Am Fr, 12. Jun 2020, um 18:39, schrieb 'Brent Meeker' via Everything List: > > > On 6/12/2020 2:55 AM, Telmo Menezes wrote: >> Hello all, >> >> I've been reading here often the claim that physics is about the "real >> stuff" and math is a human construction that helps us make sense of the real >> stuff, but it is just an approximation of reality. So here's a thought >> experiment on this topic. >> >> Let us imagine I program a digital computer to keep iterating through all >> possible integer values greater than 2 of the variables a, b, c and n. If >> the following condition is satisfied: >> >> a^n + b^n = c^n >> >> then the computer turns on a light. I let it run for one year. Will the >> light turn on during that year? >> >> So my questions are: >> >> (1) Can you use theoretical physics to make a correct prediction? > > Yes. Theory of theoretical physics includes arithmetic and in fact your > question assumes it.
So we can conclude that arithmetic is part of physical reality, at least as much as any other thing that physics talks about? >> (2) Can you use math to make a correct prediction? > > Not unless the math can predict how fast the computer runs It doesn't matter how fast the computer runs, and we know this thanks to a mathematical proof, not a theory in physics. And that's how we know how this particular physical system will behave. > and how reliable it is. If we use Newton's laws to predict the movement of a ball, we assume that someone will not show up and kick it around, that the ball is not unbalanced, etc. Maybe I can suggest a system with an uneven number of redundant computers and such a simple voting mechanism that a probability of failure is infinitesimal, like NASA used to do. It can even be geographically distributed. The voting mechanism itself can become decentralized, something like the bitcoin network. Or I can become more creative and look for some Turing-complete phenomena in nature. You get my point. Telmo. > Brent > > >> >> Notice that I am asking a question that is as hard-nosed as it can be. No >> metaphysics, just a question about an observable event in a physical system >> during a well-defined time period. Will the light turn on? >> >> What gives? >> >> Best, >> Telmo >> -- >> 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 everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/fb819e76-2fdd-468c-b21a-96971764d8ab%40www.fastmail.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/fb819e76-2fdd-468c-b21a-96971764d8ab%40www.fastmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. > > > -- > 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 everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/509f6b31-52a7-17f8-9f8a-8bd258b31d70%40verizon.net > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/509f6b31-52a7-17f8-9f8a-8bd258b31d70%40verizon.net?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. -- 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 everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/ce9a29de-3210-4c1a-9413-cbc35cbeea1b%40www.fastmail.com.
