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It does seem that many physicists confuse mathematical models with reality or at least do so when communicating to laymen. At the very least, it sells more boo

It does seem that many physicists confuse mathematical models with reality or at least do so when communicating to laymen. At the very least, it sells more books.

whatshisface 2y ago
In the sense that, - You don't know your partner, you know what you remember of what you've understood from what you've seen them say and do. - You don't know the text, you know what was printed. - You don't know which grains of rice you will scoop out from a bag. "Reality" as held above theories (models) and the evidence for and against them is an unreachable standard of truth.
- mistermann 2y ago
  Non-truth, and the unknown (both realized as such, or not) are also fundamentally important components of aggregate reality. Reality is very complex, but it typically seems very simple.
  - Gooblebrai 2y ago
    In what way does it seem simple?
    - mistermann 2y ago
      Listen to people describe extremely complex social systems and problems (poverty, war, etc) and how to fix them. They appear simple because people are describing their cognitive representation of them (which is derived from simplistic, incorrect representations broadcast on the media), rather than the things themselves. The problem exists at both the individual and the collective level. It's a big problem.
samatman 2y ago
Physicists are not in the book-selling business to at least three significant figures.
- Aloisius 2y ago
  I'm unsure what you mean by three significant figures. 99.8%? 1.57% 1,240? Physicists aren't generally in the book selling business, but authors generally want their books to be popular and presenting mathematical abstractions as physical reality certainly seems like it would make it more appealing to the general public (and of course, publishers).
  - samatman 2y ago
    It was meant to be witty more than informative, but it only has one meaning: to one significant figure would mean no more than 4.9% of physicists sell books. To three, it's 00.049%. I think less than 1 in two thousand physicists being book authors is accurate.
criddell 2y ago
Some, like Max Tegmark in his Mathematical Universe Hypothesis, suggest that mathematics may be all there is.
mistermann 2y ago
Physicists, like all humans, often confuse their theories and models of reality for reality itself. And when they are called on it, they are far less likely to simply admit the mistake/shortcoming than their stellar reputation would exist. Also, like most (but not all) humans, they tend to not enjoy criticism.

It does seem that many physicists confuse mathematical models with reality or at least do so when communicating to laymen. At the very least, it sells more books.

whatshisface 2y ago

In the sense that, - You don't know your partner, you know what you remember of what you've understood from what you've seen them say and do. - You don't know the text, you know what was printed. - You don't know which grains of rice you will scoop out from a bag. "Reality" as held above theories (models) and the evidence for and against them is an unreachable standard of truth.

mistermann 2y ago
Non-truth, and the unknown (both realized as such, or not) are also fundamentally important components of aggregate reality. Reality is very complex, but it typically seems very simple.
- Gooblebrai 2y ago
  In what way does it seem simple?
  - mistermann 2y ago
    Listen to people describe extremely complex social systems and problems (poverty, war, etc) and how to fix them. They appear simple because people are describing their cognitive representation of them (which is derived from simplistic, incorrect representations broadcast on the media), rather than the things themselves. The problem exists at both the individual and the collective level. It's a big problem.

samatman 2y ago

Physicists are not in the book-selling business to at least three significant figures.

Aloisius 2y ago
I'm unsure what you mean by three significant figures. 99.8%? 1.57% 1,240? Physicists aren't generally in the book selling business, but authors generally want their books to be popular and presenting mathematical abstractions as physical reality certainly seems like it would make it more appealing to the general public (and of course, publishers).
- samatman 2y ago
  It was meant to be witty more than informative, but it only has one meaning: to one significant figure would mean no more than 4.9% of physicists sell books. To three, it's 00.049%. I think less than 1 in two thousand physicists being book authors is accurate.

criddell 2y ago

Some, like Max Tegmark in his Mathematical Universe Hypothesis, suggest that mathematics may be all there is.

mistermann 2y ago

Physicists, like all humans, often confuse their theories and models of reality for reality itself. And when they are called on it, they are far less likely to simply admit the mistake/shortcoming than their stellar reputation would exist. Also, like most (but not all) humans, they tend to not enjoy criticism.