How can historical transformation be analyzed without confusing what is structurally possible with what is probable, or what is probable with what is necessary? Structural Dialectics is a formal framework for analyzing transformation in complex systems. It combines four analytical resources that answer different questions: the modal and causal distinctions associated with Avicenna, Bayesian inferenceContinue reading “Structural Dialectics”
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Translation: রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্
রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্Rumjhumjhumjhum rumjhumjhum রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্Rumjhumjhumjhum rumjhumjhum খেজুর পাতার নূপুর বাজায়ে কে যায়।Striking ankle bells of palm leaves, who dances by? ওড়না তাহার ঘূর্ণি হাওয়ায় দোলেScarf twirling in the tornado, কুসুম ছড়ায় পথের বালুকায়।।Her blossoms are scattered over the sandy path. তার ভুরুর ধনুক বেঁকে ওঠেContinue reading “Translation: রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্ রুম্ ঝুম্ ঝুম্”
Translation: রাঙামাটির পথে লো
রাঙামাটির পথে লো মাদল বাজে,On the red clay path, oh, the drum beats বাজে বাঁশের বাঁশি,The bamboo flute calls বাঁশি বাজে বুকের মাঝে লো,The flute plays in my breast, oh মন লাগে না কাজে লো,Can’t work, oh রইতে নারি ঘরে ওলো প্রাণ হলো উদাসী লো।।Can’t stay home, oh, heart wanders, oh. মাদলীয়ার তালে তালে অঙ্গContinue reading “Translation: রাঙামাটির পথে লো”
Mind training
A while back, I offered some suggestions for a daily training regimen to improve the mind as an alternative to Buddhist meditation. After a little experimentation, I’m ready to try one. Pills: Omega-3, Magnesium supplements, Citicoline, Lion’s Mane extract. (Indians eat turmeric with every meal. It’s sometimes recommended as a supplement.) Android apps: Dominion byContinue reading “Mind training”
Contemporary fascism is an outgrowth of capitalism
Poverty expert Jason Hickel says the living standards of the poorest of the poor are rising while the living standards of people who are slightly wealthier are falling. In the past, the right wanted to maintain civilized standards of behavior (which was always a lie). The left wanted to radically restructure society to create universalContinue reading “Contemporary fascism is an outgrowth of capitalism”
Manim tutorial
Manim is a Python library that draws math and science animations. You write Python code that says “put a circle here,” “now move it there,” “now turn it into a triangle,” and Manim renders that into an actual video file. How to read this: each section is a concept, a tiny working example, a plain-EnglishContinue reading “Manim tutorial”
The 21st Century Ideology
There’s an assumed metaphysics behind mainstream 21st century thinking on both the left and the right: 1. every individual belongs to a cultural collective, 2. culture determines values and that 3. the values of each culture Platonically emanate out of its religion. On the left, these people argue for multiculturalism. On the right, these peopleContinue reading “The 21st Century Ideology”
Laulai or Neo-Arcadian, language of the breakaway civilization
Draft 7: Yet more typos and copy-paste errors I introduced while trying to fix the text. Added the /z/ law L10a. Draft 6: More typos. Said anθtka for humankind instead of anθka in the lexicon. Added the -st coda. Draft 5: Added two sentences at the end of the accusative overlay paragraph explaining how theContinue reading “Laulai or Neo-Arcadian, language of the breakaway civilization”
Translation: আজি বিজন ঘরে
A moving song by Tagore. আজি বিজন ঘরে নিশীথরাতেNow if, to this lonely house, in the dead of night, আসবে যদি শূন্য হাতে–You should come in with empty hands– আমি তাইতে কি ভয় মানি!Will I take fright? জানি জানি, বন্ধু, জানি–I know, friend, I know– তোমার আছে তো হাতখানি ॥You still have your hand forContinue reading “Translation: আজি বিজন ঘরে”
Translation: মোমের পুতুল মমীর দেশের মেয়ে নেচে যায়
মোমের পুতুল মমীর দেশের মেয়ে নেচে যায়।A wax-doll girl in a land of mummies goes dancing by বিহবল–চঞ্চল–পায়।।On swooning, restless feet. খর্জুর–বীথির ধারেBy a date palm avenue, সাহারা মরুর পারেPast Sahara’s dunes, বাজায় ঘুমুর ঝুমুর ঝুমুর মধুর ঝঙ্কারে।Her ankle bells go – jhumur jhumur – sweetly chiming by. উড়িয়ে ওড়না ‘লু’ হাওয়ায়Scarf fluttering in theContinue reading “Translation: মোমের পুতুল মমীর দেশের মেয়ে নেচে যায়”
Snapshots of the Labyrinth 