(no subject)

Back to this post:

https://timelets.dreamwidth.org/733687.html

Both of these figures (constructions) look like reasonable representations, which means that the last dot, e.g. z, has to be a monoid.

Thanks a thousand - 13

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, thanks to Яков Жерков (aka yakov_a_jerkov) for recommending a pull-up bar in his LJ many years ago. That was the best $100 I spent on exercise equipment ever. The device has been really useful over the years and I intend to use it [almost] every day this year too.

(no subject)

There remains a troubling contradiction between the two messages which Nietzsche is preaching: on the one hand, in the doctrine of eternal recurrence, he requires us to choose what we are live and are willing to relive, given that this will be repeated unavoidably; on the other hand, he urges us to love the real, whatever the case, without picking and choosing, and above all without wishing anything to be other than it is. The doctrine of recurrence invites us to select to live only those instants that we would be willing to live with over and over again, in infinite recession – whereas the notion of amor fati, which says yes to destiny, makes no exceptions, but comprehends and accepts all of experience within the one perspective: namely, love of the real. How do we reconcile these two positions? By admitting, as far as is possible, that this embrace of destiny kicks in only after the application of the highly selective requirements of eternal recurrence: were we to live under the auspice of eternity, were we finally to discover ourselves in and through ‘the grand style’, everything that happens to us would be good.

Luc Ferry. “A Brief History of Thought.”

The novelty of modern human existence

For thousands of years, planning to live beyond childbirth of an n-th child was an unthinkable pursuit for an average woman, while planning to live beyond the next war or pestilence was a foolish enterprise for an average man. Due to technological and social changes in the second half of the 20th century, the situation now is dramatically different. Long-term thinking, including e.g. wrt finance and environment, is almost required because children born today in OECD countries are routinely expected to live to 100 years. This is totally new for a vast majority of population, especially the voting majorities of the older people. Maybe that's why they have trouble getting their minds around issues like climate change or genetic modifications.

(no subject)

Кажется, я придумал тему для летнего семинара. Первый день года прошел не зря!