4 ms·

So... Random = Pseudorandom?

• dagw 5y ago
  I mean, maybe. It's a rather philosophical question in the end. Can there be true randomness in the universe or is everything in some way deterministic, but it's just that the underlying system is so complex that it can never be computable. And is a deterministic, but uncomputable, system actually deterministic?
  • ginko 5y ago
    FWIW, the hidden-variable theory, that the universe is deterministic and we just lack all information to predict it, has been considered and rejected by physicists. https://www.askamathematician.com/2009/12/q-do-physicists-really-believe-in-true-randomness/ https://www.askamathematician.com/2009/12/q-do-physicists-re... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden-variable_theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden-variable_theory
    • dagw 5y ago
      While that is a pretty good 'laymans' description of Bell's theory, I do find it quite funny that step 3 of their proof that randomness exists requires you to "choose 2 random numbers".
  • tompazourek 5y ago
    Reminded me of the "Free Will" thesis by Sam Harris.