Skeptical Agnosticism and You: "A game is like a mirror."

Let me tell you about something I found really interesting. Maybe you'll like it, too.

Out there in the real world/Internet, there exists a computer program. Written in Java, it's called John Conway's Game of Life, named for inventor (and mathematician) John Conway. It's a zero-player game; no human input is needed. The initial conditions determine the outcome of the game, as in chess. The Wikipedia article is pretty good in its explanation of the concept, as well as its implications relating to artificial intelligence. AI deserves its own separate entry, so let's continue.

This particular game is a "cellular automaton." Cellular automata are out of my range of understanding a bit, but from what I can tell, they are simulations wherein the fate of a cell is determined by its neighbors. This is similar (in my opinion) to the growth of biological (including cellular) organisms, as well as expansion in the structures of biology, ecosystems and evolution of species in particular. I am also reminded of determinism, free will, and all their attendant variations. (Perhaps this is anthropomorphism in some vague sense.) Free will/determinism is a topic I don't feel capable of getting into at the moment, so we'll focus on the Game of Life.

Here are the rules to Conway's Game of Life:

For a space that is 'populated':

Each cell with one or no neighbors dies, as if by loneliness.

Each cell with four or more neighbors dies, as if by overpopulation.

Each cell with two or three neighbors survives.

For a space that is 'empty' or 'unpopulated'

Each cell with three neighbors becomes populated.

from this awesome site, where you can also PLAY the game of life

It doesn't look like much at first, but try populating a few empty cells by hovering your cursor over them. Then scroll down a bit and choose your options; screen size and speed (both fun to play with). To start the game, press the "Next" button and listen as your brain attempts to rip itself in half.

Okay, okay, it isn't all that weird, at least not in comparison with all the other unbelievably complex and stupefying information out there. I guess that's sort of the mission statement of this blog; to bring together the oddest and most awe-inspiring, dura-bending bits of random (random?) data that my little perception devices can wrap their tentacles around.

Disclaimer: I am in no shape, form, or signifier fluent in mathematics, programming languages, the "human mind," or any of the other stuff I'm discussing. I'm just a human being who's interested in theories of reality and self, psychedelic drugs, philosophy, quantum physics, robots (mechanical and/or organic), art, primates, and game theory. I like to consider myself a skeptic for the most part (although of course I believe in some things) while at the same time trying keep my mind open about unorthodox or initially unbelievable topics or phenomena. In other words, I'm an agnostic layperson; that also happens to be my target audience, for some weird reason.

So come along if you feel like it. Any criticisms or suggestions are welcome. Please feel free to discuss any and all relevant topics in the comments on each entry; if you're trying to derail the conversation or if you try to flame, your comments won't get approved, so don't bother doing anything but shutting the fuck up and getting the fuck out. kthx.

The quote in the title is from Robert Kiyosaki, who sort of sucks. The image at the bottom is the simplest configuration of cells that continually survives in the Game of Life, besides signifying other things. Go ahead, test it yourself.

Thanks to Phil for suggesting this first topic!