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> linear probabilistic description of an underlying nonlinear deterministic system. The math is way over my head, but this sub-statement resonates with me deep
by tomxor 7y ago
> linear probabilistic description of an underlying nonlinear deterministic system.
The math is way over my head, but this sub-statement resonates with me deeply and has been my crude but overarching view of the physical world and our interpretations of it for a long time - except applied more broadly - as a description of the interaction between multiple layers of abstractions of reality (whether the things behind those designated abstractions are natural or human made, e.g transistors for digital logic, a "deterministic" quantized layer created atop a non-deterministic one).
It is layered because each deterministic one is only effectively deterministic by being predictable "enough" in a highly uniform way. The next layer then often becomes viewed from a probabilistic perspective again due to chaotic interactions of the previous one (often computationally irreducible). The lack of access to massive initial state and in-feasibility to compute prediction based on the underlying mechanisms are the only reason we switch back to the probabilistic view at these non-fundamental levels of abstraction.
Now I understand quantum physics is not supposed to be such a layer, because we didn't start out with an existing working concept of what's underneath it in the way we know whats underneath equations for some statistical mechanics for example - but from the perspective of a complete amateur the idea of superdeterminism seems quite natural! - yet at the same time I can't help wonder if there is yet another probabilistic layer underneath :)