Curt Doolittle

Source: Original Site Post

  • On Writing Fiction

    Jan 5, 2020, 12:47 PM All the time in every submission, every publisher’s read of it, and every rejection of it, and every reaction to rejection, and every thought about your reaction to rejection is a reflection of the time that you didn’t put into researching people, places, and things, that would fill your head with possibilities for novelty that would inform the reader, capture the reader’s attention, and increase the chance of publication. All entertainment is novelty seeking. Human experience is translated into emotion, and into memory, and into auto-association, and later contemplation by its degree of novelty. If you aren’t teaching the reader something new about others, about life, about people, about places, about things, or asking the reader to outwit you and your characters, you’re wasting your time, the editors time, the publisher’s time and the reader’s time – if you ever manage to get one.

    1. Learning the archetypes and the plots is trivial.
    2. Adapting them to contemporary life takes a bit of thought.
    3. Informing the reader about life takes more thought.
    4. Planting clues for the reader to speculate where the plot is going takes a bit more thought.
    5. Planting outwitting the reader’s speculation takes more thought.
    6. Novel combinations of all the above takes much more thought.
    7. More characters and more plot lines and more sets of clues takes much more thought.
    8. Using all of the above to teach the audience a philosophy for the present, a state of the world in the past or future – a system of thought that reframes the world – that is what literature means.
    9. Doing #8 so that you capture the essence of the age in the myths of the age: theology, fantasy, science fiction, fiction, biography, history, philosophy, law or science is extremely difficult and those that endure are extremely rare.

    But in the end, answer the question every art, music, literature, play, and script professional will ask you? 1. Are you engaging in therapy? 2. Are you engaging in escapism? 3. Are you engaging in self-entertainment? 4. Are you engaging in approval-seeking? 5. Are you engaging in business or entrepreneurship? 6. Are you engaging in craftsmanship or engineering (production)? 7. Are you engaging in entertainment (novelty)? 9. Are you engaging in politics or propaganda? 9. Are you engaging in philosophy? 10. Are you engaging in art? The amount of knowledge that you must reflect in, or incorporate in your work increases with scale. Postmodernism is a cancer on mankind – as bad as monotheism was in the past. But we are almost done with it. We are in a period of chaos. The period before the great change. We require authors to create a new vision. We live the vision of technology created in 1980 by William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Bruce Sterling. We live in the vision of civilization destruction created by Derrida. We live in the literary model of GRR Martin’s Futility of heroism, where the meek inherit the devastated earth. We live in the reverse gender model of harry (Harriet) Potter vs Hermione (Herman) Granger. We live in the political order of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. What are you bringing to the table in exchange for others attention? Because they couldn’t care less, nor should they, about your therapy, escapism, self-entertainment, approval seeking, entrepreneurship, and they expect at least craftsmanship and production quality in exchange for not only their (increasingly trivial) money, and (increasingly costly) attention. I’ve taught creativity for decades and it’s trivial. 1. Fill the shelves of your mind with everything possible until you have so many ideas you can’t choose among them. 2. Sketch characters, locations, things, incentives, and obstacles. 3. Sketch plots (arcs) That’s filling your head. 4. Write scenes with beginning middle and end. 5. Write chapters with beginning middle and end. 6. Write arcs with beginning middle and end. 7. Write stories with beginning middle and end. The rest is editing- be merciless. You want to feel your way through a writing book, but you can’t feel your way through emptiness. Give yourself resources to work with. Otherwise, you’re just using free association to create a poor imitation of whatever authors you’ve read who did what you didn’t.

  • Economics Is Just an Extension of Physics

    Jan 5, 2020, 1:53 PM We can quantify all sorts of metrics of human behavior, but you’re confusing mathematics with physics, the same way most people confuse averages with instances or distributions. In other words, mathematics describes averages of points in time, it doesn’t not describe operations.Mathematics consist of operations that describe states and changes in states and averages. But not the underlying operations. Physics studies both the quantitative and the operational. Mathematics just the quantitative (positional). So while mathematics describes ‘sums’ operations describe changes in state. Here: At every “level’ of reality we discover an underlying limited number of operations (Grammar) producing some set of symmetries (outcomes, equilibria), and above that a new limited number of operations (Grammar, outcomes, equilibria)) that produce another set of symmetries, and above that and so on. So, we don’t yet know what causes the quantum level We have a fairly good idea what causes the subatomic level. we have a very good idea what causes the atomic level. We have such a good understanding of chemistry that it’s boring. We are getting a fair understanding of biochemistry (and that it’s mechanical). We are getting a beginning understanding of proteins (and that it’s mechanical(operational) ) We are getting a beginning understanding of genetic reproduction (and that it’s mechanical- operational) . We are getting a fairly good understanding of cells. We have a more than fairly good understanding of multi-cellular (complex) organisms. I’ll stop there since I think you can see the pattern of some set of physically possible operations producing a finite set of physically possible states, followed by another set of physically possible operations producing a finite set of physically possible states, and that this process continues indefinitely, all the way to what we call consciousness. Now life buys us conservation of energy (defeat of entropy), but it’s still bound by the laws of physics (the underlying grammars). Memory buys us prediction. And prediction provides our ability to perform operations (actions) that improve our defeat of entropy. Increase in neural( brain) volume provides Competition between predictions, which provides us choices of options for defeating entropy. Increase in Brain volume provides iterations on predictions for increasing choices of defeating entropy the sequence of actions (or inactions for that matter). Increase in brain volume provides prediction of others predictions and predicting opportunities for cooperation that further improve our ability to capture and use energy by defeating entropy. Human ability to capture energy is limited by the grammar of human action (possible actions and sequences of actions and parallel combinations of other’s actions). So the grammar of human action consists in the physical, emotional-intuitionistic, and cognitive operations. Those operations are bounded by physical limitations of the grammars upon which they are constructed. Both Physics and Economics are bound by the same underlying grammars (laws) but because humans have memories, prediction, sentience, and consciousness, reason, calculation, symbolism, and computation, we can use debts and credits with each other to temporarily seize and advantage and then later return to equilibrium by repayment of the cooperation. We don’t violate that physical law. Because humans observe reciprocity (equilibrium) just as the physical world obeys equilibrium (entropy). And some people specialize in capitalization (productivity) and some people specialize in consumption, and others in parasitism or predation. But in the end, over time, we are limited by the physical laws of the universe. We can create productivity (as does life), or we an parasite upon other lives (as do bacteria and viruses). We cannot run the clock on parasitism (Socialism or gypsies) or conquest (islamism) forever because we will run out of hosts to prey upon. So economics is just physics with debits and credits (ability t steal, to borrow, to exchange,to produce, or to save) made possible by consciousness, by test of reciprocity (account balances), within the limit of proportionality (exit). TRIANGLE: What limits to human operations? ………………What Limits?………………. ………………………|………………………… …………….Human Actions…………….. ……………..Consciousness……………. …………………Sentience……………….. …………………….Life……………………… …………………./…………………………… ……….subatomic..macro-atomic….. ………………./…………………………….. ……….?Limits………….Limits?………… Human limits are reciprocity (positive) with the limits of proportionality (negaitve). The subatomic level appears to run out of energy by maximum dissipation. The macro atomic level appears to run out of ability to compress energy. Sorry but it’s just Physics with the ability to use each other for debt and credit that we call ‘cooperation”.

  • Economics Is Just an Extension of Physics

    Jan 5, 2020, 1:53 PM We can quantify all sorts of metrics of human behavior, but you’re confusing mathematics with physics, the same way most people confuse averages with instances or distributions. In other words, mathematics describes averages of points in time, it doesn’t not describe operations.Mathematics consist of operations that describe states and changes in states and averages. But not the underlying operations. Physics studies both the quantitative and the operational. Mathematics just the quantitative (positional). So while mathematics describes ‘sums’ operations describe changes in state. Here: At every “level’ of reality we discover an underlying limited number of operations (Grammar) producing some set of symmetries (outcomes, equilibria), and above that a new limited number of operations (Grammar, outcomes, equilibria)) that produce another set of symmetries, and above that and so on. So, we don’t yet know what causes the quantum level We have a fairly good idea what causes the subatomic level. we have a very good idea what causes the atomic level. We have such a good understanding of chemistry that it’s boring. We are getting a fair understanding of biochemistry (and that it’s mechanical). We are getting a beginning understanding of proteins (and that it’s mechanical(operational) ) We are getting a beginning understanding of genetic reproduction (and that it’s mechanical- operational) . We are getting a fairly good understanding of cells. We have a more than fairly good understanding of multi-cellular (complex) organisms. I’ll stop there since I think you can see the pattern of some set of physically possible operations producing a finite set of physically possible states, followed by another set of physically possible operations producing a finite set of physically possible states, and that this process continues indefinitely, all the way to what we call consciousness. Now life buys us conservation of energy (defeat of entropy), but it’s still bound by the laws of physics (the underlying grammars). Memory buys us prediction. And prediction provides our ability to perform operations (actions) that improve our defeat of entropy. Increase in neural( brain) volume provides Competition between predictions, which provides us choices of options for defeating entropy. Increase in Brain volume provides iterations on predictions for increasing choices of defeating entropy the sequence of actions (or inactions for that matter). Increase in brain volume provides prediction of others predictions and predicting opportunities for cooperation that further improve our ability to capture and use energy by defeating entropy. Human ability to capture energy is limited by the grammar of human action (possible actions and sequences of actions and parallel combinations of other’s actions). So the grammar of human action consists in the physical, emotional-intuitionistic, and cognitive operations. Those operations are bounded by physical limitations of the grammars upon which they are constructed. Both Physics and Economics are bound by the same underlying grammars (laws) but because humans have memories, prediction, sentience, and consciousness, reason, calculation, symbolism, and computation, we can use debts and credits with each other to temporarily seize and advantage and then later return to equilibrium by repayment of the cooperation. We don’t violate that physical law. Because humans observe reciprocity (equilibrium) just as the physical world obeys equilibrium (entropy). And some people specialize in capitalization (productivity) and some people specialize in consumption, and others in parasitism or predation. But in the end, over time, we are limited by the physical laws of the universe. We can create productivity (as does life), or we an parasite upon other lives (as do bacteria and viruses). We cannot run the clock on parasitism (Socialism or gypsies) or conquest (islamism) forever because we will run out of hosts to prey upon. So economics is just physics with debits and credits (ability t steal, to borrow, to exchange,to produce, or to save) made possible by consciousness, by test of reciprocity (account balances), within the limit of proportionality (exit). TRIANGLE: What limits to human operations? ………………What Limits?………………. ………………………|………………………… …………….Human Actions…………….. ……………..Consciousness……………. …………………Sentience……………….. …………………….Life……………………… …………………./…………………………… ……….subatomic..macro-atomic….. ………………./…………………………….. ……….?Limits………….Limits?………… Human limits are reciprocity (positive) with the limits of proportionality (negaitve). The subatomic level appears to run out of energy by maximum dissipation. The macro atomic level appears to run out of ability to compress energy. Sorry but it’s just Physics with the ability to use each other for debt and credit that we call ‘cooperation”.

  • Jan 5, 2020, 3:29 PM The Natural Law: (+) .Evolution: Evidence of Competition (-

    Jan 5, 2020, 3:29 PM The Natural Law: (+) .Evolution: Evidence of Competition (-) .. History: Evidence of Consequences (+) … War: Evidence of Extra Political Conflict (-) …. Politics: Evidence of Political Conflict (+) ….. Law : Evidence of Conflict (-) …… Economics: Evidence of Cooperation (+) ……. Operations (Grammars) (+) …….. Sciences : Method of Due Diligence (-) ……… Math (measurement): (+) ………. Logic: (consistency): (-) ……….. Reason: Permutation (+) ………… Logical Facility (“difference engine”) (+/-) …………. Model, Events, Locations, Places, Objects, Entities (+) ………….. Sequences of Constant Relations (prediction) (+) …………… Human Sense Perceptions at Human Scale (+) ……………. Changes in State in the Universe At Human Scale (+) (+) = Via Positiva (-) = Via Negativa

  • Jan 5, 2020, 3:29 PM The Natural Law: (+) .Evolution: Evidence of Competition (-

    Jan 5, 2020, 3:29 PM The Natural Law: (+) .Evolution: Evidence of Competition (-) .. History: Evidence of Consequences (+) … War: Evidence of Extra Political Conflict (-) …. Politics: Evidence of Political Conflict (+) ….. Law : Evidence of Conflict (-) …… Economics: Evidence of Cooperation (+) ……. Operations (Grammars) (+) …….. Sciences : Method of Due Diligence (-) ……… Math (measurement): (+) ………. Logic: (consistency): (-) ……….. Reason: Permutation (+) ………… Logical Facility (“difference engine”) (+/-) …………. Model, Events, Locations, Places, Objects, Entities (+) ………….. Sequences of Constant Relations (prediction) (+) …………… Human Sense Perceptions at Human Scale (+) ……………. Changes in State in the Universe At Human Scale (+) (+) = Via Positiva (-) = Via Negativa

  • Thoughts…

    Jan 5, 2020, 3:51 PM Subconscious has been troubled by (or working on) something that is beginning to take shape, and I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but it’s coming out as very clear distinction between the feminine semitic and compromise hindu, and masculine european-sinic, but it’s deeper than that. It’s that the female-semitic method of argument (baiting into hazard is literally the antithesis of evolution. It’s the greatest threat to humanity – greater than plagues. Because its a plague of the mind. The discussions today on operations. It’s another example of whomever made the comment last summer, that the Grammars are as important as testimonialism and acquistionism+propertarianism. I keep seeing more and more opportunity behind the grammars and this whole need for a new mathematics and the grammars is running around my head and there is something there on the fringes of auto association – a pattern of something – that I think would dwarf the previous insights. So there is this strange constellation forming between the semitic-european falseood-truth problem, the next-math problem, and … damn. Constitution -> Course -> Big Book -> Religion – and in the background I”m going to have to work on this problem and see where wolfram hit a dead end.

  • Thoughts…

    Jan 5, 2020, 3:51 PM Subconscious has been troubled by (or working on) something that is beginning to take shape, and I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but it’s coming out as very clear distinction between the feminine semitic and compromise hindu, and masculine european-sinic, but it’s deeper than that. It’s that the female-semitic method of argument (baiting into hazard is literally the antithesis of evolution. It’s the greatest threat to humanity – greater than plagues. Because its a plague of the mind. The discussions today on operations. It’s another example of whomever made the comment last summer, that the Grammars are as important as testimonialism and acquistionism+propertarianism. I keep seeing more and more opportunity behind the grammars and this whole need for a new mathematics and the grammars is running around my head and there is something there on the fringes of auto association – a pattern of something – that I think would dwarf the previous insights. So there is this strange constellation forming between the semitic-european falseood-truth problem, the next-math problem, and … damn. Constitution -> Course -> Big Book -> Religion – and in the background I”m going to have to work on this problem and see where wolfram hit a dead end.

  • Hamster Wheel of Urban Economics

    Jan 5, 2020, 5:20 PM Proximity decreases opportunity costs (time). Decreases in opportunity costs increase transactions. Increases in transactions increase monetary velocity. Monetary velocity increases the possibility of consumption. Increases in consumption increase the possibility of taxation. An increase in taxation increases the possibility of commons. Increases in commons produce increases in demand for use (if not consumption) Increase in use of commons creates demand for government An increase in demand for the government creates increases in opportunities for rent. Increase in opportunity for rent increase rents. Increases in rents decrease the opportunity for commons and consumption and… you see where this goes. There is greater incentive and control in accessing rents than in creating or using commons or production. As in all cases rents accumulate until maintenance of commons is impossible Incomes decline. Rents and debt remain. Top margin leaves. Leaving only extractors (financial sector), and rent extractors (dependence and the state). Finally the major industries leave. And that’s it. Urban death follows. The only possibility is external wealth, such as Byzantium could extract as trade moved through the narrow straights. This is why the middle east is a disaster. It evolved to specialize in parasitism not production. When the trade route fell because of the age of sail it was dark ages for them, just as the Muslim destruction of Mediterranean trade caused the economic dark ages in Europe. The Hamster Wheel of economics.

  • Hamster Wheel of Urban Economics

    Jan 5, 2020, 5:20 PM Proximity decreases opportunity costs (time). Decreases in opportunity costs increase transactions. Increases in transactions increase monetary velocity. Monetary velocity increases the possibility of consumption. Increases in consumption increase the possibility of taxation. An increase in taxation increases the possibility of commons. Increases in commons produce increases in demand for use (if not consumption) Increase in use of commons creates demand for government An increase in demand for the government creates increases in opportunities for rent. Increase in opportunity for rent increase rents. Increases in rents decrease the opportunity for commons and consumption and… you see where this goes. There is greater incentive and control in accessing rents than in creating or using commons or production. As in all cases rents accumulate until maintenance of commons is impossible Incomes decline. Rents and debt remain. Top margin leaves. Leaving only extractors (financial sector), and rent extractors (dependence and the state). Finally the major industries leave. And that’s it. Urban death follows. The only possibility is external wealth, such as Byzantium could extract as trade moved through the narrow straights. This is why the middle east is a disaster. It evolved to specialize in parasitism not production. When the trade route fell because of the age of sail it was dark ages for them, just as the Muslim destruction of Mediterranean trade caused the economic dark ages in Europe. The Hamster Wheel of economics.

  • Religious Differences By Group Ability

    Religion for the -80’s, Moralizing for the 90’s, Rationalization for the 100’s. platonism for the 110’s empiricism for the 120’s. operationalism for the 130’s+ There is a reason for islam in the arab and indonesian worlds, and hinduism in the hindustani worlds. buddhism on se asian. christianity in the south american, secular christianity in the european world, confucianism in the east asian world etc. The majority determines the necessary means of preserving the means of perpetuating metaphysics traditions and norms. The west retains a grammar (method of storytelling) for every standard deviation of ability. We are unified by our law that is via negativa. We are unified by our ethics that are christian via-positiva. Those chrstian ethics are expressible in theological, rational, philosophical, empirical and operational terms.