On 17 Aug, 14:46, Jesse Mazer <laserma....domain.name.hidden> wrote:
> 1Z wrote:
> > > But those space-time configuration are themselves described by
> > > mathematical functions far more complex that the numbers described or
> > > explain.
> But what is this "primary matter"? If it is entirely divorced from all the evidence from physics that various abstract mathematical models of particles and fields can be used to make accurate predictions about observed experimental results, then it becomes something utterly mysterious and divorced from any of our empirical experiences whatsoever (since all of our intuitions regarding 'matter' are based solely on our empirical experiences with how it *behaves* in the sensory realm, and the abstract mathematical models give perfectly accurate predictions about this behavior).
Primary matter is very much related to the fact that some theories of
physics work and other do not. It won't tell you which ones work, but
it will tell you why there is a difference. It solves the white rabbit
problem. We don't see logically consistent but otherwise bizarre
universes because they are immaterial and non-existent--not matter
instantiates
that particualar amtehamtical structure.
> In that case you might as well call it "primary ectoplasm" or "primary asdfgh".
You might as well call "2" the successor of "0". All symbols are
arbitrary.
> And are you making any explicit assumption about the relation between this "primary matter" and qualia/first-person experience? If not, then I don't see why it wouldn't be logically possible to have a universe with primary matter but no qualia (all living beings would be zombies), or qualia but no primary matter (and if you admit this possibility, then why shouldn't we believe this is exactly the type of universe we live in?)
The second possibility is ruled out because it predicts White Rabbits.
The first is no different from the Bruno-Tegmark theory. They cannot
predict qualia from Platonism.
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Received on Mon Aug 17 2009 - 13:41:14 PDT