zero_iq

I wasn't arguing from a non-scientific point view at all. Reality is there. That doesn't make the problem any less "hard". But I think it is "hard", not "impossible".

And as any modern physicist will tell you: most of reality is indeed invisible to us. Most of the universe is seemingly comprised of an unknown substance, and filled with an unknown energy. Most of the universe that we can see more directly follows rules that are unintuitive and uses processes we can't see. Not only can't we see them, our own physics tells is it is literally impossible to measure all of them consistently.

Yet despite this, physics works. We can use our minds and tools to reveal the invisible truth. That's why I believe in the scientific method, and why I think consciousness is not necessarily an impossible problem (unlike Nagel).

But subjective consciousness and qualia fit nowhere in our modern model of physics. It's potentially "nature of reality"-level stuff -- and I don't mean hippy quasi-scientific mumbo jumbo by this, I mean it seems to reach right down deep into the fundamentals of what physics is and seeks to achieve, to a level that we have not yet uncovered.

I don't think it's impossible to explain consciousness. It is part of the universe and the universe is there for us to study. But we are not ready to answer the question. We don't even fully understand what the question is really asking. It sidesteps our current model of physics. Obviously it is intimately connected to processes in the brain somehow... but that somehow is, currently, an absolute mystery.

I don't subscribe to Nagel's belief that it is impossible to solve, but I do understand how the points he raises are legitimate points that illustrate how consciousness does not fit into our current scientific model of the universe.

If I had to choose anyone I'd say my thoughts on the subject are closest to Roger Penrose's line of thinking, with a dash of David Chalmers.

I think if anyone doesn't see why consciousness is "hard" then there are two possibilities: 1) they haven't understood the question and its scientific ramifications 2) they're not conscious.

You should take a look at the game Cold Waters, if you haven't already.

If its possible to watch the video, then it's possible to watch the video without ads.

Worst case scenario: videos can be downloaded and adverts stripped from them. (If you can watch it, you can copy it.) Would you be prepared to trade, say, a 20 minute timeshift delay on your YouTube videos' initial publish time for no adverts? I would.

Yep, if you see the popups just refresh your filter lists and restart. Longest I've had to wait is about an hour for a fix, and that was a while back. Fixes seem to be coming much faster now as more people are watching this.

In addition to other reasons already given, commercial software may contain licensed code, libraries, assets, trademarks, and other IP that cannot legally be given away for free, or under an open source licence.

Sure, it may be possible to strip those things out, but that may leave the software broken or fundamentally changed, and it may be a significant amount of work to do, which am author or publisher is not likely to spend on abandoned software, especially if their free release would compete with any current products.

Lead pencils are normal pencils. A "lead pencil" is any pencil with a fixed lead running down the centre.

However, the "lead" in a pencil is not made of lead, the chemical element. It is graphite and clay, and other materials depending on the type of pencil.

Modern-style "lead pencils" have never used actual lead as the pencil lead.

However, it should be noted that lead paint has been used in the past for the coating, which could lead to toxic effects when chewed or sucked, but this stopped by the mid 20th century.

Do you perhaps mean mechanical pencil? (Where you can feed out the lead mechanically and refill, reusing the casing.)

I wouldn't trust myself with a full replicator. You're gonna have to turn on all the safety protocols, sobriety lockouts, and nutritional programmes.

Otherwise, I'm gonna start off with the intentions of designing a nice camera... and six months later I'll be a wasted super-obese cyborg monster who's caused half the planet to be devoured by self-replicating grey goo.

Ah, of course! And it does have extra buttons too. Remarkable they squeezed all that advanced engineering in under half a gigabyte, tbh. I clearly didn't think it through!

True, but I'd still like to see the explanation for why a mouse driver needs to be 300MB...!

How many more millennia are needed before you'll consider graffiti an established tradition?

How do you feel about even newer practices like "farming" and "democracy"? Do you think they'll catch on too? Or just new-fangled nonsense?

They've also benefitted enormously themselves from public domain and expired or pre-copyright works like traditional folk tales etc. exploiting them and their timeless appeal for huge profits, then mired and viciously defended those derivative works with copyrights and trademarks, and refused to allow their own works' copyright to expire. Take take take, never giving back.

3D printer that can print fully-populated functional electronic devices. Design or download a schematic for, say a new camera or phone, make whatever modifications I want, and just hit print!

Basically a replicator for electronic devices...