this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2024
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SneerClub

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Hurling ordure at the TREACLES, especially those closely related to LessWrong.

AI-Industrial-Complex grift is fine as long as it sufficiently relates to the AI doom from the TREACLES. (Though TechTakes may be more suitable.)

This is sneer club, not debate club. Unless it's amusing debate.

[Especially don't debate the race scientists, if any sneak in - we ban and delete them as unsuitable for the server.]

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If you're a big-headed guy or gal at a rationalist puddle cuddle, double check that your rubbers didn't get punctured.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh, I forgot to mention that we can also do some weird experiments with rats. Teach a bunch of rats how to do a maze, or complete some task, and then surgically remove different bits of each of their brains.
Unless you really mess them up, they usually remember how to do the maze.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5001904/

It's why missing a chunk won't make the neurologist definitely say it's impaired someone's intelligence.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/03/22/1165131907/neuroplasticity-plasticity-glass-half-full-girl

It's an extreme case, but definitely indicative of how visual examination is just not great for assessing brain function.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Yeah, brain plasticity is really fascinating. One of the guys I work with, its the only way to teach him anything. He had a heroin overdose like 15 years ago. He has basically no short term memory, but I've been able to get him to retain things via repetition. Mostly repetitive physical tasks, but social media, with advertisers constantly pinging him, has also been a very powerful reminder. He's big into the EDM scene and he remembers events, both past and future, because social media keeps buzzing him and reminding him. I wish there was a way to harness that power for good.

But obviously, I've never seen his brain before.