Free to question the very idea of free will
You looked at superdeterminism, a take on quantum theory that does away with randomness (15 May, p 36). Objections were raised to it on the grounds that it would deny humans free will.
As far as we are aware, nothing in the universe is independent of the cosmos, and what we refer to as free will is, in fact, no more or less than the sum of our prior genetic and environmental influences.
More fundamentally, by what convoluted logic can it be argued that an element of randomness at the quantum level renders the case for independent thought more compelling? A so-called free will rooted in random processes is no more independent than if it is determined by non-random factors.
What cost a sedentary life during lockdowns?
You report on a survey that found 29 per cent of people in England decreased their physical activity between March and August 2020 amid pandemic lockdowns (8 May, p 10).
I assume there is a correlation between physical activity and life expectancy. So the survey could mean that up to 29 per cent of the population may have reduced their healthy life expectancy.
Perhaps the decision to have a lockdown reflects the bias towards valuing more highly what is immediate, measurable and in the headlines, while ignoring hard-to-estimate distant impacts.
The Anthropocene debate will be settled… eventually
That we have begun a new geological epoch, dubbed the Anthropocene, seems not to be doubted by anyone, but Adam Vaughan tells us that pinning down its defining feature appears to be troublesome (8 May, p 12).
The problem is that, whereas all the other recognised epochs were defined with the benefit of millions or hundreds of millions of years of strata to examine, those trying to define the Anthropocene must struggle with living in it.
Fast-forward 10 million years and occupy the shoes of the geologists of whatever species is then dominant, and they will have no problem defining the Anthropocene. As has been pointed out on previous occasions, it will begin with a microscopic layer of compressed polythene found in every cliff face they examine.
Let's not be too optimistic about the climate
Michael Le Page reports that the world is “on track to pass the Paris aspirational limit of 1.5掳C between 2026 and 2042… [and] to exceed 2掳C above its pre-industrial level between the 2040s and 2070s” (24 April, p 34). He adds: “We aren’t heading for the worst-case scenario… [which] could have led to around 5掳C of warming by 2100.” I admire his confidence, but advocate caution.
At a conference organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2009, I detailed a deterministic climate model, first published in 1984, that can distinguish between human-made and natural climate change. This has had an encouraging track record of accuracy, including forecasting the 1990s’ global temperature rise.
Some of its predictions are at odds with those cited in your article, for example, it sees an increase of around 5掳C by 2100.
The problem with trying to tackle big tech firms
In your look at efforts to address the dominance of some tech companies, John Bergmayer is quoted as saying: “You don’t just have one big, global telephone company for Earth, but that’s kind of where we are with Facebook (1 May, p 34).”
That is a poor comparison. Telephone, the post and email don’t need a single company because there is no persistent, shared content. But a group of people need a single database to distribute common stuff over multiple locations, hence single companies dominate. This won’t be solved by anti-monopoly decrees from governments. I doubt it can be solved at all.
White roofs will be good in winter months too
The discussion of an ultra white paint to cool buildings in summer sparked a reader to worry it might do this in winter too, meaning we have to turn up the heating (Letters, 15 May). Physics says otherwise. In winter, a white surface will radiate less heat, helping to keep the warmth in.
Yes, animals probably are sentient like us
It is a mistake to suggest that, just because animals may not necessarily have our kind of intelligence and consciousness, they therefore don’t have it (Letters, 1 May). Creatures as disparate as the day octopus, manta rays, corvids and great apes all have the necessary neural substrates to support cognitive processes and all display cognitive behaviours.
The case to be answered is that the many similarities between cognitive creatures in fact do demonstrate common sentience.
Best way to help pigs isn't an AI, but a change of diet
So AI can read emotional states in the facial expressions of cattle and pigs (1 May, p 14). It is suggested that this technology will enable farmers to improve animal well-being by reducing stressful husbandry.
Despite coming from a farming family and having been a hunter for many years, the best possible way to improve animal well-being is to simply not eat them.
Spotted in broad daylight: a playful platypus
Far from being strictly nocturnal, I have seen many platypuses active during the day in Tasmania, including a memorable encounter with one splashing in the melting snow near (8 May, p 41).
Beware offending the mighty palm
Amid talk of tree sentience, Steve Tunnicliff suggests apologising to an elder tree before cutting it down to avoid its vengeance (Letters, 15 May). I have heard of doing the same for a rowan tree. However, it seems to me that it is palm trees we should really worry about, as they are the ones with fronds in high places.