Sorry - I was sitting at a different computer terminal than the one
next to my bookshelf.
I was recommending the book for several reasons: arguments against
solipsism, physical evidence argument for the multiverse, the bit on
time travel, and the free will issue, and the first quantum concept
(now that I've looked at the book again to refresh my memory of what
this is. I agree that the book discusses
Tipler's crackpot Omega point theory, but I didn't get the impression
that Deutsch took it seriously.
In any case, the most important message is that to construct a TOE, we
need to jump out of the physics perspective. However, I don't believe
that the four strands he picks (QM, Church's thesis, Evolution and
Popperian falsification) are the correct components. I suspect we have
a better integration in this mailing list. Definitely QM is in,
likewise information and computation theory (not just the
Church-Turing thesis), I suspect that evolution is a second order
phenomena (in the sense that hydrodynamics is a second order theory of
molecular dynamics). I don't really see where Popperian epistemology
fits in, except as a theory of evolution about knowledge - almost a
third order theory??.
Cheers
>
> I also had mixed feelings about this book. Read my review at
> http://www.chrismaloney.com/hobbies/books/for.html if you're
> interested.
>
>
> Higgo James wrote:
> >
> > Yes, and Deutsch also talks baloney about omega point, but his explanation
> > of 'time, the first quantum concept' is crystal. I've ordered modal logic,
> > but I'm not looking forward to receiving it.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Marchal [SMTP:marchal.domain.name.hidden]
> > > Sent: Friday, March 05, 1999 1:41 PM
> > > To: Russell Standish
> > > Cc: everything-list.domain.name.hidden
> > > Subject: Re: Summary
> > >
> > >
> > > >Fair enough. Modal logic is where I lost you in your thesis -
> > > >hopefully I will time to read your suggested introductory book on it.
> > >
> > > Nice.
> > >
> > > >I would add Deutsch's Foundations of Reality. It has some particularly
> > > >pertinent comments on Solipsism and on the Free Will vs Determinism
> > > issue.
> > >
> > > You mean his "Fabric of Reality". I like it very much. I agree
> > > with him when he explains that the two slit experiment with
> > > individual photon is an almost direct evidence for multiple worlds.
> > >
> > > I appreciate also the interpretation of Popper.
> > >
> > > However, I deeply disagree with what he says about Church's thesis.
> > > More on this later, without doubt.
> > >
> > > Bruno.
>
> --
> Chris Maloney
> http://www.chrismaloney.com
>
> "Donuts are so sweet and tasty."
> -- Homer Simpson
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Russell Standish Director
High Performance Computing Support Unit,
University of NSW Phone 9385 6967
Sydney 2052 Fax 9385 6965
Australia R.Standish.domain.name.hidden
Room 2075, Red Centre
http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks
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Received on Wed Oct 06 1999 - 22:39:24 PDT