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EdenicFaithful

Dark Wizard of Ravenclaw

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joined 2022 September 04 18:50:58 UTC 

				
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EdenicFaithful


								

								

								
								
								

								
							
					
 
				


				
Dark Wizard of Ravenclaw

				
				
				

				

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					joined 2022 September 04 18:50:58 UTC
				


				
					

					
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User ID: 78


					
					
					
				

			


					

						
					



		

	

 











			
			

			
			

			




	


		

			
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				Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 17, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm finally done with Christie's And Then There Were None. Didn't have much preamble, it just goes straight into it. Seems like a book written to an audience already very familiar with her work. It was enjoyable enough, and the characters worked. I've more or less given up on the desire to figure out who the killer is beforehand in these kinds of books, and I find that it is pleasant to read them like that. I'm afraid that the only other thing which I can say is that my favourite character died.


Going to give another stab at Sayers' Whose Body?


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 10, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I've finished The Handmaid's Tale. It's a book I'll have to read again sometime, since there's clearly a lot which I haven't noticed. Can't say it ever came together for me, but maybe that's because I didn't really understand its thrust. The tone throughout was sterile, which was probably intentional, given the motifs of waiting and idleness. The world itself never made a convincing dystopia; it was way too lax in just about everything, and the sense of fear of reprisals or of other people never became more than a literary suggestion. The writing was quite good.


It proved as curious as Atwood, who has not been a predictable simpleton when it comes to politics. On the one hand, it could be read as a screed against the religious right, but the picture is always muddled by something, like the quoting of the communist from each according to his ability. The last chapter muddies the picture even further, making us wonder to what extent this is to be taken as history or myth. As a myth, it may be something of value, something worth a closer look. As a history, it is laced with what seems like old arguments among old activists which seems to limp on eternally, even up to paranoia over viruses.


Going to try some Agatha Christie next, which perennialy seems to be collecting dust on my shelf.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of April 27, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
LLMs have obviously poked some holes in the old argument that intelligence makes us separate from the soulless animals, but ambiguities abound.


For one thing, has the Turing Test really been passed? I haven't used LLMs, so I don't know how they respond to this, but if I simply repeated a question 1000 times would I not know the difference between man and machine? You can probably add in enough deceptions to partially hide from this, but that remains what they are: deceptions. If the machine is conscious, is it aware that it is deceiving me about itself? Or is it actually the human who it pretends to be?


For another, what would happen if an LLM was trained on the complete Library of Babel?


AI is good cause to reevaluate the classical arguments, but people still need to engage with them before any useful shift will happen.


Personally, the ambiguity of the relationship between consciousness and intelligence seems striking to me. On the one hand, we have to admit that at least some significant parts of intelligence can be performed by machines, although it remains possible that the mind and an LLM work very differently to achieve similar outputs.


But on the other hand, there is the curious question of how it is that consciousness is even compatible with thought, if it has no relationship to the thought process. To repurpose Nagel's famous formulation, why is it that there is something that it is like to contemplate a math problem? I'm not entirely willing to abandon the argument that humans have some native form of intelligence that requires a pre-existing consciousness, a form which a mechanism cannot reproduce.




Unfalsifiable philosophical constructs and arbitrary opinion




I could say the same of the theory of emergence, that "somehow" if I throw together enough moving parts consciousness would "evolve," and this in a world that is assumed by scientific fiat to be purely materialistic, ie. inherently without consciousness! We could throw epithets at each other until the sun dies.


IMO, no-one currently has a monopoly on good sense in this matter, and it is best to let people have the conversation which they seem to need to have.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 3, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm getting interested in Ellul. Also about halfway through The Handmaid's Tale. Can't say it has really moved me yet one way or the other, but it seems to be moving towards something. It vaguely occurs to me that some of the undertone of resentment might be intended for readers like myself, but I can't quite figure out what precisely it is angry about yet. Hopefully it will be something that I can use.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 26, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm trying to finish Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. This time around it is resonating, perhaps because the abstract desire for freedom is on my mind.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Wellness Wednesday for April 22, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I want to slightly push back on the anti-Scientology thread below by sharing a basic method of thinking which I derived while reading Hubbard's books, specifically The Way to Happiness. It isn't strictly Scientology as far as I know, just something that I thought of.


In Scientology, there's an idea of exteriorization. The simplest description that I know is "Be 3 feet back of your head."  Basically, people are too close to their own problems. If one could see one's body from the outside, one would be able to see himself more clearly and then handle his problems. To quote Hubbard in that book: "It sometimes does not occur to some individuals- as they do not have to spend their days looking at themselves- that they form part of the scenery and appearance of others."


The technique is simple enough that it has probably been talked about or used in other settings, but I've found that it works and I have Hubbard to thank for it.


The Technique


Imagine another person. Give that person some single trait, like a hair colour, to make imagining him or her easier. Put that person in a similar situation to the one you want to think about. Then ask yourself what you think that person should do, or how he should think about it.


I've found that it has a high workability in all kinds of situations involving action, including when I can't stop myself from doing something. It works for planning for the future, or for things like thinking through what you want to say to someone else, or are wondering what you should have done in a past incident, etc.


For example, if you can't stop eating potato chips, give yourself this prompt: There is another person. He has red hair. He has been eating potato chips for the past few hours and can't stop. How should he think about this, or what should he do?


Usually, I think through the issue with clarity, and the behaviour stops, at least for now.


(I am not a Scientologist, or at least have never been audited and probably never will be.)


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm picking up Hankins and Guelzo's The Golden Thread, Volume 1, on the strength of this review.  So far it is hitting the right notes.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 12, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm rereading Yizhar's Khirbet Khizeh. When I read it for the first time, I felt that it wasn't the kind of book which I would trust to be honest if it were written about my country. Still, as far as national literature goes, it's a minor gem in terms of writing quality.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 5, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm retrying Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind, among other things.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of March 30, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
The neocons that I've been reading or occasionally checking have had mixed opinions from the start. See The Bulwark, The Dispatch, and most importantly, The National Interest. Jewish right publications like Tablet have been supportive, but see for example this podcast about the nuanced ways the Israelites might think about this.


Overall I get the impression that the pro-Israel crowd would have preferred for Trump to intervene earlier, and, yes, would probably like him to stay in longer now that it has started. But it isn't an across-the-board thing. It never was.


I even wonder if it wasn't Israel who tried to get the jump on the US to ensure that Israel had some control over the course of the fighting, and not the other way around per Rubio. I have doubts that Israel was truly the trigger, or the only trigger for the US intervention. News has been trickling out about possible Gulf state support.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 29, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm reattempting Burnham's The Machiavellians.  Feeling a need to revisit the roots of neoconservative thought.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 22, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm adding Voegelin's A New Science of Politics to my list.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 15, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm picking up al-Gharbi's We Have Never Been Woke. It's more scholarly and less popular than expected. The title apparently means that for all the woke signalling being done, actual wokeness is more about appearances and ambition than anything.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Friday Fun Thread for March 6, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I have an as-yet unexplained fondness for Demolition Man.


If it counts, The Street Fighter (1974) was a rather dark masterpiece. Do not watch for entertainment.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of March 2, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I'm not 100% convinced that Israel wanted this particular approach, although my only evidence is that neocons have been sending mixed signals.


It could just be that they're still in "Get Trump" mode, but maybe they wanted Trump to do something else than what he actually did?


Does anyone have any interesting articles which point the finger somewhere else? The Gulf states, maybe?


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 8, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm going through Conrad's Lord Jim. Backlog not moving.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 1, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


Almost finished Al-Ghazali's Book of Contemplation and trying to go through his Censure of Wealth and Miserliness. Still on Macpherson and others.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 22, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
Strategy-wise, don't expect anything too impressive.


LoGH runs on the strength of its (many) characters, the variety of its situations, its sometimes impressive handling of serious topics, the fairly well-developed political and social standpoints of the two main protagonists, and the remarkably high quality of the dialogue. And of course, the unforgettable Yang Wen-li.


(I'm talking about the original anime. The remake is quite good, but not as good.)


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 22, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm still on Macpherson's Possessive Individualism and the rest of the backlog. Slow progress. Also reading Legend of the Galactic Heroes again.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 15, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


Still on Macpherson's Possessive Individualism. For some reason it has connected with me. His basic thesis appears to be that the origins of liberal thought depended on the idea that one was the proprietor of his own person and abilities, completely independent from others in this, thereby ignoring the formative nature of societal influences in his own character.


Perhaps the reason why it has resonated is the hope of, not a politically motivated economic fiction, but simply a way of thinking. If there's a clear and minimal analytical toolset or mindset which can help me be cognizant of possible errors of judgement arising from capitalist influence, I would certainly like to know it. It remains to be seen if this is where the book is headed.


Very slow progress on Said and Al-Ghazali.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 8, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm going through C. B. Macpherson's The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism. So far it has made me wonder if I need to read Leviathan sooner.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 1, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


I'm adding Said's Covering Islam to my list.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 18, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
So, what are you reading?


Still on The Question of Palestine. Said's writing is great as usual, and it is making me want to reread Orientalism. He kinda omitted that the displacement of 1948 was in the context of war, but perhaps he was assuming common knowledge. Interesting facts abound, but the core of the book is the system of thought he's applying, and it remains unclear how useful it is.


Otherwise picking up Al-Ghazali's The Book of Contemplation, book 39 of his Revival of the Religious Sciences series.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of January 12, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I suspect it's a sign that an era is coming to a close. Usually, women have other men who would do the dirty work for them. If they feel that they have to do it themselves, something is probably collapsing.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of January 12, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I'm just gonna register that I think everyone who is following this story should watch a random sample of police bodycam videos. Try Midwest Safety on Youtube. It may not change your view, but it will probably change your perception, because there appear to be many commonalities across a broad spectrum of situations.