4 ms·
Ask HN: What are some absolute truths that exist independently?
Are there some facts, if any, that are true regardless of whether matter, consciousness or living organisms exist?
- bell-cot 5y agoWhat sorts of facts might you mean? "2 + 2 = 4"? "This universe is all that physically exists"? Conservation of energy? Moral or theological assertions?
- acqbu 5y agoI guess I am mostly referring to mathematical facts. Not sure about the rest. For example 2 + 2 would always equal 4, regardless of whether the world/all matter ceases to exist.
- dave4420 5y agoIf no consciousness existed, who or what would judge whether a statement was a fact?
- acqbu 5y agoI suppose that doesn't matter. 2 + 2 = 4 whether there are any observers/consciousness or not - right?
- thanatos519 5y agoIt's impossible for things to exist in the manner in which your question implies that they might.
- acqbu 5y agoWhy?
- mshumi 5y agoTo encode NOT something takes one more bit than encoding something.
- acqbu 5y agoThanks
- Procedural 5y agoYes.
- acqbu 5y agoI think I know what you mean
- psyc 5y agoTo the best of my ability to reason about this, logic does. Whether it's dependent on my ability to reason about it, is beyond my ability to reason about.
- acqbu 5y agoFully agree. Thanks