Discussion between Elliot Murphy and Michael Levin 1
Neuroscience is still in a kind of pre-newtonian phase, where we're desparately looking for neural mechanisms; in order to explain language there has to be a mechanistic story.
Link to originalThe formal structure of language – the way that the syntax and semantics interface – would suggest that languages may be optimized for providing instructions to conceptual systems and not for expressing unambiguous, transparent, rapid thoughts to others. […] The nature of grammatical rules and processes are terrible for communication, but excellent for thinking - Discussion between Elliot Murphy and Michael Levin 1
Link to originalOur intuitions are often wrong
“Language is mainly useful/developed for communication.” Nope.
How mass and motion work.
epistemology: “No statement can be true or false at the same time.” Nope: “This statement is false.”
ethics: “Reducing pain and suffering should be the primary guiding principle about life.” Too simplistic, see note.
meta-physics: “Everything needs to have a suffienct reason/cause.” Nope: …
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