O-o-okay. I'll have to think about this ...

A preliminary (and pre-thinking) response is that science involves the construction of model universes - and, hence, toys.

We know the adage about all work and no play. And "having fun" is a pretty good way to spend one's time. ;)

Regards,
Ms. Left-Brain-Dominant Floccinaucinihilipilificatrix

Played 3 of them in the last 4 days! All of them as black as the other - although I will not discriminate against.

<dakkie> http://icanhascheezburger.files.wor... ;p

<Dom> Speaking of topic-free content and all that, interestingly enough, I came up with this sentence to use as my board signature once...

<Chess is the purest form of debate, unadulterated by a topic.>

That, um, explains why the Soviets were so good at it. Paradoxically, the anti-capitalist state ideology led to a hormonal surge of competitiveness in 'safe' zones such as chess.

It's a theory.

BTW, I think *communicating* - rather than communication - is your core area of expertise. You have high temporal bandwidth, too - the ability to extend one's sense of self into the past and future.

I'm better at communication theory - nice cuddly diagrams with signal/noise ratios. It's actual communicating that tends to make me fall down (he says, not-so-subtly shifting the action and the agency elsewhere).

It depends whether you're conducting dodgy experiments into telepathy or preparing *Lapin a la Pleureuse*. (Pardon my French).

Either way, watch out when *Night of the Lepus* arrives, and giant mutant bunnies come looking for revenge.

It's a bit like the famous question 'Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?' - used in the pre-Murdoch Times newspaper when some dandyish rock stars - Jagger and co, I think - were 'done' for drug possession in the 60s.

A cartoon alluding to it appeared after the recent London riots, and the heavy sentences handed out for, eg, stealing a water bottle. The analogy is OK, but the cartoonist didn't attach the butterfly to the wheel properly - it goes round the rim, so that its bones, if it had any, would be stretched and broken. Don't they teach people anything these days?

"Besides his ability to remember in detail vast columns of numbers, words, or even nonsense syllables, S. had acute synaesthesia - that is, he saw, felt, and tasted each sound instead of merely hearing it. As a result, he found it difficult to follow ordinary conversation, because his mind was so crowded with ... a dizzying variety of shapes and colors and textures."

- *The Mind of a Mnemonist*, by the great Russian psychologist, A.R. Luria.

--

Isn't synaethesia just amazing? Would've love to have one of those music/visual-combinations. Seems like dear S has a very severe case though.

In other philomath news: I'm actually working a bit on my chemistry :) Planned on doing some biology, but found my basis was just a little short. I knew all components [like lipids and amino-acids et cetera], but always just needed a couple of seconds to remember what they were. Which is just a bit too long when someone is talking as you will miss the rest of the sentence. So first catching up with some chemistry and then biology.

I find there's almost always a gap between pop science books (too easy) and advanced textbooks (too hard, unless you have all the basics). My biology is still kinda spotty ... I understand humans and other mammals 'reproduce' via some sort of mitosis or karyokinesis? Sounds, well, hard.

Does anyone ever go back to rediscover the joy of, say, media studies? Sciences, yes, along with art, languages, literature ... and maybe history.

Perhaps all anyone needs to know is critical thinking? And why do I sound like a cheerleader for an adult reeducation camp.

Due to that reason my physics has always stayed more or less up to par with the level you end highschool with [assuming you keep physics all the way through].

Chemistry and biology on the other hand.. Somewhat interesting, but I forgot half of it. Which is not too bad - as I can re-learn the things much faster than the first time around.

I like most things better the second time around. Hated German and French at the time - but both are quite high on my to-do list [although it will take some time to get around to them].

And lately I started my long-time idea of reading up on countries. Systematically covering all countries by simply reading the wiki-article and the special article dealing with its history. So nothing all too deep - but there are a lot of countries ;) And it is <much> better than, for instance, not knowing the position of Ghana, or not knowing the existence of Gabon.

Really very interesting. Started with the Western Sahara - and up front I hadn't even heard of the Polisario, and the whole war with Morocco and Mauritania. So it's nice even being able to pinpoint things you've learned :)

Heh, as soon as such things are not compulsory anymore - interest is restored.

This photograph explains my feeling about the content of your forum:

<dakkie: <dakgootje: Is it better to make bunnies cry, or to crush them? :/>>

Hmmm, let's just be nice to bunnies? Unless they are playing chess, of course. ;)

<Heh, as soon as such things are not compulsory anymore - interest is restored.>

I am soooooo totally with you on that! :D

Impressive job on self-education there, that has to be said. :)

<Dom: <(Re.: <Annie: <Chess is the purest form of debate, unadulterated by a topic.>>)

You think? Currently, I suspect chess is a branch of mathematics (or language, or maybe even music) adulterated by n% <essence of teenage male> (aka competitiveness, war, capitalism, etc).>>

Quite. :) But that's exactly why it's more closely analogous to debate - as a branch, or distilled essence, of debate, it's <NOT> adulterated by anything, since the above-mentioned factors are already intrinsically present in debate as well.

Quoit, heh. Way to reference my "toy" label!

<I have my reputation as a polymath to consider now, y'know. I can't be expected to stick to a topic like a normal person.>

You never did, my dear Detourist "I Digress" Extraordinaire, you never did. :)

Oh, that reminds me... <hms> - great job on that article!

Interesting new idea. I shall consider it, next time I want to assault a small furry creature. Does this include baby-bunnies, elderly bunnies and pregnant bunnies?

<dakkie> heh :)

<Benzol> no, at least none that I know of.

<Dom: <BTW, I think *communicating* - rather than communication - is your core area of expertise. You have high temporal bandwidth, too - the ability to extend one's sense of self into the past and future.>>

Not much future in that. :p But yes, I agree re. "communicating". :)

<Society made me do it.>