Noam Chomsky, a legendary linguist and political commentator, shares his profound insights on various intriguing topics. He discusses the intersection of language and meaning, ethics in public health, and the philosophical implications of life’s meaninglessness. Chomsky offers a skeptical look at Bitcoin's potential impact on democracy and reflects on recent UFO disclosures. He also candidly addresses thoughts on death, the illusion of free will, and the societal effects of belief systems, all while weaving in anecdotes about his interactions with great thinkers like Kurt Gödel.
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insights INSIGHT
Microscopic vs. Systemic Understanding
Detailed knowledge of a system's components doesn't guarantee understanding of the system's function.
Understanding how a car's atoms work won't explain how the car operates.
insights INSIGHT
The Problem of Meaning
The word "meaning" is used too broadly in English and doesn't translate easily.
Discussing "meaning" requires specific context, like the meaning of words in language.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Vaccine Mandates and Isolation
Don't force vaccines, but isolate those who refuse them to protect the community.
Those who endanger others by rejecting vaccines have a responsibility to self-isolate.
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Noam Chomsky reveals his thoughts on his own death, meeting Kurt Gödel, and more. Sponsors: https://brilliant.org/TOE for 20% off. http://algo.com for supply chain AI.
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LINKS MENTIONED: Janice Fiamengo interview with Curt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwT-w47Il5c
THANK YOU: Henry Hoffman-Bakoussis for enumerating the questions
TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:29 [Stephen Wolfram] If we knew the operation of each neuron, could we understand linguistics? 00:04:06 [Sebastiaan Kampers] Is there meaning outside language? 00:05:03 [Ar On] Are you more proud of your contributions to linguistics or of your contributions to politics? 00:05:44 [Cowicide] How can one discuss philosophy while staying non-political? 00:07:56 [Ar On] What are your thoughts on mandating vaccines? 00:10:04 [Bulldog Madhav] How to avoid despair, after seeing life's meaninglessness 00:13:39 [Amjad Hussain] How to tell the difference between science and pseudoscience? 00:16:58 [CryptoND1] Will crypto lead to a monetary revolution? Good or bad? 00:17:53 [Global] Blockchain technology for direct democratic voting system? 00:22:42 [John Doe] What about the latest UAP / UFO revelations by pentagon? 00:23:28 [Patrick O'Donnell] How to communicating with aliens 00:31:04 [Connor] Opinion on Frankfurt school? 00:31:38 [Wiil-Waal] Do you fear death? Why / why not? 00:32:46 [Ivan Bilu] How to explain multiple personalities, with different languages? 00:34:02 [Brandon] Speaking in tongues phenomenon and spirituality 00:35:52 [Prof. Janice Fiamengo] Feminism / MeToo and liberty 00:39:19 [Biers Adajew] Societies with a belief in free will vs. no free will 00:41:48 [Ideas Sleep Furiously] Who's the smartest person Chomsky ever met 00:48:08 [Tobia Davico] On Jacques Lacan and his influence on Chomsky 00:51:45 [Queerdo] Are you a part of an anti-aging study based on plant diet? 00:53:06 [Henry S] How does Chomsky stay sharp at 92? 00:54:30 [Noah Müller] Connection between language and movement 00:55:37 [Lavl2001] Why are psychedelics illegal? 01:01:56 [Joshua Bracho] Do you have any thoughts on the work of Friedrich Nietzsche? 02:28:12 [Ravi Ray] Objectively determine that some works of art are better than others 01:04:20 [Biers Adajew] What are Chomsky's views on anti-natalism? 01:06:04 [Hamid] What do you think about "It from Bit" idea from John Wheeler? 01:06:34 [Jens] On Steven Pinker's words and rules theory of language
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Just wrapped (April 2021) a documentary called Better Left Unsaid http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com on the topic of "when does the left go too far?" Visit that site if you'd like to watch it.
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal 