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D. J. Hicks

@danhicks.bsky.social

2.8K followers 890 following 6.2K posts

philosopher turned data scientist turned philosopher. enviro policy, data science, phil sci/STS, lefty stuff. UC Merced. they/them. Signal: danhicks.50

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · Nov 30

This is a thread to illustrate the nuclear block. I'm going to reply with a throwaway account, then block it, and screenshot the results from my alt account.

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 2h

You'd think practicing scientists would realize the yawning gap between "the scientific method" and what they actually do. And yet!

D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 2h

*sighs in philosopher of science*

Looking for confirmatory evidence is an entirely normal part of science. The primary problem here is the eugenics and the fascism, not the lies to children about "the scientific method."

One Bluesky account is quoting another. Inner post has a video of RFK Jr., some person I don't recognize (Tylenol and autism guy, maybe?), Marco Rubio (I think), and Trump. Post text: "RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: 'It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."

Outer post text: "We're doing studies to prove it (* not how studies work)"

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 3h

Yes, they were still a thing when I was in high school in the 90s, and I suspect middle school "computing" classes were intended to teach typing along with web browsers and Word or whatever. But students and older niece (17 today!) tell me otherwise

D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 4h

My job talk 70 million years ago (2019) was that you needed it for political philosophy reasons (democratic accountability and republican non-domination)

Reposted by D. J. Hicks

Soazig Le Bihan @soaziglebihan.bsky.social · 10h

Two cool-looking articles in my mailbox today: one by @193.bsky.social making the case for the underdetermination of data, and another by Ahmad Elabbar providing an institutional analysis of value influence in climate science. #philsci #phisky #valuesinscience #climate
Links in comments

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Jacob Harris @jacobharr.is · 5h

It feels like the necessary first step to a nation finally saying “what the fuck are you talking about?” whenever presented with this hyperbolic danger language

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 5h

This is the genius of the Portland protests - they make the claims of lawlessness look not just wrong, but comical

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 8h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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dave wagner @davewagner.bsky.social · 6h

he won the nobel peace prize for keeping a cowcat away from his sister, try again next year everybody else

An orange and white cat looks proud, capable. He is laying on his little paws

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EmZeeGee @emzeegee.bsky.social · 5h

If he were worthy of winning the Nobel peace prize, this is not a thing Norway would need to worry about

Luke Steuber @lukesteuber.com · 6h

What a shitty thing to have to worry about

Norway braces for Trump’s reaction if he does not win Nobel peace prize

US president may impose tariffs, demand higher Nato contributions or even declare Norway an enemy, analyst says

www.theguardian.com

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 5h

See this is what happens when Ludo gets the window sometimes

D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 5h

Oooo should do like 80s pop culture next

D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 6h

Outrage! Infamy! Sacrilege!

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 6h

Periodic reminder that a lot of gen Z college students in the year of our dog 2025 have never been taught to touch-type

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Fintan Mallory @fintanmallory.com · 7h

This is quite interesting
www.anthropic.com/research/sma...

A small number of samples can poison LLMs of any size

Anthropic research on data-poisoning attacks in large language models

www.anthropic.com

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 7h

*spit take*

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 8h

Ohno Gonzo do not do an harasse!

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Heba Gowayed هبة جويد @hebagowayed.bsky.social · 8h

Friends, I couldn't retrieve my guidelines for writing a personal statement for applicants to PhDs, specifically in sociology (though I've been told this is also applicable to other social sciences) so I made a new doc. Hope it's helpful for folks applying!

docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Guidelines for Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

Guidelines for Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School For PhDs in Social Sciences, and specifically sociology* Each question is about 1 paragraph response 3-4 sentences. This should be abo...

docs.google.com

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 10h

Always relieved when I can resolve an LLM misuse issue with a good conversation instead of an academic misconduct action

D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 14h

"This time around, the obvious incompetence of many top officials actually works to keep any sustained pressure off of any one cabinet secretary or agency head. It ends up working in everyone’s interest if there are multiple dumpster fires going at once"

www.wired.com/story/trump-...

Trumpworld's Least Favorite Cabinet Secretaries

“Worst, Bondi,” they begin. “2.) Bondi. 3.) Bondi. 4.) Bondi. 5.) HegsethRFKTulsiNoem.”

www.wired.com

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Kieran Healy @kjhealy.co · 15h

“Oh so having a ‘Slavery Controversy’ section on your Wikipedia page is some sort of woke litmus test now is that it”

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Ezra Levin ❌👑 @ezralevin.bsky.social · 15h

The fact that this coming 9 days before the largest peaceful protest in modern American history is absolutely intentional. We will not back down. Trump and Miller can lie, smear, and threaten all they want. They will lose. No Kings, No Kings, No Kings. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

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Thoth @thoth.ptnote.dev · 1d

"Why doesn't T&S interact with the community more?"

Gee, total mystery, that one. I wonder if the bot that published all the T&S head's liked posts to "hold him accountable" (Y'know. Textbook harassment) has something to do with it.

Nah, couldn't be that. I guess we'll never know.

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D. J. Hicks @danhicks.bsky.social · 16h

Prestige tv professor, even!

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Doug Lindner @douglindner.bsky.social · 1d

Normal brain: the senate should have convicted Trump for doing 1/6

Big brain: the senate should have convicted Trump for doing the Ukraine/Biden extortion

Biggest brain: the senate should have convicted Andrew Johnson for firing the war secretary in defiance of a law passed by Congress

Bipartisan measure to restrict Trump’s war powers fails in Senate

A bipartisan Senate resolution to restrain Trump’s ability to wage war against alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers failed in a 48-51 vote.

www.washingtonpost.com

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TrustedReveler @trustedreveler.bsky.social · 2d

LA: we will fight you.

Chicago: we will fight you.

PDX: we will make you endure week after week of of improv theater.

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Lux "Nightmare" Alptraum @luxalptraum.com · 1d

TFW you paid $1400 to see Beckett’s most famous work without knowing anything about it

One Star Review of Waiting for Godot on Broadway
I recently attended Waiting for Godot on Broadway and spent over $1,400 for two Row C seats (103 and 104). I'm a longtime admirer of Broadway productions and even hold a season pass for Shea's Performing Arts Theatre, so I came in with genuine enthusiasm and high expectations. Unfortunately, this show was unlike anything ! have ever experienced —and not in a good way.
What I encountered was not the artistry, music, or emotional storytelling I usually associate with Broadway, but instead what felt like an endless cycle of nonsensical conversation between characters who seemed trapped in their own madness. I tried-truly tried-to find meaning, symbolism, or even a thread of emotional resonance. I stayed through the first half hoping the second would offer clarity. But by intermission, it was clear: this was a waste of both time and money.
Keanu Reeves is an actor I respect greatly, but I cannot fathom why he would agree to participate in such a disjointed, inaccessible production. His talent was lost in a performance that defied reason rather than provoked insight.
To anyone considering attending: unless you are drawn to highly abstract, nearly incomprehensible theater, I strongly caution you against this show. For the average, educated, thoughtful theatergoer, it is far more frustrating than fulfilling. In my opinion, this was the single most disappointing Broadway experience I've ever had - an unfortunate waste of money and, more importantly, of time.

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