February 21st, 2010
While writing this blog my theme develops around “there isn’t a single truth”, so reading a book that features “an epic search for truth” might not exactly be my thing. Well, in fact, it is. I read Logicomix in one stretch and I was delighted. It contains insights I wished I had known before.
A story about people
Logicomix is a book that treats a very heavy-handed subject in a light way. It is about complicated science, it is about the foundations of science and – whatever we feel about it – it is about knowledge that ultimately influences all and everything around us. So normally this kind of subject is handled in a very serious, sacred atmosphere where full rational attention would be required and any frivolous dissipation would be considered out of bounds.
The writers of Logicomix however chose to give their story a form that is eminently frivolous: a comic book.
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Tags: book, Gödel, Logicomics, logics, mathematics, one-truth
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February 14th, 2010
On January 27th Steve Jobs announced iPad. Reactions have been various, but a dominant sound is that iPad is overhyped and underwhelming. Three years ago Steve Jobs announced iPhone, by that time reactions have been that iPhone was overhyped and underwhelming. Since then it not only sold like crazy, it transformed the cellphone industry. There seems to be a pattern, the introduction of earlier Apple products has not been much different. How is it possible these products get such a cold initial reception among a broad audience and then appear to be groundbreaking nonetheless?
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Tags: Apple, hierarchy, iPad, one-truth, Steve Jobs
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February 5th, 2010
For ages people have expected ultimate wisdom coming from the sky. Looking at a clear sky by night with the moon and all the stars is absolutely impressive. When men started building telescopes, followed celestial bodies and slowly understood the concept of planets, it was impressive even more. Today we can build spacecraft, bring a man on the Moon, send observation robots to Mars. What do we really find out there?
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Tags: entropy, one-truth, reality
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February 3rd, 2010
We think rationalism is an invention of modernity. Somehow rationalism is connected to industrialization and prosperity, to freedom and happiness. Due to our logical thinking we can understand the world and, because we understand is, we can dominate it and arrange it to our wellbeing. It is logical thinking, the denouncing of superstition and witchcraft, that distinguishes Western civilization from its medieval ancestors (and from non-western societies). Isn’t it?
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Tags: belief, one-truth
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January 28th, 2010
During the past months tech media have widely speculated about features of the upcoming Apple Tablet, which was fun to follow and participate in. My guess was the most compelling features would be in connecting to device to the supply chain: connecting to content and connecting to the data network. And although most of the keynote was about content, although there is a new iBook Store and although there actually is unlocked 3G connectivity, with hindsight I think I was wrong. The iPads most compelling feature is hardcore tech: a custom made processor.
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Tags: 3G, Apple, iPad, performance
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January 28th, 2010
Wednesday evening 10PM CET. I looked at my lightweight MacBook Air. It had served me well for almost a year now and I had become quite attached to it. I used it on a daily basis to read the internet from the comfort of my living room sofa. It was a revelation, reading from an electronic device with live internet connection and a bunch of tools right to your disposal, has so much more depth and possibilities than reading from paper. The MacBook Air was the first laptop computer that wasn’t so heavy that it would force me back to the more formal setting of a desk. I had a similar experience with the iPhone, despite the small screen it was amazing how well suited it was for reading and how big the advantages were over ordinary paper. But now I felt reluctance to start up the laptop…
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Tags: Apple, iPad, keynote, meaning, Steve Jobs
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January 20th, 2010
If I were a geeky Google employee I might be excited about the current troubles between Google and China: a free ticket to experiment with all kind of computer hacking that would be off-limits otherwise. If I were a human rights activist I would probably applaud Googles brave step. But if I were a Secretary of State I would be worried.
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Tags: book printing, China, Google, historical parallel, industrial revolution
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January 13th, 2010
“We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.”
via Official Google Blog: A new approach to China.
Bravo Google!
Tags: China, Google
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January 10th, 2010
With my website up and running it is time to spend some attention to my personal theme: truth versus interaction. This is the theme I expect to be orbiting around while writing upcoming posts. It is the theme I encounter over and over again while searching for answers on personal questions. Instead of truth versus interaction you might also say: hierarchy versus network.
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Tags: hierarchy, interaction, network, one-truth, personal motivation
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January 6th, 2010
France is one of the countries where iPhone customers can choose between different carriers. It doesn’t stop them from selling iPhones but gives an encouragement for investing in infrastructure instead, as 9 to 5 Mac reports:
Interestingly, the Orange chief has a wildly different tale than the sob stories coming from AT&T and O2 regarding the iPhone’s impact on data services. While the original US and UK iPhone carriers have complained their networks quickly became “saturated” by users demanding data, Didier counters, “We have not had this problem because we have not hesitated to invest in infrastructure.”
via Orange France boss confirms iPhone tidal wave, data surge, but happy to invest in infrastructure (AT&T?) | 9 to 5 Mac.
Tags: iPhone, market, Orange, telecom
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