TheGodhead
1yr ago
Sanskrit is fascinating because it's useful to convey topics related to metaphysics/philosophy of mind. So many concepts it would take 12 words to explain in English you can find terms in Sanskrit for.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Where's the what are you reading guy? What are you reading?
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Read the first five books of Mike Hockney’s The God Game series and started on R. Scott Bakker’s Second Apocalypse series.
The God Game is a fascinating but nutty and somewhat repetitive nonfic books that present a theory of everything based on Leibniz’s monadology. In fact, the author(s) claim to be Illuminati members who have access to Leibniz’s actual beliefs on monadology that he Christianized slightly when he published. Whether or not you believe this should be mostly irrelevant to your enjoyment of the series I think. It’s a good overview of the history of ideas across philosophy, physics, and mathematics. The basic theory they present is a dual-aspect monist idealism where numbers alone have a real ontological status. Monads are basically zeros that contain infinities within them. Some are linked to animals (souls), but there are an infinite number of them. Hockney basically identifies “mind” as the realm of non-extension (0 and infinity) and “matter” as the realm of extension (all the other numbers including imaginary numbers). Space is associated with the real numbers and time with the imaginary ones. Presents a teleology that’s nearly identical to Hegel’s The series is not very well-organized overall but most of the books so far stick with a theme (except for the 2nd). You do have to get past the constant rants about “Abrahamism” and how it’s the stupidest thing humanity ever invented, but overall still really interesting and obviously written by people who have more than a surface-level understanding of the history of ideas.
I'm only 100 pages into Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before. It has been on my list for years and I’m finally getting around to it. Fascinating world so far, and interesting exploration of determinism. Also beautiful prose that's much heavier on people's internal monologue and relatively light on description, just my taste. Might post a longer review when I finish the series, I know it's a Motte/SSC favorite.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Unfortunately I don't speak it myself even though I know dozens of words in it just by learning about Buddhism/Advaita Vedanta.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Riftwar is pretty tropey fantasy, there’s better stuff out there. I’ll lyk if I enjoy Second Apocalypse enough to recommend it. Scott is a huge fan iirc.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
What is this site?
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Now that we're off Reddit I can ask this: how exactly does Reddit track subreddit-level bans? I've been banned from two subs on the same account. For the first, I got around it by using a different account, no issues. But then I tried posting with that same account on the other sub I was banned from and I guess it got reported which resulted in Reddit banning me from posting at all on either account for a week? Do they use device IDs or IPs to keep track of multiple accounts?
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Still working on The Darkness That Comes Before. Really wish I had a good interactive map for the series. The one that came with my paperback loses about an inch to the margins in the middle and the ones online aren’t much clearer.
I got tired of the Culture War Threads’ thinly-veiled rants against the same handful of topics that are phrased as questions even though most of us agree on the answers and the poster knows that. Think it’s a shame that so many smart, relatively independent thinkers choose to post about that as opposed to their more unique areas of expertise and interests. I asked a question a few weeks ago in the Sunday thread that was “how did NW Europe become the world’s dominant civilization” and got a lot of great responses that seemed free of the demands of political correctness I might have gotten on Reddit. Would like to see more of that.
Even just more freeform takes on “hey here’s an idea/analysis I have that I want to share” would be preferable to the Culture War Thread imo.
Been wanting to write an effortpost on how I arrived at my current conception of God and consciousness and why I think it’s unfortunate people in the West largely seem to think Abrahamic theism and materialist atheism are the only options. With some commentary on how I think more people could arrive at similar conclusions through better understanding of ontology/epistemology and how this could shape how we approach meaning and ethics. I’m actually convinced a significant % (maybe 10%) of intellectuals will come around to this understanding within 30 years or so and it could have a dramatic positive impact on the world. But it will take significant cultural/intellectual shifts to integrate this understanding properly. Complicated topic and not sure I could do it justice (or that anyone would want to read it) but the main reason I’ve avoided writing about it is fear of coming off as an evangelist in this space.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
The case for Open Individualism (there's only one consciousness in the universe), Analytic Idealism (consciousness is the fundamental "substance" of reality), why I think these ideas will go somewhat mainstream within a generation or so (maybe 10% of intellectuals will accept them) and how this could affect the world for better or worse.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Only in the sense that the very basic metaphysics of the Vedas (Brahman, Atman, Maya, and the relationship between those three concepts) is pretty much 100% correct. Indian philosophy then goes on to layer a bunch of esoteric concepts onto that ontology that actively detract from this understanding that I think range from just wrong (reincarnation) to morally repugnant (karma).
TheGodhead
1yr ago
I’m familiar with all these movements, pretty much all mystic traditions believe this. I identify as a panentheist myself. It’s quite mainstream in Hinduism too. But I believe even Western intellectuals will come around to a particular version of it (which ofc has plenty of overlap with many world traditions).
TheGodhead
1yr ago
I have tons and tons of examples from apps I can share and 0 irl. I think if you’re not unattractive best bet is to move somewhere with lots of women in your age group and get on the apps. But I also only avoid in-person approaches because I’m short and brown.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Halfway through The Darkness that Comes Before. My prediction is <nvm deleted because we don’t have spoiler tags?>
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Seems pretty straightforward for you tbh, maybe try some anxiolytic drugs before you ask? A hit of THC usually does the trick for me in anxious situations, I’ve heard great things about phenibut.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Okay thanks I was gonna say
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Dab pens have no smell or a mildly pleasant smell
TheGodhead
1yr ago
You’re in medical school, right? That’s probably in a college town? Important info
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Counterpoint: The Chronic still slaps
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Any up to date Reddit search sites? Camas.unddit.com seems to be out of date.
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Ah, okay that explains it
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Situation I’m really nervous about for some reason that I could use some advice on:
Was asked out on a beach date tomorrow night. I’ve been on several bar dates before and I think I have those down to a science but this is my first ever beach date, and that somehow feels like a very different vibe. I suggested we have mimosas and watch the sunset by which I meant order some at the bar before walking around on the sand but then she mentioned she has nice mimosa cups so I guess she means we make our own? I told her I’d bring champagne. Anything else I should have? Beach towel, swimming trunks, sandals, seem obvious. What sort of cooler should I get for the champagne/orange juice? Probably overthinking this but she’s sort of intimidating to me
TheGodhead
1yr ago
Wait what does a portapotty have to do with garbage bags?
Sunscreen is prob overkill since the UV index will be 0.
That’s exactly the one, thanks!
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