Mind Sociology, Psychology, Cognition, Linguistics, Anthropology, etc.

The first post in the blog, and it's recursive - this post is about itself and the phenomenon of blogging. The set of activities that comprise maintaining a blog could be quite beneficial - from mental discipline to public speaking to maintaining and improving one's writing skills, it may be an important yet overlooked tool.

There are two more, somewhat utilitarian and obvious reasons for having a blog, and that is to share discoveries and insights about this world, and to function as an online portfolio, a business card, a straightforward way for an interested party to see what type of discourse they should expect from this writer.

Freedom to grow

Maintaining a blog is akin to operating a communications mechanism, the type that lets practically anyone of the billions of people with as little as a smartphone to express themselves, and potentially to be heard. It appears as if, reified by the universal accessibility of this medium, over the past two decades our species has grown a new communications appendage, and is now figuring out what to do with it. So, how do I use this new appendage for my own benefit?

With a tacitly guaranteed audience, by way of a form of A/B testing, it is possible to learn invaluable details about oneself, and her/his place in relation to others. Further, by strategically and deliberately making specially crafted statements in front of the larg...

Read Full Article »

As the discussion of scientific and technological breakthroughs in medicine is becoming more mainstream, so is the criticism of life extension research. As our understanding of biological life is developing, and as our tools and methods become more precise in manipulating living organisms, we are touching on something that already has a reference in the popular mind, and it is not always positive.

Playing God

It is a common motif in religious texts and classical literature to regard immortality as a curse, something to be avoided. The ideological reason behind this is known - taking away an individual’s control over his death infringes on the very core of the principles of self-determination and responsibility for one’s actions. Denying one's right to end their life crosses into the realm of a person's identity where the most private decisions are made, and takes that autonomy away. From this perspective, when combined with invulnerability i.e. inability to be hurt, immortality trivializes our choices, and we recognize it as eternal confinement rather than life. By guaranteeing continuous survival such curse usurps the purpose of life and devalues the life itself. Removing the edge dilutes every moment: it makes mistakes less regrettable, triumphs less joyful, and choices less meaningful. Called “the God mode” in some computer games, immortality lowers ...

Read Full Article »