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A comment on Brains are not required to think or solve problems – simple cells can do it. Parent comment

Re:Brains are not required to think or solve problems – simp... by s1artibartfast on Thursday January 25, 2024 @03:36PM (#39134898)
sure. but there is value in defining a useful working convention so that people can discuss, learn, and study.

Interjecting the perspective that words are meaningless constructs is rarely helpful. If someone wants directions, telling them that there is no concrete metaphysical concepts of north, south, left, or right, isnt constructive.

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Re:Brains are not required to think or solve problems – simp... by bumby on Thursday January 25, 2024 @03:46PM (#39135041)
I agree on the usefulness piece. But usefulness shouldn’t be conflated with the underlying truth. As the saying goes, all models are wrong, but some are useful. I can say that burying the dishes from a meal that made me sick may help avoid future food poisoning; while useful, it doesn’t get me closer to the underlying truth of germ theory.

I think the heart of these more philosophical debates is a desire for fundamental truth, not just a useful mental model.

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