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This is like saying a sculpture always existed, the sculptor just had to remove the superfluous material. Or like a musical octave has only 12 semitones, so al
by amelius 6mo ago
This is like saying a sculpture always existed, the sculptor just had to remove the superfluous material.
Or like a musical octave has only 12 semitones, so all music is just a selection from a finite set that already existed.
Sure the insane computation we're throwing at this changes our perspective, but still there is an important distinction.
- paulddraper 6mo agoThe difference is that math answers (can answer) specific questions. Like, "does the Riemann zeta function have zeroes that don't have real part 1/2," or "is there a better solution to the Erdős Unit Distance Problem." The selection of question is matter of taste, but once selected, there is a definitive precise answer.
- npfries 6mo agoBob Ross would like a word. He frequently talked about objects or features already existing, and using the tools at his disposal to “find” them.
- deleted 6mo ago[deleted]
- jplusequalt 6mo agoMichelangelo never used references, instead he simply "freed" the sculptures from within the marble.
- rightbyte 6mo agoIsn't that a way of saying working with the grain of the material?
- tim333 6mo agoThere's more to it than the sculptor example. You could carve anything but the interesting bits of maths are quite specific.