Edit: I've done more research into this and it's not likely we'll be making cyberbrains very soon as I originally thought. Also, computer technology does not necessarily double "every year." It's more like 18 months.
"The Blue Brain Project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse-engineer the mammalian brain, in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations." -Blue Brain Project
With computer technology doubling its capabilities every year, we will actually soon be able to simulate a human brain with a computer. This is incredible! We would be able to upload our minds into a computer system. And my guess is that computer technology will continue to double, so eventually cyber brains may become even more powerful than the biological brain.
Artificial Brain Ten Years Away From Reality
There are so many advantages to this, however, I know someone out there is thinking this is a horrible, immoral thing. Would a computer capable of thinking exactly as a human be equivalent to a living thing? And what about human emotions and sensations. Surely you wouldn't want to abandon your ability to taste and feel...
Well, considering these processes are all done with your mind then it's reasonable to assume you would still be able to taste and feel with a computer simulation. However, it wouldn't be real. So the real problem is a cyber brains capability of determining fact from fiction. Also, there's an issue with hacking and the possibility of having your mind literally taken control of. These may be large set backs but there's always a solution and I believe the profits outweigh the costs.
All of these concepts are well described in the Ghost In The Shell anime series and the sequel SAC: 2nd Gig.
The Matrix Trilogy also addresses this possibility of artificial brains in some ways with the programs such as the Oracle and the Architect that pretty much think and act exactly as people do.
I personally look forward to the day I can upload my brain into a computer and acquire immortality, superior intellect, and greater understanding. We'll finally be able to cheat death.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Reality and What is Outside of It
As an atheist and a naturalist, I believe that the only things that can be confirmed to exist are what we can see and provide evidence for in our universe. However, an argument I often hear is that "god" lies outside of our universe and is thus incapable of being proved because it is impossible to provide evidence for it.
This is actually a fairly good defense for those that believe in some sort of higher power. Although this is not a very logical belief, considering that nothing can be proved outside the boundaries of our reality, then it leaves everything to your imagination. According to this logic, it would be okay to believe that outside our universe there are unicorns and fairies.
It may be possible that there are multiple "universes" (the multiverse theory). And if there was a multiverse then it may be possible that it goes on for infinity. In that case...unicorns and anything imaginable would eventually exist. It's a pretty incredible thought to try to conceive fully.
If a multiverse didn't go on for infinity, then it would have to have some beginning. But then, how would it be created? Why would it be created?
These are the same kind of questions we've asked about our single universe and have for the most part answered how until a point.
Also, if our universe or a multiverse truly did not have anything at all before its existance, then how would absolutely nothing become something. Maybe because outside the universe anything is possible and there it is possible for nothing to become something.
So I think there are at least two answers to this problem.
1. Everything goes on for infinity, the universe, the multiverse, maybe even multiple multiverses, and so on.
OR..
2. Nothing can create something in the void outside of reality.
Either way, this does not prove a god's creation because a god is not nothing and thus must have a beginning as well.
This is actually a fairly good defense for those that believe in some sort of higher power. Although this is not a very logical belief, considering that nothing can be proved outside the boundaries of our reality, then it leaves everything to your imagination. According to this logic, it would be okay to believe that outside our universe there are unicorns and fairies.
It may be possible that there are multiple "universes" (the multiverse theory). And if there was a multiverse then it may be possible that it goes on for infinity. In that case...unicorns and anything imaginable would eventually exist. It's a pretty incredible thought to try to conceive fully.
If a multiverse didn't go on for infinity, then it would have to have some beginning. But then, how would it be created? Why would it be created?
These are the same kind of questions we've asked about our single universe and have for the most part answered how until a point.
Also, if our universe or a multiverse truly did not have anything at all before its existance, then how would absolutely nothing become something. Maybe because outside the universe anything is possible and there it is possible for nothing to become something.
So I think there are at least two answers to this problem.
1. Everything goes on for infinity, the universe, the multiverse, maybe even multiple multiverses, and so on.
OR..
2. Nothing can create something in the void outside of reality.
Either way, this does not prove a god's creation because a god is not nothing and thus must have a beginning as well.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Google is better than god
I thought about calling this Google is god, but actually Google is probably better. For one, they're both pretty similar, all-knowing and very powerful. But with god you have to think about Google before 1996 (Its year of creation) because although they are very similar, god does not exist and neither did Google at this time. (I wonder if you explained Google to the people in 1995 if they would think of it as a godly machine...)
What makes Google better though? It exists...and we can use it effectively. It also does not demand we follow certain rules like we can use no other search-engine and we cannot worship false search-engines. And when Google gets angry at how the world is, it doesn't "bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish." -Genesis 6:17
So, I think Google > God
What makes Google better though? It exists...and we can use it effectively. It also does not demand we follow certain rules like we can use no other search-engine and we cannot worship false search-engines. And when Google gets angry at how the world is, it doesn't "bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish." -Genesis 6:17
So, I think Google > God
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Men are animals
How life began is still unknown, but my guess is that (abiogenesis) through the mixture of organic materials and the addition of energy, eventually the first building blocks for life were created. Bacteria evolved into multi-celled tissues, like planaria and jellyfish. Those creatures evolved into fish, etc. The opportunity for land-living was open for those desperate to escape their predators and eventually land-based creatures evolved. Etc. Etc.
The dinosaurs died out and mammals dominated. Apes evolved and one species would evolve larger brains than the others. They weren't alone at first though. Homo Erectus lived along side the early Homo Sapiens for a time until eventually only one would go one. It's believed that Erectus died out due to a less capable vocal tract and was therefore less capable of communication. So due to the Homo Sapien brain size, ability of communication, and overall adaptability, we survived long enough to get to where we are today.
A lot of people do not understand this completely, or they're in complete denial, or they simply don't care about their origins. I'm greatly ashamed of our society and government for allowing this to happen. At what point did our world change from intellectuals trying to learn the mysteries of the universe (as in the renaissance) into a bunch of couch-potato morons that only care about what Miley Cyrus did last week. I admit, I like sitting on my ass watching tv and playing games all day, but these things are meant to distract us from what is truly important, THOUGHT.
People don't think anymore. I don't know if they forgot how to think or if they just don't bother to think anymore, but I'm horribly disappointed. I'm not sure exactly what needs to be changed or what needs to be done, but I'm making this a warning to everyone that if you don't start thinking and using your brains in a logical and reasonable way then the human race is going to return to the stone age and maybe even worse. Read a book, write a book, play a song, paint a picture, sew a quilt, for the love of (your) god do something requiring thought or imagination.
The dinosaurs died out and mammals dominated. Apes evolved and one species would evolve larger brains than the others. They weren't alone at first though. Homo Erectus lived along side the early Homo Sapiens for a time until eventually only one would go one. It's believed that Erectus died out due to a less capable vocal tract and was therefore less capable of communication. So due to the Homo Sapien brain size, ability of communication, and overall adaptability, we survived long enough to get to where we are today.
A lot of people do not understand this completely, or they're in complete denial, or they simply don't care about their origins. I'm greatly ashamed of our society and government for allowing this to happen. At what point did our world change from intellectuals trying to learn the mysteries of the universe (as in the renaissance) into a bunch of couch-potato morons that only care about what Miley Cyrus did last week. I admit, I like sitting on my ass watching tv and playing games all day, but these things are meant to distract us from what is truly important, THOUGHT.
People don't think anymore. I don't know if they forgot how to think or if they just don't bother to think anymore, but I'm horribly disappointed. I'm not sure exactly what needs to be changed or what needs to be done, but I'm making this a warning to everyone that if you don't start thinking and using your brains in a logical and reasonable way then the human race is going to return to the stone age and maybe even worse. Read a book, write a book, play a song, paint a picture, sew a quilt, for the love of (your) god do something requiring thought or imagination.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Global Warming
I thought this issue was fairly well-known and accepted by now, but apparently I was wrong. It has come to my attention that quite a few people still don't accept global warming as a real threat. The only reasoning behind this is their hatred towards Al Gore and dangerous infatuation with the Fox News Network. This is absurd...why would you not accept the facts because one well-known guy that you don't like is talking about it. This is a sign of major closed-mindedness. For those of you that don't really understand what global warming is or how it happens, here's a short clip from National Geographic explaining the issue.
I know many people would also argue that global warming isn't caused by humans because we wouldn't make a big enough effect, but it is proven that CO2 levels are WAYY higher than they have ever been in the history of the Earth.
And doesn't it seem kind of suspicious that the levels of CO2 would magically rise dramatically at the beginning of the industrial revolution? Nothing in nature happens magically with no cause and the people that dispute the issue and say "humans didn't do it" have no other explanation for this dramatic rise in CO2.
I say, forget about the politics and who's saying what. Look at the facts for YOURSELF and come to your own conclusion. Stop letting other people think for you. Think for your non-existant-god damned selves.
I know many people would also argue that global warming isn't caused by humans because we wouldn't make a big enough effect, but it is proven that CO2 levels are WAYY higher than they have ever been in the history of the Earth.
And doesn't it seem kind of suspicious that the levels of CO2 would magically rise dramatically at the beginning of the industrial revolution? Nothing in nature happens magically with no cause and the people that dispute the issue and say "humans didn't do it" have no other explanation for this dramatic rise in CO2.
I say, forget about the politics and who's saying what. Look at the facts for YOURSELF and come to your own conclusion. Stop letting other people think for you. Think for your non-existant-god damned selves.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Religion
Most people that know me know about my views on religion. I am an atheist, which means I do not believe in a god, afterlife, or anything that has no evidence of it's existance. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't believe in anything at all. I do believe in rational thought, doing to others as you would have them do unto you, and always acting to benefit our species.
There are a million different aspects about the religious debate, so I'll just go over a couple things. First of all, the burden of proof relies on the person with the religious belief. As an atheist, it is pretty much impossible for me to prove god's nonexistance or anything's nonexistance for that matter. You can't prove something's nonexistance if there is nothing in existance to prove it. In other words, it is impossible to disprove.
"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."
This analogy is known as Russell's Teapot.
In other words, it means that if there is an assertion with no evidence but also no way to disprove it, and a society is grown up to accept the assertion with absolute certainty and taught it every Sunday since birth, then it becomes an imagined "truth" among the people. However, people like me are created when we start thinking about it and realize there is such a thing as atheism. There's a few other arguments in atheism related to this as well: Pink Unicorn, Flying Spaghetti Monster
And that's why I call myself the "SKEPTIC" Samurai. That's all I have to say about religion for today, but I'm sure I will post further arguments into the subject later. So with that, may god not bless you.
There are a million different aspects about the religious debate, so I'll just go over a couple things. First of all, the burden of proof relies on the person with the religious belief. As an atheist, it is pretty much impossible for me to prove god's nonexistance or anything's nonexistance for that matter. You can't prove something's nonexistance if there is nothing in existance to prove it. In other words, it is impossible to disprove.
"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."
This analogy is known as Russell's Teapot.
In other words, it means that if there is an assertion with no evidence but also no way to disprove it, and a society is grown up to accept the assertion with absolute certainty and taught it every Sunday since birth, then it becomes an imagined "truth" among the people. However, people like me are created when we start thinking about it and realize there is such a thing as atheism. There's a few other arguments in atheism related to this as well: Pink Unicorn, Flying Spaghetti Monster
And that's why I call myself the "SKEPTIC" Samurai. That's all I have to say about religion for today, but I'm sure I will post further arguments into the subject later. So with that, may god not bless you.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The Media
In my last post, I mentioned a little bit about how the media works. Well today I feel like finishing my statement. First off, watch this video briefly explaining the issue:
If you couldn't figure it out by watching the video, I'll explain it a little better.
The media: the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely. The media is a way that large corporations get their message out to millions of people, mostly through advertising.
The issue that arises is "are these messages always good"? Television, the king of the media world, is the most effective way of communicating a message.
When watching TV, you are focused almost in a hypnotized state of being so that you are able to take in as much info from the TV as you can. Corporations use this capability to unconsciously control your mind and take your money and basically your lives. Not only can products be sold through advertising but ideas and opinions are sold (sometimes through news networks as well *cough* FOX *cough*).
Take, for example, a McDonald's commercial...the psychological tricks that are included in Mickie D commercials are overwhelming. The use of the color red (the most appealing color to the eye) is used constantly. Close-up shots of delicious looking burgers and other food is used to entice your taste buds. And Ronald McDonald himself...before McDonald's who would ever associate burgers with clowns? The use of a clown as their mascot is to create a feeling of "joy" and "happiness" to further entice future customers.
However, in reality, the burgers and food at McDonald's are nothing what they appear to be on the commercials and are not a whole lot different than Burger King or Jack N' The Box. But it wouldn't matter much what the actual food was like because if you can trick someone into wanting whatever crap you have to sell, then people will buy it.
The same thing is used with Fox News. Flashy animations and controversial title screens provoke your senses and entice you to buy their ideas and beliefs. It doesn't really matter what they say...it's how they say it. The following documentary explains the tricks that Fox uses:
Outfoxed Part 1
My point to this whole post is to just make everyone aware of the issue and be on the lookout the next time you watch Tv or read a magazine because most likely you'll be able to find some kind of trick used to grab your attention and take over your mind. So, look out and Peace out.
If you couldn't figure it out by watching the video, I'll explain it a little better.
The media: the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely. The media is a way that large corporations get their message out to millions of people, mostly through advertising.
The issue that arises is "are these messages always good"? Television, the king of the media world, is the most effective way of communicating a message.
When watching TV, you are focused almost in a hypnotized state of being so that you are able to take in as much info from the TV as you can. Corporations use this capability to unconsciously control your mind and take your money and basically your lives. Not only can products be sold through advertising but ideas and opinions are sold (sometimes through news networks as well *cough* FOX *cough*).
Take, for example, a McDonald's commercial...the psychological tricks that are included in Mickie D commercials are overwhelming. The use of the color red (the most appealing color to the eye) is used constantly. Close-up shots of delicious looking burgers and other food is used to entice your taste buds. And Ronald McDonald himself...before McDonald's who would ever associate burgers with clowns? The use of a clown as their mascot is to create a feeling of "joy" and "happiness" to further entice future customers.
However, in reality, the burgers and food at McDonald's are nothing what they appear to be on the commercials and are not a whole lot different than Burger King or Jack N' The Box. But it wouldn't matter much what the actual food was like because if you can trick someone into wanting whatever crap you have to sell, then people will buy it.
The same thing is used with Fox News. Flashy animations and controversial title screens provoke your senses and entice you to buy their ideas and beliefs. It doesn't really matter what they say...it's how they say it. The following documentary explains the tricks that Fox uses:
Outfoxed Part 1
My point to this whole post is to just make everyone aware of the issue and be on the lookout the next time you watch Tv or read a magazine because most likely you'll be able to find some kind of trick used to grab your attention and take over your mind. So, look out and Peace out.
Friday, August 7, 2009
So It Begins...
Hello fellow Earthlings...
I have not actually made a successful blog before, so this may be interesting. I suppose I should start by introducing myself. The name is Matthew, aka The Skeptic Samurai. I am known mostly for my interest in death metal music, geekdom, and atheism.
I have very strong opinions on music. If you truly want to enjoy music, then you must go out and find a particular kind of music that you alone enjoy. I have a deep hatred towards radio stations and the music they choose to play.
The music industry seems very unfair to the art of music. Only the select few bands that are chosen by recording industries may create albums recorded in a professional studio and go on tours. So, therefore the only bands you ever actually hear about are the ones chosen by the recording companies.
If you respect the art of music then you will not restrict yourself to the select few bands of the recording industry. Everyone should look into bands in your local community and local bands from all over the world. There are millions of bands created all over the world and many of them never get the chance to sell albums and go on tour all over the world. Although, in this new age we have the power to do so with the Interwebz! That is how I find most of my music, over the internet. I've discovered many bands from all over the world that I never knew existed until I took a real interest in music.
There are millions of bands in the world and there is no reason why you should listen to all the same music that the radio stations play over and over and over and over and over again. I've noticed something strange since I've stopped listening to the radio...I still manage to recognize all the most popular songs. I hear them on Tv, in movies, and when I'm with friends all the time. And even though I hate this music, somehow I'm still stuck listening to it constantly. Which brings me to another point...how the media works. But I'll get to that another day.
Anywho, that's my two cents on the music industry and a little bit on the media. Hopefully you learned something, so Peace out.
I have not actually made a successful blog before, so this may be interesting. I suppose I should start by introducing myself. The name is Matthew, aka The Skeptic Samurai. I am known mostly for my interest in death metal music, geekdom, and atheism.
I have very strong opinions on music. If you truly want to enjoy music, then you must go out and find a particular kind of music that you alone enjoy. I have a deep hatred towards radio stations and the music they choose to play.
The music industry seems very unfair to the art of music. Only the select few bands that are chosen by recording industries may create albums recorded in a professional studio and go on tours. So, therefore the only bands you ever actually hear about are the ones chosen by the recording companies.
If you respect the art of music then you will not restrict yourself to the select few bands of the recording industry. Everyone should look into bands in your local community and local bands from all over the world. There are millions of bands created all over the world and many of them never get the chance to sell albums and go on tour all over the world. Although, in this new age we have the power to do so with the Interwebz! That is how I find most of my music, over the internet. I've discovered many bands from all over the world that I never knew existed until I took a real interest in music.
There are millions of bands in the world and there is no reason why you should listen to all the same music that the radio stations play over and over and over and over and over again. I've noticed something strange since I've stopped listening to the radio...I still manage to recognize all the most popular songs. I hear them on Tv, in movies, and when I'm with friends all the time. And even though I hate this music, somehow I'm still stuck listening to it constantly. Which brings me to another point...how the media works. But I'll get to that another day.
Anywho, that's my two cents on the music industry and a little bit on the media. Hopefully you learned something, so Peace out.
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