On Thursday, September 20, 2012 8:50:20 PM UTC-4, Stephen Paul King wrote: > > On 9/20/2012 11:02 AM, Craig Weinberg wrote: > > Here's another reductio ad absurdum illustration of comp. > > > > If the version of comp we are discussing here is independent of > > physics, then shouldn't it be possible for us to program universal > > machines using only empty space? Length can be quantified, so why > > can't we just use millimeters or Planck lengths as the basis for our > > enumeration, addition, and multiplication and directly program from > > our mind to space? > > > > Of course, it would be hard to know where it was because we would be > > constantly flying away from a space that was anchored to an absolute > > position independent of Earth, the solar system, Milky Way, etc, but > > that shouldn't matter anyhow since whatever method we use to directly > > program in empty space with our minds should also give us access to > > the results of the computations. > > > > What do you think? Just as wafers of silicon glass could in theory be > > functionally identical to a living brain, wouldn't it be equally > > prejudiced to say that empty space isn't good enough to host the > > computations of silicon? > > > > > > Craig > > Hey Craig, > > What do you think physical computers actually are? "universal > machines using only empty space". But Nature hates a vacuum... >
Physical computers are assembled substances which exhibit exceptionally normative, controllable, and observable behaviors. Craig > -- > Onward! > > Stephen > > http://webpages.charter.net/stephenk1/Outlaw/Outlaw.html > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/everything-list/-/22EYmnKtf7UJ. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
