The Bottom Turtle Podcast

In this episode, Oyani and Dr. Ray discuss  their views on the concept of God and the idea that love is worship.  They also discuss their experiences with Christianity and how it has impacted their views on religion.  To discuss how they view god, the hosts use the same argument from "Pointing in the Continuum" to justify their use of the word spirit.  Here, they use four observations about data correlated to the word god to construct their definition.  These four observations are: (1) the topic of god is taken very seriously by most people, (2) the concept is closely tied to what people worship and hold sacred, (3) it is often close to people's sense of self, and (4) the concept of god is often correlated to the concept of creation.  With these observations, the hosts use the configuration stability and no mentation without representation principles to justify their statement that love is worship.So if you're interested in a new perspective on gods, religions, love, and worship from the point of view of a theoretical physicist and an artist, check out the season 2 finale of The Bottom Turtle Podcast. 

In this episode, Dr. Ray and Oyani discuss the consequences of speculating and what it means to speculate meaningfully.  As minds, we are forced to make judgements based on partial information, but how we choose to speculate affects our perception, which affects how we feel.  It also affects how we make decisions, which affects how we interact with others and our surroundings.  Essentially, it has a significant impact on the reality we create for ourselves.  Because of this, it is important to be aware of how we speculate both actively and passively.As an example of the importance of speculating, Oyani and Dr. Ray discuss the affects of making judgments about the spirits of celebrities.  More specifically, they discuss the spirits of Gordan Ramsey and Gary Vaynerchuk (Garyvee).  Both of these people, who the hosts admire, project images of positivity, but it's always possible to speculate that they are secretly bad people.  Therefore, as the hosts discuss, everyone has the freedom to choose what they believe about their spirits given partial information.  They further discuss the consequences of sincere versus cynical speculations.  The hosts end the episode with a discussion on meaningful speculation.  They discuss how one must understand what logically follows given some constraints to have logically valid speculations.  To do this, one must understand the constraints which means they must understand the language/algebraic structure that produces them.  Without this knowledge, it is not possible to generate what logically follows, which means it's not possible to speculate meaningfully.  So join us in the discussion by clicking the episode, and  don't forget to give a review.Also, you can join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/and you can email us at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.comIf you want to listen to the Lotus Underground episode "Bhayabherava Sutta ('Fear & Dread') mentioned in this episode, follow the link here.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lotus-underground/id1492379651?i=1000548842175And as always, stay turtlin' !

In this episode Dr Ray and Oyani Discuss Algebra,  Coarse-Graining and Surfaces of Ignorance using a recently finished paper written by Dr Ray.

In this episode, Dr. Ray and Oyani discuss the importance of faith when actualizing your optimal self using The Matrix, Evangelion, and mixed martial arts.  In their review of the Matrix, the hosts discuss the importance of Neo and why he's The One, the movie's message of self belief and how it relates to consciousness, and what it means to program one's self into any state of being.  They also discuss what it means to rebel against the constraints of soft reality imposed by society which results in a structure/reality to navigate within one's mind and how the agents represent elites within society who have significant control over its state.  These ideas are further analyzed by discussing their connection to what it means to pilot an Eva (in the anime Evangelion) and the difficulties of programming one's mind to become a UFC champion.  So, join us if you're interested in seeing reality through the lens of information. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/  If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com 

 Welcome to the Bottom Turtle Podcast!  In this episode, Quantum Physicist Shannon Ray and Visual Designer Oyani Onimiya discuss what it means to sacrifice for one's art and the value of creating.  They discuss the value of art in terms of the computational resources used to create it. Additionally, they discuss what it means to enter into a bargain with archetypal spirits so that one can create in accordance with their will. From this perspective, they discuss how to identify an archetypal spirit that trades in delusions by comparing the trophies they offer to the computational cost needed to receive them. Finally, they conclude with a discussion on the effects of a society that values art that requires low computational cost and how it leads to decay, chaos, and subpar art.  So join us if you want to hear what it means to be an artist using easy to understand thought experiments involving computation, anime, the metaphorical space, and pop culture.   Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com 

In this week's episode, Dr Ray and Oyani, discuss The Liberal and Conservative spirits from a non-political perspective. We discuss what the extreme versions of these spirits look like and why finding harmony between both spirits should be the goal. Tune in for other lively discussions about Newspapers, Scrabble, Constraints and Optimization. Stay Turtlin'!

In this episode, Oyani and Dr. Ray discuss the concept of eternal spirits using Jungian archetypes and the concept of pointing as introduced in the previous episode "Pointing in the Continuum".  In their discussion, they define eternal spirits in terms of valid configurations of the universe as determined by the laws of physics.  As the universe evolves from one state to another, certain quantities must be conserved like momentum and energy.  These conserved quantities are the symmetries of the universe, and they determine which configurations are physically possible.  For instance, the human configuration is clearly valid as well as the archetypes of chef, comedian, scientist, doctor, etc.  As valid configurations of the universe, these archetypal spirits are eternal since their existence is always a potential state of the universe that are consistent with the laws of physics.  The hosts further discuss how stories about these archetypes increase the probability that they will be embodied and observed in the future due to people's interactions with the stories.  They also discuss the concept of self as it relates to archetypes and what it means to see the self in others.  So join us if you want to hear about Jungian archetypes from the perspective of stories, physics, and information, and as always stay turtlin' my friends!  Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com 

In this episode, Oyani and Dr. Ray present an argument defending their use of the word spirit using the character Colin Robinson from "What We Do in the Shadows".  In the episode "Spirits & Waveforms", the hosts define spirit in terms of how something programs the universe and how it is programmed by the universe.  This associates the concept of spirit with how the universe evolves during an interaction.  Given this definition, the hosts argue that they are removing the supernatural aspects from the word while keeping most of its historic connotation to communicate precisely.  This is related to Colin Robinson since he is an energy vampire, not a traditional vampire who sucks blood.  Despite this, he is still understood to be a vampire by the audience.  Further, by making him a vampire that feeds on negative emotion, he represents a person, like an internet troll, who spreads misery for their own sustenance.  Since this archetypal spirit exists in real life, the show demonstrates how the concept of vampire can manifests itself in reality by keeping some traits of the vampire while removing others.  It is in this sense that the hosts justify their use of the word spirit while removing the supernatural.   To learn how the above argument relates to objective truth, absolute truth, thermal entropy, and points in a continuum, check out the episode!  Also, don't forget to leave a review and join our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/ .       You can also leave us an email at:thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com We hope you enjoy the episode. And as always, stay turtlin' my friends! 

In this episode of The Bottom Turtle Podcast, visual designer Oyani Onimiya and quantum physicist Shannon Ray expand their discussion on spirits by reviewing the movie "Spring Breakers" starring Selena Gomez and James Franco. Spring Breakers is the 8th movie by filmmaker Harmony Korine that follows the descent into chaos of four college students looking for excitement during spring break.  While partying in Florida, they meet up with Alien, played by Franco,  who shows them the true meaning of embracing the spring breaker spirit.Using the perspective of information, Dr. Ray and Oyani give their interpretation of the movie as a cautionary tale of what happens when one worships the spirit of chaos.  They also discuss the trappings of projecting a false persona, and the effects of lying to one's self about the true nature of their spirit.  Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com Stay turtlin' my friends, peace. 

In this episode, visual designer Oyani Onimiya and quantum physicist Shannon Ray use their information theoretic based language to give physical meaning to the concept of spirit.  To do this, they define something's spirit as the way it programs the universe and the way it is programmed by the universe.  For anything to program or be programmed, there must be an interaction.  Thus, this definition connects spirit to how the universe evolves during an interaction.  From here, spirit is further connected to the scientific method since to know a spirit is a question of the  likely outcome of an interaction which can be verified through observation.They also discuss the social implications of this definition since something's spirit is defined in terms of its interactions with all other things in the universe.  As such, they point out that one's spirit does not belong to them alone since it requires multiple parties to interact with. This implies that the meaning of any archetypal spirit, like comedian, chef, doctor, scientist etc. exists on the network of all minds who are interacting.  Everyone gets a vote on what these spirits are since someone's model of a spirit affects how they interact with it which affects the spirit. This episode  also tackles the question of self by pointing out that one's physical matter is replaced over time, and yet there remains something that is the self that can't be made of physical matter alone.  This conundrum is explored by arguing that what remains that is not made of matter is the waveform which dictates how information flows during interactions.  This further complicates the question of self since waveforms are independent of the physical matter on which they've been placed. Therefore, it is possible to identify with a waveform that can be found in others. So if you're interested in science based arguments of spirits and the idea of self, check out the episode!  And if you have any questions and  ideas you want discussed on the show, or you want to tell us why we're wrong, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com Also, Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/We hope to hear from you and as always, stay turtlin' my friends!

We are Back!!!Dr Ray and Oyani kick off the new season by introducing The Configuration Stability Principle and discuss the purpose of consciousness.Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com 

Dr. Ray and Oyani hangout with English teacher Eunice Ray to summarize the season and discuss what it means to establish truth.Episodes of this podcast are not meant to be listened to individually, but are instead pieces of the larger whole.  As such, the purpose of this episode is to summarize the arguments developed throughout season 1 on the role of information when discussing reality.  The hosts review the degree of freedom soup as a thought experiment for breaking the illusion that what one sees is reality.  They also discuss how the concept of information functions as a bridge between the physical and metaphysical spaces.  This is continued by a discussion of navigating the metaphysical space in terms of feelings, games, and optimization.  Finally, the conversation concludes with a discussion on what it means to create truth.  Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com Stay turtlin' my friends 

Dr Ray and Oyani discuss information being the bottom turtle using symmetries and metaphors

Dr Ray and Oyani discuss his interaction with the folks from r/Philosophyofscience

Oyani and Dr Ray, break down the phrase "speak your truth"

Dr Ray and Oyani discuss Conspiracy Theories and False trophiesDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/If you have any questions or ideas you want discussed on the show, leave us an email at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com 

Dr Ray and Oyani Discuss Causal Structure and World Building

In this episode, Oyani and Dr. Ray use the no mentation without representation principle introduced in the previous episode to discuss the similarities between minds and computer algorithms.  They then discuss what it means to navigate the conceptual space when solving a problem using thought experiments involving crossword puzzles and optimization algorithms. The basis of their argument is that minds and computers are similar in that both physical systems are subsets of the universe that can be placed in many configurations.  Also, in both cases, the configuration of the systems depend on the input data they receive and how they process information.  In the case of a computer, the software placed on the system affects how the system processes data.  For beings of mind, the state of mind determines how the system processes data and thus affects the configuration of its physical system.  Given these symmetries, the process of solving a problem can be understood in terms of optimizing objective functions by searching in the space of configurations.  The hosts also discuss how this perspective gives insight into the questions of self and what it means to be socialized so that composite minds can be created.  This leads into discussions of reformulating the golden rule in terms of optimization, what is evil from the perspective of an information processor, and the importance of cooperation.     So join us if you're interested in discussions about ethics, socialization, and problem solving from the perspective of an information processor.  Also, don't forget to leave a review.You can join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/and you can email us at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.comAs always, stay turtlin' my friends!

In this episode, Dr. Ray and Oyani discuss the process of navigating the conceptual space using the no mentation without representation principle.  Here,  mentation refers to mental states and representation refers to physical states.  The purpose of this principle is to bridge our understanding of the conceptual and physical spaces. To demonstrate their point, the hosts use the thought experiment of telling someone a secret. If someone is told a secret, they can physically carry that secret by walking into another room and telling another person.  This is no different than if it the secret was written on a piece of paper, carried into another room, and handed to someone.  Therefore, the act of communicating is the act of changing something's physical configuration. It is also true that one changes their own physical configuration as they think.  As one thinks, they are traversing a trajectory in the space of all configurations their system could be in.  The state of happiness is a different physical configuration from the state of sadness.  But to go from one to the other, one must know how to program their physical system from one to the other.  This is the process of navigating the conceptual space.The hosts further discuss the role of feelings when navigating the conceptual space.  Feelings act as a physical measurements that informs one about their location in the conceptual space.  To effectively navigate it, one must be honest about their feelings; they tell you what conceptual neighborhood you're in.  So, if you find these ideas interesting and want to hear more, check out the episode.  Also, don't forget to leave a review! You can join our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/And you can leave us an email at: thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.com As always stay turtlin' my friends! 

Welcome back to The Bottom Turtle Podcast! In this episode Oyani and Dr. Ray use the degree of freedom soup, introduced in the previous episode, to discuss the simulation hypothesis.  They also discuss the usefulness of the hypothesis  as a tool for discussing the limits of what can be known about reality.  Beyond the discussion about the truth of living in a simulation, the hosts also ask if it really matters.  Assuming the model put forth by Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom that we are beings in an ancestral program of reality, the hosts ask if it matters given that there are still consequences.  If it is the case that a powerful civilization discovered how to create consciousness and placed it in a computer, is there any difference from regular life since we would still be minds navigating a degree of freedom soup who can feel?  The hosts also discuss the implications of the matrix on the simulation hypothesis and how societies construct a consensus when constructing a model of reality using the scientific method.  They also give their version of the simulation hypothesis by stating in the affirmative that we are in a simulation that is constructed by our physical systems as it models the degree of freedom soup.  Basically, as minds trapped in bodies, we are trapped in our simulations of hard reality ( that which exists independent of any single mind and is the origin of data inputs for the model).  So join us if you're interested in an alternative perspective on the simulation hypothesis.  Also, don't forget to leave a review.You can join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/and you can email us at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.comAs always, stay turtlin' my friends!

Welcome to the first episode of The Bottom Turtle Podcast!  Join hosts visual designer Oyani Onimiya and theoretical physicist Dr. Shannon Ray as they discuss the nature of reality from the perspective of information.  The purpose of this podcast is to develop a language for conceptualizing reality using nothing but the concept of information.  The episode begins by introducing the bottom turtle anecdote.  The hosts then introduce their central argument for addressing the problem of infinite regression by asking the question what is the extent to which one can be certain about what reality is.  That is, a complete answer to the question of reality must be accompanied by a degree of certainty (which is equivalent to providing a degree of uncertainty).  This train of thought is continued by suggesting that as minds, we are trapped in our models of reality that are generated by our human systems.  To further motivate the assertion that minds are trapped in models of reality, the concept of the degree of freedom soup is introduced.  This is a thought tool for conceptualizing the universe without filtering it through a mind.  Minds conceptualize reality based on how their systems gather, store, and access information. Therefore, an octopus, a human, and a bear all conceptualize the same room differently, but no one conceptualization is more true than another.  Therefore, the degree of freedom soup is meant to break the illusion that what we see is reality.  If you find these ideas intriguing and want to hear more, join us in the discussion by clicking the episode.  Also,  don't forget to leave a review.Also, you can join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thebottomturtle/and you can email us at thebottomturtlepodcast@gmail.comStay turtlin' my friends !

The Bottom Turtle Podcast trailer