Willpower seems to be returning to popular focus.  That can’t be all bad for THEE which takes its origin from will.  The taxonomy only focuses on those matters which we can will into existence, and which would not exist if we did not will them.  Like I’m currently willing this blog into existence, and you are using your will in giving it some attention.

While will has an intrinsic energy (human energy as distinct from physical energy), this seems to manifest as part of the creation of personal purposes and values.  Nothing much can be willed without a goal.  Things happen without intending of course: we don’t More...

Our cultures are responsible for art, music, religion and even self-sacrifice: are they?  Our brain's wiring determines who we are: does it?  We will understand consciousness by mapping all the connections of the 100 billion nerve cells: will we?  Books and projects of this sort are the current rage.

Between biologists of the one sort trapped inside the brain, and biologists of the other sort who think they understand social life, there is scarcely room for a thinking person.  Improving our societies is then impossible.  What a relief not to be responsible for our social ills! More...

Wherever I turn in the self-help and «transform your life» blogosphere these days, I run into the advice to "find your passion" and then do it.  What are they talking about?

The blogger never explains.  Well, she (it can be a he but it's more often a she) makes it clear that writing a blog to tell you to find your passion is her passion.  It has transformed her life: so she's made it.  And if we know what's going on in her head or life, then we will surely understand.  But that demands loads of empathy and imagination.  Just too heavy: any über-successful blogger-advisor knows the golden rule: Don't Make Me Think!

So perhaps she is just demanding that the reader use common sense: "Everybody will know what I mean.  So why bother explaining?"  Perhaps it's like obscenity. More...

Perhaps creativity and intelligence exist in different universes. Although I have had kind words to say about AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), I sometimes despair.  A new free online service, LifeNaut, allows you to build "mindfiles" to preserve your essential unique qualities.  By this, they mean your videos, photos, documents, maps of your trips.  Can anyone really think that this is their "mind"?  Your exact physical location when reading this blog is unique, totally and absolutely—but does it capture your uniqueness?  This outfit has created a robot that acquires new experiences and knowledge by interacting with videocams and voice-recognition software. Frankly, I feel embarrassed on behalf of humanity.

The crucial issue for these AGI researchers and their brilliant leader, Ray Kurzweil, seems to lie in their perception of More...

Animal reality, the reality experienced by animals, is on my mind.  Look at Mali (spelled มะลิม, Thai for "jasmine", pronounced ma-LEE), my young golden labrador, the one with the snout and happy to be  close to Angie, our family เพื่อน (pronounced purr-un, meaning "friend").  I always wanted a dog, but the possibility only arose very recently.  She is immensely lovable and so forgiving, seemingly incapable of resentment.

It brought back to me the issue of how much of the THEE taxonomy is available to animals.  By available, I mean is 'animal reality' something that is experienced and used naturally and spontaneously by a dog (say) as we use our psychosocial reality.  Most people, but not TOP website members, are unaware that More...