On Thu, Sep 12, 2024 at 12:40 AM Liz R <[email protected]> wrote: > *physics is possibly isomorphic to some set of equations that describe > reality, *
*I agree, and that's why physics is the language of mathematics, it's very good at describing things. An equation can describe how system X, that is made of mass/energy, can in an interval of time change into something different, system Y. But a language by itself can't do anything because neither mathematics nor the English language can change with time unless there is a brain made of atoms to think about them. Neither intelligence nor consciousness can exist without something changing with time. The symbols that make up mathematical equations can't change with time, but carbon atoms can, so you can erase a symbol in an equation that you penciled in and lay down a different pattern of carbon atoms that represents a different symbol.* *> Occam suggests that we don't actually need reality to exist, only the > equations.* *Modern philosophers define "reality" as a substance that actually exists in an external world, and they define "existence" as the state of having "reality". And round and round we go.That's why I say in the modern age it's mathematicians and physicists who are in the vanguard of the investigation into the fundamental nature of reality, while those who write "philosopher" on their tax forms when it asks about occupation are really in the synonym business not the philosophy business. * *And I would also maintain that the semiconductor industry is an existence proof that equations alone are not sufficient because they can't DO anything. If you want to actually DO something, that is to say if you want to make a change over a period of time, then you're going to need mass/energy.* John K Clark See what's on my new list at Extropolis <https://groups.google.com/g/extropolis> epm -- 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 view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/CAJPayv3LpQEwAbde_oDr9pTVZBPfWz1p3jgU8zosvZro4yGo%3Dw%40mail.gmail.com.
