Dennis Hackethal’s Blog

My blog about philosophy, coding, and anything else that interests me.

Tweets

An archive of my tweets and retweets through . They may be formatted slightly differently than on Twitter. API access has since gotten prohibitively expensive – I don't know whether or when I'll be able to update this archive.

But in case I will, you can subscribe via RSS – without a Twitter account. Rationale

@dela3499 @ella_hoeppner

I hadn’t seen this. Note that “neural Darwinism” and the neo-Darwinian theory of the mind are very different because (judging by a brief skim of the article) the former is about hardware only while the latter is about software only. The former also seems a bit empiricist.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Scotland Police promoting a snitch tool in violation of freedom of assembly and association. twitter.com/PoliceScotland…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @iamFilos @micahtredding @MatjazLeonardis @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

Note that you're explicitly stating a meme-replication strategy. Should that not give you pause that something has potentially hijacked your thinking so it can get itself replicated more?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @iamFilos @micahtredding @MatjazLeonardis @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

Right, because it assumes that alignment is a worthwhile goal. Any way to convince you that that isn't the case?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ella_hoeppner @dela3499

...that it gives you those things for free. And evolution doesn't use weights as far as I know...

Do you have an explanation not for why mental evolution need not involve replication, but for why it can't, i.e., a refutation?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ella_hoeppner @dela3499

Well, we've discussed this before, but IIRC, at least two things can't be explained without replication in a mind: memory and the evolution of people. We could always fix that by coming up with an ad-hoc solution like adding weights, but the nice thing about neo-Darwinism is...

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @MatjazLeonardis @iamFilos @micahtredding @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

I usually take them at their word and stop arguing with them, but yes, sometimes they're wrong about that. :)

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @MatjazLeonardis @iamFilos @micahtredding @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

Yeah to be clear this wasn't meant as a comment on your stance, just as an example.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @MatjazLeonardis @iamFilos @micahtredding @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

Yes. Also, when someone doesn't know what would change their minds, it's even harder for you to find that out.

Worse, they might say "nothing could change my mind", in which case you've saved a lot of time by not arguing with someone whose mind can't be changed.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MatjazLeonardis @EpistemicHope @iamFilos @micahtredding @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

For example, somebody could be convinced that "alignment" philosophies aren't bad by convincing him that coercion isn't bad. That doesn't mean he already thinks coercion isn't bad—he's just offering some way to open the door into his mind.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MatjazLeonardis @EpistemicHope @iamFilos @micahtredding @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

No. It could be nobody has made that argument yet, or you think the argument is false but would change your mind if it were shown to be true and nobody has shown that yet.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EpistemicHope @iamFilos @micahtredding @MatjazLeonardis @ella_hoeppner @WorriedDenizen @DorfGinger @Vivify705 @krlwlzn

IIRC, you think that the default outcome of AGI is certain doom.

If so, how could one convince that that isn't the case?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ToKTeacher

It is rather reminiscent of those scenes from WALL-E. Although it is a gorgeous movie, it promotes the spaceship-earth idea—despite depicting people as having succeeded in leaving this rock.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@denicmarko

It’s also useful for converting form data into a map.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@dhh

Yes. Governments need to stop imprisoning people in their homes and shutting down their businesses.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

.@ChipkinLogan and I are trying out a tool. Join us as we talk about lockdowns, libertarianism, philosophy, and whatever else we feel like talking about. A fun Saturday night chat.

konferenzing.herokuapp.com/rooms/5384c7b7…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Everyone out and about voluntarily decides to take the risk. Others are free to isolate. Sounds like Montgomery says unless you ensure the health of others by sacrificing your life, you have blood on your hands.

That's not how this works. Let people manage their health. twitter.com/RichardDawkins…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @michaelmalice:
this is completely untrue
the majority and possibly vast majority do twitter.com/ErikRHarris/st…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ella_hoeppner @dela3499

Re multiple copies of ideas seeming pointless: I’ve argued that this feature allows us to explain things we couldn’t explain as well otherwise (memory, conviction... Ella is familiar). And why not claim that gene replication in the biosphere is pointless as well?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ella_hoeppner @dela3499

And then there are plenty of people accommodate contradictory ideas, are aware of the conflict, but don’t set out to solve it.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ella_hoeppner @dela3499

Having only read the three preceding tweets:

Minds don’t reliably reject ideas that cause contradictions. Rational minds often do, and even they don’t always reject all conflicting ideas—sometimes they resolve the conflict in favor of one of the conflicting idea.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@SimonHoiberg

Are that fancy arrow and triple-equals valid JS?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@vonprond @kreuzberged

Doesn’t sound like a bad idea. But at least they put the colon in “Berliner:innen”!

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Telling. But it’s misleading to put the virus at the 2020 mark—it’s government that is causing these upticks. twitter.com/johanknorberg/…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @MarkSShenouda:
Me tonight at 12:00😂😂😂😂😂
#100DaysOfCode #javascript https://t.co/aqr8Wunjp2

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@Carnage4Life @codinghorror

If this is aimed at justifying locking people into their homes to care for the health of others: it’s not analogous at all.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ClimateWarrior7

I’ve been advocating the use of burkas in our fight against Covid. But those #covidiots just won’t listen... #followthescience #fauciforpresident #grandmakillers

blog.dennishackethal.com/2020/10/31/thi…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@Neuro_Skeptic

As if Popper had never lived.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

I plan to attend. Cynical prediction: no mention of Popper or computational universality. Let’s hope I’m wrong. twitter.com/royalsociety/s…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @TheAtlasSociety:
Never More True Than Today....What Will YOU Seek? #AynRand #Liberty #America https://t.co/dL7pSnoR9q

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@GavinNewsom

At whose expense?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @RichardDawkins:
If lions were discovered weaving antelope-catching nets ten lion-lengths wide, it would be headline news. Yet spiders w…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@scarygary21 @nanogenomic @nadinbrzezinski @abbysimons @GavinNewsom

Not surprising. SF is full of authoritarian folks, I’m afraid.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@pmddomingos

Software engineering in the wider sense has. Lots of people claiming software engineering is classist and sexist etc with straight white make gatekeepers. Complete nonsense.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@jennypotts

Cite the law?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@oliverjumpertz @madsbrodt

Poor color contrast, almost impossible to read.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@chrisLmuc @EGermroth @c_drosten

Und nur um das klarzustellen: du findest es nicht egoistisch sondern verantwortungsvoll, wenn du alle anderen dazu zwingst, für deine Gesundheit zu sorgen?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@chrisLmuc @EGermroth @c_drosten

Wie kann es verantwortungsvoll sein, wenn es nicht frei entschieden ist?

Und wieso ist es egoistisch, wenn man nicht will, dass Leute zu Dingen gezwungen werden, die sie nicht machen wollen?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@JillWohlner @WatchRatio

lots of people trying to fit as many SJW terms into tweets about software engineering as possible these days. Despite the fact that software engineering is one of the most egalitarian fields ever, with a low bar to entry. Nothing “classist” about it.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Time to settle this question once and for all: is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MichaelPSenger

You’re doing important work. Godspeed.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@astupple

Not meant that way, see twitter.com/dchackethal/st…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@housecor

Not really, only the code the compiler thinks is affected. And sometimes not even that when it comes to types because people use ‘any’ a lot.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @ElonBachman:
1\ This thread commemorates those brave politicians who didn't let lockdowns slow them down

Send me other examples by DM,…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@Susand21 @GavinNewsom

“Deadly” is a strong term when the vast majority of people who get it end up fine.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@AugustaDorman @MyovichOFFICIAL @GavinNewsom

People who don’t want to take the risk are free to stay at home if they think that means they won’t die. That’s the point.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MyovichOFFICIAL @GavinNewsom

Then don’t go to work. Why does everyone else have to be forced to do what you want to do?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@GavinNewsom

Why haven’t you concluded yet that masks and stay-at-home orders don’t work?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@moiMeru @sashintweets @iamFilos

Natürlich sollen Menschen rücksichtsvoll sein - das bestreitet ja keiner. Die Frage ist, ob man Menschen zur Rücksichtnahme zwingen darf. Zur Gesundheitsversorgung anderer.

Jeder ignoriert diese Frage. Vielleicht weil alle bereits wissen, dass die Antwort “nein” lautet.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@moiMeru @sashintweets @iamFilos

Die Bedingungen in den Krankenhäusern mögen schrecklich sein, aber das bedeutet nicht, dass man Bürger dazu zwingen darf, dazu beizutragen, dass sich diese Bedingungen verbessern.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@moiMeru @sashintweets @iamFilos

Wieso soll ich—oder sonst jemand—verhindern, dass es in den Krankenhäusern schlimmer wird? Vielmehr: wieso sollen Leute dazu gezwungen werden?

Bessere Alternative: all denjenigen, die zu Hause bleiben wollen, steht dies bereits frei. Alle anderen sollen frei leben dürfen.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@micsolana

Great, well written article; spot on. Let us know how you decide. I myself am leaning “flight” right now, having been very patient throughout 2020 with my beloved CA but nothing seeming to get better and no opportunity to change any of it. It’s a real shame what’s been happening.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

“They were created by the men and women who, for the tremendous, historical wealth they brought [...] to the Bay Area, have in turn been demonized, scapegoated, and punitively targeted by a land lording political class of leeches who have themselves built nothing.”

Indeed.

2/2

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

“For the last half century, entrepreneurship in tech has been positive sum, which is to say almost everyone who participated won. For decades, new companies and technologies were built almost from nothing. They were not discovered, and they were not mined from the earth...”

1/ twitter.com/micsolana/stat…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@sGinole @c_drosten

Sie wissen, dass mein Kommentar ironisch und aus der Sicht von Lockdown-Befürwortern gemeint war? Ich selbst bin gegen Lockdowns.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@elscheud

Abgesehen von Corona zwingt der deutsche Sozialstaat bereits alle zur Versorgung aller anderen - das ist gar nichts Neues.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@elscheud

Wenn Leute zur Schließung ihrer Geschäfte gezwungen werden, dient das (angeblich) zum Schutze anderer.

Der Kollektivismus basiert genau auf dieser Art Zwang - es macht keinen Sinn, den Kollektivismus zu verteidigen und gleichzeitig zu behaupten, es gäbe keinen Zwang.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Quick, lock down Antarctica!

twitter.com/i/events/13414…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@micahtredding

Actually, it may be chapter 12... either way, both are important.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@micahtredding

Make progress, quickly. Then others will see that progress is possible, which they want to make, too, no matter how loudly they may deny that. (cf Deutsch's "The Beginning of Infinity, ch. 9)

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@elscheud

Ich meinte damit, dass “die Gesellschaft” keine eigenständige oder kohärente Entität ist, der man Attribute wie “gesund” zuschreiben kann, außer metaphorisch.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@elscheud

Wann habe ich behauptet, dass es sich nur um eine Grippe handle?

Lockdowns sind übrigens eine Erfindung des 21. Jahrhunderts, die gab es früher noch nie.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EGermroth @c_drosten

Das ist mit einer Waffe nicht vergleichbar.

Jedem, der sich selbst zu Hause einschließen will, steht das frei. Er kann sich damit schützen, egal, was andere tun. Und jedem, der das Risiko eingehen will, mit anderen Leuten zu interagieren, sollte dies daher ebenso frei stehen.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@elscheud

Nicht zur Versorgung der Gesundheit anderer gezwungen werden zu wollen heißt nicht, dass man alles jederzeit haben möchte.

Der Wunsch nach der Freiheit vom Zwang ist keine Egoismus, sondern ein einfaches Grundbedürfnis, das der kollektivistische Ansatz überrollt.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@moiMeru @sashintweets @iamFilos

Hoffe ich auch. Panik mache ich jedoch keine - das tun die Befürworter des Lockdowns.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@Nina55550192 @c_drosten

“Gesundheit der Gemeinschaft” gibt es nicht. Nur Individuen können krank oder gesund sein.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

No. https://t.co/ZFCyCSEHHs

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@EGermroth @c_drosten

Ist es nicht egoistisch, andere für die eigene Gesundheit einsperren zu wollen? Den anderen dazu zu zwingen, für die eigene Gesundheit zu sorgen?

Und es ist nicht menschenverachtend, den “Ignoranten” die Krankheit zu wünschen?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@skye66985497 @c_drosten

Nein, es hackt nicht.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@c_drosten

Na prima, dann haben wir trotz Impfstoff also doch wieder einen Grund, weiterhin Leute zu Hause einzusperren.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@iamFilos @sashintweets

It is indeed very common. I don't doubt that.

What's interesting is that selection pressures exist that favor memes which advocate lockdowns—for pretty much any arbitrary reason that comes in handy at the time. New strains are such arbitrary reasons.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Isn't it rather curious that just as vaccines are being rolled out (let's say they work, which would be a reason to end lockdowns), allegedly new and more dangerous strains are making the news?

It's almost like someone or something doesn't want lockdowns to ever end...

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@ReachChristofer

Crushing it. You’ve earned it.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@AGI_programmer

Did, and I never get them for some reason.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

The only license any business should require is the consent of their customers.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@5t3ph @SaraSoueidan

What’s a use case for this?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@_soleil_blanc @real_Tsala @CarstenOffers @heuteshow

Ich würde auch meinen, dass Steuern einen sehr großen Anteil ausmachen, kenne aber keine Statistiken so ausm Stehgreif.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@real_Tsala @CarstenOffers @heuteshow

Die Zentralbank und die Deutsche Bank verleihen aber nur, oder? Die schenken das der Regierung nicht. Und die Zinsen werden dann auch vom Steuerzahler bezahlt?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@CarstenOffers @heuteshow

Und wer finanziert den Bund?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MichaelPSenger

By which, to be clear, I mean Rand’s/Comte’s description of a doctrine that advocates sacrificing oneself for the “benefit” of others, and forcing others to do so as well; that of seeing man as a sacrificial animal.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@MichaelPSenger

Which is a manifestation of altruism—the “core core” evil behind all this.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@c_drosten

Das allbekannte Totschlagargument. Wie viele Menschenleben haben Sie mit Ihren Empfehlungen gekostet, wie viele Leben haben Sie ruiniert? Sind Sie sich der Schuld bewusst, die Sie tragen?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@danielkotzin

“How many lives were destroyed by lockdowns?”

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@iamtkiam @GavinNewsom

Why does the mere mention of Rand mean that we won’t be able to agree?

To my question: “help is relative” doesn’t tell me whether you advocate force. Sounds like a vague dodge. I think you do advocate force but don’t want to say it explicitly.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@iamtkiam @GavinNewsom

We have indeed been forced to pay for those things.

What you’re describing is the package deal of altruism Ayn Rand refutes here:

youtu.be/7RFlPmjUbRo

Helping people when you want to is one thing, but being forced to do so is quite another. Or do you advocate force?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@iamtkiam @GavinNewsom

One person being forced to pay lodging for another is how it should be?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@GavinNewsom

At whose expense?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Twitter pretty reliably fails to notify me of comments on my tweets. Oftentimes I see them only in my timeline. If you comment on one of my tweets and I don't respond, please know that I'm not ignoring you.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

RT @ThomasEWoods:
These people are subtle twitter.com/wef/status/133…

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

I hadn't used Ruby on Rails in a good while. Been back at it for about a week now. I had forgotten how productive it makes you. Template preprocessing, CLI generators, convention over configuration... it's good to be back.

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@heuteshow

Wer finanziert den Pflegebonus?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

@HRF @Kasparov63

Does that include lockdown policies in the West?

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

CA admits that mask mandates and stay-at-home orders don’t work: “COVID-19 is spreading rapidly.” Their response: let’s instate another stay-at-home order, destroy more businesses, ruin more lives. Shame on you @GavinNewsom https://t.co/kvkm23dsLI

@dchackethal · · Show · Open on Twitter

Search tweets

/
/mi
Accepts a case-insensitive POSIX regular expression. Most URLs won’t match. Tweets may contain raw markdown characters, which are not displayed.
Clear filters