Re: Mathematical Logic, Podnieks'page ...

From: George Levy <glevy.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 10:28:23 -0700

CMR wrote:

>
> >To the question "What is mathematics" - Podiek's (after Dave Rusin)
> answer:
> >Mathematics is the part of science you could continue to do if you
> woke up tomorrow and discovered the universe was >gone.


Let me make an analogy by paraphrasing: Empty space is the part of the
universe that would bew left if you woke up tomorrow and discovered
that all stars, planets and galaxies were gone.

My paraphrase is only true in the context of classical physics. I don't
think Podiek's statement should be so easily accepted and in fact
whether it is true at all.

As a model of what I am trying to express, think of a creature being
simulated together with its own environment inside a computer. The
creature wakes up one day to find out that the simulation has been
terminated. Obviously such a scenario is impossible. If there is no
simulation there is no creature. And there is no math that the creature
could do.


George
Received on Mon Jun 28 2004 - 13:31:53 PDT