> Alex Williams wrote:
>
> > [Drakir wrote:]
[CLIP]
> > > That's all based on faith though, and I could not act under such circumstances.
> >
> > How do /you/ know its based on faith, though?
>
> I don't. I only know that I do not believe it, because I have no proof.
> This is an idea which I debated, in passing, with XYZ. I argued that
> conclusive proof of the existance of aliens can exist on an individual
> basis simply by experience. Unfortunately this does not convince the
> rest of the world. It's a difficult situation, and the problem that
> arises is that people are prone to lying and delusioning themselves. If
> no such vices existed, then the word of another would be conclusive proof.
> Sadly, human frailties have made that impossible. I admit, I would *never*
> know whether such a belief is faith or fact, but I do know that I would
> not act on such shaky grounds if it were me in thier shoes.
This is the key distinction between science on an individual scale, and
science on an objectively usable scale [relatively independent of
practitioner]. It's also the most frustrating thing about researching
fringe biology in abstracts, trying to figure out how the research shards
give personally useful information.
[CLIP]
> > Even if it suddenly became widely known we live in a completely
> > virtual world, I don't think you'd see much difference after 35 -
> > 50yrs. Everyone that would run rampant would get killed off or go
> > into hiding and the rest would decide `real or not, I'm here I might
> > as well get by.'
> >
>
> There would also be a group of people who would be thinking "Hmmm, OK, we're
> inside this virtual world, generated by a computer. Can we do any of the
> following:
>
> 1) Escape into the 'real' world?
> 2) Move into other virtual worlds if they exist?
> 3) Change the programme for our own world?
> 4) Create our own 'perfect' world to live in?"
I find #'s 3 and 4 very intriguing, even if I *don't* know that I'm
living in a virtual world.
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/ Towards the conversion of data into information....
/
/ Kenneth Boyd
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