Russell Wallace wrote:
On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 6:25 PM, Richard Loosemore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Russell Wallace wrote:
As were mine. I don't claim e.g. computers are complex because their
constituent silicon atoms are complex (though they are), but because
they are complex at all levels of description including the ones
ordinarily used by hardware engineers, programmers and sophisticated
users. There is no significant level on which computers are not
complex.
This is complete nonsense. Sorry, but it is. If you can say this, then
you simply have no understanding of the accepted meaning (or the meaning
that I produced) of "complex system".
Okay, so one of the following is the case:
1) You have a magic formula that will analytically predict the
behavior of a program from static analysis of the code. Such a formula
(if it were logically possible, which it isn't) would be worth money
somewhere in the twelve-digit range, but for some reason you're
keeping it on the shelf.
2) You claim to be using "complex system" in the accepted meaning of
complex systems theory, but are actually using a special vocabulary in
which it means something completely different.
3) You have no idea what you're talking about.
I leave it to the audience to decide which of the three is the most likely.
Sophistry.
The statement "computers are complex" is meaningless, because a computer
can be programmed to do anything:
- If it is programmed to do nothing except write out the text string
"humpty dumpty" forever, then it is not complex.
- If it is programmed to emulate a standard example of a complex
system, it is complex.
You said: "computers are complex ... at all levels of description ...".
I replied: "This is complete nonsense."
Quite simple, really.
Richard Loosemore
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