But the first example does the same thing for an empty list. I guess the lesson is that if you’re measuring the speed of arbitrary stylistic syntax choices, maybe Python isn’t the best language for you.

Could also compare against:

if not len(mylist)

That way this version isn’t evaluating two functions. The bool evaluation of an integer is false when zero, otherwise true.

Free will comes from the “heart”, not the brain. It doesn’t fit in the materialistic view of science. Our bodies are quantum electric fields, and those fields interact. In my own experience I would say emotions or intentions don’t translate fully from video, but in person I can feel them.

Maybe if they add a quantum processor to the computer it can gain free will (disguised as random chance). But I think we have more to learn about the nature of consciousness before AGI is anywhere close to having free will.

And why is free will necessary for intelligence? New discoveries require curiosity. Scientific breakthroughs require new connections and discernment of truth. If the computer is doing research, it needs to decide when to stop looking, who to ask questions to, how far to dig, designing further experiments. Without free will you just have a big fancy encyclopedia.

The dangerous side of free will is manipulation, subversion, exploitation, deception, etc. So yeah I hope they don’t figure it out.

Free will is what sets us apart from most other animals. I would assert that many humans rarely exert their own free will. Having an interest and pursuing it is an exercise of free will. Some people are too busy surviving to do this. Curiosity and exploration are exercises of free will. Another would be helping strangers or animals - a choice bringing the individual no advantage.

You argue that wants, preferences, and beliefs are not chosen. Where do they come from? Why does one individual have those interests and not another? It doesn’t come from your parents or genes. It doesn’t come from your environment.

It’s entirely possible to choose your interests and beliefs. People change religions and careers. People abandon hobbies and find new ones. People give away their fortunes to charity.

AGI requires a few key components that no LLM is even close to.

First, it must be able to discern truth based on evidence, rather than guessing it. Can’t just throw more data at it, especially with the garbage being pumped out these days.

Second, it must ask questions in the pursuit of knowledge, especially when truth is ambiguous. Once that knowledge is found, it needs to improve itself, pruning outdated and erroneous information.

Third, it would need free will. And that’s the one it will never get, I hope. Free will is a necessary part of intelligent consciousness. I know there are some who argue it does not exist but they’re wrong.

Yeah, I’m here for a reason. It takes a lot of blocking/filtering too. But the reason I am here is my desire for “algorithmic complacency”. I like to spend some time mentally wandering.

I’m so glad this was algorithmically recommended. Thanks lemmings!

I’m right there with you, but I don’t see a compelling reason why either should be banned.

As somebody with a long-tenured zombie Democrat in my house seat, I disagree. Nobody else gets traction in primaries due to lack of funding. We have had plenty of opportunities to vote for somebody better (and younger). Nobody gives a shit.

EFF will pick up the slack.

Python is hacky, because it hacks. There’s a bunch of ways you can do anything. You can run it on numerous platforms, or even on web assembly. It’s not maintained centrally. Each “app” you find is just somebodies hack project they’re sharing with you for fun.

Self hosting is glorious when it works, and a bit frustrating when it doesn’t. I’m using Emby, and I just finished upgrading from an arm 32-bit, to an Intel N300. It was working great until I relocated the new server to a different location. On boot the USB hard drive was just barely working but super slow. Not sure what the issue was, but it’s working after changing USB ports.

Assuming the desktop takes the same power saving techniques from their laptops, there is no real reason to turn it off.

Those animals didn’t suffer though. Presumably.

It’s a shower thought not a thesis.

Vegans reject wool and feathers because of animal servitude. The alternative is synthetic polyester fiber.

Vegans reject draft animals and horse riding in favor of internal combustion.

Vegans reject natural local animal trans fats for coconut and palm oil shipped around the world by burning oil, and sometimes harvested by monkey slaves anyway.

Not talking about eating meat, that’s vegetarianism. Many animals eat grass or waste products, like chickens and pigs.

Veganism as a rejection of all animal products and services, is a full embrace of petroleum.

Non-tech. I decided to self host first to send media to my TV. I wanted an always-on solid state hard drive computer that didn’t have to do any transcoding. Tried DLNA but Emby just worked better. Jellyfin didn’t have an LG App at the time so I’m still using Emby. Eventually I also asked my poor ARM server with 2 GB of RAM to also run my wireless access points, but the Omada software is a resource hog. So I have a little Intel machine that can do Omada better and also transcoding for Emby on the go. And then I learned about HomeBridge and that’s been great too. I think together the two computers run about 15W of energy I could decommission the ARM one but it does a couple things I haven’t migrated yet. I’ve tried hosting other stuff but those are the main ones used every day.

iOS 18 Beta 7 it crashes and reloads back to search so fast it looks like your query is just erased. Band-aid fix maybe.