Words and phrases to cancel

[shiels]

But it’s cyclical bro surely it’s not a line upwards. And Don’t conflate your idea of intelligence with complexity. Think about viruses that shaped our DNA, arguably built our immune systems over time

 

[Mr. Tea]

Mr Tea, the universe started as helium and hydrogen. I promise you it trends in the direction of complexity

Most of the universe is still hydrogen and helium, though. Nearly all of it, in fact.

 

[IdleRich]

everyone has stopped saying 'brother' in the bodegas etc in nyc, that was all anyone called me before the pandemic, it never happens now

A lot of Portuguese say bro which always sounds wrong to me. Especially when I feel it's done for my benefit, reminds me of when I went to Moscow and bars kept trying to make me feel at home by offering London Pride. As though a) people go on holiday to do just what they do at home and b) all Londoners drink. Pride cos it's got London in its name

 

[Mr. Tea]

You’re both wrong. Bacteria as a group show the most metabolic diversity. Simplicity at the cellular level doesn’t mean simplicity at macro level and they’re operating on completely different time scales and recent research shows that they’re capable of long distance communication, a kind of memory and shit like that bro

I'm not dissing bacteria - although, when all's said and done, I'm sure you'd agree that a bacterium is a good bit simpler, in terms of taking fewer bits to describe, than a human (or most humans, at least). But the question is whether bacteria today are any more complex than those that existed, say, a billion years ago. Bacteria seem to be trundling along quite happily without having to get more complex as time goes on.

 

[shiels]

Contrary to multicellular organisms that display segmentation during development, communities of unicellular organisms are believed to be devoid of such sophisticated patterning. Unexpectedly, we find that the gene expression underlying the nitrogen stress response of a developing Bacillus subtilis biofilm becomes organized into a ring-like pattern. Mathematical modeling and genetic probing of the underlying circuit indicate that this patterning is generated by a clock and wavefront mechanism, similar to that driving vertebrate somitogenesis. We experimentally validated this hypothesis by showing that predicted nutrient conditions can even lead to multiple concentric rings, resembling segments. We additionally confirmed that this patterning mechanism is driven by cell-autonomous oscillations. Importantly, we show that the clock and wavefront process also spatially patterns sporulation within the biofilm. Together, these findings reveal a biofilm segmentation clock that organizes cellular differentiation in space and time, thereby challenging the paradigm that such patterning mechanisms are exclusive to plant and animal development.

 

[shiels]

Yeah my point is that once he really thinks about it suspended will realise that ‘trends in the direction of complexity’ doesn’t mean much at all

 

[Mr. Tea]

Contrary to multicellular organisms that display segmentation during development, communities of unicellular organisms are believed to be devoid of such sophisticated patterning. Unexpectedly, we find that the gene expression underlying the nitrogen stress response of a developing Bacillus subtilis biofilm becomes organized into a ring-like pattern. Mathematical modeling and genetic probing of the underlying circuit indicate that this patterning is generated by a clock and wavefront mechanism, similar to that driving vertebrate somitogenesis. We experimentally validated this hypothesis by showing that predicted nutrient conditions can even lead to multiple concentric rings, resembling segments. We additionally confirmed that this patterning mechanism is driven by cell-autonomous oscillations. Importantly, we show that the clock and wavefront process also spatially patterns sporulation within the biofilm. Together, these findings reveal a biofilm segmentation clock that organizes cellular differentiation in space and time, thereby challenging the paradigm that such patterning mechanisms are exclusive to plant and animal development.

 

[Clinamenic]

I do think the extropian thesis is inherently teleological, but I also think there should be ways to acknowledge that the upper bound of structural complexity in localities in the universes varies over time, without saying that the universe as a whole tends toward higher structural complexity.

 

[Clinamenic]

Because judging by probability, Tea's right that structural complexity is not favored.

 

[Clinamenic]

Cause arguably the main issue with the teleological argument is that it implies a one-way development toward structural complexity, and doesn't permit setbacks like extinction events or other catastrophic events.

I think what is perhaps a more interesting line of argument, is how the very trend of structural complexification gradually reinforces itself and begins to accelerate, EG with organisms (already being profoundly complex in structure) learning to structurally augment their environments, IE technology.

 

[shiels]

I’m right stan! Entropy and stuff

 

[Leo]

This is unfortunately not aligned with the newest theories of natural selection. It appears the universe bends toward propagating patterns of greater generalized fitness, robustness, and complexity over time.

Irrelevant, has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

 

[WashYourHands]

Headshot!

 

[WashYourHands]

Bullet hole to the temple, brains scattered on the wall behind, blood trickling into the sidewalk

 

[Mr. Tea]

But to get back on topic:

When did we all start dying on hills?

For how long has being (or not being) "a thing" been a thing?

And when did the meaning of "triggered" transition from "having a panic attack because something reminded you of when your dad's friend raped you when you were 16/that time your best mate had half his head blown off in front of you in a foxhole outside Basra" to "slightly irked by something"?

 

[shiels]

It’s funny how you can read peoples prejudices and shoulder chips from this. Some are aiming at wokeness, I’m aiming at English people and everyone is aiming at @suspended

 

[Mr. Tea]

It’s funny how you can read peoples prejudices and shoulder chips from this. Some are aiming at wokeness, I’m aiming at English people and everyone is aiming at @suspended

TBC, in that last one I wasn't criticising the concept of trigger stimuli, per se, which is a useful concept. It was a comment on how "Lol, triggered!" has become a standard online response to someone getting mildly irked, or even just disagreeing with you. I'm sure I've used it that way myself, even.

 

[Mr. Tea]

It is quite funny about Gus, though, granted.

 

[william_kent]

I mentioned my hatred of the abuse of the word "conversation" upthread, and just to annoy me more this happens:

for some reason I sometimes get emails intended for a Welsh vicar - I'm sure he's missed his last criminal background check because I'm the one who has received the reminders... anyway, today I got an email meant for him with a list of courses for Church of Wales clergy, including:

Transforming Conversations

Almost every day there is an opportunity for a transforming conversation with people we meet, that nurtures faith, builds courage, strengthens resolve, or addresses conflict. Drawing on research insights and utilising skills from coaching, the day offers a simple framework for having conversations that matter.

 

[Mr. Tea]

I mentioned my hatred of the abuse of the word "conversation" upthread, and just to annoy me more this happens:

for some reason I sometimes get emails intended for a Welsh vicar - I'm sure he's missed his last criminal background check because I'm the one who has received the reminders... anyway, today I got an email meant for him with a list of courses for Church of Wales clergy, including:

A bit like when Jesus delivered the Experience-Centred Narrative on the Mount, really.