I am glad to announce the 9th of a continuing series of Orange County ACX/LW meetups. Meeting this Saturday and most Saturdays. The first few meetings were great (approximately 8 to 10 people), and I hope to see many of you at this one. Snacks will be available.
A) Two conversation starter topics this week will be. (video and reading at the end)
1) Psychedelic experiences with interconnectedness 2) Introduction to abstract entropy (may be technically challenging)
B) We will also have the card game Predictably Irrational. Feel free to bring your own favorite games or distractions. This is a pet-friendly park and meeting.
C) We usually go for a walk and talk for about an hour after the meeting starts. There are two easy-access mini-malls nearby with hot takeout food available. Search for Gelson’s or Pavilions in the zipcode 92660. I also provide paleo and vegetarian-friendly food.
D) Share a surprise! Tell the group about something that happened that was unexpected or changed how you look at the universe.
E) Make a prediction and give a probability and end condition.
F) Contribute ideas to the group’s future direction: topics, types of meetings, activities, etc.
Conversation Starter Readings: Suggested readings for this week are these summaries. These readings are optional, but if you do them, think about what you find interesting, surprising, useful, questionable, vexing, or exciting.
1) Psychedelics effects on sense of interconnectedness. Psychedelics often lead to experiences of connection with aspects of the universe that are normally not seen as related. Some questions to talk about. Are these alternative perspectives valid? Are they useful? Are they the same as religious or philosophical experiences? Have you had experiences like this that you wanted to share?
2) Introduction to abstract entropy. An article from the curated Less Wrong archives lays out and clarifies a lot of misconceptions about entropy. It starts at a beginner level but does contain math and diagrams. Entropy is widely misunderstood, both in fallacious and subtle ways. Many professional explainers need to be more accurate in their approach. This essay seeks to clarify things by approaching it as an autodidactic interest in getting things correct and clarifying ambiguities and apparent contradictions. His conclusions about entropy and its workings are close to mine.
Entropy is not just a property of this universe but seems fundamental to any possible system that can become more complex and change with time. It has implications everywhere you are dealing with a dynamic system or the consequences of a dynamic process and is fundamental to objective and subjective reality. It connects to information, heat and energy, evolution, intelligence and learning, and the universe’s fate.
OC Meetup in the Park Psychedelics and Entropy
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1szi4mI6ord8h0k2gDI6tyLkA-3hncX647I_lEU9-nfY/edit?usp=sharing
Hello folks!
I am glad to announce the 9th of a continuing series of Orange County ACX/LW meetups. Meeting this Saturday and most Saturdays. The first few meetings were great (approximately 8 to 10 people), and I hope to see many of you at this one. Snacks will be available.
Saturday, 11/05/22, 2 pm
1900 Port Carlow Place, Newport Beach, 92660
The Picnic tables outside the community clubhouse
33.6173166789459, −117.85885652037152
https://goo.gl/maps/WmzxQhBM2vdpJvz39
Plus code 8554J48R+WFJ
Contact me, Michael, at michaelmichalchik+acxlw@gmail.com with questions or requests.
Activities (all activities are optional)
A) Two conversation starter topics this week will be. (video and reading at the end)
1) Psychedelic experiences with interconnectedness
2) Introduction to abstract entropy (may be technically challenging)
B) We will also have the card game Predictably Irrational. Feel free to bring your own favorite games or distractions. This is a pet-friendly park and meeting.
C) We usually go for a walk and talk for about an hour after the meeting starts. There are two easy-access mini-malls nearby with hot takeout food available. Search for Gelson’s or Pavilions in the zipcode 92660. I also provide paleo and vegetarian-friendly food.
D) Share a surprise! Tell the group about something that happened that was unexpected or changed how you look at the universe.
E) Make a prediction and give a probability and end condition.
F) Contribute ideas to the group’s future direction: topics, types of meetings, activities, etc.
Conversation Starter Readings:
Suggested readings for this week are these summaries. These readings are optional, but if you do them, think about what you find interesting, surprising, useful, questionable, vexing, or exciting.
1) Psychedelics effects on sense of interconnectedness. Psychedelics often lead to experiences of connection with aspects of the universe that are normally not seen as related. Some questions to talk about. Are these alternative perspectives valid? Are they useful? Are they the same as religious or philosophical experiences? Have you had experiences like this that you wanted to share?
Video
Unity and Interconnectedness—broken down and described | Josie Kins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r8izfJ6Kng
- -PROJECT LINKS—Unity and Interconnectedness Article: https://effectindex.com/effects/unity...
Subjective Effect Index: https://effectindex.com/effects
2) Introduction to abstract entropy. An article from the curated Less Wrong archives lays out and clarifies a lot of misconceptions about entropy. It starts at a beginner level but does contain math and diagrams. Entropy is widely misunderstood, both in fallacious and subtle ways. Many professional explainers need to be more accurate in their approach. This essay seeks to clarify things by approaching it as an autodidactic interest in getting things correct and clarifying ambiguities and apparent contradictions. His conclusions about entropy and its workings are close to mine.
Entropy is not just a property of this universe but seems fundamental to any possible system that can become more complex and change with time. It has implications everywhere you are dealing with a dynamic system or the consequences of a dynamic process and is fundamental to objective and subjective reality. It connects to information, heat and energy, evolution, intelligence and learning, and the universe’s fate.
Essay
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/REA49tL5jsh69X3aM/introduction-to-abstract-entropy
Note that the audio is best listened to with the essay at hand because there are helpful diagrams.
Audio:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introduction-to-abstract-entropy-by-alex-altair/id1630783021?i=1000584355629