It is always tough to come up with topics for these 20 Questions… well, noit always. Solar Eclipse kind of fell into my lap, and there are other topics that end up being extremely timely as well… not so today. Today I was having a dickens of a time coming up with a topic to answer questions about, so I did what every good blogger does… I outsourced. So, today’s topic is “Limitations” thanks to a suggestion from my eldest step-kiddo, Peter. Thanks Peter, this one is for you.
The prompt top get the LLm’s to give interesting questions took some effort. I really had to explicitly define multiple definitions of the word “Limitation” and what types of questions would be preferred. I gave the same prompt to Chad (ChatGPT), Bart (Gemini), and, the new to me, Claude (Anthropic). - FYI: I am not going to “interview Claude since that LLM has no knowledge carry-over from question to question, so there would not be any build off of each question. It would just be me asking Claude a series of unconnected questions, which is much better for question generation than it is for a connected interview. Now back to your regularly scheduled content - So, thanks this week to Chad (10 questions), Bart (5 questions), Claude (3 questions) and Some Other Guy (2 questions). Editor’s note: Both Bart and Claude had versions of some of the questions I used from Chad, but they were almost exact replicas, even in their wording… methinks some LLM’s have been trained on the same datasets.
Anyway… on to the questions!
1. What role do limitations play in shaping our understanding of personal freedom?
The biggest limitation to personal freedom is other people’s personal freedom. Often the freedom of one person impinges on the freedom of someone else, and vice versa.
2. How do cultural norms impose limitations on individual expression?
Oh, in so many ways. Cultural norms will often constrain people to, well, the mores of the day. The interesting thing is that mores and cultural limitations change over time. The cultural limitations of my parents' culture are different from mine, which are different from my kids’ which will, in turn, be different from the generations following.
3. Can limitations inspire creativity, or do they stifle innovation?
Weirdly, the answer to that is “Yes.” Limitations inspire creativity and stifle innovation. These are not mutually exclusive categories.
4. Are there any benefits to embracing limitations rather than seeing them as obstacles?
Of course there are. Take it in the vein of “fake it til you make it.” Limitations are often a catalyst to make changes.
5. What are the ethical implications of imposing limitations on scientific research?
There are both ethical implications of imposing limitations as well as not imposing limitations. Imposing limitations might reduce the capability of science to fix certain things like cancers and infectious diseases… however without ethical limitations scientists would conduct experiments with no regard to the test subjects.
6. Are there limitations inherent in language that shape the way we perceive the world?
Yes.
9. Do limitations in our understanding of the universe hinder scientific progress, or do they drive exploration?
Again, the answer to this is “yes.” Both are true statements.
10. Can limitations in our understanding of history influence our ability to learn from past mistakes and envision a better future?
Our understanding of history is flawed at best, and our inherent lack of understanding keeps us from moving forward. For example, in the US, until we accept and learn about the breadth and depth of the founding of our country on chattel slavery and how the very basis of our political system is still functioning on those racist underpinnings, we cannot truly move forward.
11. How do different cultures view limitations? Are some cultures more accepting of limitations than others?
There is the apocryphal saying about the Japanese word for challenge also meaning opportunity, or some happy hogwash. I don’t know Japanese, maybe it is real? maybe it is a very liberal translation? who knows… So yeah, some cultures look at impediments, like limitations, as a reason to creatively execute a solution.
12. What are the biggest limitations facing technological advancement today? How might we overcome these limitations?
2 major limitations are starting to rear their ugly heads. One is miniaturization. There is a physical limit to how small things actually can get. The second thing is the battery technology we have at the moment. Since the lithium ion battery was introduced, there have not been any significant jumps forward oin battery technology.
13. Can setting limitations actually be empowering? How can we learn to say "no" more effectively?
“No” is a very powerful limitation. Healthy boundaries are limitations, and they are healthy. Just make sure when you say no, it is not solely based on fear… coming from first hand experience
14. Is FOMO a limitation of the digital age? How can we overcome the feeling of missing out due to limitations in time or resources?
“Technology” as a whole is becoming more and more difficult to keep up with. There is just so much of it. Eventually people had to start differentiating skill sets because no one person could do all the things necessary to keep a culture and society operating and growing… same thing is happening now, has always been happening, and will continue to happen.
15. Are limitations inherent to the human condition? If so, how can we learn to live within them while still striving for growth?
Limitations are inherent to any condition, human or otherwise. Specifically for humans, we only have so many limbs, fingers and toes, we only have so long of a lifespan. The only thing you can do as a human is continue to try and grow in some direction in spite of all of our intrinsic limitations.
16. Can limitations be self-imposed, and if so, why might someone choose to limit themselves? Conversely, can limitations be a source of motivation or drive for personal growth and achievement?
There are healthy limitations as well as unhealthy ones. It is finding that balance. Healthy: understanding that the human body cannot flap it’s arms hard enough or fast enough to cause flight. Unhealthy: I sometimes do not try doing something, because limiting myself to not trying allows me to control how I fail. The converse is true as well, sometimes my limitation at doing something is the reason I try harder. Not for running though. Running can fuck right off.
17. How do limitations factor into the ongoing discourse around accessibility and inclusivity?
That is all about understanding. By understanding the limitations imposed by accessibility, people can design better experiences for everyone. If an experience is designed with accessibility and diversity in mind, it is always a better experience for everyone, even the people who do not classify themselves as needing concessions made for accessibility or inclusivity.
18. Can the acknowledgment and acceptance of limitations be seen as a form of wisdom and maturity, or are you just giving up ?
This one feels pointed. Are you accusing me of something?
19. Calculus is a system of mathematics that is built on the idea of limits. The whole ɛ - ẟ definition of a continuous function is the basis of the blending of the Newtonian and Liebnezian Calculus systems. Wherein Newton focused on functions, associating variables with flowing or changing quantities, whilst Leibniz, on the other hand, viewed calculus in terms of relations defined by constraints… How many people were injured during altercations between the Newtonians and the Leibnezians?
I remember casually reading something about this in a math history book years and years ago that 4 people were injured in a bar room brawl between groups supporting the 2 mathematicians. Casually reading?!?!? A math history book?!!? Oh.. God… I am such a nerd.
20. Do you feel that you have hamstrung your creativity for this blog by limiting yourself to this 20 Question format?
Sometimes.
To recap:
Newton v Leibniz was real
People took that shit seriously
For all the math nerds out there, Newton was instrumental in defining Differential Calculus, whilst Leibnez was instrumental in defining Integral Calculus
Modern Calculus notation is primarily the notation that Leibnez defined
Still looking for a job our there
Thought I would be the perfect fit for a particular job
It was the intersection of my 2 career paths
Job description read like it was my resume
Didn’t even get a call back
This is a very discouraging job market for me
And now my sleep schedule has gone to absolute crap
Well, even more crappy, it was never great
I need to draw more
I did do the pencils for a Hunter illustration from The Bad Batch
I need to add colors and inks
Keep in mind that you should put limits on your limitations
Have a great week everyone