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If something is a function of time and no other variable, from a simplified model, it is constant at a constant time. If you've ever dealt with physics I'm sure

by cmehdy 6y ago

If something is a function of time and no other variable, from a simplified model, it is constant at a constant time. If you've ever dealt with physics I'm sure you've encountered functions of (t,x,y,z) for one, which do not guarantee being constant for a constant value of time. That's the point I'm making: the value depends on time going forward, and the growth is the associated growth of human added value as time goes, being measured by what we use as currency.

dataflow 6y ago
I don't get it (and it's not because my math is lacking). You're saying total GDP is only a function of time? Meaning there are other things one might think it may be a function of, but it actually isn't? Like what exactly? Isn't it a function of all the products and services in the world? Meaning that at any two points in time, the same products and services result in the same GDP?
- cmehdy 6y ago
  I'm saying that when the person mentions it's not a zero sum game, their modelling the system in the simplest sense is one of a function of time. That's a model for discussion and that's fine, because obviously everything depends on everything else to a degree and we're not getting anywhere if we don't simplify reality down to models. And your "products and services" can be modelled as functions of time which leads right back to the same discussion. What I'm saying is that when we keep on using the idea that this isn't "zero-sum" we implicitly carry the mindset that "money that I have isn't money that you don't have", that "it's not because I have this money that you don't" - but at that exact instant it's mechanically the case that me having this money is the actual barrier to you having it. The "zero sum" comment is a misleading way to talk about creation of value over time, because all it hints at is the idea that money somewhere isn't money taken from elsewhere simply because new value gets created as time goes. But it doesn't give any fact about money distribution at even a fixed time and even less so as a function of time. It's not a useful saying at all, because it only states "in the simple modelling of value(t), we have value(t+1) != value(t)", that's literally ALL it states but the heavy lifting is what it tries to imply.

by cmehdy 6y ago

dataflow 6y ago

I don't get it (and it's not because my math is lacking). You're saying total GDP is only a function of time? Meaning there are other things one might think it may be a function of, but it actually isn't? Like what exactly? Isn't it a function of all the products and services in the world? Meaning that at any two points in time, the same products and services result in the same GDP?

cmehdy 6y ago
I'm saying that when the person mentions it's not a zero sum game, their modelling the system in the simplest sense is one of a function of time. That's a model for discussion and that's fine, because obviously everything depends on everything else to a degree and we're not getting anywhere if we don't simplify reality down to models. And your "products and services" can be modelled as functions of time which leads right back to the same discussion. What I'm saying is that when we keep on using the idea that this isn't "zero-sum" we implicitly carry the mindset that "money that I have isn't money that you don't have", that "it's not because I have this money that you don't" - but at that exact instant it's mechanically the case that me having this money is the actual barrier to you having it. The "zero sum" comment is a misleading way to talk about creation of value over time, because all it hints at is the idea that money somewhere isn't money taken from elsewhere simply because new value gets created as time goes. But it doesn't give any fact about money distribution at even a fixed time and even less so as a function of time. It's not a useful saying at all, because it only states "in the simple modelling of value(t), we have value(t+1) != value(t)", that's literally ALL it states but the heavy lifting is what it tries to imply.