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Tag: David Benatar
Is a life worth starting? Some personal views
For life—the life of any sentient creature—to be worth living, there must, as Robert Ettinger has often said, be a preponderance of satisfaction over dissatisfaction. If this overall slant toward good rather than bad is maintained, it seems reasonable that one stands to gain by continued existence. I am not sure what fraction of the human (or other sentient) population achieves this positive balance and will not speculate except to note that by appearances there are many humans who do achieve it, along with other creatures, pets in particular, so at least for them, life is worth continuing. To say that life once started is worth continuing does not, as David Benatar points out, imply that it was worth starting in the first place, or should have been started. But I think that, barring certain problematic cases, it is fair to conclude that a human life at least is worth starting, if there are responsible prospective parents who would like to start it. Here I think it is reasonable to expect that the resulting person will feel that life is overall a benefit, and additionally, that others, the parents in particular, will stand to gain from the new life that has entered their lives. I don't accept Benatar's arguments that by and large life is pretty terrible and people delude themselves who think otherwise.
Also I reject his "asymmetry" argument, that it is "good" if a life that would be bad does not come into existence, but merely "not good" rather than "bad" if a life that would be good does not come into existence. (It is easy to see how this asymmetry supports the argument that life should not start in the first place and Benatar refers to it often.) Benatar's main rationale for this argument seems to be that, while we would consider someone morally at fault for deliberately bringing into existence someone who would be miserable and just want to die, we would not similarly hold someone culpable who elected not to bring into existence someone who would be happy and want to remain alive. This I think should not be the only consideration, for it is based only on the idea of when we should regard an action as bad, and not at all on when we should regard it as good and commendable. (Why this particular asymmetry?) Instead, weighing both sides of the issue as I think is justified, I would opt for the fully symmetric position that it is "not bad" if a life that would be bad does not come into existence, and similarly, "not good" if a life that would be good does not come into existence. On the other hand, I question and doubt whether a life that comes into existence would be bad in the long run, given the prospect of immortality, which I think is a possibility through science (see below).
Life does, of course, have its problems, death in particular, that might call in question whether it is worthwhile after all and thus, whether the life of any sentient being is worth starting. For this one problem there are a number of possible answers that will be satisfying to different people, and thus can serve as ground for a feeling that life is worthwhile and was worth starting despite one's own mortality. There is the famous Epicurean argument that death is not really a problem because before it happens it causes no harm, and after it happens there is no victim. There is the Buddhist argument that, more fundamentally, the self is an illusion anyway, so that in fact no persons exist and death never really happens, though bliss can still occur through states of enlightenment which thus are worth seeking. There are various religious traditions that promise an afterlife and a happy immortality for those who prove worthy, or, in some versions, all who are born. Then there is scientific immortalism, which holds that at least substantial life extension through science and technology is possible, so that, irrespective of any supernatural or mystical process, persons of today have more to hope for as they get older than the usual biological ruin and oblivion.
The scientific possibilities for overcoming death come in different varieties that each have their own advocates. Some of these hopefuls, particularly younger ones, focus on the prospect that aging and now-terminal illnesses will be remedied in their natural lifetime, so that they will escape clinical death and need not specially prepare for it. Others who are not so confident have made arrangements for cryopreservation after clinical death, in hopes of resuscitation and cure of aging and diseases when the requisite technology becomes available. Still others hold out for advances on a more cosmic scale that will eventually make it possible to raise the dead comprehensively. (Some possible scenarios for this using multiple, parallel time streams rather than revisiting or recovering a hidden past are considered in my book, Forever for All, and the article at http://www.universalimmortalism.org/resurrection.htm.) The three possibilities are not mutually exclusive, so that, for example, persons who have chosen cryonics may also place varying hopes in the other two. In fact, my personal viewpoint as a scientific immortalist grants some validity to all three possibilities, but I think it is imperative now to be engaged in cryonics, which is almost unique and the clear favorite as a proactive, interventive strategy against death. Passive acceptance of the dying process simply does not feel right, whatever the prospects for near-term medical progress, or on the other hand, resurrections in a more distant, technologically superior future. It goes without saying that I also think future life will be worth living—it should be possible to make it so, if future developments can provide the opportunity.
Review of 'Better Never to Have Been'
Review of Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence by David Benatar. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006
"Would that I had never been born" is a lament sometimes voiced in the depth of misfortune, a cry of despair we hope may be soon be stilled by something more positive, when the bad things, whatever they are, have run their course. Enter David Benatar, a respected professor of philosophy at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In the volume here reviewed he offers the extreme view that in fact it would have been better, all things considered, if not one of us had ever existed, or even any sentient life whatever. Life is that bad, he says, and he bases this judgment on certain logical principles along with empirical evidence of the allegedly poor quality of life that most of us are forced to endure in this world. Among the consequences is that no more humans should be born, and the human race (and other sentient creatures) ought to become extinct.
Antinatalism—the viewpoint that birth of sentient life, human in particular, is bad and ought not to happen, is a recurring one theme history, a noted proponent being the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860). It can also be founded, as Benatar proposes, on certain assumptions considered reasonable by many people today, particularly those of a scientific, materialist outlook who are not inclined to over-optimism. Among the assumptions are that anyone's life, overall, is an exercise in futility. Death—eternal oblivion—is the eventual fate of each person, and will happen through the normal aging process if not sooner. (Thus there is no serious prospect of a religious afterlife. Though not stated in the book, it is clear also that radical life extension, whether by imminent medical breakthroughs or through an initial "holding action" such as cryonics, is discounted.) Moreover, the human species will eventually die out, as is the fate of all biological species, so the extinction advocated by Benatar must happen in the end regardless. Another important presumption, in this case justified at length, is that in most people's lives sorrow and misery predominate heavily over joy and happiness, so that their lives are not worth living.
Benatar denies that any good is done in any act of procreation, even if the life of the offspring is predominantly happy and if that person expresses gratitude for having been given life. The very best that could happen, Benatar says, is that no harm would be done, but only if the offspring never experienced anything bad in his/her entire life, an unlikely prospect. Even then, no good would be done or moral credit accrue in bringing that person into existence—good is done only in not bringing into existence any person who, in the course of his/her life, would at least experience some amount of bad. Harm is done, and in any likely circumstance, unacceptably serious harm, in bringing anyone into the world.
Such arguments seem unpersuasive for any of a number of reasons, and many will also find them offensive. In the matter of family planning, the prospective parents will be motivated by thoughts such as a child would bring them joy even as they in turn strive to provide the child with a happy home life and a good upbringing. Overall the child can be expected to be grateful both during the period of childhood and later in life, something that seems borne out in practice, even if hardship also occurs. As tough as the going may be at times, most people do not feel their parents were morally at fault for having had them, and are not ready to end their lives over any perceived shortcomings in their present situation or future prospects.
Benatar devotes a chapter of his book to arguing, nonetheless, that actually life as most people live it is very bad, suggesting that those who disagree don't realize just how bad it is and are suffering some kind of delusion. But this begs the question of who is to judge. Turning the argument around, is it not possible that Benatar himself is suffering from depression that clouds his judgment? Natural selection of course favors a brighter outlook: Benatar's thinking is not conducive to reproductive fitness. Beyond that, it is hard to see that his point of view is more "logical" than a more life-affirming one, both being based, when the rhetoric has run its course, on basic gut feelings about what is pleasant or worthwhile or isn't, in what relative amounts, and how the mix that occurs in life should be assessed.
Despite life's alleged wretchedness, Benatar himself is not ready to commit suicide but insists that life once started, his in particular, may be worth continuing even if it should not have been started in the first place. (Sometimes this sort of argument is reasonable. A woman should not be raped, but a child born as a consequence should not be killed.) More generally Benatar's stance is passive rather than proactive: having children should be legal, even though no one should have them, much as we might favor allowing smoking even though it is medically and socially inadvisable.
Benatar is aware that, despite these limited concessions, his stance will be unpopular and devotes much attention to defending it against various possible lines of attack. Still it is doubtful his arguments will persuade many who are not already strongly leaning his way. The rest of us, surely a robust majority of humanity, will find our varied reasons to demur. Religious people will argue that life is a gift of God, children are a blessing, hardships and sorrows happen but can and will be remedied, all will be well in the end. Secular humanists and others of scientific bent may believe with Benatar that their lives must permanently end, and even accept the eventual extinction of all earthly life, yet still remain optimistic, one of their arguments being that "since life is finite, even sometimes very short, each moment of life, handled rightly, is precious." Scientific immortalists who are hoping for radical life extension will also discount Benatar's pessimism, though possibly in an odd way supporting the end of the present human species—in this case, however, by replacing it with something better that includes themselves in an enhanced form.
Meanwhile, an antinatalist movement has grown up that has simple, passive annihilation of the human species as its goal, endeavoring as far as possible to discourage everyone from having more children. In addition to a claimed humanitarian purpose—eliminating suffering as Benatar proposes—there is an environmental motive some endorse, arguing that the earth's biosphere would greatly benefit if there were no humans to befoul it, as they generally do. Potentially a conflict could erupt between antinatalists and immortalists, who hope to be in the world for a very long time. My feeling, though, is that the antinatalist movement is both unpopular and self-limiting—on both counts, natural selection so wills it. Immortalists in any case are not so much trying to populate the planet as trying to endure as individuals. So probably we should not worry too much. Instead let's talk to these people. Some of them (Benatar included?) may be willing to rethink their position.
About the author: David Benatar is professor of philosophy and head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. Though best known for his advocacy of antinatalism in his book Better Never to Have Been, he is also the author of a series of widely cited papers in medical ethics. His work has appeared in such journals as Ethics, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Social Theory and Practice, American Philosophical Quarterly, QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, Journal of Law and Religion and the British Medical Journal.
Non-existence is hard to do
A review of contemporary antinatalist writings
Originally published in Cryonics, 2nd Quarter, 2010 (PDF)
"Coming into existence is bad in part because it invariably leads to the harm of ceasing to exist." David Benatar
"If they could get a corpse to sit up on an operating table, they would jubilantly exclaim, "It's alive!" And so would we. Who cares that human beings evolved from slimy materials? We can live with that, or most of us can." Thomas Ligotti
The persistence of pessimism
When I sent out an email message soliciting contributions on the topic of philosophical pessimism and antinatalism one person declined with the reasonable response that such positions are only taken seriously by a handful of far-out philosophers. Humans have evolved to procreate and seek happiness. What is the point?
The reason why I have not been inclined to so easily dismiss the recent renaissance of philosophical pessimism is because negative and tragic views about life are woven throughout human history and culture. Most dominant religions have little positive to say about the state of humanity (after the fall) and the prospects for a life devoid of suffering on earth. Despite its relative sophistication, even Buddhism presents a picture of the universe as a source of suffering. Much can be said about pessimism but not that its influence is outside the mainstream.
Even the antinatalist position that it is better never to have been and that we have a moral obligation not to procreate is not completely obscure. Who has not had the experience of talking to the grumpy old lady who wonders why anyone would want to bring children into this world? We routinely dismiss such positions as being out of touch with reality but modern culture persists in linking intellectualism to pessimism. This perhaps should not be surprising because, as a general rule, excessive thinking comes at the expense of sensual experience. One reason why many intellectuals are biased towards pessimism is because it provides them the opportunity to rescue us with their ideas. Antinatalism offers the triumph of Reason against existence itself; the ultimate triumph of the Intellectual.
Philosophical aversion to pessimism can be found among the finest thinkers in the history of philosophy. There is David Hume, the great empiricist thinker, and an amiable and optimistic person. Then there is Friedrich Nietzsche, who, despite a life of disease and isolation, recognized that pessimism is not an objective feature of the universe but the expression of a weak and oversensitive mind. The twentieth century witnessed a strong renaissance of the empiricism of David Hume in the form of logical positivism. These philosophers rightly abstained from putting forward a "philosophy of life," but optimism about science and humanity's potential is clear in their foundational writings. It is also interesting to note that the most recent forceful responses to pessimism have not come from professional philosophers but from libertarian economists who do not display the slightest intellectual embarrassment in claiming that life is getting better all the time.
In my opinion, the most obvious question that can be raised about philosophical pessimism is whether its supporting claims are factual descriptions of reality or just expressions of temperament. Another interesting question is whether philosophical pessimism necessarily obliges us to the antinatalist position. In seeking answers to these questions we turn to the literature of contemporary antinatalism.
Jim Crawford's Confessions of an Antinatalist is a highly readable autobiographical exposition of antinatalism. Thomas Ligotti's book The Conspiracy Against the Human Race is more ambitious in scope and contains a wealth of historical information on pessimism, discussions of modern science, and, not surprisingly, a review of the theme of pessimism in horror literature. David Benatar's Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence is the most rigorous exposition of antinatalism to date. This book covers a lot of ground and I will confine myself to some of its main topics only.
The harm of coming into existence
In its purest form antinatalism may not be attainable but the framework that informs this position rests on a couple of sound premises: (1) we do not impose a harm (or withhold a benefit) by not bringing someone into this world; (2) we do impose a harm by bringing someone into the world when this person's life will be bad. Jim Crawford believes that these premises are evident and I see little reason to dispute him. The real debate about antinatalism is how to determine that a person's life is (or will be) bad, and how much consideration the interests of parents should be given.
One of the most problematic aspects about the work of Crawford and other antinatalists is that they have little patience for the argument that life is better than they think it is. In some passages it is hard to distinguish the antinatalist from the Marxist. If people think that life is much better than Crawford makes it out to be, the standard rejoinder is that these people suffer from a form of false consciousness (pessimists frequently use words like "truly" and "really"). In some passages this attitude borders on intolerance. A prime example can be found in Crawford's discussion of childhood. For many people growing up was a period of great happiness and discovery. Crawford's agitated dismissal of such accounts introduces an element of illiberalism in what is otherwise a humanistic endeavor. It is in these passages that antinatalism turns into bitter ideology.
The way the term "bias" is employed is deeply problematic. It is used as if there is an objective perspective that can reached were it not for those pesky evolutionary biases coming between the person and the universe. At times the author appears to be saying that if evolution did not select in favor of those wanting to survive we would not want to survive. This is not particularly helpful. Some of these "biases" do not cover up anything but just make us happier.
Let us assume here the metaphysical premise that there is an objective, material reality that can be known through the use of reason and empirical observation. This does not mean that there is one "correct" fit between an organism and the world. A person who is manically depressed perceives the world in a different matter than a person who is not. How we are "wired" and respond to our environment is not a matter of "correct" or "incorrect." Thinking otherwise would be hard to reconcile with an evolutionary outlook in which life is just the outcome of random interactions of organic molecules.
One argument that remains available to the pessimist would be that the probability of creating a miserable life is too high to warrant procreation. But it is at this point that the "transhumanist" can enter the debate and claim that our expected quality of life is no longer just the outcome of a "random" evolutionary process but can be brought under rational control. We should endeavor to make happy children.
In my opinion, the short response to empirical pessimism can take the following form. Pleasure and pain are both part of existence. For some sentient beings pleasure outweighs pain, for other sentient beings pain outweighs pleasure. A moral agent cannot add up, subtract, or divide these elements for life as a whole to produce an objective quality-of-existence function. The antinatalist runs into the same problems as all the utilitarians and welfare economists who have tried to define a social utility function as a guide for public policy. As Thomas Ligotti notes in his book, "…the reason for the eternal stalemate between optimists and pessimists, is that no possible formula can be established to measure proportions and types of hurt and happiness in the world. If such a formula could be established, then either pessimists or optimists would have to give in to their adversaries." I think that the best response available to the antinatalist would be to follow David Benatar's example and present a strictly formal argument, or simply argue that in case of doubt, we should abstain from procreation.
Escape strategies
After spending the bulk of his book persuading the reader that life is suffering, Crawford discusses what he calls "Escape Strategies." In his treatment of Buddhism as an escape strategy he could simply have made the obvious internal critique that desire may be sufficient, but not necessary for suffering. Crawford's treatment of Christianity is scathing, which may indicate regret because the author himself was a Christian for awhile. Why have children if there is the prospect of eternal damnation? Good question, but I think that a Christian can respond by saying that following Scripture is more important than applying human morality to God's creation.
The last escape strategy that Crawford reviews is hope, which turns into a discussion of futurism and transhumanism. The argument that many of those pursuing life extension will not be around to benefit from it is too simplistic. Unless the brain is completely destroyed at death, the neuro-anatomical basis of identity can be preserved at cryogenic temperatures for a very long time. No delusional expectations about the future are required. People in cryostasis have time. But then the author delivers a critique that I think deserves serious treatment by transhumanists (discussions about "friendly AI" do not exhaust this topic by any means). In a nutshell, we should not expect that technological progress will necessarily produce moral progress. And even if it will, accidents happen. Technologies that can be designed to produce great joy can be used to create great suffering as well. If humanity can manufacture hell without God, the case for pessimism and antinatalism may be strengthened.
Interestingly enough, the anticipation of such dark future technologies may present a (subconscious) obstacle for many people considering cryonics. Hundreds of millions of people believe in the craziest things like astrology and psychoanalysis, but only a handful of people (around 1500) have made cryonics arrangements. This lack of interest can hardly be attributed to ignorance, and perhaps the most persuasive answer may be hidden in Crawford's book. Cryonics basically forces people to deal with the question whether they would like to be "born again" in a far and unknown future. As a general rule, the answer seems to be "no." Antinatalists may find additional ammunition for their position in studying the reasons for the low sign-up rate for cryonics.
Mahayana antinatalism
Antinatalists should expect a lot of obvious questions such as "are most people not glad to be alive?" or "why not kill yourself?" I fear that Crawford's answer to the question "why not kill yourself?" risks undermining the orthodox antinatalist project. If empathic sensibility can make an enlightened antinatalist who wants to stick around it is arguable that antinatalists should make an effort to remain alive in an effort to reduce the amount of (future) suffering in the universe. Antinatalists then become life extensionists. To use conventional Buddhist terminology, perhaps at some point there will be a Theravada version of antinatalism (focused primarily on non-procreation) and a Mahayana version of antinatalism (concerned with the elimination of the suffering of all sentient beings).
David Benatar runs into a similar problem when he ponders the question whether bringing new people into the world could be justified to reduce the suffering of the last remaining people. It seems to me that how an antinatalist deals with such practical moral issues depends on how the ethics of antinatalism is conceived. Do we have a "right" not to come into existence or is the objective of antinatalism to juggle with small and great suffering towards the ultimate end of its complete abolition?
If antinatalism is conceived as a strictly individualistic endeavor, concerns about the suffering of all humans can be easily dismissed. But in that case antinatalism would just collapse into individualist pessimism. Who cares about suffering, as long as it is not me! This is not the kind of sentiment that is generally found in antinatalist writings. I do not think that the question whether there might be moral reasons to remain alive, and, yes, bring into being forms of life that are benevolent but ruthless towards suffering, can be easily dismissed.
At one point Crawford observes that secular and smart people are having fewer children. This does not look good for the inevitable triumph of antinatalism. Under such scenarios antinatalism produces dysgenics, and if one believes that stupidity and evil go hand in hand, increased suffering for more people.
To me it is not unlikely that, in practice, antinatalism leads to more suffering because it will only be adopted by sympathetic human beings such as Crawford. The antinatalist cannot argue that the amount of suffering in the universe cannot be increased nor decreased. The whole point of antinatalism after all is that suffering can and should be decreased. But how to go about this may be more complicated than it appears. A sober assessment of the practical implications of antinatalism may require revision of the antinatalist position itself.
Confessions of an Antinatalist is a fine and humane book, but in the end it is also a book of the converted written for the non-converted. Thomas Sowell has noted that in economics there are no solutions but only trade-offs. I would not be surprised if antinatalists will come to a similar conclusion at some point.
Suffering without meaning
Thomas Ligotti is a contemporary horror writer whose fiction work is marked by cosmic nihilism, alienation and the fragile nature of reality. As a great admirer of the work of Ligotti I have been reluctant to comment on his non-fiction. Fortunately, unlike many other artists, Ligotti has little interest in "critical theory" or "progressive" politics. His book The Conspiracy Against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror is not concerned with such trivial topics but with the bleak fate of humanity in a deterministic and indifferent universe.
The book starts off with an introduction by obscurantist philosopher Ray Brassier, whose work would certainly qualify for the description that Ligotti gives to Schopenhauer's oeuvre ("too overwrought in the proving to be anything more than another intellectual labyrinth for specialists in perplexity").
Reading Ligotti's account of why humans reject truly bleak views about life it would be interesting to see how antinatalists respond to the existence of orthodox Calvinism. Accepting a universe without free will that is ruled by an omnipotent God who has decreed that the majority of people will suffer in hell for His self-glorification seems a lot more terrifying to me. Nonetheless, millions of people have accepted this theological perspective. The existence of Reformed theology lays to rest the view that humans have an intrinsic desire to avoid doctrines that are too terrible too contemplate.
When Ligotti discusses the work of antinatalist Peter Wessel Zapfe once more we find the view that there is an objective predicament of mankind that is hidden by false consciousness. It is remarkable to see the similarities between those who argue that we do not want look our "oppression" straight in the face and those who argue that we avoid coming to terms with the horror of existence. What is often lacking here is the recognition that there is also a wealth of literature about human suffering that supports the idea that we would be happier if we did look nature straight in the face. No nonsense about "moral responsibility," "sin," "duty," "the greater good" etc. Marquis de Sade, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Max Stirner are representatives of this school of thought.
What is intriguing about Ligotti's book is that it reads like a rather delicate balancing act. On one hand, we have the detached observer (my favorite) who is bemused at the show business of both the optimists and pessimists. On the other hand, it is unmistakable that Ligotti feels affinity with the philosophers of cosmic horror and pessimism. His fiction does not leave much room for any other conclusion. But The Conspiracy Against the Human Race contains more than a few (unintended) suggestions how someone who declines to take sides would present his argument.
Hard determinism and the illusion of the self
I have a hard time relating to the Ligotti's discussion about determinism and pessimism. Hard determinism (or hard imcompatibilism) is just a part of the "scientific worldview" and it is not obvious to me why it should be a source of despair. Ligotti then discusses the existence of the "self." I am inclined to think there is an important difference between free will and the self. Modern science can make sense of the world and human action without assuming free will. I am not convinced that this is possible if the concept of the self is rejected. Unlike free will, the recognition of a "self" comes at a later stage in evolution. It has been argued that primitive people could not clearly distinguish the self from its surroundings and thus were not able to discover the laws of physics and manipulate it to their benefit. The philosopher Hans Reichenbach developed a pragmatic case for the existence of the external world and the self in his seminal work Experience And Prediction: An Analysis of the Foundations And the Structure of Knowledge . Ultimately, the Kantian question whether something "really" exists (or what something "really" looks like) does not seem particularly helpful in the study of reality, as the early logical positivists of Vienna understood well.
Why would anything that neuroscientists discover about the self and how it is constructed be a source of dread? If you believe that life is just the result of random meetings of organic molecules, it stands to reason that the physical basis of consciousness and the self reflects such a process. Why would accepting such ideas make one a "heroic pessimist?" Why the pessimism at all? Ligotti even agrees. "One would think that neuroscientists and geneticists would have as much reason to head for the cliffs because little by little they have been finding that much of our thought and behavior is attributable to neural wiring and heredity rather than to personal control over the individuals we are, or think we are. But they do not feel suicide to be mandatory just because their laboratory experiments are informing them that human nature may be nothing but puppet nature. Not the slightest tingle of uncanniness or horror runs up and down their spines, only the thrill of discovery. Most of them reproduce and do not believe there is anything questionable in doing so."
Ligotti also discussed transhumanism, but not in much depth. As a transhumanism skeptic myself, I found little to object to but it seems that Ligotti's real target is what is called Singularitarianism. This part in the book seems something of a missed opportunity because there is substantial overlap between Ligotti's fiction and themes that are discussed by transhumanist writers: living in a computer simulation, parallel universes, alternate realities etc.
When Ligotti reviews near-death experiences and ego-death, the common-sense neurological explanations that were invoked in discussions of free will and the self are largely absent (a notable exception is his discussion of the possibility that a brain tumor can cause such an "enlightened" state). For critical-care physicians it is a given that many people suffer (regional) cerebral ischemia during the dying process. As such, it is surprising (but encouraging) that not more people claim enlightenment after they recover. These periods of transient oxygen deprivation can produce long term damage and a "re-wiring" of the brain, which can explain the new perspectives these people adopt. From a physicalist perspective, death of the ego is (partial) death of the brain, something one may or may not want to celebrate.
In Ligotti's book the reason for pessimism is multi-factorial. It includes the lack of meaning in an indifferent universe, the reality of hard determinism, and the illusion of the self. The works of Benatar and Crawford are more restricted in scope and mostly focus on more mundane suffering. Ligotti's philosophical horror is much richer, but I wonder how much of it will resonate with people who embrace a scientific view of the universe. The Conspiracy against the Human Race may not have been designed as an argument against "unweaving the rainbow" (to use Richard Dawkin's useful phrase) but it sometimes reads like one.
There is a lot in Ligotti's fine book that I have not discussed such as the extensive treatment of pessimism in horror fiction, loads of interesting philosophical and scientific references, plus illuminating discussions of obscure authors such as Peter Wessel Zappfe and Philipp Mainlander. As such, it can also be considered as an indispensable reference for philosophical pessimism and cosmic horror.
Empiricism and non-existence
David Benatar is a rigorous philosopher. His work can be situated in the analytic tradition and he makes an honest attempt to anticipate objections to his own views. When he argues for positions using mainly logical arguments he is quite persuasive. A being that does not exist can neither be harmed nor benefited. I cannot see how this argument (or tautology?) can be successfully refuted. But when Benatar attempts to argue that the quality of life of most people is much worse than they think it is, multiple challenges arise. I do not think this is the result of Benatar's poor reasoning but because the fields that he relies on – evolution, social psychology, happiness research and the study of cognitive biases – are notorious for allowing competing views. It seems to me that ultimately Benatar cannot escape the charge that he pays excessive attention to theories that claim that we think we are happier than we really are. Perhaps I have spent too much time in the wrong subculture but it seems to me that the phenomenon of people claiming to be less happy than they really are should not be ignored either.
Like Crawford, Benatar cannot completely escape the charge of illiberalism. Classical liberalism takes very seriously the challenges in reaching satisfactory conclusions about the quality of other people's lives. In practice this means that we exercise restraint in making strong cognitive and moral claims about the feelings and preferences of other people. This is a mindset that does not seem to come easily to antinatalists. Benatar is on more agreeable ground when he simply derives his antinatalism from uncertainty; "some know that their baby will be among the unfortunate. Nobody knows, however, that their baby will be one of the allegedly lucky few."
Benatar believes that even if his empirical argument about the poor quality of our lives fails, his formal argument from asymmetry is still left standing. He thinks that even if there is one single painful pinprick in an otherwise good life, we still harm that person by bringing him into existence. I think that Benatar is "proving" too much here. We can agree that anyone who conceives a child cannot escape the prospect that this person will experience some harm. But from this it does not follow that the person is harmed in a meaningful moral sense without considering the expected overall quality of that life. Perhaps Benatar would respond that I have not understood his argument, and I will admit that I have a difficult time understanding why the possibility that a person's pleasures are expected to outweigh the pains do not alter his argument. I think that both bringing into existence a life that is invariably good and a life that is generally good can be morally defended on the grounds that there will not be any post-natal moral objections from the person involved. Of course, we are not morally obliged to do so, because we will not deprive the unborn of such a good life if we don't have children. But since most parents have a positive interest in having children, in practice this tips the scales in favor of some (but not all!) procreation. One problem I can see with my argument is that it might permit the creation of a life form that would experience great suffering but with an unalterable survival instinct and no cognitive possibility of moral blame or regret. Some antinatalists might even claim that this is a rather accurate description of the human race as it exists today.
As an empiricist, I generally give the benefit of doubt to empirical observations when they appear to conflict with logical reasoning. I think that this preference itself can be justified on historic and pragmatic grounds. The claim that coming into existence is always a harm is not consistent with the reports of all those who have come into existence. That seems to be a non-trivial epistemological roadblock for antinatalism.
When Benatar discusses the moral duty not to have children he runs into the obvious problem of how the interests of the parents should be weighed against the interests of the child. One does not need to be an ethical egoist to believe that the interests of the parents count for something. In this case the question returns to how bad the life of most people is and, as discussed, this is a rather vulnerable part of antinatalism. Benatar attempts to answer the obvious objection that most people who have been born do not regret this or blame their parents. But when I read his thoughts on "indoctrination" I only see further evidence of the anti-liberalism in his writings.
In fairness to Benatar (who seems to identify himself as a liberal of some sorts), he does defend the legal right to procreation because he admits that there can be reasonable disagreement about his views. I think this point is particularly important for antinatalism since reasonable objections often come from the very people whose lives Benatar characterizes as very bad. That is not to deny that society can choose to be less supportive of people who engage in reckless procreation. Such behavior can be substantially decreased by withholding benefits that encourage or reward such behavior. Benatar correctly argues that if one subscribes to a consistent interpretation of the Kantian argument that future people should not be treated as means, then all reproduction is morally dubious. But whether that highlights the virtues or defects of Kant's ethics I leave to the reader to ponder.
Benatar highlights the importance of making a distinction between the decision to bring someone into existence and the decision to continue life. Even if we commit to the idea that it is better never to have been we can still have reasons for wanting to continue life. As a matter of fact, Benatar entertains the argument that the prospect of death itself is one of the reasons why existence is bad. Those who follow Epicurus believe that death cannot be experienced and thus cannot be a bad thing for the person. This is an extremely difficult argument to refute, but Benatar's discussion of this topic is quite illuminating because he points out that those who hold this position may also have to commit to the view that death can never be good for a person. One only needs to imagine a person whose life is one of continuous suffering to see that this is not a plausible argument.
As an academic Benatar is less hostile to religion than Crawford and Ligotti but I do not think he can successfully escape the objection that antinatalism requires an atheist perspective. One does not have to be a scripturalist to note that Benatar is only concerned with the fate of humans and not with the interests of God. Perhaps Benatar cannot see any positive value in human suffering because his information about Creation is incomplete. Theodicies that reconcile the existence of God and the existence of Evil are not difficult to generate. As Plotinus has observed, "We are like people ignorant of painting who complain that the colours are not beautiful everywhere in the picture: but the Artist has laid on the appropriate tint to every spot."
Antinatalists and life extensionists
One would think that cryonicists and life extensionists should be repulsed by antinatalism. I think such a view would be mistaken. All the antinatalist authors discussed here are motivated by empathy for the suffering of all sentient life. We should also welcome the analytical and physicalist perspectives that underpin their writings. Too much (Continental) philosophy is simply an insult to the intellect and a waste of time. If a case should be made for pessimism it needs be stated in a form that is amenable to reasoned debate and empirical investigation.
Of more specific interest to life extensionists is the plausible prospect that our abilities to decrease suffering will (necessarily?) be matched by our abilities to increase suffering too. This is a possibility that should be studied in great detail by advocates of molecular nanotechnology, strong AI, and Substrate Independent Minds.
It is no secret that cryonicists are underperforming in terms of reproduction. But as Howard V. Hendrix discusses in the article "Dual Immortality, No Kids: The Dink Link between Birthlessness and Deathlessness in Science Fiction," this may not be a coincidence. If biological immortality becomes a credible option, having children as a substitute for personal survival will lose much of its appeal.
Most rewarding for cryonicists is the unique perspective that antinatalists can bring to the debate concerning why so few people have made cryonics arrangements. The hostility of many people towards cryonics cannot be explained if people categorically believe that meaningful resuscitation (revival) is impossible. It is the prospect that cryonics may actually work that induces severe anxiety. If the antinatalists are correct in their assessment that coming into existence is always a harm, the unpopularity of cryonics might be indirect evidence for their position.
I want to close this review with one word of advice to those who engage in debates with antinatalists. Most antinatalists waste little time reminding their readers how controversial their ideas are. They think that they have uncovered the greatest taboo of all time. As an empirical matter, this is doubtful. Antinatalist ideas can be freely discussed in modern Western countries, something that cannot be said about a number of other controversial ideas. Antinatalists are also quick to point out that their pessimism should not be dismissed as an expression of weakness and depression. But then the antinatalists commit a similar error by too easily viewing optimism as a defense mechanism or a form of bias. But is it completely unreasonable to look for the neurophysiologic and genetic basis of pessimism and optimism? The uncompromising naturalism in the work of the antinatalists supports such an inquiry.
Jim Crawford: Confessions of an Antinatalist (Nine Banded Books 2010)
Thomas Ligotti: The Conspiracy Against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror (Hippocampus Press 2010)
David Benatar: Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence (Oxford University Press 2006)
Thanks to Dr. Michael Perry for discussing some of the topics in this review and proofreading an earlier version of this document.


AKA "I love my macro feature."
I don't really know what any of these plants are, but I'd love to, if any readers have a better clue than I do.
The third one is pasque flower (Anemone patens), so called because at least in these parts, it tends to bloom near Easter. It's a prairie plant.
The first one is absolutely spectacular. It may be wild hyacinth (camissia scilloides), but I'm not sure.
The yellow one looks like an iris. It may be yellow flag. Though I'm not actually sure that that's native. Blue flag is.
I believe the gardens weren't required to have 100% native plants, so it could be yellow flag.
It turns out that Yellow Flag is native, but I can't find any photos of it that have those stripes. That's got to be an iris, though.
Piranha may be right about number 3, but it's blooming here right now and I've seen some odd garden variations. I take back the present-tense affirmation, however, and substitute a conditional.
Wow, I like that third one and the leaves(?) on that last one are cool.
#4 is iris variegata with the ends of the dark patterned leaves eaten off, *heh*. like here: http://www.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/~db50/FOTO_-_Archiv/Iris%20variegata%20BotKA%20G4.jpg.
i don't know that #3 is a pasqueflower -- the wooliness certainly made me think of it too, but it's too late for it, isn't it? it also doesn't quite look right, though that's not a plant i know well -- but in my mind the blossom has its own stem, no protective capsule leaves (whatever the real name is for them), and the leaves are thready. *googles*. like: http://www.photoshutter.com/flower/fl-66l.jpg. that picture rocks! *googles some more*. oh man. you got a lot of woollies: http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/flora/com-W.html -- calphotos is such a great site; i had all forgotten about it.
don't even have a remote clue as to #2. go back when it's beyond budding. :) not that that helped me with #1, mind. it is not a camas (they're native here), but i don't know what it is instead.
*snrk* on the chewed iris. The perils of organic gardening.
The purple bits in the sedum look like a wandering-Jew variety.
I join the hordes who are crazy for the first one but have no idea what it is.
I spent two wonderful hours perusing my collection of Gardening and flower books, but was unable to figure out what type of flower was in the first picture. Thank you for sharing your pictures. If anyone figures it out I sure would like to know, it is very nice.
Thanks for your efforts! I hope you enjoyed your perusals.


text:
Q: Creating SFML window triggers breakpoint I am trying to open a SFML window in my program. The program actually works (tested it at school). Now back at my own computer I often (not always) get the error "Game_of_Life.exe triggered a breakpoint". That especially happens whenever I try to add code. But even if I delete the code just added, it won't start working properly again.
Here's the code:
world_1.gen = Start_Gen(config.world_size);
copy_gen = (int *)calloc(config.world_size * config.world_size, sizeof(int));
world_1.recs = Create_Empty_Recs(config.world_size);

//window parameter
mode.height = config.window_size;
mode.width = config.window_size;
mode.bitsPerPixel = 32;

world_1.window = sfRenderWindow_create(mode, world_1.name, sfResize | sfClose, NULL);

The error occurs in the last line.
Can anybody point me to the flaw? It feels like my IDE Visual Studio 2012 is just acting randomly.
Thanks in advance
Jonas

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Umpqua River Bridge is a swing-span bridge that spans the Umpqua River in Reedsport, Oregon. It consists of a central swing span flanked by two reinforced concrete arches on each end. The swing span was necessary to accommodate tall sailing vessels which were common on the Umpqua River. The final cost of the bridge was $510,500.

Located at milepoint 211.11 on U.S. Route 101, this bridge is the only remaining swing-span bridge on the Oregon state highway system. This bridge was one of the many bridge projects of Conde McCullough, Oregon's Master Bridge Designer and Builder. It opened to traffic on July 3, 1936.

The north end of the bridge is within Bolon Island Tideways State Scenic Corridor; the south is within Reedsport city limits. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 5, 2005.

No dedication ceremony occurred at the time due to the unavailability of President Franklin Roosevelt. The ceremony was postponed indefinitely. At 3pm on September 8, 2011, the bridge was opened and closed, followed by a ribbon cutting, and cars from the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s crossed the bridge. It was finally officially dedicated to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Gallery

See also

List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon
List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Oregon
List of bridges on U.S. Route 101 in Oregon

References

External links

Swing bridges in Oregon
Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Oregon
Bridges completed in 1936
U.S. Route 101
Bridges in Douglas County, Oregon
Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon
Bridges by Conde McCullough
Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System
National Register of Historic Places in Douglas County, Oregon
1936 establishments in Oregon
Drawbridges on the National Register of Historic Places
Steel bridges in the United States
Public Works Administration in Oregon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ebola is spreading up to nine times faster in parts of Sierra Leone than two months ago, a report by the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) said on Sunday.
The US envoy to the UN, Samantha Power, on Sunday credited a reported drop in new Ebola infections in West Africa to US and other international aid efforts.
US philanthropist Bill Gates on Sunday announced he will donate over $500 million to fight malaria and other infectious diseases in the developing world, saying the Ebola outbreak is a call to action.
Authorities in Sierra Leone say another doctor there has tested positive for Ebola, marking a setback for efforts to keep desperately needed health care workers safe.
The SARS outbreak of 2003 put Hong Kong on the frontline of a global health crisis—but the city's ultimately successful war on the virus offers lessons for those now battling Ebola.


text:
Video Classification Using 3D Convolutional Neural Network
Author(s): K. Jairam Naik (National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India) and Annukriti Soni (National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India)
Source title: Advancements in Security and Privacy Initiatives for Multimedia Images
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Ashwani Kumar (Vardhaman College of Engineering, India) and Seelam Sai Satyanarayana Reddy (Vardhaman College of Engineering, India)
Keywords: Information Science Reference / IT Security and Ethics / Media & Communications / Multimedia Technology
View Video Classification Using 3D Convolutional Neural Network on the publisher's website for pricing and purchasing information.
Since video includes both temporal and spatial features, it has become a fascinating classification problem. Each frame within a video holds important information called spatial information, as does the context of that frame relative to the frames before it in time called temporal information. Several methods have been invented for video classification, but each one is suffering from its own drawback. One of such method is called convolutional neural networks (CNN) model. It is a category of deep learning neural network model that can turn directly on the underdone inputs. However, such models are recently limited to handling two-dimensional inputs only. This chapter implements a three-dimensional convolutional neural networks (CNN) model for video classification to analyse the classification accuracy gained using the 3D CNN model. The 3D convolutional networks are preferred for video classification since they inherently apply convolutions in the 3D space.
K. Jairam Naik, Annukriti Soni. © 2021. 18 pages.
Building an IPFS and Blockchain-Based Decentralized Storage Model for Medical Imaging
Randhir Kumar, Rakesh Tripathi. © 2021. 22 pages.
Evolution of Big Data in Medical Imaging Modalities to Extract Features Using Region Growing Segmentation, GLCM, and Discrete Wavelet Transform
Yogesh Kumar Gupta. © 2021. 38 pages.
Applying Smart Security Model to Protect Client Services From the Threats of the Optical Network
Kamel H. Rahouma, Ayman A. Ali. © 2021. 34 pages.
Reversible Watermarking Techniques: Digital Conent Security
Muni Sekhar Velpuru. © 2021. 19 pages.
Noise Removal With Filtering Techniques
Vijayakumari B.. © 2021. 24 pages.
Time Series Analysis for Crime Forecasting Using ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) Model
Neetu Faujdar, Anant Joshi. © 2021. 41 pages.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Abortion activists fear SCOTUS will roll back Roe v Wade, would be 'devastating'
In: Local Headlines, Local news, Local news, National News, Top Line News stories
The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a challenge to a Mississippi law that prohibits nearly all abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. While pro-life groups praise the move, leftists and members of the press are outraged, fearful that Roe v.Continue Reading
Pro-Life students arrested for writing 'Black Preborn Lives Matter' on sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood
Students for Life of America (SFLA) announced on Twitter that two pro-life activists were arrested outside a Washington, DC Planned Parenthood for writing with chalk on the sidewalk–"Black Pre-born Lives Matter". In a video that was tweeted, Warner DePriest and Erica Caporaletti were approached by police, warned and soon arrested.Continue Reading
Future City Competition announces new theme: Clean Water Tap Into Tomorrow
In: Human Interest, Local Headlines, Things to Do
We turn on the faucet and clean water flows. Most of us don't give it much thought. But for civil engineers, urban planners, developers, and other professionals, maintaining a reliable water supply takes expertise, planning and constant vigilance. A water-resilient city must be prepared to address a wide range ofContinue Reading
40 Days for Life Coast-to-Coast includes Tampa rally Nov. 3
In: Human Interest
Recognizing the urgency for ending America's abortion crisis, 40 Days for Life is launching an unprecedented 40-day bus tour to bring its message of hope to cities and towns across the United States that are united in prayer and fasting during this fall's UNITED 40 Days for Lifecampaign, which runsContinue Reading


As recently as 2000, little Fairmount Park was handling $47.2 million on its live racing dates. Last year that number was $18.4 million.
Adding the lottery, adding riverboat casinos, adding video gambling in every little tavern around has cost the horse race track. None of those other forms of gambling create a product and thus real wealth. They just move money from one pocket to another.
So when Fairmount Park President Brian Zander is asked what the track needs, the tale is very familiar: It needs video gambling. It serves liquor, which is our state's prerequisite for getting video gaming, but it isn't allowed to have even those five machines though the bar across the street and other horse tracks have them. It wasn't allowed by the state to partner with the Casino Queen in East St. Louis. It couldn't get lawmakers to OK video machines that allow bets on old races with those races' identities masked.
Fairmount Park helped create Illinois gambling, but so many more have been brought to the trough that others ate most of the horse track's means of offering race prizes and thus attracting horses and bettors. So many forms of relief have been blocked by Illinois leaders.
You have to wonder if this race is so rigged that the old nag must either learn to run on two legs or fall by the wayside and die.


Belushi: An Electoral College Attendee?
One of those arcane topics that makes its way into political conversation is the Electoral College. Despite the fact that it should be treated as a pretty technical subject, it is usually given the same bumper-sticker treatment that serves as political discussion these days. Popular sentiment boils down to, the will of the people is ignored by the Electoral College and it should be reformed or replaced to more directly represent the popular vote.
Hey, great idea, right? Who could possibly be against the will of the people and the popular vote? And besides, isn't the Electoral College some arcane leftover from the 18th century? Wasn't it devised by a bunch of fuddy-duddies who were after maintaining power for the privileged few? Like most bumper sticker ideas, these are all exploded rather easily once you actually examine things.
First of all, the founders created the Electoral College expressly to prevent the type of insane power brokering that happens when somebody is incapable of winning the popular vote. Having experienced the shortcomings of parliamentary elections first-hand as British subjects, they were determined that Presidential elections should have a clear winner. Further, they were determined that each state would have a fair say in determining the winner. As odd as it may seem to people without a solid grounding in American history, our nation has always had regional differences in culture, along with the attendant political differences that arise from them. Although we love to dismiss many of their ideas as outdated and irrelevant in modern society, the Founders understood that direct elections bring with them tremendous peril for functioning government.
Were they right in their assumptions and fears? That anyone of voting age could think otherwise demonstrates either the inability to comprehend civics – or do some basic math. Currently, there is a proposal going around calling for each state to amend their constitutions to allow for direct apportionment of their Electors. The Republican Party is similarly apportioning their votes in the 2012 primary process. The result, based on the fact no candidate can seem to muster more than 40% of the vote and the front runners routinely poll in the mid-20's, is likely to be a brokered convention. For those of you wondering what one of those looks like, I refer you to the 1968 Democratic Convention. Most people only know it for the chaos in the streets of Chicago – forgetting the chaos inside the convention itself. Before finally settling on Eugene McCarthy as the party's candidate, the convention floor was raucous while party leaders haggled behind closed doors for days.
2000: This is the election most cite in wanting to do away with the Electoral College. Neither major party candidate achieved 50% of the popular vote, but thanks to the Constitution George W. Bush garnered 279 electoral votes, 9 more than needed for victory, despite trailing Al Gore 48.4% to 47.9% in the popular vote. But had the electors been decided by the direct apportionment method, the electoral votes would have tallied as Bush 259, Gore 258, Ralph Nader 17, Pat Buchanan 4. Nader would have been a kingmaker in that scenario, as he could have pledged his votes to either major party candidate. The result would be what we witness in countries with otherwise weak minor parties – a leader forced to try and hold a coalition together, held at whim by the minor party's demands.
1992: This is the granddaddy of all examples as to why the Electoral College works. Perot garnered nearly 20 million votes nationwide, finishing second in Utah and Vermont (and falling short of winning Utah by less than 12,000 votes). It was the most successful third party candidacy in history, with Perot capturing 18.9% of the total popular vote. Yet, he won no electoral votes since he didn't carry a single state. Bill Clinton won the electoral vote, 379-159 over George H.W. Bush, despite only capturing 43% of the popular vote. Under direct apportionment, the result would have been grim, indeed. Clinton would have managed only 229 electoral votes, Bush 201 – and Perot 108. Try to imagine the type of havoc Perot could – and would – have created had electors been directly apportioned. Constitutional crisis only begins to describe it.
That's three elections within the past 20 years that would have been turned upside down, without a clear winner or any semblance of legitimacy for the eventual President. Except that the Electoral College was there to sort through the debris and declare a new President. So, before signing on to do away with the Electoral College or make dramatic changes to its structure, remember that those aging fuddy-duddies who wrote the Constitution knew a thing or two. As usual, we would be well advised to stop and think about the how and why they created the structures of our government before casting them aside.


Showing off your photos is easy enough. But showing off your photos and your videos together—including videos that you may have spread across different services—isn't always that easy, especially when you want to add custom audio files to the mix. Smideo HD 2013 can help: This (mostly) easy-to-use application allows you to create video slideshows that look polished and professional.
Before you begin your first project, Smideo shows you how to get started.
Smideo's name comes from "Smart Video Creator," and it fits, as the application is smart. You can try it free for 30 days, but the trial version will not allow you to create HD videos. You have to pay a little over $26 to unlock that feature.
Smideo lets you add files from your camera, hard drive, or those stored in various online photo and video repositories.
Smideo's step-by-step approach makes it easy to get started with your project. First, you have to create a Smideo library by populating it with the photos and videos you'd like to use in your slideshow. You can add individual files, entire photos, or download content from YouTube or Flickr. Anyone looking to create an instructional video will appreciate that Smideo lets you film your screen and share that screencast as part of your video, too. Once you have your files ready, you select the ones you'd like to use and move on.
If your video isn't the right file type, Smideo handles the conversion for you.
If Smideo gives you the option of cutting any video you've added into smaller chunks. When you move on to the next step—arranging the order of the slideshow—you can insert these smaller video chunks in with the photos you've chosen. You also can add text overlays to your content, and set the picture length as you desire. Next, you add any desired audio tracks to the slideshow. If you'd like you can record your own audio using your PC's microphone.
You can sort your photos and videos as you'd like, or let Smideo arrange them randomly.
When you're finished, you select the video effects for your finished product: relaxing or dynamic. This changes the transition between the photos and videos in the slideshow, either speeding them up or slowing them down. It would be nice to have more options here. Rival Fantashow, for example, allows you to preview the transitions and lets you use different styles in a single slideshow.
Still, Smideo will appeal to home and business users who want control over the look and feel of their slideshow. Unlike Fantashow, it doesn't require that you select a theme the slideshow; Smideo lets your content shine. But its options may prove overwhelming for casual users, who will likely be more comfortable with the hand-holding that Fantashow offers.
Smideo HD 2013 is a cool tool for creating slick video slideshows.


Otto Dix was a German painter/printmaker and much of his work is very moody. He was a German Expressionist and his works tell stories about society and the brutality of war. He was removed from his post as an art teacher when the Nazis came into power because he was thought of as a "degenerate" artist.
I messed with some filters to make the above photos look more "painterly" and moody, a la Otto Dix's self-portrait painting. I'm doing my best disaffected, don't-care-type of faces here, too. So very German. I considered donning a turtleneck Sprockets-style, but thought better of it.
Apparently a bunch of Otto Dix's artwork that was deemed "degenerate" was discovered only recently in 2012! I always feel like I should know this stuff already (since I teach art) when I uncover it in my research for #OWWWA... hmm, do you think that I can submit these blog posts as professional development?
It's a second turtleneck painting! Argh! Maybe I should have. Anyways, I wore all-over dark, with a maroon-ish dress shirt as a nod to the prevalent warm/red tones that do appear in the color pieces. German expressionism is so angsty. I thought the business-like coldness of a shirt and tie was appropriate. I added faux-leather trimmed leggings and wedge heels to give my overall outfit a slight feminine edge (the female paintings still have a masculine aspect, despite the heavy makeup).
Side note: I bought this Kate Spade bracelet on eBay and I love it. It fits my businessman theme.


Hey everyone, this is my latest game. The concept is pretty simple: the floor is falling out from behind you so run for your life. It gets more complicated when you add in a grappling hook and a glider. The levels get progressively more challenging and can get pretty difficult later in the game. Also, this was made for the "This Game is Art" competition at Game Maker Games.
The controls are arrows move, up jumps (you can double jump), and Z shoots a grappling hook.
Edited by SuperCasey4, 05 July 2008 - 11:17 PM.
neat graphics. a better character design and animations, and then some serious aa and a better fading effect (not exactly sure how to do so, maybe a gradient on each block instead of just fading normal) would make it a lot better. also, I'd add slopes on the platforms.
I couldn't get passed the second level. the long gap where you have to double jump and use the hook really murdered me, I couldn't figure it out.
I don't like how the grappling hook only goes a certain direction and only lasts a few seconds.
I realized that I can use the grapppling hook more than once per jump. I beat it too.
Cool, I guess I should add in some anti-aliasing but I don't think its all that noticeable while the game is in motion.
Very well done. But as already said. Antialiasing and better fading could make it better.
Also, it would be interesting to see some other "vehicles" than just the plane.
Thanks! But is the non-anti-aliasing really that noticeable? I mean it is really noticeable in the screenshot but I didn't really think it showed up in the game due to the speed of everything. I might still add some more levels but I don't what vehicles I would add, I was considering adding a parachute with a vertical level but I don't really know if that would fit with the game, and it would probably be pretty similar to the glider except vertical.
Wow I really loved this!
It was a lot of fun, and I'd give it a 9/10 or so.
Great game I loved the music, But I could only get to level 3.
could u plz make a dowloadable version.
Lol - it is easy if you rapidly press the jump, grpling hook and move keys and such.
Great game! I liked every single minute of him. It was inovated,yet artistic.


Are You Building a Resume or Writing a Eulogy?
Yesterday, Americans voted for 435 members of the House of Representatives, 36 members of the Senate, and 36 governors. What matters today is what they will do now that they have won.
Why is a Feminist Calling on Guys to Be Men?
When was the last time you heard a feminist defend masculinity? It's a "man bites dog" story, next on BreakPoint.
Are You Building Your Resume or Your Character in Christ?
Wouldn't it be great if Washington's power brokers committed themselves to something beyond themselves? Actually, wouldn't it be great if we all did?


Alright the break from my short film, gave birth to another sideproject. Another short film. So my baghead film mentioned in the previous post will be delayed. This one is really short though (just about 1:30 mins). Coming real soon. Stay tuned!


text:
Student's Art Portfolio Draws Attention to Real Life Issues
Emily Kutler, Wired Co-Editor-In-Chief|February 4, 2019
Wood said that in his first project he did the image of a hot air balloon made out of currency to portray the search for satisfaction or happiness through money. The landscape is filled with buildings that bring in a lot of money such as the buildings on Wall Street. Wood said he thinks it's an issue in society that we think money equals success. "Most importantly I just wanted people to see that the person in the picture that has all of this wealth is still searching even just for a little more wealth. They are not satisfied with what they have," Wood said.
Even when he was three years old perfecting his stick figures, senior Daniel Wood has always had a passion and a love for art. Wood said that he didn't get serious about art until high school when he was able to start exploring with everything from pastels to sculptures.
"Art has just always been a way to express emotion or express something I'm thinking about, or just to relax in general," Wood said.
Wood's AP portfolio consists of pieces focused around a theme: the search for satisfaction or happiness. Wood said he came up with the idea because he saw certain things controlling his life that were taking away from his time with family and other things that are important to him. He said he also knew this was something others struggled with and wanted to create a portfolio that would not only challenge himself, but other people as well.
"To show a search for happiness I did an idea where I showed people trying to take flight in certain things," Wood said. "And the ways that they were taking flight, whether it's a hot air balloon which was one of my initial pieces, or wings or airplanes, was the things that they sought for happiness or just dedicated their lives to. And I wanted to show in many cases how that can be bad or damaging to other people, yourself, and who you turn out to be."
Wood said he loves metaphors in pictures and chose to cover topics in his pieces ranging from alcoholism, to body image, to even addiction to inhalants. With AP deadlines about every two weeks, Wood has eight pieces so far in his collection. He said if he had to pick a favorite, he would pick the seventh which focuses on the damage of success.
"This one was personal to me because I wanted to do a project where I kind of explored how seeking attention or fame or just any sort of success can be damaging to possibly having a good relationship with my family," Wood said.
Elizabeth Hough, Wood's art teacher, said Daniel has come up with the idea for every one of his paintings, but she has been able to help him think about how to execute those ideas. Hough teaches Drawing and Painting One and Two and AP Portfolio. She said that both as a student and as an artist, Daniel excels. She said that not only are his techniques strong, but his conceptual thinking pushes his artwork to the next level.
"I think a lot of times people look at Daniel's work and are both inspired and intimidated by it," Hough said. "I think that one thing is that he does have a lot of natural skill, but also he puts a lot of work into it. He takes stuff home, he works on it a lot at home. He has the kind of dedication and passion for it and that really shows in his work."
Wood, being recently acquainted with Instagram, created an Instagram account to put his work on a platform. He said he has enjoyed seeing that others like the work he creates.
"It's encouraging because I was hoping to challenge people with this portfolio," Wood said. "That was kind of the whole goal with it, to challenge myself and others. And it's exciting to see that other people are paying attention to it, and hopefully they're just taking into mind what the message is."
With his hopes set on going on a pre-med track in college, Wood said he also hopes he will be able to consider art as a minor. Through the messages he portrays in his work, Wood said he hopes to push others to share what they have to say.
"If you're an aspiring artist, the biggest thing I would say is to be confident with what you put out," Wood said. "Every artist or person has something to say and I think that your opinion is valid and it needs to be shared because there's going to be someone who relates to you or could possibly be changed too by your artwork."
Emily Kutler, Wired Co-Editor-In-Chief
Hi my name is Emily Kutler! I am the Co-Editor-in-Chief for Westside Wired this year. I am currently a senior and this is my third year on Wired. If you...
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Discussion in 'Professional Pastry Chefs' started by jproaster, May 3, 2010.
I'm testing my proofer in order to know how to use it for bread,etc.
I put hot water in the tray and started with the Temp dial at just under 1 and the Humidity dial at 10 (limited experience has taught me to start there).
At 30 minutes the temp/hum indicator (I placed one on a tray in the box about 2/3 from floor) read 90deg and 81 hum.
I then opened the box to pretend to place a few pans and closed up.
Three minutes later: 90 deg and 69 hum.
12 more minutes: 90 deg and 81 hum.
15 more minutes: 90 deg and 81 hum. and the door is fogging up.
So, do these readings seem normal?
Will I ever need more than 80 humidity? Reinhart says that 90 F and 80 humidity is norm for bakers (TBBA p87).
The room temp/hum during testing was 77F and 50 hum.
if your proofer is anything like mine and the other manual models I've worked with, you will have to learn to get used to it and it adjust it accordingly-like you would an oven.
Personally I find the humidity most tempermental and hardest to control, as you found, after a time steam will build up, too much steam and the croissants/pain au chocolat/danish can start to leak butter or your bread can get a bit flat and flabby.
You can open the door now and again to keep an eye on the steam build up. My own way of overcoming this was to put the dry heat dial on 1, and turn off the steam when putting in the trays. Tray position will probably have to adjusted now and again, as those nearest the element and water resevoir will rise faster.
Your room temperature is also hot enough to proof outside of the cabinet, allow your bread to rise under a plastic sheet-flour the bread first so that the dough doesn't stick to the plastic.
for the croissants rising at room temperature etc. spray them regularly with water from a spray bottle to prevent a skin forming.
Thanks for the good word. I'm going back and forth about using the cabinet since i'll never be large volume.


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A family's experience
Bereavement, Coronavirus, Local charities and community projects, Rosedale News
A family's experienceCharmaine DunsmoreApril 2, 2020 April 20, 2020
One of the families we have looked after these past few weeks have written down their experience of their loved one's funeral and have kindly given us permission to share it here:
One family's experience of a service prior to cremation during coronavirus lockdown
These are exceptional times. When we arranged for our father's cremation and service of thanksgiving, we had no idea of the measures that correctly would be introduced by government to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Before the introduction of social isolation, an early decision was taken in consultation with the funeral director and church minister to postpone the service of thanksgiving to a later date rather than risk bringing people together of all ages and from different parts of the country.
As an immediate family who were due to attend the service of committal at the crematorium, we then had to work out what to do, given we were not meant to travel because of the lockdown and attendance at the crematorium was being restricted to four people.
After consultation with the funeral director and minister, we agreed that no one would attend; even if four were there, the seating would be spread out in the vast crematorium chapel. We decided to mark the occasion remotely instead.
The funeral director made the usual arrangements for the cremation with dignity and the minister conducted the service in our absence. Piped music played the processional and recessional music that had been chosen as an organist could not attend.
In a range of settings, a husband, father, grandfather and friend was remembered at the time of his cremation as we followed the order of service for his committal and sang the hymns wherever we were in a very personal and relevant way. Although he loved company, we were confident that he would understand how we had needed to adapt the arrangements and give him a unique farewell.
• His wife remained at home, following the service, playing the piano and singing the hymns, then looked through photo albums full of happy memories.
• As he was always at the door to wave visitors off, the elder daughter who lived locally cycled close to his home to watch the hearse pass by and waved farewell on our behalf. Following the service she then stood by the gate to a meadow at the family farm.
• The middle daughter sat on a picnic bench that he enjoyed on the hill outside her home, following the service then drinking coffee and eating Norfolk shortcakes she had made especially
• The youngest daughter planted peas in the garden that were the variety he had grown, then followed the service in a room with family photos over five generations
• A grandson went out on his local training run on his bicycle, remembering how his grandfather used to enjoy watching him in his time trials and paused to watch lambs in a field knowing his grandfather would have enjoyed that countryside
• Working from home, the other grandsons paused to remember their grandfather as the service began
• Friends and family paused and reflected and lit candles at the time of the service
We know that as a friend to everyone, our father would not have wanted to put anyone in any danger. He would understand the exceptional circumstances that meant that we marked his cremation in special but different ways. We feel we did the right thing and our mother knows that our father is at peace after a good, long, happy life. We now look forward to sharing in a Service of Thanksgiving when the emergency is over.
Although we had to adapt to circumstances, our experience has also highlighted the importance of people making their wishes upon death known to guide families in carrying these out in difficult times.
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text:
Mental Health Clinic: A Place Where You Can Listen to Thousand Stories
By Gary Yap December 1, 2016 0 view
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The mental health clinic is a place where people can go to and seek for the support and services from a variety of professionals, be it a psychiatrist, a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a nutritionist and many more. I had worked in this setting for a period of 7 months and it's definitely an awesome journey to be a part of the team and I hope that writing this article can open a window for you to get a glimpse of what it means to work in the field, as well as sharing some of the more interesting experiences that I have had in the past few months.
A Place With A Thousand Stories
I worked as a para-counselor where I was given an opportunity to record the patients' history as well as performing symptoms-checking. Through interviewing new patients, I get the chance to listen to stories of people from different backgrounds. Soon, I realized that negative experiences and traumatic events (which I was initially shocked by after their sharing) are nothing special to them and I was really inspired by their attitude and their determination to endure the toughness of their situation regardless of the pain and suffering this entails. These made me more grateful and content in my own life. Working in this field, you will realize that family abuse, divorce, school bullying, cheating and other negative life events are happening every second around us without us noticing.
It's a time-racing & mentally stressful job
Working in the mental health field, it's not only about providing treatment for patients, but also a race against time. It's common knowledge that one of the gauges that we use to estimate the severity of one's depression is suicidal attempts / ideation. Usually, we handle depressed patients with suicidal attempts / ideation carefully and often times, they have to undergo electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) when patients are no longer responsive to medications or other form of therapy. I was once scolded by a psychiatrist as he misunderstood that we had delayed a suicidal patient's appointment, and he said to me, "We are always racing with time, we need to save them as early as possible before their next suicidal attempt."
I came across Electroconvulsive Therapy at the Psychiatric Department and Mental Health Clinic. ECT is a form of therapy which is believed to be one of the fastest and effective treatments for severe depression. It works in causing a brief seizure in the brain.
The specific mechanism of how ECT benefits in reducing severe depression is unknown but it's believed that the brain seizure possibly causes a change in the neurotransmitters in the brain which is responsible for severe depression. Another theory also proposes that the treatment may regulate the stress hormones in the brain.
Before the ECT, a patient will be injected with a muscle relaxant and then put to sleep for a very short period of time with a general anesthesia. Then, electrodes will be placed on his scalp and a suitable amount of electric current is applied by a professional that later triggers a brief seizure in the brain.
We may come across Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in movies, a scene whereby a patient received an electric shock painfully and is dehumanized during the treatment. ECT is misunderstood by the public due to misconceptions and erroneous media portrayal. I hope this article can help in enhancing better understanding towards ECT and more patients in need can accept ECT treatment.
Confusion between symptoms and side effect of medications
Some patients will accuse the prescribed medications of making them drowsy and experience fatigue most of the time. But in reality, it's usually due to the pre-existing symptoms of their illnesses. For example, initially, depressed patients may come with complaints of headache or tiredness and these symptoms continue to appear during the first few days of taking our medications. Then, they called up and said that they experienced discomfort due to the medications, when in fact the discomforts that they mentioned had already appeared by the time they came to see the psychiatrist. Furthermore, there is a common misunderstanding that psychiatric medications take effect within a few hours. Instead, it requires weeks or months for the medications to take effect for patients.
Self-Diagnosis & Self-Prescription
Some patients will try to diagnose themselves based on the guidelines or checklist which can be googled online. It's important to note that self-diagnosis may overlook some important symptoms and patients might undermine the role of psychiatrists and psychologists since they themselves can perform "self-diagnosis". Always keep in mind that even a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) couldn't list out every symptom of mental illnesses. Every case of mental disorder is individualized and each patient may exhibit various combinations of symptoms, hence experiences of mental health professionals is critically important in designing the individualized treatment for mental patients. I also noticed that a lot of patients were impatient to withdraw themselves from taking medications and reduce the dosage on their own. This is actually a big NO because psychiatrists will usually provide guidance on the ways of how to reduce the dosage of medications depending on patients' improvement.
It's never an easy task to work in the field of mental health, dealing and communicating with clients is definitely a tough job. Compared to dealing with normal illnesses like fevers and colds, mental health treatment definitely consumes more time, patience, empathy and commitment to ensure recovery from patients. It requires as much passion, love, and care, as it requires skill and knowledge.
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Break the stigma
Gary Yap
Hailing from Sandakan, Sabah (The Land Below the Wind), Gary Yap has developed a keen interest in psychology and mental health issues ever since he was 15 years old. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree of Psychology in HELP University, he volunteered at the Psychiatric Department of Duchess of Kent Hospital and worked as a para-counsellor at a private psychiatric clinic. He later completed his Master's in Clinical Psychology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. During his training in becoming a clinical psychologist, Gary was professionally trained at the Health Psychology Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; the Psychiatry Department, in Hospital Kajang; and the Psychiatry Department in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. Gary is currently a clinical psychologist associate at SOLS Health and also the director of MY Psychology (Malaysia's Leading Online Psychology Educational Platform) where he and his team utilized the strength of social media to increase psychological literacy and awareness about mental health issues in the public community. With the motto of "Learn . Share . Apply", he is striving to build a society where psychology is for everyone.
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It is what every company member worries about,, it gives actors sleepless nights, it gives the wardrobe department to the LX team the jitters, and its every director's biggest fear… will the audience like it? Will they respond? Does it make sense? Is it even funny?
And what do the people of South Wales think about JACK AND THE BEANSTALK??


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"string Of Pearls"- China's Strategy To Encircle India
Last Updated : 20-Jan-2023
With reports that China is considering establishing a naval station in Pakistan, India may once again be concerned about the much-discussed Chinese philosophy of "String of Pearls," which aims to confine both lands and India's maritime footprint in the region. A geopolitical idea about the network of Chinese aims in the region of the Indian Ocean is known as the "String of Pearls" (IOR). Between the Chinese mainland and Port Sudan, it specifically refers to the network of Chinese military and commercial facilities that China has established in nations bordering the Indian Ocean. India's "Look East Policy" has long been viewed as a response to China's "String of Pearls," a policy that has been the subject of heated discussion and debate.
But first, the One Belt One Road (OBOR), a larger version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), under which China would build a number of land and sea trade lines, is also considered as a part of China's greater military ambition. Chinese military and commercial facilities have already encircled India, and if, as has been claimed, a Chinese navy station is built on Pakistani soil that might be the final link in the chain of pearls around India. Even while China has built comparable military and commercial infrastructure to encircle Japan and other American allies as well, we are talking about China's presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which might cost India money in the event of a conflict with China.
1. Malacca Strait
Nearly 60% of trade, including oil from the Middle Eastern oil sources, passes across the Indian Ocean. And the Strait of Malacca serves as the conduit for 80% of China's oil imports. China must therefore rely on the Strait of Malacca until it establishes alternate routes. China is therefore eager to establish cordial ties with nations that border the Malacca Strait, such as Malaysia and Singapore.
India holds a strategic sway over the Malacca Strait, and in the past, India has threatened to close it when China considered supporting Pakistan during the 1971 War. India practically blocked the Karachi port during the Kargil conflict in 1999 by utilizing its navy to stifle Pakistan's supply lines. In a remote area of Australia called Cocos Keeling Island, China is rumored to have built a naval station close to the Strait of Malacca.
2. Myanmar
China is present in the port of Kyaukpyu in Myanmar. China now has access to a commercial maritime facility that can double as a military facility during times of conflict thanks to the port located in the Bay of Bengal. China has made significant investments, one of which is a 2400 km gas pipeline that connects Kyaukyu and Kunming.
The Coco Islands are another significant Chinese presence that is near to Indian shorelines. North of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Coco Islands play a crucial strategic role during times of conflict. According to reports, China also has a military outpost there.
3. Bangladesh
China has expanded Chittagong's port, giving them yet another station to employ in the Bay of Bengal's interior. Bangladesh and Myanmar are both significant countries in the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM), sub-project of the OBOR, which China has heavily invested in. China has been pressuring Bangladesh to permit a naval facility close to Chittagong once more.
There is no need to introduce Pakistan-India relations, as China is Pakistan's all-weather partner. Pakistan has thus always served as a tool for China to restrain India. The political experts believe that China will not only support the Pakistan Navy through the Gwadar port but would also launch an offensive using this port in the event of a Sino-Indian conflict, making the Gwadar Port developed by China for the purposes of CPEC just the tip of the iceberg.
And now the Pentagon has released a report suggesting that China may establish a fully functional naval facility in Pakistan, which once more speaks volumes about Chinese goals in the IOR.
6. China's Involvement In The Greater Ior
China has not restricted itself to enticing the nations that surround India, it has also established itself in the Middle East and along the coast of Africa. China is said to have a significant presence on the Indian Ocean's African coast in Sudan and Kenya, and it is currently constructing a military base in Djibouti to fend off the expansion of American influence in the Middle East and IOR.
Here Is How India Intends To Counter China:
In addition to the Look East policy, which aims to strengthen ties with China's Southern-Eastern neighbors including Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Japan, India has also been working to strengthen ties with its neighbors to prevent them from settling into China's lap.
India recently provided Myanmar with grants and credit totaling more than USD 1.75 billion in an effort to counteract Chinese influence in the country.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi (INDIA) visited Bangladesh and met with his counterpart there. These actions are all viewed as crucial to fending off China. It's also conceivable that India and Bangladesh will build deep sea military installations in Sonadia. India struck a deal with Iran and is now building Chabahar Port in Iran as a response to China's Gwadar move.
Chabahar Port is even more important than Gwadar because it is situated at the mouth of the Hormuz strait, where oil trade from the oil fields in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates takes place. India has also made significant diplomatic investments in nations around China, such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. In addition, India has longstanding friendships with Russia, South Korea, and Japan.
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Overseas suppliers will more than likely want to be paid in their local currency straight into their bank accounts as this saves them additional transaction charges and delay in clearance of funds. However, your standard online package from the bank may not allow you to make direct payments into non-UK accounts. In that case you'll need to know what alternatives are available.
The UK banking community generally divides the world into: "Europe" - the 27 countries of the European Community as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland; and "Rest of the World" (ROW). Within Europe, you can pay £10-£20 to transfer money outside the UK. However, any fees due to the overseas bank will be payable by the recipient. For the ROW, you can pay £20-£27 per transfer. Again, the overseas bank will make a charge, but you can choose to pay only your bank's charges, to pay all the charges or to have the recipient pay all the charges. Speeds of transfer may be summarised as either: (1) "standard" - transfer arrives in up to four working days; or (2) "urgent" - transfer arrives in one to two working days (in countries with electronic banking systems). Obviously, you can expect to pay more for the swifter service.
Use our Foreign Payments Checklist to decide on the transfer method to suit you.
If you visit the branch to make this transfer, make sure you have all the information you need.
Although the Money Laundering Regulations talk about (up to) €15,000 being an ID-free amount, your bank may actually have a significantly lower limit for allowing a payment to be made without ID. Some banks set this as low as £1,000, so paying an invoice of €600 would not require proof of ID, whereas paying two invoices in one payment which together exceed this limit would. It's always best if you take your passport or other photo ID with you to the bank, just in case.


Low back pain is extremely common and affects most people at some stage in their lives. It can be extremely debilitating, and if you don't manage it properly the first time, it can affect the quality of the rest of your life.
There are a number of causes of low back pain which include disc bulge, joint irritation, muscle spasm, ligament sprain and stress fracture. Problems in your low back can also produce pain that radiates down your leg towards the foot, which is commonly known as sciatica.
With careful assessment, we can determine exactly what you need to do to relieve your pain, promote healing, avoid further damage, and get back to your normal activities. Rest alone has been shown to be poor advice. We can show you the quickest way to long-term recovery.