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Fellow former neuroscientist here! The proliferation of pseudo-neuro explanations and analogies is infuriating. I envy people like theoretical physicists who wo

Fellow former neuroscientist here! The proliferation of pseudo-neuro explanations and analogies is infuriating. I envy people like theoretical physicists who work in a field where laypeople don't feel like they have an intuitive understanding of their subject area.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
nprincigalli 7y ago
Maybe you haven't noticed how "quantum" is being thrown around these days, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_healing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_healing and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism
posterboy 7y ago
I for one am a specialist on quantum mechanics since I read Steven Hawking. It's all bonkers, I can tell you that, but because of the uncertainty principle, I'm not really sure. That's OK because there is some parallel world in the multiverse in which it isn't. And please don't ask me to explain, I've read enough to know that by Hoffstadter's Incompleteness theorems I cannot prove it.
- Jd 7y ago
  I know that dog created the universe with a pair of parentheses and after that it was pretty much backwards and uphill. ok maybe not: https://xkcd.com/224/ https://xkcd.com/224/
perl4ever 7y ago
I remember Richard Feynman (a theoretical physicist) explaining how you could deduce things about the human mind by observing behavior and self-reported internal states.
muzani 7y ago
I really wish there were more books for laypeople by neuroscientists. I don't care much for theoretical physics personally, but a lot of people want to understand their own brains.
- RaceWon 7y ago
  > lot of people want to understand their own brains. You are what you think. I have no idea how or why... but I know this is so.
  - krapp 7y ago
    >You are what you think. I have no idea how or why... but I know this is so. Given the evidence that conscious thought, self-awareness and "free will" are post-hoc effects, emerging after decisions are made by the brain at a subconscious level, it's more likely that that you are what thinks you.
    - Digit-Al 7y ago
      I gather there is some debate in the field as to whether this is a true effect or a consequence of bad measurements. I do find it fascinating and await better evidence before making my mind up either way. I do, however, appreciate your splendid and witty statement and shall reward you with an upvote :-)
    - RaceWon 7y ago
      > Given the evidence that conscious thought, self-awareness and "free will" are post-hoc effects, emerging after decisions But I thought I was a racer from age 6... and now I are one.
nanomonkey 7y ago
Former physicist here! Hearing people talk about vibrations, entanglement, dimensions, quantum and other specific terminology in a more or less woowoo/spiritual context is just as infuriating.
- Filligree 7y ago
  Fiction writer here. If I had a penny for each time one of my readers asked, "So did they go to another dimension?"...

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

nprincigalli 7y ago

Maybe you haven't noticed how "quantum" is being thrown around these days, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_healing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_healing and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mysticism

posterboy 7y ago

I for one am a specialist on quantum mechanics since I read Steven Hawking. It's all bonkers, I can tell you that, but because of the uncertainty principle, I'm not really sure. That's OK because there is some parallel world in the multiverse in which it isn't. And please don't ask me to explain, I've read enough to know that by Hoffstadter's Incompleteness theorems I cannot prove it.

Jd 7y ago
I know that dog created the universe with a pair of parentheses and after that it was pretty much backwards and uphill. ok maybe not: https://xkcd.com/224/ https://xkcd.com/224/

perl4ever 7y ago

I remember Richard Feynman (a theoretical physicist) explaining how you could deduce things about the human mind by observing behavior and self-reported internal states.

muzani 7y ago

I really wish there were more books for laypeople by neuroscientists. I don't care much for theoretical physics personally, but a lot of people want to understand their own brains.

RaceWon 7y ago
> lot of people want to understand their own brains. You are what you think. I have no idea how or why... but I know this is so.
- krapp 7y ago
  >You are what you think. I have no idea how or why... but I know this is so. Given the evidence that conscious thought, self-awareness and "free will" are post-hoc effects, emerging after decisions are made by the brain at a subconscious level, it's more likely that that you are what thinks you.
  - Digit-Al 7y ago
    I gather there is some debate in the field as to whether this is a true effect or a consequence of bad measurements. I do find it fascinating and await better evidence before making my mind up either way. I do, however, appreciate your splendid and witty statement and shall reward you with an upvote :-)
  - RaceWon 7y ago
    > Given the evidence that conscious thought, self-awareness and "free will" are post-hoc effects, emerging after decisions But I thought I was a racer from age 6... and now I are one.

nanomonkey 7y ago

Former physicist here! Hearing people talk about vibrations, entanglement, dimensions, quantum and other specific terminology in a more or less woowoo/spiritual context is just as infuriating.

Filligree 7y ago
Fiction writer here. If I had a penny for each time one of my readers asked, "So did they go to another dimension?"...