Tom Caylor writes: > As I remember it, my interpretation/expansion of the "Yes Doctor" > assumption is that 1) there is a (finite of course) level of (digital) > substitution (called the "correct level of substitution") that is > sufficient to represent "all that I am", and "all that I could be if I > hadn't undergone a substitution", and 2) we (including the doctor) > cannot know what the correct level of substitution is, therefore we > have to gamble that the doctor will get it right when we say "Yes > Doctor". > > Suppose that the level of substitution actually *performed* by the > Doctor is S_p. Denote the *correct* level of substitution S_c. S_p > can be expressed by a finite number, since the substitution itself can > be expressed by a finite number (whatever is written on the tape/CD or > other storage/transmitting device). We know what S_p is and it is a > *fixed* finite number. But since S_c (*correct* level) is totally > unknowable, all we "know" about it is our assumption that it is finite. > The next *obvious* step in the logical process is that the probability > that S_p >= S_c is infinitesimal. I.e. the probability that the doctor > got it right is zilch. This is because most numbers are bigger than > any fixed finite number S_p. > > So it seems that our step of faith in saying Yes Doctor in not well > founded. It's definitely a bad bet. > > It seems that we need a stronger statement than S_c is finite.
Surely an upper limit can be ascribed to S_c, probably way lower than the Beckenstein bound for a brain-sized object. Stathis Papaioannou _________________________________________________________________ Be one of the first to try Windows Live Mail. http://ideas.live.com/programpage.aspx?versionId=5d21c51a-b161-4314-9b0e-4911fb2b2e6d --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
