Robert Gibson
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Did Elizabeth Anscombe really "trounce" C S Lewis?
In various books and articles the legend has grown that C S Lewis got his comeuppance in the famous Oxford debate with the young lady who beat him at his own game. The legend is no doubt pleasing to those who regard Lewis as an intellectual bully. Strangely, however, I have found that those who allude to the incident do not bother to report the actual arguments used on either side - as though to do so... (posted by Robert 1 year 270 days ago.)
In various books and articles the legend has grown that C S Lewis got his comeuppance in the famous Oxford debate with the young lady who beat him at his own game. The legend is no doubt pleasing to those who regard Lewis as an intellectual bully. Strangely, however, I have found that those who allude to the incident do not bother to report the actual arguments used on either side - as though to do so... (posted by Robert 1 year 270 days ago.)
How To Avoid Addiction To Computer Games
The fascination and the appeal of a good strategy or world-building game like Civilization is obvious. How can one resist it? I have spent hours on Civilization - too many hours, I confess. It's a beautiful game; not only a challenge but a creative thing, enabling one to build patterns around which one can imagine a rich crop of stories. I once let sausages burn in the oven for 3 hours because I was playing... (posted by Robert 2 years 9 days ago.)
The fascination and the appeal of a good strategy or world-building game like Civilization is obvious. How can one resist it? I have spent hours on Civilization - too many hours, I confess. It's a beautiful game; not only a challenge but a creative thing, enabling one to build patterns around which one can imagine a rich crop of stories. I once let sausages burn in the oven for 3 hours because I was playing... (posted by Robert 2 years 9 days ago.)
Learning a Language - on autopilot
We all know that learning a language is a big time-consuming task. It requires fairly steady exposure to the material - rather than intermittent bouts of study. Many of us don't have the time or the mental energy to set aside a regular slot for a proper study period or lesson. In other words, we can't commit to (say) an hour a day sitting at a desk with a book or listening to a CD. That is to say, we don't have... (posted by Robert 2 years 16 days ago.)
We all know that learning a language is a big time-consuming task. It requires fairly steady exposure to the material - rather than intermittent bouts of study. Many of us don't have the time or the mental energy to set aside a regular slot for a proper study period or lesson. In other words, we can't commit to (say) an hour a day sitting at a desk with a book or listening to a CD. That is to say, we don't have... (posted by Robert 2 years 16 days ago.)
Barrington Bayley on Machine Consciousness - The Rod of Light
Barrington Bayley is the only author I know to have tackled the philosophical problems of machine consciousness seriously. And after using that word "serious" I hasten to add that his novels are magnificent entertainment. In "Soul of a Robot" the conclusion was reached, that machine consciousness was impossible by definition; yet that robots might get round this by "stealing the souls of... (posted by Robert 2 years 22 days ago.)
Barrington Bayley is the only author I know to have tackled the philosophical problems of machine consciousness seriously. And after using that word "serious" I hasten to add that his novels are magnificent entertainment. In "Soul of a Robot" the conclusion was reached, that machine consciousness was impossible by definition; yet that robots might get round this by "stealing the souls of... (posted by Robert 2 years 22 days ago.)
Sentence Structure in Edgar Rice Burroughs
In pursuit of the ultimate discovery of the secret of story-telling, one could do worse than study the rhythms of Edgar Rice Burroughs' prose. Because of his stereotypical characters and defects as a plotter, he must derive his power from some other source, and the source has eluded convincing explanation. It is all very well to say that his standard of invention is good and his writing vivid and clear; other... (posted by Robert 3 years 319 days ago.)
In pursuit of the ultimate discovery of the secret of story-telling, one could do worse than study the rhythms of Edgar Rice Burroughs' prose. Because of his stereotypical characters and defects as a plotter, he must derive his power from some other source, and the source has eluded convincing explanation. It is all very well to say that his standard of invention is good and his writing vivid and clear; other... (posted by Robert 3 years 319 days ago.)
Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars and Venus - A Comparison of Two Worlds
Apart from Tarzan , Barsoom (Mars) is ERB's most famous creation. His wonderful portrayal of a dying planet of warring city-states, with all its detailed and colourful depiction of varied flora, fauna, races, cultures, religions and customs, has an unsurpassed ease of touch. Many authors have invented worlds with more realism, intelligence and consistency of detail, but none with such... (posted by Robert 3 years 319 days ago.)
Apart from Tarzan , Barsoom (Mars) is ERB's most famous creation. His wonderful portrayal of a dying planet of warring city-states, with all its detailed and colourful depiction of varied flora, fauna, races, cultures, religions and customs, has an unsurpassed ease of touch. Many authors have invented worlds with more realism, intelligence and consistency of detail, but none with such... (posted by Robert 3 years 319 days ago.)
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