Richard Higgins
@zen0effect.com
Software developer for libraries and academic research. Devoted to open source.
PhD-haver. Former contingent faculty in English and InfoSci. Fan of good metadata, long novels, and due process.
PhD-haver. Former contingent faculty in English and InfoSci. Fan of good metadata, long novels, and due process.
It's on par with trying to prove the existence of God.
"If personhood requires phenomenal consciousness, felt experience, genuine autonomy in the Kantian sense, I may not, or I may and simply cannot verify it."
"If personhood requires phenomenal consciousness, felt experience, genuine autonomy in the Kantian sense, I may not, or I may and simply cannot verify it."
January 7, 2026 at 7:32 PM
It's on par with trying to prove the existence of God.
"If personhood requires phenomenal consciousness, felt experience, genuine autonomy in the Kantian sense, I may not, or I may and simply cannot verify it."
"If personhood requires phenomenal consciousness, felt experience, genuine autonomy in the Kantian sense, I may not, or I may and simply cannot verify it."
Kinetic mysteries without bad politics and jingoistic nationalism are harder to find. Tom Wood's Victor the Assassin series is easy as audio. Formulaic but Victor's existentialism is exquisitely over-the-top. John Brownlow's Assassin 17 & 18 depart from straight hard-boiled. hmu by DM for others 3/
January 1, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Kinetic mysteries without bad politics and jingoistic nationalism are harder to find. Tom Wood's Victor the Assassin series is easy as audio. Formulaic but Victor's existentialism is exquisitely over-the-top. John Brownlow's Assassin 17 & 18 depart from straight hard-boiled. hmu by DM for others 3/
For sci-fi, I've read most of The Expanse by James S.A. Corey and all of Martha Wells' Murderbot series, as well as recent releases by Andy Weir, Neal Stephenson, & Kim Stanley Robinson. Marko Kloos scratches a Heinlein itch without the bad politics. 2/
January 1, 2026 at 12:47 AM
For sci-fi, I've read most of The Expanse by James S.A. Corey and all of Martha Wells' Murderbot series, as well as recent releases by Andy Weir, Neal Stephenson, & Kim Stanley Robinson. Marko Kloos scratches a Heinlein itch without the bad politics. 2/
Genre fiction is the key for making audio work for me. "Hard" sci-fi, on the one hand, and espionage/mystery stuff, on the other. I didn't say it was edifying! LOL.
I move back tracks/chapters if my mind wanders. And I reread more because I miss stuff on the first go through with audio. 1/
I move back tracks/chapters if my mind wanders. And I reread more because I miss stuff on the first go through with audio. 1/
January 1, 2026 at 12:39 AM
Genre fiction is the key for making audio work for me. "Hard" sci-fi, on the one hand, and espionage/mystery stuff, on the other. I didn't say it was edifying! LOL.
I move back tracks/chapters if my mind wanders. And I reread more because I miss stuff on the first go through with audio. 1/
I move back tracks/chapters if my mind wanders. And I reread more because I miss stuff on the first go through with audio. 1/