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Does it actually need checking, isn't it a tautology? Either the value of a variable is fixed or there must be some function [1] that describes the evolution of
by danbruc 6y ago
Does it actually need checking, isn't it a tautology? Either the value of a variable is fixed or there must be some function [1] that describes the evolution of the value of the variable? And this either has to end at some level with a fixed value or you have to have some infinite decent where there is always another level below, something I glossed over as an option in the original comment.
[1] This makes no assumptions whether you can know or compute or whatever this function, just that there exists some function from one state to the next.
- Tistron 6y agoIn my mind, the fact that you could find functions describing all past states doesn't necessarily imply that there's a function, in some ontic sense, that produces or predicts future states. Saying that implies a preexisting belief in determinism, and this perspective seems to rather imply learning and/or exploring.
- Dudeman112 6y agoIf we went from a non deterministic belief from the beginning, it would change from a function that predicts future states to a probability distribution function. Which would still be learning and/or exploring. I'm not particularly agreeing or disagreeing with anything, mind you. Just that the universe being probabilistic wouldn't change the argument