Re: OMs are events

From: Quentin Anciaux <quentin.anciaux.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 18:36:11 +0200

Hi Hal, thank you for your answer, but I've little more to ask :

Le Lundi 01 Août 2005 05:32, Hal Finney a écrit :
> Quentin Anciaux writes:
> > In all of these discussion, it is really this point that annoy me... What
> > is the calculation ? Is it a physical process ? Obviously a calculation
> > need time... what is the difference between an abstract calculation (ie:
> > one which is done on a sheet of paper or just in your head) with an
> > "effective" calculation ? What is the meaning of "instantiating" in a
> > block universe view ?
>
> I am generally of the school that considers that calculations can be
> treated as abstract or formal objects, that they can exist without a
> physical computer existing to run them.

I completely agree with that... but I have problem with the word
"instantiating" in front of an abstract calculation, because if the
calculation is abtract that means the calculation just is, no need of
instantiation. On the other hand I have still problem with abstract
calculation... take for example a mathematic demonstration written on a sheet
of paper, it doesn't mean anything if there is no observer to read it and
understand it (thereby "instantiating" the calculus in his own mind), what do
you think of that ?

Quentin
Received on Mon Aug 01 2005 - 12:38:39 PDT