Experts explore new mushroom which causes fairytale-like hallucinations • Hacker News Board

Re: Experts explore new mushroom which causes fairytale-like hallucinations

#341

Post by squeefers » Tue, Jan 06, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #283

squeefers wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

great, but we still cannot say anything beyond "what survives, survives". fitness is a central concept to natural selection and ultimately evolution, but it seems to bother nobody that its an empty concept, a tautology. its a nice observation but doesnt actually explain anything, and I expect science to explain the world.

Science helps figure out “how”. If you want it to help you figure out “why” (beyond a probabilistic or mechanical model), you will be disappointed.

> Science helps figure out “how"

im not asking the why, im asking the how

Re: Experts explore new mushroom which causes fairytale-like hallucinations

#342

Post by squeefers » Tue, Jan 06, 2026, 4:02 PM UTC

dimator wrote: post #325

squeefers wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

try telling that to quantum physicists... theyll just give you the wave function and say "well it works doesnt it"?

Except for the decades of experiments yielding validated predictions?

youve missed the point entirely

Re: Experts explore new mushroom which causes fairytale-like hallucinations

#343

Post by squeefers » Tue, Jan 06, 2026, 4:02 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #265

squeefers wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

try telling that to quantum physicists... theyll just give you the wave function and say "well it works doesnt it"?

That's a bad take. I'm sure you can do a lot better than that.

i dont think youve understood it correctly

Re: Experts explore new mushroom which causes fairytale-like hallucinations

#344

Post by squeefers » Tue, Jan 06, 2026, 4:03 PM UTC

DonHopkins wrote: post #293

squeefers wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

great, but we still cannot say anything beyond "what survives, survives". fitness is a central concept to natural selection and ultimately evolution, but it seems to bother nobody that its an empty concept, a tautology. its a nice observation but doesnt actually explain anything, and I expect science to explain the world.

Please inoculate yourself against believing and parroting anti-science Intelligent Design / Creationist talking points by understanding where they come from, and what they led to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_Design Intelligent Design is a religious ideology, not a scientific theory. The Discovery Institute is the evangelical advocacy organization that systematized and promoted it. https://en.wikipedia.o…

i think intelligent design is bunk.... was this a reflexive contrarian reply without even fully reading what youre arguing against?