradox
    Simultaneity is frame of reference dependent. Since they do not share the same frame of reference, they don't need to refer to the same event happening at the same time. The "paradox" resolves itself as the light of event travels to earth.

    Formula (I don't know mathjax sorry):

    Time differential: (distance * velocity)/c-squared

    Where velocity is the speed at which the observer moves to or away from the observed event while the other stands still or moves in opposite direction.

    Let's take a velocity of 5 m/s, gives about 15 days at 2.5 million light years. As the distance is reduced, the time differential nears zero. Since nothing travels faster than light the "pretend" observation of knowing what happens simultaneously lightyears away in a theoretical frame of reference is simply nonsense.
  • US Election 2024 (All general discussion)
    Jesus. Political opponents are now enemies and a mainstream newspaper uses that language as if it's normal. And none of you seem to have an issue with it. You realise the USA is completely fucked right?
  • Rethinking the Role of Capitalism: State-Led Initiatives and Economic Success
    Are you suggesting that none of the early city states like Jericho and Uruk, or joined city states such as the Sumerians or the Greeks, ever employed capitalism? Buy cheap and sell dear was employed even under early barter systems. It was always about control and manipulation of supply and demand.universeness

    Markets isn't capitalism. There's a decent thread on this forum on the subject. I think it's called "what capitalism isn't".
  • Defining Features of being Human
    Exactly. Humans can work the through issues. Gender is complex and if someone needs to be male or female on non-binary where the fuck is the problem? People think it's against god or against nature. They think it's a war on truth. I heard all the same shit about homosexuality back a few decades back and even now in some communities.Tom Storm

    Oh, I do think there are some issues to address but I think we can address them without condemning transsexuals or transgenders. Some policy suggestions:

    1. Transsexuals competing in sports, particulary man to woman transsexuals, still have a significant advantage in endurance and strength, which I do believe is unfair. But easily resolved if we say you can only compete in activities based on the sex you were born with;
    2. If you still have a penis, you use the men's room and don't enter the female's only sauna (and vice versa), irrespective of any other steps in your transition
    3. There's a significant uptick in transitioning and gender dysphoria in recent years that hasn't been explained. My pet theory is that gender stereotypes have become more extreme due to tik-tokkable and instagrammable views of extreme feminity and masculinity, leading to increased rejection of people who do not fit the norm (such rejection can be real or perceived). In other words, societies have become less liberal and accepting of variation in gender expression with an increased risk of gender dysphoria as a result. I would really be interested in more research in this area and see if more toleration can lead to a lower need for gender affirming surgery since I do believe all surgery carries risks that are better avoided.

    Not this one, no. OTOH, somehow all the people looking for how people are unique neglect to mention the unique human ability to fuck in numerous, varied and spectacular ways.Vera Mont

    Tell me more.

    j/k Please don't. I have very tender sensibilities.
  • Morality is Coercive and Unrealistic
    Oh, don't bother discussing it then.
  • Morality is Coercive and Unrealistic
    In my view, morality doesn't involve groups. It involves interactions between moral agents (individuals), which could perhaps even include interactions with oneself.

    Personifying groups as though they think and act like individuals is virtually always an inaccurate representation of reality and tends to lead to all sorts of peculiar conclusions.

    Secondly, I believe it is possible that the moral thing to do (or not do) can be contrary to the individual's (or for simplicity's sake, the group's) self-interest. That is self-sacrifice.
    Tzeentch

    And yet liberalism, which seems to be your moral framework, aims to set the rules for entire communities. Or do you have another idea apart from that? I think the only people personifying groups are people who like to raise strawmen of collectivist moral frameworks. It's just a level of abstraction that even the liberal cannot escape: I'm a liberal therefore everybody should do xyz.
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    You're suggesting an alignment by the rich north to impose economic sanctions on China and Russia in the hopes of altering their behavior and bringing them in compliance with Western economic policy. Seems like a hostile approach that might result in worse immediate outcomes than the long range consequences of global warming.

    Looking at this the other way, would the US alter its policies based upon Chinese tariffs, or would it double down on the idea of achieving economic independence? I tend to think the latter, which just means that I don't think we can expect to force our opposition to our way of thinking by withholding some of the things they want.
    Hanover

    There's nothing hostile about raising levies on certain types of products or products from certain countries. This already happens with anti-dumping duties and tax treaties or in attempts to steer consumer choices. Obviously, changing consumer choices through tax discentives/incentives is not an exact science but I doubt solar panels would have been as popular now without them.

    This accepts my premise, which is that we're on an inevitable collision course. If that is the case, maybe focus all our attention right now on finding methods to adapt and allowing climate change to continue occurring at its current pace.

    For example, if the water is spilling over the dam, we could throw bags on there to give us ten years (instead of five) to figure out how to protect the village below before the dam fully collapses or we could just start figuring out how to protect the village right now in anticipation of the dam fully collapsing in five years. That is, do I want 10 years of expensive, futile labor or 5 years of status quo, followed by the same outcome that I more quickly prepared for.

    We could argue over which idea is best, but they are both reasonable alternatives.
    Hanover

    I don't think the analogy works because buying more time usually consists of protective measures and as such this is not really mutually exclusive. More like which combination of measures is the most effective. I think a lower energy dependence for production and services, which directly correlates to CO2 levels, is both environmentally and economically sound if the increased efficiency doesn't lead to higher usage. A lower dependence will mean you're less likely to be affected by disruptive economic events (wars, sanctions, etc.).

    That's just unfortunately not the case. It's why there is war all over the world. I'd like to think we could sit down with Russia, China, North Korea and whoever else and work through all this. If we could do that, then we'd resolve issues far more pressing than climate change as well.Hanover

    But historically it has. There are a multitude of multilateral treaties that prove even enemies will agree on all sorts of things. WTO, UN, Geneva and the Hague conventions, Vienna Convention on the laws of treaties, Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, etc.
  • The Indictment
    The equal protection clause, or at the least the general principle underlying it, does give certain power to the tu quoque argument. The requirement is that you treat similarly situated people similarly, and it would be problematic to basic notions of fairness if it could be shown that a Democratic leaning DOJ was prosecuting only Republicans but allowing Democrats to do as they wish for similar conduct. One's political affiliation shouldn't dictate how they're treated.Hanover

    I don't know about the US but this argument doesn't fly in the Netherlands. Mostly because what appears similar usually isn't, when taking into consideration time and effort necessary for law enforcement and the prosecution to make a good case. As a result the public prosecution has wide ranging discretion to decide who to prosecute. The only option is for victims to petition the court to demand the prosecution does prosecute.
  • Sleeping Beauty Problem
    What does she mean? If the questioner clarifies what she means, you can actually give an answer, instead of trying to guess what it means and then end up with two competing interpretations that are at odds with each other. This "problem" is really of a total different type than, for instance, the two envelope problem to me, where I don't detect any type of ambiguity.

    In this question, it revolves around the word "believe". If you just straight up asked, what was the likelihood of the coin toss being heads? Then the number of times she wakes up is obviously irrelevant. If you ask, what's the likelihood you will see Heads if I bring you the coin, then the number of times she could have been woken up becomes relevant. It seems more about semantics than probability to me. But then I have a very strong aversion against probability calculations because I sucked at them as a kid. So there's that. :wink:
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    That is, I'll concede man-made climate change, but still contend maintaining the status quo is the best solution and dealing with the climate change as it comes is the best course.Hanover

    That doesn't make sense to me. First of all, demand is driven mostly by consumer society "the rich North", which are countries that have managed to align on a lot of policies already. If we change what we allow to be imported, we can effectively change policy abroad without getting those countries explicitly on board.

    Second, even if that doesn't work, our behaviour will change the speed at which the climate crisis unfolds, giving ourselves for time to adapt.

    Third, a lot of adaptation will already be in place of we start now instead of later, making it cheaper, more manageable and less disruptive.

    Fourth, I don't believe where there's an issue that affects us all we cannot find common ground.
  • Sleeping Beauty Problem
    I still think it's a language issue and it revolves around the verb "shows". I agree with Srap it doesn't make sense to pretend a coin has three states. The coin can't "show" three options but the "coin when shown to SB" can and these are simply different things. It's just that mathematicians only have a hammer that makes this look like a nail.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    Clearly untrue, considering the amount of time you've spend defending trump didn't commit crimes. It's petulant and devoid of reason: "I'm right, you're wrong but even when you're right, I don't care". Ok buddy. Nice talking to you.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    even if that were true and the law isn't about morality, you're still expected to follow it. By inference you then agree that he broke the law otherwise your argument is entirely irrelevant.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    also had a cult following that believed all his bullshit.
  • Sleeping Beauty Problem
    Isn't this problem a consequence of asking the wrong question, because the question is ambiguous? Given the setup, and that you'd be woken twice if it is tails, what's the likelihood now that you're awake, that the coin shows tails? That seems to resolve the ambiguity or am I missing something?
  • Incels. Why is this online group becoming so popular?
    Incels subscribe to a transnational ideology characterised by white male supremacy, oppression of women and the glorification and encouragement of male violence. Seeing themselves as perpetual victims oppressed by a “feminist gynocracy”, they believe that sex is their inherent birthright as men, and that rape and murder are appropriate punishments for a society they perceive as withholding sex from them. — the Guardian

    Help sounds like a mental institution to me, possibly a Chinese reeducation camp if we can outsource it.
  • Ukraine Crisis
    Yet not more than 18 months ago, US talking heads would regularly refer to sanctions as "the nuclear option" ... anyone calling them that now?boethius

    It's the nuclear option for neoliberal capitalists as it limits their capability to make profits.
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    It's about energy usage, how much people travelled and consumed. 1970 would be fine. Some dude in the Netherlands did the calculations at some point.
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    because emotionalism modifies science.Varnaj42

    Pot meet kettle. The only one "modifying" clear science here is you. You say you disagree with the conclusion we're in a man-made climate crisis but I've not seen you waylay even one claim of, for instance, the IPCC let alone rebut the overall argument. It's only "it's political". Well, no shit Sherlock, mass mobilisation is effectively done through politics.
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    Is there no way we can cut CO2 emissions quickly? Sure there is: We can all adopt a lifestyle based on 1890s technologyBC

    Actually. 1960—1970ish would be fine. For the whole world.
  • Climate Change (General Discussion)
    1. Largest consumers are western countries and therefore cause the most pollution and that includes the pollution in other countries that produce to meet western demand. 2. i can't influence Chinese policy but I can influence national policy.

    So yes, it's political because it makes sense. I'll ignore the racist canard of this being anti-white as being off topic and a rabbit hole I don't want to continue in.

    As to "climate change has always happened", well, duh. Nobody ever claimed otherwise but it is clearly man made now as the speed at which it's changing globally is unprecedented. https://xkcd.com/1732/
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    Streetlight had some choice things to say about this whining about platforms and deplatforming. "Should we give Trump a platform?": is the wrong question. "Why is a reactionary fuck like Trump so successful?", should be the question. Possible answer: because the material conditions for US citizens are conducive to him getting a platform. If the USA didn't have so many poor, didn't have so many people one healthcare invoice away from being poor, then nobody would take Trump seriously.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    Anyone who brushes past could leave or not leave dna on a dress. Unless it's semen, it would be wrong to assume the dna of that man, was of a man who raped her. So it proves nothing one way or the other.
  • Donald Trump (All General Trump Conversations Here)
    No sperm cells were found in the DNA on the dress so comparing the DNA wouldn't prove anything.
  • Ukraine Crisis
    I don't think we will see any meaningful change in how the war is progressing because from a military perspective it makes no sense to communicate an imminent attack. There's new personnel arriving and tanks and new recruits, so I think this is about morality. Creating an image for veterans who could possibly be tired to welcome the new recruits for a spring offensive and illicit unit cohesion. But the offensive will be minimally effective. Just a Russia has barely gained ground in the winter I suspect the same the other way around.
  • Is The US A One-Party State?
    I suppose if your only unit of analysis is household net worth, this above is true. But that seems more like a problem in picking your unit of analysis than a real reduction. This was always the problem I had with neo-Marxist analysis: "everything comes down to social class, I can prove it by giving an analysis where everything in analyzed only in terms of class," or the newly popular version of doing the same thing with race; it's just a complex form of petitio principii.Count Timothy von Icarus

    The only unit of analysis is cash in a capitalist system, which is what the one party will support at any cost. The cultural discussions about abortion, transgenderism, race, wokeness etc. are irrelevant distractions. While some of this nonsense has profound, tragic effects on the lives of individuals, from a socio-economic perspective it should be ignored. The only one that I think is a meaningful difference is universal healthcare. All the rest gets a lot of voters very pumped up but at the end of the day has really very little relevance to how people live their lives on a day to day basis.
  • Is The US A One-Party State?
    Not really. Just a matter of degree. The poor would be poorer and the rich richer under Trump.
  • Guest Speaker: Noam Chomsky
    Despite the ability of current AI to output respectable writing exhibiting almost human like creativity in literary forms.invicta

    Really? I think AI puts out derivative crap so far.
  • Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, warn about AI
    I agree that is broadly, what is required but Tristan and Asa seem to be suggesting, that such precaution, is just not happening and with all due respect to Benkei, et al, some folks have already given up the fight!universeness

    Because it's not a matter of regulation, which is never universal, but ethics and culture. Law is more about economics than anything else. Since this is a money maker, laws will aim at maximising profit first at the detriment of protection for people. The EU is no different.