The Asilomar Conference on Beneficial AI, held in January 2017 in Asilomar, California, was a gathering of leading researchers, policymakers, and ethicists in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Organized by the Future of Life Institute, the conference aimed to address the potential benefits and risks associated with the development of advanced AI technologies.
"The Meaning of Meaning" is the title of a book published in 1923 by Charles Kay Ogden and Ivor Armstrong Richards. The work explores the relationship between language, thought, and reality, delving into semantics and the nature of meaning itself. The authors discuss how words symbolize concepts and how meaning is derived not only from the words themselves but also from the contexts in which they are used.
"On Denoting" is a philosophical essay written by Bertrand Russell in 1905, in which he explores the nature of proper names, definite descriptions, and their relation to the things they refer to. In the essay, Russell addresses the distinction between "what a phrase denotes" (its reference) and "what it means" (its sense).
"Plural Maghreb" refers to the idea of recognizing and embracing the diverse cultures, identities, and experiences within the Maghreb region of North Africa, which includes countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. The term emphasizes the cultural, linguistic, and social plurality of the region, challenging monolithic representations and narratives that often overlook the richness of local traditions, languages, and histories.
Indian linguistic philosophy refers to the study of language and its relationship to reality, knowledge, and meaning within the context of Indian philosophical traditions. It encompasses various schools of thought and approaches to language, largely stemming from ancient Indian texts and philosophical inquiries.
"Foundations of Science" typically refers to the study of the fundamental principles, concepts, and methods that underpin scientific inquiry and knowledge. It encompasses a range of topics that help clarify how science is structured, what constitutes scientific reasoning, and how scientific theories develop and are validated.
In "Consciousness," philosopher Timothy Hill provides an exploration of the concept of consciousness, examining its nature, significance, and the various theories surrounding it.
Physical cosmology is a branch of cosmology that focuses on understanding the large-scale structure and dynamics of the universe through the application of physics. It involves the study of the origins, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe, with an emphasis on the physical laws and principles that govern these processes.
A physical paradox typically refers to a situation or concept in physics that appears to contradict established theories or intuitive understanding but nonetheless provokes further inquiry or insight into the nature of physical reality. These paradoxes often highlight gaps in our understanding or the limitations of our theoretical frameworks. Some famous examples of physical paradoxes include: 1. **Zeno's Paradoxes**: A series of philosophical problems that challenge our understanding of motion and divisibility.
In physics, time is a fundamental concept that allows us to quantify the duration of events and the intervals between them. It is often considered a fourth dimension, alongside the three spatial dimensions of length, width, and height. Here are several key aspects of time in physics: 1. **Measurement**: Time is measured in various units, with the second being the SI (International System of Units) base unit. Other common units include minutes, hours, and days.
"The Doors of Perception" is a philosophical work by Aldous Huxley, published in 1954. The book details Huxley's experiences with the psychedelic substance mescaline, which he ingested in order to explore the nature of human consciousness and perception. The title of the book references a quotation from the poet William Blake, who wrote, "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions to explain, predict, and understand physical phenomena. It aims to develop conceptual frameworks that describe the laws of nature and the behavior of the physical universe, often focusing on fundamental aspects of reality that can be difficult to observe directly.
Subjective experience refers to the individual's personal, internal perception of events, feelings, and thoughts. It encompasses the way a person interprets and interacts with the world based on their unique consciousness, emotions, memories, and interpretations. This concept is central to philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive sciences, as it addresses how subjective experiences influence and shape one's understanding of reality.
Transcendental apperception is a concept primarily associated with the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. It refers to the self-awareness or the consciousness of the self that is essential for the unity of experience. For Kant, apperception is the process by which the mind recognizes its own acts of cognition and relates them to a unified self. In Kant's framework, transcendental apperception is a necessary condition for experiencing the world as a coherent whole.
Clinical pluralism is an approach in healthcare that recognizes and integrates multiple methods, perspectives, and practices in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of health conditions. This concept advocates for the use of various therapeutic modalities from different medical paradigms, including conventional medicine, complementary and alternative medicine, and other health practices that may not conform to the dominant biomedical model.
Interaction-free measurement is a quantum phenomenon that allows the determination of the presence of an object without the direct interaction that would normally occur in a conventional measurement. This concept is most famously illustrated by the "Elitzur-Vaidman bomb tester" thought experiment. In a classical measurement scenario, when a measurement is made on a system, an observer typically interacts with that system, which can alter its state.
Quantum foundations is a field of research that seeks to understand the conceptual and philosophical underpinnings of quantum mechanics. It addresses fundamental questions about the nature of reality, measurement, and the role of observers in quantum systems. This area of study aims to clarify the interpretation of quantum mechanics, exploring topics such as: 1. **Measurement Problem**: Understanding how and why observations lead to definite outcomes in quantum systems, and what this implies for the nature of reality.
Phenomenology in psychology is a qualitative research approach that focuses on exploring and understanding the subjective experiences of individuals. Originating from the philosophical movement founded by Edmund Husserl in the early 20th century, phenomenology seeks to understand how people perceive, interpret, and make sense of their experiences. In psychology, phenomenological methods are used to gather in-depth insights into people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This approach emphasizes the importance of context and the personal meaning that individuals assign to their experiences.
"A General View of Positivism" is a philosophical work written by Auguste Comte, a French philosopher regarded as the founder of positivism. Published in the 19th century, this work outlines Comte's ideas about the development of human knowledge and society, advocating for a scientific approach to understanding the world.
"Absolute theory" can refer to different concepts depending on the context in which it is used, such as philosophy, physics, or ethics. Here are a few interpretations: 1. **Philosophy**: In metaphysics, "absolute theory" can relate to the concept of an ultimate reality or absolute being that underpins existence.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 4. Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation.Figure 5. Web editor. You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.Video 4. OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo. Source. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact





