lev.lafayette's blog

Presentation to the Melbourne Existentialist Society, August 2nd, 2011

It is not uncommon for advocates to argue that the production of an sufficiently large expert rules based system will provide the sufficient and necessary requirements for 'strong' artificial intelligence. In recent days, attempts in this direction were made not by inorganic computational capacity, but rather with the development of a neural network using DNA.

Service at the Melbourne Unitarian Church, July 1st, 2011

Nota bene: These are the opening words, reading and closing words that I selected for a speaker on the topic above. As it turned out they were given by another members as the speaker did not attend and I gave an address on the Rejection of Imposed Authority, Divine or Human

Opening Words

2006 Statement of Conscience from the Unitarian-Universalist Association on the Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change

Address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church, June 26, 2011

Nature is a gift of Providence and, as a result, one which we all have an equal right to. But this also means responsibility, that we must pay for whatever damage that is done to nature, and those who are responsible should carry that cost. Where that cost is not applied in accordance to responsibility a social cost arises, and indeed, is encouraged.

Address to the Melbourne Unitarian Church, Sunday May 22, 2011

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease which has been the subject of much commentary by religious-minded people since its discovery in 1981, many of whom sought to blame those infected. This was primarily due the discovery of the disease among gay men and injecting drug users, especially through the irregular increase of cases of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and a previously-rare skin cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma. Tabloid media, displaying the usual sensitivity and accuracy, called this the "Gay Plague".

In 1903, the well-known member of the French Academy of Science, Prosper-René Blondlot, responsible for the first measurement of the speed of radio waves, announced a new form of radiation at the University of Nancy, whilst attempting to polarise X-rays. Excitement rose, and no less than 120 other scientists in 300 published articles also expressed the ability to detect this new radiation, which acquired the title "N-Rays"; notably there was a very disproportionate number of French scientists among the number. There was even debate over who discovered them first.

The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves

Presentation to the Unitarian Philosophy Forum, Sunday May 2, 2011

1.0 Matt Ridley, The Rational Optimist

Service to the Melbourne Unitarian Church's address Egypt's Revolution and the Awakening of the Arab Street, Samah Sabawi, Public Advocate, Australians for Palestine, May 1st, 2011

Opening Words