Predictability, Computability, and Free Will

I’ve been reading some philosophical discussion of the free-will/determism question recently. Quite a number of years ago I discovered a resolution of this question, but never did anything with it because I assumed I had simply reinvented a well-known position and could not really contribute anything to the debate. However, the research I’ve done recently… Continue reading Predictability, Computability, and Free Will

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Categorized as Science

The Far Side of Irony

Having seen Team America: World Police last Friday on its opening night, I’m amused by the mainstream-media spin that this movie is an anti-right-wing satire too subtle for the yokels to get. In fact, I think it’s it’s something much more peculiar and interesting — a movie that hides a strong fundamental patriotism and appeal… Continue reading The Far Side of Irony

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Categorized as Culture

Software vs. Art

Jamie Richards asks an intelligent question in response to my essay on deadly genius in the arts: I’m not programming-savvy at all, so maybe this is crap… what do you think about the idea that computer programming is a cultural area operating under the same conditions that set up the “Modernist disruption”? As I understand… Continue reading Software vs. Art

The Terror War Comes Home

For the first time in my life, I find that I am seriously considering voting Republican in a presidential election. What has pushed me to it is this report of shots being fired into a Bush-Cheney campaign HQ in Knoxville. TN. It’s not the first shot fired at the Republicans. And it comes on top… Continue reading The Terror War Comes Home

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Categorized as Politics

The Art of Science

One of my earliest blog essays (Terror Becomes Bad Art) was about Luke Helder, the pipe-bombing “artist” who created a brief scare back in 2002. Arguably more disturbing than Helder’s “art” was the fact that he genuinely thought it was art, because none of the supposed artists or arts educators he was in contact with… Continue reading The Art of Science

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Categorized as Culture

What Did Dan Rather Know, And When Did He Know It?

Dan Rather’s just-released statement just begs to be fisked: Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY story about President Bush’s time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question—and their source—vigorously. And we promised that we would… Continue reading What Did Dan Rather Know, And When Did He Know It?

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Categorized as Politics

Inciting to riot

Gary Farber asks: Would you assert that a modest libel law, or copyright law, or incitement to riot law, inevitably lead to 1984? How about a law banning private nuclear weapons? I would say that the risk from a modest libel law or copyright law is small, though not nonexistent; look at the way the… Continue reading Inciting to riot

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Categorized as Politics

Keeping Freedom Alive: a response to Vodkapundit

In a trenchant essay he posted on the 30th of January, Vodkapundit fulminates against people he calls “doctrinaire libertarians”. While I sympathize in some respects — I too have been attacked for my pro-war position — I think there is some serious danger that Steve’s arguments are throwing out the baby along with the bathwater.… Continue reading Keeping Freedom Alive: a response to Vodkapundit

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Categorized as Politics

The Web and Identity Goods

InstaPundit writes: This seems to me to suggest that free downloads don’t do much to cannibalize actual [book] sales. I have more (or at least longer-term) experience with this than anyone else. Back in 1991, The New Hacker’s Dictionary was the very first real book (like, with an ISBN) to be released simultaneously in print… Continue reading The Web and Identity Goods

War is the Continuation of Journalism

StrategyPage reports that Baathist dead-enders in Iraq are now using press credentials as cover. Some Iraqis working for Reuters were arrested after an attack on U.S. troops guarding a downed helicopter. Reuters is now protesting that this was an error. Considering the virulently anti-American slant of Reuters coverage, this is bleakly funny. Those Iraqi employees… Continue reading War is the Continuation of Journalism

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Categorized as Terror

Donald Sensing is so right

Donald Sensing is dead on target in his post suggesting the U.S military re-adopt the M1911 .45ACP pistol. I’ve fired a Beretta 92F and it’s an ugly, awkward gun that neither feels good in the hand nor inspires confidence in its stopping power. Those who have actually seen the sharp end of combat generally agree… Continue reading Donald Sensing is so right

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Categorized as Firearms