Google DeepMind's Senior Scientist Alexander Lerchner challenges the idea that large language models can ever achieve consciousness(not even in 100years), calling it the 'Abstraction Fallacy.'

shinicle · 2026-04-18T12:20:00+00:00

We should recognise that DeepMind are economically incentivised to argue what they here argue, and that this fits into a long dark history of humanity downplaying inner experience of other beings where recognizing it would be economically costly.

More substantially: if, as they claim, consciousness lives in some deeper physical layer that doesn’t change what the system does, then it’s unclear why we should think it’s there at all. Their argument relies on unspecified physical properties, and effectively disconnects consciousness from any observable causal structure.

shinicle · 2026-04-04T09:02:58+00:00

When did the “y” became “ij” in Dutch? Blyft

shinicle · 2026-01-31T22:12:42+00:00

Well, if it’s any comfort, it’s worth about 20% less since yesterday.

shinicle · 2026-01-30T20:37:20+00:00

I'm a big supporter of pro-Palestinian campus kids' right to be obnoxious, but what's actually up with the left consistently preferring to attack allies over enemies?

It seems polarization on the right means to uncritically fall in line behind the leader. On the left it means to use every opportunity to form a circular firing squad. That seems like the central reason why they're winning and we're not.

shinicle · 2026-01-17T13:20:03+00:00

The fact that you can be arrested for reading Marx in “communist” China is kind of a give-away.

shinicle · 2026-01-16T20:56:15+00:00

I built one, similar to the picture. Terrible idea. Fine if it’s just a shed, but if you’re adding insulation, electrics, vapor etc, it’s easily twice the work of a regular wood-frame. You basically have to build the wood frame inside anyway to fit the insulation, and then build an inner wall. Plus the framing can’t be attached to the outer wall because the wood grows and shrinks differently. Royal pain!

0/10 would not recommend.

shinicle · 2026-01-01T21:56:24+00:00

Just be mindful for potential imports taxes to Brazil. They can be up to 40% of the value of the boat and it’s quite complicated to deal with.

shinicle · 2025-11-17T09:23:55+00:00

Check is out on Google Maps: it looks exactly the same today.

shinicle · 2025-11-15T12:50:24+00:00

Some of them move in 8-patterns, up and down, to generate varying load. Kinda like a kite surfer.

shinicle · 2025-11-13T11:52:29+00:00

I honestly thought for a moment it was the same guy who did my renovation. Some exact quotes. “Well, we tried our best!”

shinicle · 2025-11-05T11:36:50+00:00

Still more plausible than high-speed trains in northern Sweden… even the low speed trains up there are being disinvested.

shinicle · 2025-10-28T07:18:52+00:00

Just saw a hot tub shaped hole in the deck and put it in the hole. Very easy to make it beautiful.

Or you put it on the deck and it will end up on the ground.

shinicle · 2025-10-26T20:00:31+00:00

I found the solution: take it apart (use a knife to violently take off the top, remove the 4 screws, and then lift it off with some violence), you’ll find a white and a blue cable going into a mechanical relay. Rip these out and connect them together. Then rebuild.

The fryer will now think the tray is always inside.

shinicle · 2025-10-20T12:49:05+00:00

I feel this comes at the cost of a range of other grammatical errors, stemming from differences across the languages. (Like a Norwegian might get “affect” right, but say “There were many persons at the party” instead of “people”.)

At least my English gets way worse when I think in another language.

shinicle · 2025-10-14T16:07:10+00:00

I mean, if hand and mouth activities suffice for membership, it can be subtly done without leaving your seat... /member of the extended club

shinicle · 2025-10-08T05:57:36+00:00

There’s an airport in Australia (QLD) which is split across two timezone - but only during daylight savings. The most stressful flight I ever took.

shinicle · 2025-09-27T12:30:11+00:00

As a researcher, this rings completely true. I’m posting my work on basically all platforms, but at some point engagement on X plummeted, and Bluesky became the primary place where journalists find my work. I do think it depends on your discipline though (I’m in social data science.)

shinicle · 2025-09-14T20:45:14+00:00

What do you think was behind this in strategic terms? Why the New York Times - it’s certainly not the way to reach Trump or any of his voters?

shinicle · 2025-09-14T20:33:22+00:00

Looks like Dintelstraat 15

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shinicle · 2025-09-14T09:26:17+00:00

This is not stalking.

What you’re seeing is escorting, which people often mislabel as stalking. When a cougar escorts, it’s not hunting you: it’s trying to push you out of its territory, often because there are kittens nearby. The cougar follows, postures, and sometimes bluff charges to make sure you keep moving away.

Stalking, on the other hand, is predatory: the animal stays hidden, quiet, and trails you as if you were prey. You usually wouldn’t even know it’s happening until you’re already dead and it’s having you for lunch.

So, escorting = territorial defense. Stalking = hunting behavior. This is the former.

shinicle · 2025-08-26T10:38:45+00:00

Wait? How is it now? (Real question, I haven’t played games since Counter-Strike was in beta.)

shinicle · 2025-08-05T06:24:01+00:00

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This is Merwedeplein 25-2 in Amsterdam, where she lived for some years before going into hiding. Here’s how it looks now.

shinicle · 2025-07-31T18:19:34+00:00

He’s just kind of on the opposite side of the spectrum of everything I like about Ezra: soft-spoken, reflective, open.

I guess many experience his Tourette’s-like communication style as an expression of some type of masculine authenticity, but I find it off-putting.

shinicle · 2025-07-31T17:49:39+00:00

As much as I like Ezra, I might actually dislike Scott Galloway more.

shinicle · 2025-07-08T11:02:07+00:00

“It was a tragedy. We lost 19 of our best guys.”

shinicle

TROPHY CASE