PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 31st May: The problem of Infobesity?

The problem of Infobesity?

Dear friends,

This Wednesday we are discussing: The problem of Infobesity?

The topic was proposed by Norma and in my short essay I try to identify
some key issues concerning this new buzzword, the other being
information overload.

The problem of Infobesity?
https://www.philomadrid.com/2023/05/the-problem-of-infobesity.html

TOPICS
If you have any ideas for topic please write to me so we won't take up
time looking for a topic during our discuss. Thank you very much….


NEWS
--Un giro en el aire
Lucinda Maxwell
https://libros.cc/Un-giro-en-el-aire.htm?isbn=9788411753296
Also from Amazon.es ( https://amzn.eu/d/a6RY3AP )

--Oscar's book is now available from Oscar himself:
"Toranzo, 88 ilustraciones y coplillas" by Oscar at €35
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/09/toranzo-88-ilustraciones-y-coplillas-by.html


--It is with great sadness that I have learnt Julian Martelli passed
away early in October this year, 2022. Julian was very active during our
meetings in Molly Malone and participation was always respected by all.
Christine kindly wants to share with us a photo of Julian with her and
friends. You can find the FaceBook link below.

I also include a link for our visit to Toledo in 2008 when Julian came
with us on the day trip.

Julian
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/11/julian.html

--Jorge has kindly sent us the link to his book which is available for
Free Distribution at:
Evolution of Thought and its Influence on Society and Technology
https://www.adneli.com/store


Please let me know if you need the Skype link (preferably by WhatsApp).

Best and take care
Lawrence


telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813
Email: philomadrid@gmail.com
http://www.philomadrid.com


PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 31st May: The problem of Infobesity?

The problem of Infobesity?

 

The problem of Infobesity?

 

Topic by Norma

Essay by Lawrence

 

The consensus seems to be that there is no difference in meaning and use between infobesity and information overload. Both terms seem to be used to describe a situation where we are inundated with information to the extent that we cannot make a well informed decision.

 

The problem of infobesity is that information can become toxic and thus affect our ability to make the correct decision. In an article (1) by by Paul Rogers, Rudy Puryear and James Root “Infobesity: The enemy of good decisions”  they write, “But the torrent that flows through most organizations today acts like so much bad cholesterol, clogging their arteries and slowing their reactions.”

 

Therefore, what are the issues for us in this debate? As far as philosophy is concerned, the primarily issue is an epistemology problem: what is knowledge and how do we distinguish knowledge from irrelevant information and false beliefs. Furthermore, how do we distinguish useful information from toxic to false information?

 

If we must, however, distinguish between information overload and infobesity I would venture the following explanation. I would argue that information overload could be used to describe the gross quantity of information we have to handle to make a reasonable decision. This is just a matter of quantity of information (quantitative) and not a matter of quality (qualitative) of the information. Information overload may or may not include useful information or toxic information.

 

Infobesity, as this buzzword suggests and the various articles on the subject argue, should be applied to information that includes toxic type of information. And by toxic we can include inconclusive or weak research to straight forward fake and false information including propaganda and manipulation. In other words, infobesity is the type of information that might negatively affect us in our endeavours. This is not to say we do not have access to reliable information, but rather the toxic information may affect us directly or indirectly in our purposes.

 

An underlying term that is relevant for us is the term, information redundancy. Redundancy is an important factor in epistemology precisely because it is part of the foundation of information and knowledge. The more confirmed information we have the better, but we need to be careful about the sources of this redundancy.

 

Information redundancy is always a matter of the quality of information rather than the quantity. A key factor of redundancy is that the source and “extraction” of information must be independent from other sources. This is why reproducibility is a key objective in science, even if sometimes this might be difficult to do. One might argue that objectivity is a key factor for information redundancy.

 

I would argue that objectivity links directly to the methodology of gathering data and information, and this is the first filter that turns raw data into useful data followed by the creation of information. However, for practical purposes it is always a balance between quantity and quality of information and processing the raw data.

 

To take a very modern example, today we all have a mobile phone with a decent camera. However, the quality of camera photos directly depends on the processor of the raw data coming from the sensor and the capacity of the mobile phone to manage data. Whilst we are usually happy with most phone images, the best images are usually those taken under ideal light condition and the sophistication of the technology. A low quality image is still an image but the scope might be very limited.

 

My point about this example is that although the technology might be objective it does not follow that the quality part of this technology is universal across all platforms. This idea might affect AI systems in the future.

 

Independence is a real factor for information and knowledge. Maybe this is the most important factor that might affect our day to day life today. In infobesity and information overload we have a problem of what information to trust because the consequences may be fatal. In politics we only need to mention the criminal disaster of brexit that was a pure political exercise in lies, misinformation, manipulation, and worse of all, ignorance.

 

Another factor that affects information and knowledge are mistakes and errors or even negative results in academia, which I will include as part of mistakes. Our knowledge system and culture abhors mistakes to the extent that our survival instincts make us prefer to continue with mistakes rather than speak out and identify mistakes.

 

No doubt, this abhorrence to mistakes stems from millennia of punishment and personal responsibility in religions and political systems with religious dogma at their base. The aviation industry seems to move away from this mind set quite professionally by trying to identify the causes of accidents rather than apportion responsibility.

 

Of course, I am not arguing that we should not hold people accountable for their mistakes, but only mistakes done through negligence or criminal intent that affects others. The main purpose of mistakes should be to learn from them and people affected by the mistakes of others should be compensated.

 

Infobesity is not only a challenge for us when it comes to access and select information but I will argue it will also be a challenge for AI systems. The more information we have the more time it will take to process and present the information in a relevant way. The future challenge will certainly be selecting and rejecting information for our purposes.

 

But the Achilles Heel of information management systems, be they human or machines, is the absence of information rather than abundance of information.  

 

 

1 “Infobesity: The enemy of good decisions”

Paul Rogers, Rudy Puryear and James Root

Bain and Company

https://www.bain.com/insights/infobesity-the-enemy-of-good-decisions

 

 

Best and take care

Lawrence

 

 

telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813

Email: philomadrid@gmail.com

http://www.philomadrid.com

 

 

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 31^st May: The problem of infobesity

 

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 24th May: Loneliness ,+ NEWS

Please read the other messages below….thanks

Dear friends,

This Wednesday we are discussing: Loneliness

The topic was suggested by Ines and in my short essay I try to identify
some relevant issues even though the subject does not need any introduction:
Loneliness
https://www.philomadrid.com/2023/05/loneliness.html

NIEVES – MEETING ON 23 TUESDAY
I would like to share with you and the whole group the next session of
the Contemporary Jewish Literature reading club next Tuesday.
On this occasion we will talk about Norman Mailer's book "The Castle in
the Forest" (El castillo en el bosque)

If anyone has read the book, or just wants to come as a listener, write
to me at nieves@elplanetadeloslibros.com
for available of places.
It will be at the Iván de Vargas municipal Library, C/San Justo, 5
Madrid 28005, at 7pm on Tuesday 23rd.

TOPICS
If you have any ideas for topic please write to me so we won't take up
time looking for a topic during our discuss. Thank you very much….


NEWS

--Un giro en el aire
Lucinda Maxwell
https://libros.cc/Un-giro-en-el-aire.htm?isbn=9788411753296
Also from Amazon.es ( https://amzn.eu/d/a6RY3AP )

--Oscar's book is now available from Oscar himself:
"Toranzo, 88 ilustraciones y coplillas" by Oscar at €35
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/09/toranzo-88-ilustraciones-y-coplillas-by.html


--It is with great sadness that I have learnt Julian Martelli passed
away early in October this year, 2022. Julian was very active during our
meetings in Molly Malone and participation was always respected by all.
Christine kindly wants to share with us a photo of Julian with her and
friends. You can find the FaceBook link below.

I also include a link for our visit to Toledo in 2008 when Julian came
with us on the day trip.

Julian
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/11/julian.html

--Jorge has kindly sent us the link to his book which is available for
Free Distribution at:
Evolution of Thought and its Influence on Society and Technology
https://www.adneli.com/store


Please let me know if you need the Skype link (preferably by WhatsApp)

Best and take care
Lawrence


telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813
Email: philomadrid@gmail.com
http://www.philomadrid.com


PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 24th May: Loneliness
+ NEWS

Loneliness

 

Loneliness

 

Topic by Ines

Short essay by Lawrence

 

 

Loneliness is a well documented and discussed topic with many resources readily available on line. Below I give three links on the subject but these are not representative of all the literature on the subject.

 

Issues about loneliness include the causes of being lonely, mental issues, cultural issues and, off course, solutions. But amongst this background we can also identify at least three problems that might be relevant for our purposes.

 

A person being alone might be from choice or from character regarding what stimulates them and attracts them. Not everyone might have the same interests or hobbies or even background. A person who knows themselves would know what company suites them or not. Sometimes this is not even a matter of whether the person is an introvert or extrovert.

 

In and of itself this should not be a problem, but the bottom line is always that we are social animals. Even more, we are one way or another attracted to people of similar mind. Indeed most societies and cultures are well organised to provide people the means to “belong” to a group. Religions are very successful in this respect, maybe followed by political parties and football teams (include other sports as well). But these activities might not be the attraction of everyone in a modern society.

 

The value of the internet is that we can find groups either locally or internationally who share our interests and open to us. However, internet groups do not always fulfil on important criteria: person to person interaction.

 

A more subjective issue about loneliness is rejection from our friends, family, community, peers and culture. A corollary to this is that we reject those around us for some subjective reason. Our idea of loneliness is that we feel sad or even depressed over a period with a magnitude of different consequences. There is no reason why loneliness should not be a feeling for a short period of a few hours or days. Maybe our boss rejects our idea and we feel bad about it, but that rejection need not have any repercussions or adverse consequences.

 

The question we can ask ourselves is whether a constant stream of small rejections amount to a serious mental condition. And today it is very easy for us to be victims of a serious of negative rejections.

 

Finally, another source of loneliness in our modern society is not knowing what to do in a complex city or what groups to belong to especially. Of course, there are many opportunities to meet people with similar background least of which are religious groups as already mentioned. However, not all groups have a well organised network to welcome new people as religion.

 

As I have already mentioned knowing one’s self is an important starting point to overcome loneliness and the internet is a good source to find other people. But this also means being street and internet savvy. This does not mean we have to be paranoid, but what seem to be opportunities at face value, might turn out a swindle.

 

What is clear is that sometimes the culture and location determine the type of groups one can access locally. A good rule of thumb is that the colder the local climate is the more social activities happen inside buildings.

 

 

 

 

Loneliness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness

 

Loneliness

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/loneliness/about-loneliness/

 

Feeling lonely

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/feeling-lonely/

 

 

Best

Lawrence

 

telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813

Email: philomadrid@gmail.com

http://www.philomadrid.com

 

 

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 24th May: Loneliness + News

PhiloMadrid social meeting: Saturday 20th May 2023 at 17:00pm Retiro terraza

PhiloMadrid social meeting: Saturday 20th May 2023 at 17:00pm Retiro terraza


Dear Friends,

These are the details for our social meeting at the Retiro, Madrid.

Date: Saturday 20th May 2023

Place: Retiro at the terraza on the right from the main gate (Puerta
Real). Googlr Maps approx: https://goo.gl/maps/oZZjkx3PQWrPmDQK7

Time: 17:00pm or 5:00pm at the terraza, but I'll be there a bit early to
make sure we get a table.

I'm the guy with the white beard and matching small dog.

Best

Lawrence


telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813
Email: philomadrid@gmail.com
http://www.philomadrid.com


PhiloMadrid social meeting: Saturday 20th May 2023 at 17:00pm Retiro terraza

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 17th May: Creativity…+ News

Dear friends,

This WEDNESDAY, 17th May we are discussing: "Is creativity unique to the
realm of humans"

The topic was proposed by Diego and he kindly sent us a whole list of
reading material, hence no essay by me!

"Is creativity unique to the realm of humans":
Topic by Diego
- https://dataconomy.com/2022/09/26/ai-artwork-wins-art-competition/
-
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/03/tech/ai-art-fair-winner-controversy/index.html
-
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/01/23/what-ai-art-means-for-society-according-to-yale-experts/
-
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/01/23/what-ai-art-means-for-society-according-to-yale-experts/
- https://openai.com/research/musenet
-
https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2023/2/268946-can-ai-demonstrate-creativity/fulltext
- https://open.mit.edu/c/lemelsoneducators/2zw/an-overview-of-creative-ai

Teresa has kindly asked me to share details about her new novel; details
below.

I'll be sending a separate email for our meeting at the Retiro on the
20th May.



NEWS

--Un giro en el aire
Lucinda Maxwell
https://libros.cc/Un-giro-en-el-aire.htm?isbn=9788411753296
Also from Amazon.es ( https://amzn.eu/d/a6RY3AP )

--Oscar's book is now available from Oscar himself:
"Toranzo, 88 ilustraciones y coplillas" by Oscar at €35
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/09/toranzo-88-ilustraciones-y-coplillas-by.html


--It is with great sadness that I have learnt Julian Martelli passed
away early in October this year, 2022. Julian was very active during our
meetings in Molly Malone and participation was always respected by all.
Christine kindly wants to share with us a photo of Julian with her and
friends. You can find the FaceBook link below.

I also include a link for our visit to Toledo in 2008 when Julian came
with us on the day trip.

Julian
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/11/julian.html

--Jorge has kindly sent us the link to his book which is available for
Free Distribution at:
Evolution of Thought and its Influence on Society and Technology
https://www.adneli.com/store


Please let me know if you need the Skype link (preferably by WhatsApp)

Best and take care
Lawrence


telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813
Email: philomadrid@gmail.com
http://www.philomadrid.com


PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: WEDNESDAY 17th May: Creativity…+ News

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: NEWS also no meeting next week

Dear friends,

Our next meeting is on Wednesday, 17th May at 20:00pm. Let me know
whether you want to start later.

We do not have a specific topic for the 17th, so if you can suggest some
I would be grateful…..Of course, we still have topics pending from the
past, but still let me know.

I am also planning another get together at the Retiro for Saturday, 20th
May. I will send out details at the end of next week with my email, but
it will be as usual at 17:00pm. The terrazza gets too busy later!


NEWS
--Oscar's book is now available from Oscar himself:
"Toranzo, 88 ilustraciones y coplillas" by Oscar at €35
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/09/toranzo-88-ilustraciones-y-coplillas-by.html
If you need more details please let me know and I'll put you in touch
with Oscar.

--It is with great sadness that I have learnt Julian Martelli passed
away early in October this year, 2022. Julian was very active during our
meetings in Molly Malone and participation was always respected by all.
Christine kindly wants to share with us a photo of Julian with her and
friends. You can find the FaceBook link below.

I also include a link for our visit to Toledo in 2008 when Julian came
with us on the day trip.

Julian
https://www.philomadrid.com/2022/11/julian.html

--Jorge has kindly sent us the link to his book which is available for
Free Distribution at:
Evolution of Thought and its Influence on Society and Technology
https://www.adneli.com/store



Best and take care
Lawrence


telephone/WhatsApp: 606081813
Email: philomadrid@gmail.com
http://www.philomadrid.com

PhiloMadrid Skype meeting: NEWS also no meeting next week