Paul Harland
@pabloredux.bsky.social
Evolution: it's nothing personal. (Sorry if I ask too many questions... Share nicely!)
I'm here because you're here.
http://pabloredux.wordpress.com/
(Profile photo: a faint shadow of me cast across a weathered lichen-marked stone wall by the sea.)
I'm here because you're here.
http://pabloredux.wordpress.com/
(Profile photo: a faint shadow of me cast across a weathered lichen-marked stone wall by the sea.)
But markets are good?
This report in Nature on the costs of competing for & administering scientific grants is shocking: "In other words, European taxpayers will have spent more on the funding process than on the funding itself, and the scientific ecosystem has been drained." www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Point of no returns: researchers are crossing a threshold in the fight for funding
With so little money to go round, the costs of competing for grants can exceed what the grants are worth. When that happens, nobody wins.
www.nature.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:15 PM
But markets are good?
After 15 years, am still sorting out my social media policy! How's yours looking?
Not the biggest news, but I did my annual update of my social media policy joanna-bryson.blogspot.com/2024/10/guid... Note in particular – @joinmastodon.org.web.brid.gy 's edit policy allows you to EDIT a toot if you learn something from its replies, & anyone who's interacted with it gets notified!
Guidance to my social media communications
artificial and natural intelligence, including politics, policy, ethics and security
joanna-bryson.blogspot.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:06 PM
After 15 years, am still sorting out my social media policy! How's yours looking?
Reposted by Paul Harland
Perhaps now people will stop wishcasting about the US military refusing illegal orders. That's not a thing that happens. The 100% compliance rate with using civilian boats for target practice was a bit of a tell.
January 3, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Perhaps now people will stop wishcasting about the US military refusing illegal orders. That's not a thing that happens. The 100% compliance rate with using civilian boats for target practice was a bit of a tell.
Reposted by Paul Harland
try to make sense of it
So fmr Honduran President Hernandez voluntarily surrendered, and was duly extradited, tried and convicted for drug trafficking, and Trump pardoned him 6w ago.
And this morning, Trump illegally attacks Venezuela and abducts its president and his wife purportedly to try them for drug trafficking.
And this morning, Trump illegally attacks Venezuela and abducts its president and his wife purportedly to try them for drug trafficking.
January 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
try to make sense of it
"Possibly the most pervasive illusion of all is the belief that a single model, hypothesis, or theory specifies the cause of the phenomena under investigation. There are almost always multiple causes at different levels of complexity and depth."
Illusions of Understanding in the Sciences: https://osf.io/37ps8
January 3, 2026 at 12:40 PM
"Possibly the most pervasive illusion of all is the belief that a single model, hypothesis, or theory specifies the cause of the phenomena under investigation. There are almost always multiple causes at different levels of complexity and depth."
Reposted by Paul Harland
I personally think a lot of what goes into AI and comes out of it is on the basis of whether or not somebody is just looking for a shortcut versus trying to actually get meaningful content that helps improve their lives.
January 2, 2026 at 8:30 PM
I personally think a lot of what goes into AI and comes out of it is on the basis of whether or not somebody is just looking for a shortcut versus trying to actually get meaningful content that helps improve their lives.
You know how AI is supposed to be making us stupider, deskilling us, making us forget how to write—and thus, how to think—and all that? I think in some ways it is having the opposite effect, at least on me, as a reader and editor.
I explain why in this new post:
open.substack.com/pub/briandav...
I explain why in this new post:
open.substack.com/pub/briandav...
January 2, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Paul Harland
Fascinating interview with a philosophy professor who wrote a book arguing that alcohol has helped humans create the world as we know it. Despite his pro-drinking beliefs, he’s doing Dry January.
The social benefits of alcohol, he says, come from just moderate levels of intoxication.
Gift link.
The social benefits of alcohol, he says, come from just moderate levels of intoxication.
Gift link.
The Meaning of Dry January
That more and more people are abstaining from drinking for one month a year is a sign of society’s profoundly broken relationship with alcohol—and coming change.
www.theatlantic.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Fascinating interview with a philosophy professor who wrote a book arguing that alcohol has helped humans create the world as we know it. Despite his pro-drinking beliefs, he’s doing Dry January.
The social benefits of alcohol, he says, come from just moderate levels of intoxication.
Gift link.
The social benefits of alcohol, he says, come from just moderate levels of intoxication.
Gift link.
Reposted by Paul Harland
Sharks, as an evolutionary pathway, are older than the rings of Saturn.
Ok folks: what is your favorite fact that you share with people (maybe a bit too) eagerly?
December 31, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Sharks, as an evolutionary pathway, are older than the rings of Saturn.
Reposted by Paul Harland
Super review: bsky.app/profile/casm... (including interesting side thoughts on certain limitations of generative AI).
January 2, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Super review: bsky.app/profile/casm... (including interesting side thoughts on certain limitations of generative AI).
Who doesn't?
Remember how Tony Blair announced minimum wage legislation in the letters column of Wehrmacht Collectibles Digest, and published the full text of his Education Education Education speech, before party conference, in Top Heavy Amateurs.
January 2, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Who doesn't?
How quickly we all forget...
People say it’s odd that governments still use Twitter/X to communicate, but it’s only like how the John Major government announced its ongoing Maastricht negotiations through the readers’ erotic stories pages in Men Only magazine.
January 2, 2026 at 4:24 PM
How quickly we all forget...
At the moment it can often respond with a comment but not effectively volunteer it...?
Software *cannot give a comment*.
January 2, 2026 at 4:21 PM
At the moment it can often respond with a comment but not effectively volunteer it...?
Reposted by Paul Harland
𝗢𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗔 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺
Excellent paper discussing how considering biology is important to understand consciousness.
Really enjoyed this one.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
#neuroskyence
Excellent paper discussing how considering biology is important to understand consciousness.
Really enjoyed this one.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
#neuroskyence
December 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
𝗢𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗔 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺
Excellent paper discussing how considering biology is important to understand consciousness.
Really enjoyed this one.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
#neuroskyence
Excellent paper discussing how considering biology is important to understand consciousness.
Really enjoyed this one.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
#neuroskyence
Patchy Rights for all?
"Property rights ... tricky: To have no property in a property-based society is to be fully dependent on the voluntary support of others... But unlimited property rights could potentially confer enormous power. One compromise might be a maximum allowable income and wealth."
"Property rights ... tricky: To have no property in a property-based society is to be fully dependent on the voluntary support of others... But unlimited property rights could potentially confer enormous power. One compromise might be a maximum allowable income and wealth."
Debatable AI Persons: No Rights, Full Rights, Animal-Like Rights, Credence-Weighted Rights, or Patchy Rights?
schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/2025/12/deba...
schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/2025/12/deba...
Debatable AI Persons: No Rights, Full Rights, Animal-Like Rights, Credence-Weighted Rights, or Patchy Rights?
schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Patchy Rights for all?
"Property rights ... tricky: To have no property in a property-based society is to be fully dependent on the voluntary support of others... But unlimited property rights could potentially confer enormous power. One compromise might be a maximum allowable income and wealth."
"Property rights ... tricky: To have no property in a property-based society is to be fully dependent on the voluntary support of others... But unlimited property rights could potentially confer enormous power. One compromise might be a maximum allowable income and wealth."
Reposted by Paul Harland
I would add to this that we should be careful not to use psychological tests developed for measuring *human* qualities in *humans* and then conclude machines have human qualities. This is especially problematic with LLM and text based tests, as they are trained to simulate (human) text.
December 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I would add to this that we should be careful not to use psychological tests developed for measuring *human* qualities in *humans* and then conclude machines have human qualities. This is especially problematic with LLM and text based tests, as they are trained to simulate (human) text.
I think the general human problem of understanding humans - ourselves and others - is hard work for all of us. It's tempting to seek our problems elsewhere.
On the other hand, any conclusions we draw will have a very short shelf life, because the machines are in constant flux. Meanwhile, the ease with which one can do this research will sap the attention of researchers away from the harder work of understanding humans.
January 2, 2026 at 1:08 PM
I think the general human problem of understanding humans - ourselves and others - is hard work for all of us. It's tempting to seek our problems elsewhere.
Reposted by Paul Harland
I'll try doing #CookJan even though I'm not in the mood for daily photos. I always love seeing what everyone makes, and would hate for it to stop because no one's joining in.
Also, I need to shout about the cookbooks that made my meals better last year, should anyone care to listen. So let's go!
Also, I need to shout about the cookbooks that made my meals better last year, should anyone care to listen. So let's go!
im really looking forward to #cookjan, a twitter tradition that's just about survived the move over here
here's the explainer from @aliceslater.bsky.social's blog. (and an annual reminder to mute that hashtag if you don't want to see food pics, for any reason).
here's the explainer from @aliceslater.bsky.social's blog. (and an annual reminder to mute that hashtag if you don't want to see food pics, for any reason).
January 2, 2026 at 10:23 AM
I'll try doing #CookJan even though I'm not in the mood for daily photos. I always love seeing what everyone makes, and would hate for it to stop because no one's joining in.
Also, I need to shout about the cookbooks that made my meals better last year, should anyone care to listen. So let's go!
Also, I need to shout about the cookbooks that made my meals better last year, should anyone care to listen. So let's go!
Reposted by Paul Harland
Regulations would be better framed as protections, as I wrote in a letter to the Guardian www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Who will lose out when Labour cuts red tape? | Brief letters
Brief letters: Deregulation danger | Your Party | Talking up pork | Nowhere Lane | Abattoir address
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Regulations would be better framed as protections, as I wrote in a letter to the Guardian www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Paul Harland
principles of animation vs interaction of color, round 1, fight!
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2
#generativeart
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2
#generativeart
January 2, 2026 at 9:56 AM
principles of animation vs interaction of color, round 1, fight!
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2
#generativeart
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2
#generativeart
Reposted by Paul Harland
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2 Day 2:
Prompt: Twelve principles of animation. Credit: Anna Lucia @annaluciacodes
Geometry and music against fascism
- Code Is Soul -
- Code is Clay -
- Code is Free -
#processing #p5js p5jsart
Source Code:
openprocessing.org/user/425399/
Prompt: Twelve principles of animation. Credit: Anna Lucia @annaluciacodes
Geometry and music against fascism
- Code Is Soul -
- Code is Clay -
- Code is Free -
#processing #p5js p5jsart
Source Code:
openprocessing.org/user/425399/
January 2, 2026 at 8:26 AM
#genuary #genuary2026 #genuary2 Day 2:
Prompt: Twelve principles of animation. Credit: Anna Lucia @annaluciacodes
Geometry and music against fascism
- Code Is Soul -
- Code is Clay -
- Code is Free -
#processing #p5js p5jsart
Source Code:
openprocessing.org/user/425399/
Prompt: Twelve principles of animation. Credit: Anna Lucia @annaluciacodes
Geometry and music against fascism
- Code Is Soul -
- Code is Clay -
- Code is Free -
#processing #p5js p5jsart
Source Code:
openprocessing.org/user/425399/
Reposted by Paul Harland
🎯🎯🎯See also long-winded intros to Substack articles. As Sir Brian Harrison used to tell his students, have a good first sentence.
So much truth. And controversial view: for me one of the key differences between radio programmes and podcasts is that radio programmes rarely make me shout GET THE FUCK ON WITH IT I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER IN THE PUB I WASN’T THERE
podcasts
January 2, 2026 at 10:08 AM
🎯🎯🎯See also long-winded intros to Substack articles. As Sir Brian Harrison used to tell his students, have a good first sentence.
Reposted by Paul Harland
The roots of podcastism
January 2, 2026 at 9:47 AM
The roots of podcastism
Reposted by Paul Harland
This is appalling. Criminals are targeting, and stealing from, Meta's own users using Meta's own tools and Meta's chief concern is how to hide that fact, rather than to actually stop them. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta created ‘playbook’ to fend off pressure to crack down on scammers, documents show
A Reuters investigation examines its tactics, including efforts to make scam ads “not findable” when authorities search for them.
www.reuters.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:58 AM
This is appalling. Criminals are targeting, and stealing from, Meta's own users using Meta's own tools and Meta's chief concern is how to hide that fact, rather than to actually stop them. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Paul Harland
I think I'm raising a news fiend. I told my 11-year-old that I was thinking of doing an embroidery journal for 2026--sewing a small image to represent each day. And without missing a beat, she quipped: "But wouldn't that be boring? It would all just be Trump doing dumb things."
January 1, 2026 at 4:46 PM
I think I'm raising a news fiend. I told my 11-year-old that I was thinking of doing an embroidery journal for 2026--sewing a small image to represent each day. And without missing a beat, she quipped: "But wouldn't that be boring? It would all just be Trump doing dumb things."