Unmaking Sense

Episode 12.71 The Olympics: how pointless they are and what that teaches us.

The Ikympics celebrate people who are very good at doing things that don’t need doing. But that tells us something about everything we do, which can also on some scale or other be adjudged equally pointless.

Episode 12.70: Could the questions and answers we ponder reflect social values more than we think?

Which questions do we ask and how do we decide which answers to accept? Just as we cannot have a private language, so we need social help to decide what matters. But society may approve solutions and answers that are not accessible, and not want us to try alternatives. So we continue to do things we don’t want to do to earn money to support lifestyles that are not fulfilling. Over and over again.

Episode 12.69: Boredom and entertainment.

Sometimes what appear to be blissful states if peace can seem tedious. We imagine, for example, that we would like to live forever, be immortal, but would we? How would we spend all that time? Some things need to be ended, especially when they are not and never could be finished, like a painting or a book. We like solving small problems because we have no means of solving big ones.6

Episode 12.68: Not all describable things are possible.

It sounds obvious that not all the things we can describe and talk about are possible, but often in life we beat ourselves up for failing to achieve things of just that kind. We imagine that if we had done something differently, things might have been otherwise; but if the hypothetical solution is not achievable, even though it is describable, this is folly.

Episode 12.67: Is the simultaneous sum of all goods accessible?

We use chess and Isaiah Berlin’s “Two Concepts of Liberty” to explore the question whether there are imaginable human states that, although they promise enormous benefits, are in fact unachievable and unreachable like impossible positions in chess. Unless we break the rules.

Episode 12.66: Implications of the fractal quality of knowledge

Because knowledge is a fractal, it is inexhaustible, just like the numbers: however far we go, however much we unpack, we always uncover more than we imagined possible.

Episode 12.65: The numbers we can make are inexhaustible

A quick digression into why in mathematics we can never run out of numbers, and how that is stranger than we might first think.

Episode 12.64: Perfectionism as arrogance

Why wanting things to be perfect is to want them beyond criticism, which nothing can ever be. Let things be imperfect, in life as in art, and leave their admirers needing to use their heads.

Episode 12.63: Creating by Embracing Imperfection

Summary by Claude 3.5 Sonnet:
The text is a transcription of an unscripted podcast episode where the speaker discusses creativity, perfectionism, and the value of imperfection. Key points include:
The speaker reflects on AI-generated feedback about their podcast being "rambling" and difficult to follow.
They compare this to their daughter's comments about perfectionism and creativity.
The speaker discusses their experience with academic writing and the lack of feedback it often receives.
They argue that the pursuit of perfection can be paralyzing and that it's better to create imperfect work than to create nothing at all.
Creativity is described as the act of selecting one possibility out of countless options, using examples from art and everyday life.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection and allowing listeners/readers to engage critically with content rather than presenting it as perfect.
They critique the idea of living vicariously through others' achievements, particularly in sports, suggesting it's better to participate imperfectly than to watch others' perfection.

Episode 12.62: living our lives through other people: some reflections.

Summary by AI: The text delves into the complexities of society's obsession with living vicariously through others, particularly in the context of sports and other forms of entertainment. The author reflects on why people invest so much time and emotion into following the achievements and failures of athletes and sports teams, questioning the true value and impact of such behaviors. The text also draws parallels between this phenomenon and broader societal issues, including the nature of leadership and the responsibilities of individuals within communities. Furthermore, the author critiques institutions like the United World College for potentially perpetuating self-serving behaviors rather than genuine contributions to society. Overall, the text invites readers to reflect on the underlying motivations and societal implications of the ways in which we engage with sports, entertainment, and notions of success and fulfillment.