Patterson in Pursuit

Original article here, from 2023: Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Dive into a thoughtful exploration of Christianity and philosophy, where love is highlighted as the core commandment in religious teachings. Discover the value of a personal relationship with God, free from institutional barriers. Jesus is portrayed as a living embodiment of love, while his critiques of authority provoke contemplation on power dynamics. The discussion also touches on the significance of suffering, the nature of existence, and the resurrection as a potent metaphor. Join this intriguing journey into the depths of faith and human experience.

Dive into an exploration of Marxism through a materialist lens. Discover how Marx views capitalism, portraying capitalists as non-productive entities. The discussion on labor theory reveals how physical labor shapes economic value. Challenge the notion of private property and explore class consciousness as a precursor to revolution. Delve into the nihilistic tendencies of extreme materialism and its impact on language. This intriguing analysis connects metaphysical ideas to contemporary issues, shedding light on Marx's enduring relevance.

Explore the enigmatic relationship between markets and complexity. Discover how the ham sandwich example falters with intricate products. Learn about hidden risks in additives that only reveal themselves over time. Delve into why short-term profits can fuel dangerous innovations. Understand the limitations of government regulation on market corrections. Finally, uncover the potential for independent safety research as a profitable venture for entrepreneurs, turning failures into learning opportunities.

Explore how GPT-4 may provide groundbreaking insights into philosophy and language. Steve contrasts formalism and contextualism, revealing how language embodies objective patterns akin to music. He discusses GPT-4's ability to uncover abstract structures without direct teaching, suggesting it lends support to Platonism. The conversation touches on the implications for restoring meaning in mathematics and even hints at language's powerful role in religious contexts, urging a scientific approach to investigate these profound ideas.

Patri Friedman shares his experiences and research about sleep apnea, after struggling with it for decades. Patri’s website: https://patrifriedman.com/ Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

The discussion tackles the implications of new language models and the hype surrounding AI. It explores how conversational machines might transform everyday interactions without the need for programming skills. The podcast details how these models operate as probability machines, generating creative outputs like poetry. It also argues that while they excel at conceptual reasoning, they lack true consciousness. Steve emphasizes the need to rethink our philosophy of language, comparing it to structural elements in the physical world, and advocates for more rational conversations about AI.

Eric Brakey joins me to talk about his recent experience getting detained at the border after returning from a cruise. His papers and electronics were searched, and the border guards told him that his Constitutional rights didn’t apply. A story we should pay attention to. Free State Project: fsp.org Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

The desire to understand mechanism has led scientists, doctors, and researchers into grave error—the “mechanism fallacy”—thinking that correlations are not causally connected if the mechanism is not understood. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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