Realistic computationalism (draft 2018-09-17)
0. The term "realistic computationalism" is meant to suggest a computationalism* based on the practical approach (software and hardware production, both "conventional" and "unconventional") to computing, rather than the completely theoretical (or "pure") approach. * ( https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/computation-physicalsystems ) 0.1. PTLOS configurations A configuration PTLOS(π,λ,τ,ο,Σ) — lower case Greek letters π, λ, τ, ο, and capital Greek letter Σ are variables that take on concrete (particular) values — is defined: PLTOS(π,λ,τ,ο,Σ): A program π that is written in a language λ that is transformed via a compiler/assembler τ into an output object ο that executes in a computing substrate Σ. 0.1. "Material* PLTOS Thesis": Every material phenomenon can be effectively represented by some PLTOS(π,λ,τ,ο,Σ). * (alt. "Physical") 0.2. τ⁻¹ is a decompiler/disassembler: it takes an object ο and produces a program π,in some language λ. 0.3. π could consist of a collection of programs (a codebase) in different languages λs. 1. Σ = von Neumann / Turing 1.1. For example, π could be a general relativity program written in λ = SageManifolds/Python 3 and compiled by τ = Python 3.5.6 for Linux/UNIX into* ο = machine language code object for Σ = Ubuntu 18.04/ASUS VivoBook. PLTOS(π,λ,τ,ο,Σ) then identifies this particular PLTOS. * (in the case of Python, τ compiles π into an ο = [bytecode+interpreter] object) In the PLTOS(π,λ,τ,ο,Σ) example above, "effectively representative" means that it matches data from observations. 2. Σ = non von Neumann / Turing 2.1. "Turing equivalence" (an equivalence relation on programs) basically translates into "It doesn't matter what Σ is." But particulars do matter in the efficiency of what programs are transformed into. Different hardware (a different Σ), e.g. replacing CPUs with GPUs, is used for virtual/augmented reality applications. Hardware compilers (a τ compiles a π into an ο such as neural-network reconfigurable hardware, ASIC, FPGA, basically makes Σ = ο. (The output object is its own computing substrate.) 3. Σ = unbounded/interactive e.g., the internet as type of super-Turing? substrate Computation Beyond Turing Machines Peter Wegner, Dina Goldin http://oldblog.computationalcomplexity.org/media/Wegner-Goldin.pdf cf. http://www.cse.uconn.edu/~dqg/papers/turing04.pdf it is possible to derive super-Turing models from: - interaction with the world; - infinity of resources; - evolution of the system. 4. Σ = human (human biocomputer) John Lilly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_biocomputer 5. Σ = natural 5.1. slime molds Computing with slime: Logical circuits built using living slime molds https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140327100335.htm cf. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2142614-the-slime-mould-instruments-that-make-sweet-music/ 6. Σ = synthetic biological 6.1. τ is a biocompiler / biomolecular assembler (from the developing field of synthetic biology). Example: A biochemical molecular program (π) written in a synthetic-biological language (λ) that is biocompiled (τ) into a life form (ο) that is injected into a person (Σ) to cure a disease. If ο is effective (n carrying out its programmed task of attacking the disease), this PLTOS is an effective representative of a life form. (In fact the representation is the life form itself.) 6.2 But is biocomputation > computation (the latter defined conventionally)? [RM] below will refer to Galen Strawson Realistic Monism (Why Physicalism Entails Panpsychism) http://www.sjsu.edu/people/anand.vaidya/courses/c2/s0/Realistic-Monism---Why-Physicalism-Entails-Panpsychism-Galen-Strawson.pdf [RM-2017] http://www.academia.edu/25420435/Physicalist_panpsychism_2017_draft Is there an ‘ultimate’ - "a fundamental physical entity, an ultimate constituent of reality, [like] a particle, field, string, brane, simple, whatever" [RM] that is "experience" in addition to "information" (which is what conventional computation manipulates)? "Real physicalists must accept that at least some ultimates are intrinsically experience involving. They must at least embrace micropsychism. Given that everything concrete is physical, and that everything physical is constituted out of physical ultimates, and that experience is part of concrete reality, it seems the only reasonable position, more than just an ‘inference to the best explanation’. Which is not to say that it is easy to accept in the current intellectual climate." [RM] For output objects ο of biocompilers, this means ο has experientiality ( e ) in addition to informationality ( i ). Programs with e-states (in addition to i-states)in their language need a biocompiler to be effective. [ Examples of e-state languages. ] (Buddhists seem to talk about such things.) http://www.abhidhamma.com/tab_Material_phenomena.pdf http://www.imsb.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Table-12-2_28TypesOfMaterialPhenomena.pdf 6.3. Philip Galen's panpsychism - https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/panpsychism-and-the-nature-of-consciousness-1.4822151 Galen Strawson [RM-2017] uses "physicalism" to mean "materialism". Philip Goff [above interview] uses "materialism" to mean "physicalism". I (tentatively) could agree with the incompleteness of physics/physicalism argument (if it is stated that that i-states are insufficient, i.e. one accepts [RM]) and the reality of consciousness (material experientiality (implies e-states), but maintain that means materialism > physicalism [ https://codicalist.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/materialism-vs-physicalism/ ]. 6.4. In summary: i-states are purely informational states (just information - numbers, etc.) e-states are experiential states (which [RM, RM-2017] posits) physicalism = i-states (only) materialism = i-states + e-states (a non-physicalist materialism) 6.5. other references: http://www.philosopher.eu/others-writings/strawson-physicalism-entails-panpsychism/ https://www.physicalism.com/physicalist-hotlinks.html https://ndpr.nd.edu/news/consciousness-and-its-place-in-nature-does-physicalism-entail-panpsychism/ https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Subject_of_Experience.html?id=HgvxDQAAQBAJ The Subject of Experience Galen Strawson Oxford University Press, Jan 19, 2017 - Philosophy - 336 pages 7. matter is what stores, transmits, executes information / code + what substrates, constitutes, reflects experience - Philip Thrift -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. 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