On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 1:48 AM, Bruce Kellett <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >>> Do you believe that *one and only one* of the following >> statements is true? >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 0 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 1 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 2 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 3 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 4 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 5 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 6 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 7 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 8 >> the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is 9 >> Either you answer yes, or no to that question. If you answer >> yes, I don't see how you can escape mathematical realism. >> >> >> >> Seth Lloyd has estimated that the maximum number of computations that >> could be performed in the visible universe is about 10^121 operations on >> 10^90 bits, if this is insufficient to find your number is it meaningful >> to say pi has a 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit? I don't know, it depend >> on if mathematics gave rise to physics or physics gave rise to mathematics. >> > > > Realist and constructivist approaches to mathematics do not cover all > the possibilities. And one of the possibilities is that physics is the most fundamental thing and mathematics is just the best language to describe it. > You can believe that one of the above statements is true without knowing > which is true. You can believe anything you like but if the the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi has no effect on the universe and if the universe can not produce the the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi even in theory then does the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi have any more reality than the last digit of pi? It depends on which is more fundamental, physics or mathematics. John K Clark PS: Just kidding, the fact is I happen to know that the 10^(10^(10^100))th decimal digit of pi is actually 6. And I also know that the Big Bang occurred on a Thursday > It is logically necessary that one of the statements is true, given the > meanings of the terms involved. This does not entail mathematical realism. > > Bruce > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
