Re: JP Barlow and Grey Mush

Anders Sandberg (nv91-asa@nada.kth.se)
Wed, 25 Sep 1996 11:31:15 +0200 (MET DST)


On Tue, 24 Sep 1996, Ira Brodsky wrote:

> Which leads me to another thought: if at bottom the universe is just grey
> mush, doesn't this suggest a limit to scientific progress? [He shudders.]
> How do you control something that exists merely within a range of
> probabilities?

Well, controlling something random is of course only partially possible,
unless you can use random correlations to do clever things (like the
essentially random states of quantum computers interfering with each
other to produce a real result). I personally think control is overrated,
as Kelly pointed out it is very much an industrial age word and may not
be as central in the information or nano age.

The big question is: can we do something useful with something that
exists just as probabilities? It seems so; quantum computers and
statistics are obviously useful.

> Perhaps there are some physicists around here who can
> provide reassuring answers...

The universe has no obligation to be reassuring.

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