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Pure randomness doesn't need physicality. The expansion of Omega, Chaitin's constant, is random. There is no model, program, or equation, that can predict the

Pure randomness doesn't need physicality. The expansion of Omega, Chaitin's constant, is random. There is no model, program, or equation, that can predict the next bit. Perhaps its possible the universe could be run on a cellular automata that is unpredictable in the same way. Is say, radioactive decay, truly random, or just can't be predicted by any program shorter than the underlying cellular automata process itself. The fact that we can model the universe at all and predict parts of it at various scales -- that math works at all for physics -- is either remarkable, or perhaps required in any universe capable of intelligent life. :) Perhaps in a universe that is incomprehensible otherwise, evolution would not select for intelligence.

darkmighty 12y ago
That's referenced in the article -- Chaitin's constant is 'algorithmically incompressible' according to Kolmogorov complexity -- though note that this definition means it's "assymptotically" random, but the first n bits can be approximated in finite time (there are other numbers with more strict randomness). What the article addresses is that if you're given a long string with that property you can't verify the randomness, by definition. But using the CHSH method outlined you can, assuming only some physical principles -- provided you're given a small 'seed' to start. Note that the underlying "way" that the universe generates randomness doesn't matter from a scientific standpoint -- as long as we can't predict it, you can think of it as being generated by either an enormous computer or truly random (whatever that means).