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> Every true mathematical proposition is a tautology. I don't find this point particularly convincing. As long as the model's predictions match reality in inter
by dsacco 9y ago
> Every true mathematical proposition is a tautology. I don't find this point particularly convincing. As long as the model's predictions match reality in interesting ways, it can lend possible insights on why reality might have certain characteristics.
I don’t really understand what you’re trying to say here, do you mind clarifying? Are you saying you don’t find the point convincing because it’s vacuous?
- naasking 9y ago> Are you saying you don’t find the point convincing because it’s vacuous? I'm saying the article's objection that the "results are built into the design" is indeed vacuous, because this will be true of every mathematical model. The question is how well the model's results match reality, which can yield insight on reality. That said, there is of course a "spectrum" of tautologies. Models with simpler input parameters should carry more weight, because they would yield clearer insights and would be easier to match against reality. Models with complex input parameters are not only less likely to match reality, they don't yield much insight into fundamental causes.