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In the constantly evolving landscape of video games, there exists a gem that has captivated players across the globe with its enduring charm and endless potential: Minecraft. Developed by Mojang Studios, this iconic sandbox game offers an unparalleled gaming journey that defies genres, providing an exclusive realm where players can explore, create, and conquer to their heart's content.

Minecraft's allure lies in its remarkable ability to offer an expansive canvas of boundless prospects, a world that challenges the boundaries of imagination. From the very moment you set foot in its distinct pixelated terrains, an aura of awe and curiosity takes hold. Regardless of whether you're a seasoned wanderer or a novice voyager, the game's capacity to blend resourcefulness, inventiveness, and strategy is what makes it truly exceptional.

An Infinite Spectrum of Possibilities

The cornerstone of Minecraft's brilliance is its exceptional sandbox design. As you begin, you find yourself at the dawn of an untamed world, brimming with resources, landscapes, and enigmas waiting to be unraveled. Your journey commences with modest aspirations – a hunt for wood, stone, and other essentials that signify the birth of your primal survival.

Minecraft stands out for its natural progression. From rudimentary tools to crafting stations, you gradually metamorphose your surroundings into a sanctuary of safety and growth. Simple stone cottages evolve into majestic fortresses, and basic wooden implements transform into resplendent diamond armor. The game respects your rhythm, allowing you to grasp its mechanics and prosper at your own pace.

Conquering Villages, Confronting the Nether, and Challenging the End

Beyond survival, Minecraft masterfully weaves a captivating narrative into its fabric. With every milestone, a portal to unexplored dimensions materializes, inviting players to undertake audacious journeys. From understanding village dynamics to navigating the perilous domains of the Nether, a realm forged in flames and sulfur, the game's strata reveal themselves with each step.

Yet, perhaps the ultimate voyage unfolds within the End – a dimension veiled in enigma and the embodiment of Minecraft's mythology. It's here that players encounter the imposing Ender Dragon, a symbol intricately intertwined with the game's lore, challenging players to ascend to new heights. Triumphing over the dragon marks not an end, but rather the commencement of the game's most electrifying phase, where realms of unbounded potential and artistic liberty unfurl before you.

Shaping Your World, One Block at a Time

Minecraft's essence transcends mere survival and pulse-quickening escapades. At its heart lies an unmatched creative platform where players metamorphose into architects, builders, and dreamers. From forging sprawling metropolises to intricate contraptions powered by redstone, Minecraft's canvas morphs into a conduit for artistic expression.

Crafting farms, nurturing livestock, and cultivating crops mirror the rhythms of existence itself. As you shape your world, you forge a symbiotic rapport with the environment, attuned to the equilibrium between survival and flourishing. Minecraft empowers you to be the maestro of your own chronicle, infusing vitality into the terrain and scripting sagas that resonate across time.

In Conclusion

Amidst a gaming arena flooded with ever-shifting trends, Minecraft emerges as a constant symbol of infinite creativity, exploration, and innovation. Its extraordinary fusion of survival, storytelling, and inventiveness forms an experience unrivaled within the realm of gaming. From your first bundle of wood to the mastery of the Ender Dragon's might, Minecraft encapsulates the essence of crafting your destiny within an expansive cosmos. As pixels and blocks unite, a universe of boundless gaming prospects unfurls – a testimony to the perpetual allure and brilliance of this extraordinary game.

Intelligence and consciousness are two concepts that have been studied by philosophers and psychologists for centuries. In recent years though, scientists are also concerned of these two topics, in a merged form of intelligence and technology, in other words Artificial Intelligence. The reason for that is that understanding intelligence and consciousness could be key to create Artificial General Intelligence, which would hypothetically exceed human cognitive capabilities. Although there have been many attempts to define those terms, they have not been very satisfactory to later thinkers. As they attempted to define those terms as well, it turns out these concepts are fundamentally hard to describe.

Intelligence

The human species have been obsessed with intelligence, especially about the relative intelligence. For some reason people tend to search for reasons to find out how intelligent they are. It is supposedly because of a narcissistic character of the human species. They tend to call themselves as the most intelligent and capable animals in the world. 

One way intelligent is measured, or is being tried to measure, is by the relative performance on IQ tests, but one problem that occurs when comparing results of these tests, is that the result is a number that tells something about the relative performance on the test and it does not give an absolute idea about the intelligence. When different results from other tests, taken by the same agent, are being compared, different results show up. A measurement should in theory not vary. 

When a certain mass is being weight on the moon, it is precisely possible to measure its weight on earth, whilst these tests suggest that performance is relative, whilst the intelligence remains the same. When a certain measurement in the example gives a wrong result, it is sure that the measurement tool is wrong or not precise enough, maybe even broken. Does this mean that the agent, that takes these tests is one day 10 IQ less smart than the other day?(1)

It could be argued that the different test results are a result of certain parameters, like amount of sleep etc., but it doesn’t really matter how precise or how wrong these so-called intelligence measurement tools are, because in the example of the mass, it is possible to explain the reason for different weights, as the gravity is different on the planets, it is even precisely possible to measure these gravities, and also calculate the masses of the celestial bodies based on that information. 

It is more important to firstly understand what you are measuring, because the information that will be obtained, will have meaning. If the tests are given to a fish for example, the fish will surely get the lowest point available, whilst it supposedly has a much more complex life than the human life. (Take into consideration that the behavior and thoughts of underwater creatures are not totally understood by biologists)

Consciousness

In medicine a patient is considered unconscious when the patient is not aware of its environment and does not respond to it. Awareness is being achieved by the constant impulses of receptors that are in touch with the environment or they record changes in it. In other words, basic chemical reactions used by cells are how living creatures are aware of their environment. 

Chemistry seems to be everywhere though, does this mean that everything is conscious? When in a hot cup of water, another cold cup of water is being poured, the water reacts to it and changes it temperature accordingly. Does this mean that the water is aware of its environment the same way living creatures like humans do?

There is a key difference between the way humans react to their environment and the way matter in nature reacts to its environment. The difference being that matter obeys to the laws of nature directly, there is no decision being made by the water to change the way it moves. (0 Kelvin, or no energy is when the atoms do not move, the more energy or temperature it gets, the more the atoms move) When humans react to their environment though it is either a reflex or a decision to make a certain contraction or move.  Both acts, whether it is autonomous or not, are a decision by the central nervous system.

In other words, consciousness is the ability to observe and react to the environment by a central decision taker. When matter reacts to its environment, it simply obeys, it has no means to achieve a certain goal by not obeying it, simply because it has no brains to think or even have emotions about goals. The living creatures have central decision takers that try to stay alive and reproduce, every other action is either directly or indirectly related to this goal. 

Humans do have consciousness, as we are even capable to think of complex concepts such as consciousness by simply observing our own behavior. Without a doubt animals with central nervous systems or creatures that have similar capabilities, whether it is more complex or not, have consciousness as well as humans do. The question is however if this consciousness is the same as that of humans. Would an animal or other living creature think about complex concepts like consciousness the way humans do? Does the complexity of these conscious thoughts and acts have something to do with intelligence? 

Let’s take the IQ test into consideration in order to illustrate the relation between intelligence and consciousness. Even though IQ tests, as mentioned before, are not a precise way to measure intelligence, it surely is a way to tell if something is intelligent in a certain way. Being able to solve certain questions, is certainly conscious behavior. As the environment the agent must take the test is text and its goal is to solve questions. The input is the question itself and the output or act, are the answer. 

To be able to solve those questions though, the agent must rely on information and capabilities of the central decision taker. Language it has learned, in the case of a human agent by going to school, and the thoughts it has about the question and its solution all rely on the capabilities of the central decision taker. By the information it obtained by interacting with its environment in the past, or the information that it already has in its central decision taker system, it can solve the questions. In other words, the more it behaves and learns from its behavior and environment, the more complex the questions and problems it can solve are. And this complexity, is what we call intelligence. 

Artificial Intelligence

AI contains two words: artificial and intelligence. The meaning of AI, etymologically, is an intelligence that is created. As I suggested before, it must be a conscious system or agent that must behave in a certain intelligent way. It is important to emphasize that intelligence is relative and depends on the questions, in the example of IQ tests, or certain problems it must solve. That means that the intelligence will be different depending on the goal, or problem it must solve, and the environment.

In the thought experiment known as "The Chinese Room," Searle envisions a person who is locked away in a space and given instructions on how to manipulate Chinese characters. Despite not truly understanding the meaning of the Chinese characters, the agent can use the principles to make meaningful replies to inputs in Chinese.

According to Searle, the Chinese Room thought experiment demonstrated that a machine could not comprehend language in the same manner as a human can because it is deficient in the mental processes and states needed for comprehension.

The argument can be refuted in a simple way, using the suggestion about consciousness given before. If we would apply his implication about not understanding the input, but knowing what the output must be, to the central nervous system in the human body, he implies that the human is not able to comprehend everything it does. Simply because of the reason the nervous system doesn’t understand what is happening. 

That is however the case, but the totality of the body, the nervous system, the receptors, the information in the DNA, are all components to a system that is conscious and intelligent in its totality. This means, in his thought experiment that the person that takes decisions is just one component, but the totality of inputs, thought and decision processes and outputs is what is intelligent.  

Alan Turing, on the other hand, suggested the "Turing Test," which is a test intended to test whether a computer can demonstrate intelligent behavior that is indistinguishable from that of a human. A machine could be considered intelligent if it can trick the human judge through natural language that it is a human.

This “Turing Test” could be an effective way to judge, but the problem is that it could only give the judge an idea about how humanly intelligent it is able to communicate. As I mentioned before, intelligence could also be in a different environment. This means that it could be that an AI, made with a totally different intention, but even more intelligent than a human in that context, would get obliterated by a simple language model, even though one is more intelligent than the other one. These limitations are as limiting as the IQ test is, which means a better Turing test is needed depending on the environment and the purpose.

These adapted Turing Tests would only be testing the so-called Narrow AI or weak AI.
These Artificial intelligences are only capable to work in a certain environment. The goal of AI development however is to work towards AGI, or an AI that would be able to work in a more general environment. This would mean that all these different Turing Tests together would create the true Turing test where the general competence of AI will be tested. Once AGI is capable of convincing the human judge, it will only be a matter of time exceeding the human cognitive capabilities. “The Future” is what I call everything after the Turing Test, from that point humanity should be able to create wonders. 

In summary, I suggest that intelligence and consciousness are closely related. It should be possible to recreate intelligence, as it is only a byproduct of consciousness, whilst some may argue the opposite. Some attempts to define intelligence or tests for intelligence haven’t failed necessarily, but they weren’t detailed and generalized enough for the concept of consciousness and intelligence. In the case of Searle, I suppose he was right about the assumptions, but wrong about the conclusions.

1. A. S. Kaufman, IQ testing 101.  (Springer Publishing Company, 2009).

Fake news is a complex and nuanced problem that has been a dominant theme in the headlines for several years. According to the University of Michigan Library's "Fake News: A Guide to Information Literacy," fake news is "those news stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes. Sometimes these stories may be propaganda that is intentionally designed to mislead the reader or may be designed as 'clickbait' written for economic incentives ." (https://guides.lib.umich.edu/fakenews)

However, it's important to note that fake news is not limited to this narrow definition. The term itself has become politicized and is often used to discredit opposing viewpoints or cast doubt on the credibility of certain media organizations. In addition, the rise of social media has made it easier for fake news stories to spread quickly and widely as people share information online. With the increasing reliance on online sources for information, the proliferation of fake news can have serious consequences for individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

The universe of "fake news" is much larger than simply false news stories. Some stories may have a nugget of truth but lack any contextualizing details or verifiable facts or sources. Others may include basic verifiable facts, but are written using language that is deliberately inflammatory, leaves out pertinent details, or only presents one viewpoint. Fake news exists within a larger ecosystem of mis- and disinformation. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is mistakenly or inadvertently created or spread; the intent is not to deceive. Disinformation, on the other hand, is false information that is deliberately created and spread "in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth" 

One group that has been particularly effective at spreading fake news is Russian web brigades, also known as Russian trolls. According to Wikipedia, "Russian web brigades (also called Russian trolls, Russian bots, Kremlin Bots, Kremlins or Rustapar) are state-sponsored anonymous Internet political commentators and trolls linked to the Government of Russia. Participants report that they are organized into teams and groups of commentators that participate in Russian and international political blogs and Internet forums using sockpuppets, social bots and large-scale orchestrated trolling and disinformation campaigns to promote pro-Putin and pro-Russian propaganda." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_web_brigades)

It is important to be aware of the different types of fake news and to carefully evaluate the sources and accuracy of information before sharing it. By being more discerning about the news we consume and share, we can help combat the spread of fake news and protect ourselves and others from its harmful effects.

The spread of fake news can be combated through critical evaluation of information sources. Factors to consider include the credibility and potential biases of the source, as well as the availability of multiple sources and evidence supporting the claims made. It is also important to consider the motive behind the dissemination of the information and to be cautious of sensational headlines.

Fact-checking websites, such as Snopes, FactCheck, and PolitiFact, can provide valuable resources for verifying the accuracy of information. Prior to sharing information, it is advisable to assess its accuracy and appropriateness. By being diligent in the evaluation of information sources and the accuracy of the information we consume and share, we can help mitigate the spread of fake news and its negative impacts on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Social media platforms have played a significant role in the spread of fake news. The ease and speed with which information can be shared on these platforms has made it easier for false or misleading information to reach a wide audience. Additionally, the algorithms used by social media platforms can often amplify fake news by prioritizing content that generates a lot of engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares. This can result in fake news being given greater visibility and credibility than more accurate information.

The profit motive can also contribute to the spread of fake news on social media. Some social media platforms make money through advertising, and content that generates a lot of engagement can be more valuable to advertisers. This can create an incentive for platform owners to prioritize content that is likely to generate a lot of engagement, even if it is false or misleading.

To combat the spread of fake news on social media, platforms can take a number of steps. These can include fact-checking content, demoting or removing false or misleading content, and providing users with tools and resources to help them evaluate the accuracy of information. Some platforms have also implemented policies to reduce the spread of fake news, such as reducing the visibility of content that has been flagged as false or misleading.

Overall, it is important for social media platforms to recognize the role they play in the spread of fake news and to take steps to address it. By taking action to reduce the visibility and impact of fake news, platforms can help protect their users and promote a more informed and accurate online environment.

In conclusion, fake news is a complex and multifaceted problem that has significant consequences for individuals, communities, and society. It ranges from fabricated stories to propaganda or "clickbait" written for economic gain, and its spread has been facilitated by the rise of social media and the increasing reliance on online sources for information. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally, while disinformation is false information spread intentionally to influence public opinion or obscure the truth. To combat the spread of fake news, it is important to carefully evaluate the sources and accuracy of information, use fact-checking resources, and be discerning about the news we consume and share. Social media platforms have implemented various measures to combat fake news, such as labeling false information and removing accounts that spread it, but these efforts have faced criticism for their effectiveness and potential censorship implications. By being aware of the different types of fake news and taking steps to verify the accuracy of the information we consume and share, we can protect ourselves and others from the harmful effects of fake news.

It is evident that the desired outcome is a future in which social media platforms are devoid of fake news and hateful commentary. The potential benefits of such a transformation on human unity and progress are substantial. The belief in the capacity of humanity to come together and achieve great things is evident in this perspective. Social media is perceived as a tool with the potential to foster greater connection and facilitate positive change in society.

Incredible game

I love warthunder, thanks for advice