Ask SpaceYeti, mk II

[SpaceYeti]

Okay, I don't know why anyone would want to ask me questions, but here's the deal: I'll answer any and any questions ask, as fully as I currently can with no further research. This may prompt some research, and I may later edit a post based on new information, but the game is that I'll answer questions to the best and fullest of my ability currently. Have fun, I guess. If this sounds fun.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

How would you justify your belief in the scientific method?

 

[TimeAsylums]

best way to cook tenderloins?

do you make any money off of your blogs?

 

[onesteptwostep]

What's your opinion on Wittgenstein, of his ideas or his person?

Oh and I'd like to add, do you think there's a philosophy which you adhere to?

 

[SpaceYeti]

How would you justify your belief in the scientific method?

That's kind of a tricky question. Not because it's difficult to justify, but because it's not so much that I have a "belief in the scientific method". I mean, I do believe it exists, and I also believe it's the greatest method we have for understanding the universe, but that's from observing it work.

That is, we're forced to presume the universe as we witness it is, in fact, the universe. It's really not an option. If we acted otherwise, we'd be apparently unproductive, it seems we'd die from ignoring our hunger, etc. So it appears that what we experience as reality is reality. Science is the formalized manner of learning about how that universe works, through experimentation, hypothesizing, and peer review. It's an investigation into how things work. And it gets results! That's the important part. It's not like it's just a bunch of philosophers sitting around arguing with eachother and never actually checking to see if they're right. Checking to see if your idea is wrong is essentially the foundation of a functional experiment.

The scientific method is someone observing something, coming up with an idea about why that happens, and then trying to prove themselves wrong. If they don't, they share their idea with other people and ask them to try to prove them wrong.

So, basically, the scientific method is a sincere, objective investigation, where if you're wrong, someone will likely point it out. People seem to have created this concept of the scientific community as this esoteric, religion-esque group, who believe things only because it's what they're told, and who follow their leaders like religious figures, when that's not the case at all. Science, simply put, is an attempt to figure out how stuff works... and it actually figures it out! That's why we have computers, the internet, smart phones, medicines, vaccines, buildings, vehicles, and all the other marvels of technology. We, as a species, figured out how something worked, and put that process to use for ourselves.

The concept that I have a "belief in the scientific method" isn't really a good way to ask it. More, I believe that we can understand how the universe works, even if not in whole, and we can put that information to work. I believe that, because I witness the marvels of technology every day of my life. My son is alive because of them, I speak to you through them, and they keep my food cold when I need it cold, and heat it quickly when I need it heated.

The scientific method isn't a belief system, it's a system of information gathering. Further, any method of information gathering would necessarily fall into the categories of either science or reasoning, even if it were called something else. If you're actually figuring something out about how reality works, that's science.

I can't seem to say it succinctly. Basically, I believe in science because it works.

 

[SpaceYeti]

best way to cook tenderloins?

I can't claim there's an objectively best way to cook them, but I'd probably use a dry rub (brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, in descending order of quantity, add some others for playfulness (I suggest coffee, cinnamon, ginger, or mustard powder to start), then I'd grill them. Make sure to heat the grill up before you put them on for a nice sear. Flip once. I'm a one-time flipper. This may not be the most traditional loin cooking method, but I just cooked some steak earlier, and damn were they good. I might just want more of the same, and tenderloins would be, well, tender.

However, they'd be nice cooked other ways, too. I hear they're good in stew. Haven't tried it.

do you make any money off of your blogs?

haha, no way! I don't even post in them frequently enough that anybody would pay me, let alone can I pick a single topic to stick to! If I could get good money from them, I'd probably post to them more.

 

[SpaceYeti]

What's your opinion on Wittgenstein, of his ideas or his person?

I know I've heard the name, but I don't know why I have.

Oh and I'd like to add, do you think there's a philosophy which you adhere to?

I know that there are at least several philosophies to which I adhere. Off the top of my head, I'm a naturalist, an optimist, and an empiricist (though not strictly). I'm sure others apply, but I'm either forgetting about them now, or am unaware of their applicability.

 

[Yellow]

I've actually wanted to ask this one for a while, and I've been afraid to broach the subject with the active military people I've known. Anyway, I find it hard to believe that the majority of those in the military are just sheeple who mindlessly believe the "fighting for our freedom" line. About what percentage (do you think) of those in the military are a) just there for the steady job / are ambivalent, b) are disillusioned / burnt-out, or c) honestly think they are a member of Team America: World Police?

 

[SpaceYeti]

I've actually wanted to ask this one for a while, and I've been afraid to broach the subject with the active military people I've known. Anyway, I find it hard to believe that the majority of those in the military are just sheeple who mindlessly believe the "fighting for our freedom" line. About what percentage (do you think) of those in the military are a) just there for the steady job / are ambivalent, b) are disillusioned / burnt-out, or c) honestly think they are a member of Team America: World Police?

a) I'd guess upwards of 50%.
b) Probably about 20%.
c) Maybe some guys in the special forces, who kinda are.

a) In addition to the raw number, you've gotta consider how the military functions. If you join right out of high-school, you're probably not going to have any real-world experience. The military was always there to, financially at least, coddle you. If you join right out of high school and get out after, say, six years, you have no idea what to do with your life. In theory, you were given classes to figure it out, but it's mostly BS. Once out, you have to go do stuff, on your own, with nobody telling you to. Basically, the military makes you economically lazy/ignorant. That's actually a big chunk of why I support a lot of the VA programs. The VA helps veterans who don't know how to operate in the real world.

Most soldiers are also aware of this problem. They know they wouldn't know what to do outside the military, it's scary, so they stay in to avoid it. Why risk economic crisis when you could just stay in, do the job you already know, and get pretty fantastic benefits?

b) There are soldiers I personally knew who refused to do anything worthwhile because they knew they couldn't get fired, and they wouldn't get deployed because they're shitbags who nobody would want with them in war. Further, I never found anybody I personally knew who actually enjoyed war. Now, they might have liked being deployed, but they didn't like war. There's a difference.

c) I only knew a few SpecOps guys, and they weren't deluded, but they knew they were part of a highly trained combat unit, and they were well aware they could kick ass.

 

[dark+matters]

Are you a brony? If so, what is your favorite pony, and what is a link to your favorite "My Little Pony" song?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Are you a brony? If so, what is your favorite pony, and what is a link to your favorite "My Little Pony" song?

I am not a Brony, but of the shows my daughter has watched, MLP:FiM is among the better. My favorite pony is probably Rainbow Dash. I have no favorite MLP song.

 

[TBerg]

What are your personal feelings about the role of the U.S. Military in the world? Do you personally believe in heroes? Would you say that your experience was more positive or more negative?

 

[SpaceYeti]

What are your personal feelings about the role of the U.S. Military in the world? Do you personally believe in heroes? Would you say that your experience was more positive or more negative?

My feelings are pretty neutral on the topic, frankly. While I won't claim the government does a great job of communicating it's goals or methods, I do think our presence in the middle east is just, if not justified. Our presence in South Korea is probably the noblest alliance I have had any personal involvement in. I won't say it's perfectly innocent, but it's good, and beneficial to both parties. The real problem, frankly, is all the hippies who think war needs to end as soon as possible. While I can't get behind having goen to Iraq or Afghanistan in the first place, We did go there, and we should stay there until the job's done. Pulling out early every time we head over there is just going to cause future wars. We can't go over there, start a fight, then pull out before the fight's over. We need to help these countries build a sustainable government, and one we're allied with, while also working until the local people understand we are, in fact trying to help. We simply don't stay long enough to accomplish that.

I do believe in heroes. Frankly, I don't know what this question means. Obviously, I don't believe in super-heroes, but people have done heroic things, and people look up to others who they consider their heroes. I don't really have any personal heroes, but I know that others do.

My experience was absolutely more positive than negative. Granted, you have to factor in my financial situation and it's about-face after joining. I grew while in the military, but I have no reason to suppose I wouldn't have done that same growing if any other situation brought about the same results financially. I did meet some good people and a few friends, so that's a net positive, too. Further, now that I'm out, I'm taking advantage of the GI Bill and getting college for free, while also getting enough money to pay for living expenses. This gives me the opportunity to get what I didn't have the attention span to get when I was young and stupider: a degree, with which to find a decent job. Further, being a veteran gives me higher priority in getting jobs as well as access to a VA loan for my house. I'm also more solid of build and more knowledgeable of manners of self-defense, in case that ever becomes important, which, ideally, will not.

 

[TBerg]

Damn, you got your life pretty put together.

 

[QuickTwist]

Are you glad you joined the military?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Are you glad you joined the military?

Absolutely. As mentioned above, I turned my financial situation around. I even own my own house, now. I just wish my wife would go through the boxes in the garage so I could actually put the cars in it. She doesn't want them put in the storage thingy until she goes through them... well then go through them and get them out of my way!

I don't want to deceive, the military is a bunch of bullshit wrapped up in red tape. It sucked. However, I benefited from it enough to be easily worth it.

 

[QuickTwist]

Absolutely. As mentioned above, I turned my financial situation around. I even own my own house, now. I just wish my wife would go through the boxes in the garage so I could actually put the cars in it. She doesn't want them put in the storage thingy until she goes through them... well then go through them and get them out of my way!

I don't want to deceive, the military is a bunch of bullshit wrapped up in red tape. It sucked. However, I benefited from it enough to be easily worth it.

I've never met a vet who said they regretted serving. Since I'm crazy, I can't join, but I have thought about it.

 

[RandomGeneratedName]

What do you think of the book "Average is Over"?
and what do you predict may actually happen in the not so distant future (30-50 yearS) in regard to this?

What's the deal exactly with, ADHD and medication and enlisting? I've read you have to be off meds for 2+ years before signing up, and can/will be prescribed medication when enlist?
-------------
(I would of loved to join the forces of some kind when I was a kid.
Troublesome teens though)

 

[SpaceYeti]

What do you think of the book "Average is Over"?

I have no idea what that book's even about and, the way this game works, I'm not allowed to do research for posts, so... I dunno.

and what do you predict may actually happen in the not so distant future (30-50 yearS) in regard to this?

Well, haven't read the book, and that's an open-ended question if ever there were one outside of any specific context. I really don't expect a whole lot to change. That's not to say minor things won't change. There will be new slang, borders may change, etc, but I don't expect any cataclysms or anything.

What's the deal exactly with, ADHD and medication and enlisting? I've read you have to be off meds for 2+ years before signing up, and can/will be prescribed medication when enlist?

Frankly, no idea. I was diagnosed with ADHD, and I got in. Granted, I hadn't taken medication in years. However, if you're diagnosed after you're in, I see no reason you wouldn't get a prescription if you ask for it to be handled. I never went to the doctor for it. I avoided Army medical except to report stuff to help me out if I ever try to make a VA claim.

(I would of loved to join the forces of some kind when I was a kid.
Troublesome teens though)

So troublesome that you couldn't join the military?! Even after 9/11?! Damn dude, you must have done some seriously effed up shit!

 

[TBerg]

I would join the military, too, if I knew I could put up with the mental games and my lack of deference.

 

[dark+matters]

What are your educational goals and what is it you want from that kind of education?

 

[Pyropyro]

Follow-up on Army training. I'm a bit small, even for my people's standards, so I might be unable to join the army unless I'll go for a specialist route like a vet, mech or something.

Anyways, army discipline intrigues me. How can I practice it even if I'm not in the army?

 

[dark+matters]

If we all existed on two dimensions, essentially... like single-celled forms... and we discovered that there are three dimensions... how would we have come to that conclusion?

 

[dark+matters]

What will be mankind's ultimate fate? Do you believe in an afterlife or have mystical experiences?

 

[dark+matters]

Is time more or less likely to be reversible, in your opinion? What are some of the emotional biases influencing that train of thought?

 

[SpaceYeti]

I would join the military, too, if I knew I could put up with the mental games and my lack of deference.

That's actually a benefit. If you care about all the bullshit, you get caught up in it. Lack of caring is how I was in for so long without going crazy.

What are your educational goals and what is it you want from that kind of education?

I'm going to major in CS, though I have no specific goals for that degree. I'm probably going to end up being a network guy somewhere, though general IT or even programming are acceptable. I guess my plan is to find whatever job pays the best and do that.

Follow-up on Army training. I'm a bit small, even for my people's standards, so I might be unable to join the army unless I'll go for a specialist route like a vet, mech or something.

I'm pretty sure the Army has removed unreasonable height requirements back in, like, the seventies, or something. I mean, unless you're so small it counts as a handicap, I don't see why that would be a concern. You still have to make weight requirements based on your height, but height itself shouldn't be a concern.

Further, insofar as I'm aware, it won't limit you from any particular MOS, though it may limit you from certain duty assignments that require intimidating stature.

Anyways, army discipline intrigues me. How can I practice it even if I'm not in the army?

You can't? I mean, Army discipline is imposed by others. You do what you should do so that you don't get in trouble, mostly. It helps that doing the right thing is why you're getting paid. Really, the hardest part of the Army, besides office politics and BS like that, is simply being where youre supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there, and in the correct uniform. After that it's just some exercise, bullcrap "training", and vehicle maintenance, at least for Joes. As you get a few more ranks, you get some more responsibility, but it's not actually difficult.

If you want discipline, you either need to rely on your own will-power to make habits, or you're going to need to agree to be subservient to someone who you agree has the right to tell you what to do, with the understanding it's meant to better you and get done what needs done.

If we all existed on two dimensions, essentially... like single-celled forms... and we discovered that there are three dimensions... how would we have come to that conclusion?

Observing things travel in the third dimension. If we couldn't observe the third dimension, then we could observe where the three dimensional objects intersect with our two-dimensional plane. Now, cells are not two-dimensional, so I'm not sure about what they have to do with this, so... what do they have to do with this?

What will be mankind's ultimate fate? Do you believe in an afterlife or have mystical experiences?

Mankind will eventually evolve to the point modern man could not reproduce with them, and continue evolving past that point as well. In what manner they evolve I couldn't begin to predict. However, after a billion or so years, we're going to start considering moving to Mars, or even finding another star system to inhabit entirely, since our sun will grow so large that life on Earth will start getting difficult, and will eventually destroy Earth's life-supporting capabilities entirely. if we manage it, then more evolving and not-dying system-finding to move to, and eventually we die as the usable energy of the universe expires. if we fail to move off of Earth to other life-supporting star-systems, then we die of dehydration.

Both outcomes are rather bleak, but I'm not going to stop dancing just because the music will eventually end.

Is time more or less likely to be reversible, in your opinion? What are some of the emotional biases influencing that train of thought?

I think the idea is innately flawed. If you travel along time backwards, then you will de-age, and lose memories as moments pass. I mean, what does your question even mean? Time is the measure of events as they occur, so if those events happen in reverse, it'd be indistinguishable from the opposite. Hell, maybe time does go backwards, but because we can only observe it as though it's going forward, it appears not to.

 

[dark+matters]

Now, cells are not two-dimensional, so I'm not sure about what they have to do with this, so... what do they have to do with this?

I think the idea is innately flawed. If you travel along time backwards, then you will de-age, and lose memories as moments pass. I mean, what does your question even mean? Time is the measure of events as they occur, so if those events happen in reverse, it'd be indistinguishable from the opposite. Hell, maybe time does go backwards, but because we can only observe it as though it's going forward, it appears not to.

Thanks for your quick responses! The cells were only used as an example to try and stimulate an interesting reply. It was something different from the 2d giraffe picture that originally went with that question which I read in a book once. It was simpler than describing the 2d giraffe digesting food, especially since I wasn't sure what kind of response to expect. The same goes for question two. The questions are only there to get entertaining replies, not necessarily accurate answers. I know question two is old and not super specific either, but the second part of the question is vastly more interesting... *raises eyebrows*

 

[TBerg]

Being unruly is an asset?

 

[RandomGeneratedName]

So troublesome that you couldn't join the military?! Even after 9/11?! Damn dude, you must have done some seriously effed up shit!

Thanks for your response.

Yeah it was pretty bad.
Childhood>blame self>self destruct>attempted armed robbery at 16.
(I actually handed myself in to the police station, 30 minutes after - I WANTED to go to prison...).

I started getting self educated & working through things around 20/21. CPTSD is motherf*cker to deal with, and i've made a lot of progress with things since, it's going to take a while longer, but hey, how I look at it now, it builds character
It was my INFJ though, that ultimately pulled me out from my rubble and showed me life isn't all about War or solving problems.

It would of been great to have structure, discipline and a shared goal in my life growing up, I would of saved a lot of time and avoided a lot of pain & unnecessary suffering.
I refuse to dwell on "what could of been" though, because the way things turned out for me, I can still fight for and protect others, it's just doing so, in my own way.

I just need a little refining, lol.




Highly recommend checking out that book/wiki btw, interesting theory at the minimum.

 

[Pyropyro]

I'm pretty sure the Army has removed unreasonable height requirements back in, like, the seventies, or something. I mean, unless you're so small it counts as a handicap, I don't see why that would be a concern. You still have to make weight requirements based on your height, but height itself shouldn't be a concern.

Further, insofar as I'm aware, it won't limit you from any particular MOS, though it may limit you from certain duty assignments that require intimidating stature.

Cool! My height isn't that of much of a handicap and I can lug stuff around that's half or more my own weight.

As for intimidating stature. Maybe my allies can do this to me instead

Spoiler

You can't? I mean, Army discipline is imposed by others. You do what you should do so that you don't get in trouble, mostly. It helps that doing the right thing is why you're getting paid. Really, the hardest part of the Army, besides office politics and BS like that, is simply being where youre supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there, and in the correct uniform. After that it's just some exercise, bullcrap "training", and vehicle maintenance, at least for Joes. As you get a few more ranks, you get some more responsibility, but it's not actually difficult.

If you want discipline, you either need to rely on your own will-power to make habits, or you're going to need to agree to be subservient to someone who you agree has the right to tell you what to do, with the understanding it's meant to better you and get done what needs done.

I'm doing the relying on willpower thing so I guess I'm going in the right direction.

 

[SpaceYeti]

...life isn't all about War or solving problems.

... What?

Highly recommend checking out that book/wiki btw, interesting theory at the minimum.

If I get the chance, I will, but I'm pretty damned busy with school, kids, and wife, all in a newly purchased house that needs some stuff done to it.