Humanity
Fumfer Physics 46: Something Rather Than Nothing, or Simulation, Skepticism, and Existence
In this interview, Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner examine whether skepticism about perception - demon deception, hallucination, Matrix-style simulation - can undermine existence itself. Jacobsen argues that true or false impressions still presuppose occurrence: appearance is not nothing. Rosner extends the discussion through simulation, coherence, probability, and the universe scale. Together, they frame “somethingness” as the minimal existential floor beneath realism, illusion, skepticism, and scientific inquiry. It also links logic, identity, and non-contradiction to the possibility of argument itself.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen5 months ago in Interview
"There's a Higher Law That Calls Me"
Today, I sat down for an interview with an absolutely amazing Georgian woman, a protester who is proudly and loudly coming out to the streets every day after the rigged October 26, 2024 Parliamentary Elections. This is just a quick record of the most significant insights from the interview.
By Lana V Lynx5 months ago in Interview
Mahmoud Abuwasel, Bitcoin Regulation vs Control: Global Legal Fragmentation and Risk in Crypto Markets
Mahmoud Abuwasel is the author of UAE Crypto Litigation, the first systematic analysis of 100+ crypto court judgments from UAE courts spanning 2019–2025 — and a disputes partner at Wasel & Wasel, an international arbitration and litigation firm with offices in Washington D.C., Abu Dhabi, Melbourne, and Toronto. His practice covers international arbitration, cross-border litigation, and digital asset disputes, with experience before UAE onshore courts, the DIFC Courts, and the ADGM Courts, and in matters touching New York, England, China, Qatar, and the Netherlands. He was recently admitted and elected as a Full Member in UAE Law with The Academy of Experts (TAE), undeniably one of the most prestigious and highly respected professional bodies for expert witnesses worldwide. He has served as an expert witness on UAE law before foreign courts and tribunals, and holds degrees from Harvard University, the University of Southern Queensland, and Middlesex University.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen6 months ago in Interview
Saša Dobrijević on ICJ, Press Freedom, and the Future of Digital Journalism
Saša Dobrijević is an award-winning Serbian international journalist and founder of the Intercontinental Connection of Journalists (ICJ), a global media initiative addressing structural gaps in journalism. Beginning his career at 19, he developed experience across European media landscapes, including work in Munich. His leadership focuses on creating accessible publishing platforms, supporting freelancers and students, and fostering cross-border collaboration. Dobrijević emphasizes investigative reporting, press freedom, and technological adaptation as essential to sustaining journalism’s democratic function.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen6 months ago in Interview
Tim Carmichael: Life and Food in the Appalachian Mountains
Tim Carmichael Interview 4/17/26 Tim Carmichael joined Vocal in March 2025. He has written over 270 stories and published three books on cooking. He has been awarded 20 achievements on Vocal in just one year as a creator. Tim Carmichael and Vic Carmichael have been together for 21 years. Tim has also gone on 22 cruises since his retirement. https://vocal.media/authors/tim-carmichael-yzzpl0v3v
By Mariann Carroll6 months ago in Interview
When Fighting Becomes a Metaphor: The Rise of Emotion-Driven Independent Cinema
In recent years, independent cinema has been quietly shifting its focus. Instead of relying on spectacle, scale, or high-budget action, many filmmakers are turning inward—toward stories that explore emotional depth, personal transformation, and the complexity of human resilience.
By Andreas szakacs6 months ago in Interview
Harnik Vazgenovich Karanlgtsyan on Veterans, Trauma, and Reintegration
Harnik Vazgenovich Karanlgtsyan is a Ukrainian veteran leader, civic organizer, and founder of veteran-support initiatives. Publicly listed as founder of the charitable foundation Spadok since 2015 and the civic organization Nebaiduzhi Hromadiany Horenky since 2020, he later created and led the Hostomel Volunteer Formation of the Territorial Community in February 2022 during the defense of Kyiv region. He is identified by Zakhyst+ as a war veteran, founder of the project, chairman of its board, and an adviser on interaction with military personnel and formations. His work now emphasizes veteran dignity, reintegration, public education, and practical community support in wartime Ukraine.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen7 months ago in Interview
Zainab Chaudry on Jerusalem Holy Site Restrictions, Religious Freedom, and International Law
Zainab Chaudry, Pharm.D., is Maryland Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations and serves as a spokesperson on issues involving civil liberties, religious freedom, education, and public policy. Based in Maryland, she has represented CAIR in media, legislative, and community forums and has appeared in recent statewide advocacy efforts, including Muslim Lobby Day initiatives in Annapolis and Maryland advocacy. In 2015, she was appointed to the Maryland State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and Baltimore media later profiled her as one of the city’s most prominent civil rights leaders.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen7 months ago in Interview
Dominique Simeone Link Esperanto, Humanism, and Language Justice
Dominique Simeone is an Italian-born multilingual freethinker, writer, and Esperanto advocate associated with SAT-Amikaro and broader international humanist networks. Public biographical materials describe early study and use of Italian, French, German, Flemish, English, and Esperanto, reflecting a long-standing interest in language and international communication. Simeone studied economics and philosophy at Paris X-Nanterre, completed Esperanto certifications in 2005 and 2006, and later published work linking Esperanto, freethought, and humanism, including “Esperanto, a way to Humanism” in International Humanist News in 2006. Simeone’s public work consistently frames Esperanto as a non-imperialist, equality-oriented tool for practical cross-border dialogue and shared ethical community internationally.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen7 months ago in Interview
Daniil Ukhorskiy on Universal Jurisdiction, ICC Prosecutions, and Atrocity Crime Accountability in Ukraine
Daniil Ukhorskiy is a Kyiv-based lawyer and investigator specializing in documenting atrocity crimes in conflict-affected settings and working with survivors of serious human rights violations. He is the Legal Coordinator for Ukraine at Legal Action Worldwide. He has worked on violations committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since March 2022. His broader interests include corporate accountability and environmental rights. He holds a BA in Jurisprudence and a BCL from the University of Oxford. He previously worked for the Clooney Foundation for Justice, investigating atrocity crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsen7 months ago in Interview
From Depression to Digital Myth: The Rise of Dreamforger
The Myth & the Man Somewhere between mythology, music production, and digital art lives a character known as Dreamforger. In one video, he may appear as a cosmic storyteller forging worlds in crazy costumes. In another, he might show up as a philosopher challenging the future of artificial intelligence. Sometimes he is a cowboy, a spy, an astronaut, or something stranger still...
By Dannielle Nelson7 months ago in Interview
