Author: Joseph Ciarrochi
Date: 16:45:48 01/10/06
I have occasionally thought: "Man, could there be any bigger waste of time than playing chess engines against each other " Or, " What a very odd hobby i have? does this make me odd?" These are pretty important questions actually (well the first one is), since if one is "wasting time," it is imperative to do the thing that is not wasting time. Well, here is something that I 've realized: Every human being must start off with a set of value statements (say life assumptions) that are themselves unassailable by reason or evidence. We must start by saying, "I like this, I don't like that", before we can even start reasoning. (It's the same with math. You've got to start with assumptions). If you seek to justify a value, then by what criteria do you evaluate the value? So all you can say is, "I like computer chess stuff", and just leave the statement "naked in the wind." Since i've joined CCC, i've noticed that people tend to support engines like other people support sports teams. People cheer for a particular engine, and defend it against insult. That's cool i think. It is no less justifiable than cheering for a group of grown men kicking a soccer ball around a field. Or how about curling fans (you know, the canadian sport that features sweeping of the ice). Has there ever been a stranger sport? So i guess i'm using this email to make myself feel better, because I am suppose to be working rather than playing with all the rybka gizmos. best Joseph
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