Dear Russell,
I agree with your distinction:
"I would only go as far to say that the description of the universe must be
discrete, not that the universe so described is discrete. "
in the sense of the different views "about" the universe from the
Plenitude-view and the description of details in the universe upon
observations/conclusions from an "inside" view. Any hint to UTM is inside,
not applicable to any description of a timeless fulguration with a zero-sum
outcome, a transitional symmetry (invariance) break we consider as our
universe.
Our views, descriptions, logic, math are based on that inside observational
view. Discrete, of course.
We still have to transcend to the considerations disregarding the 'universe'
inside conditions .
John Mikes
<jamikes.domain.name.hidden>
"
http://pages.prodigy.net/jamikes/skin00July.html"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Russell Standish" <R.Standish.domain.name.hidden>
To: <GSLevy.domain.name.hidden>
Cc: <everything-list.domain.name.hidden>
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 8:05 PM
Subject: Re: Extra Terrestrials
> GSLevy.domain.name.hidden wrote:
> > infinite in every respect. The branching is infinite. So while our world
> > seems to be discrete, (Quantum Theory - in fact discreteness may be an
> > essential requirement for the evolution of consciousness), the
variations
> > ACROSS worlds does not seem to be similarly constrained.
> >
> > George Levy
> >
>
> I would only go as far to say that the description of the universe
> must be discrete, not that the universe so described is discrete. For
> example, the set of rational number admits a discrete description of
> all its members, yet is not a discrete space (between any two rational
> number lie an infinity of other rationals).
>
> Why should the description of the universe be discrete? Because we're
> universal turing machines (but not just UTMs mind - let's not get
> computationally carried away). I have some private speculations with
> some others about the possible existence of super beings who might
> transend the UTM capability. Perhaps the ability to compute a
> countably infinite number of computaional steps in finite time changes
> fundamentally the form of the universe's description.
>
> Cheers
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> Dr. Russell Standish Director
> High Performance Computing Support Unit, Phone 9385 6967
> UNSW 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 Mon Aug 14 2000 - 07:44:48 PDT