Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA25713 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 25 Jan 2002 15:53:01 GMT X-Originating-IP: [137.110.248.206] From: "Grant Callaghan" <grantc4@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: The Barren Desolate Wasteland of Superdeterminism Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 07:48:42 -0800 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <LAW2-F67l4maEqxGGmN00005fb5@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 25 Jan 2002 15:48:43.0039 (UTC) FILETIME=[C414F2F0:01C1A5B7] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>
> > On the randomness thing: true randomness really does exist. They come in
> > the practical guise of random number generators based on atomic decay.
>
>Hm, so how can you show that the atomic decay does not follow
>certain physical rules which are just to complex to understand at
>the moment? I could show some random number generator on my
>computer to someone and he'd say "yes the numbers which
>appear are random, there's no rule to be observed", but when you
>look at the sourcecode of the "random" number generator you
>realize that there actually IS a calculating process behind, just to
>complex to conclude it from just observing the outcome.
>
Most people use the word "random" to mean unpredictable. A superior being
might be able to compute at a level beyond that of humans, and therefore
would treat our random events as predictable. To him/her they would not be
random. So "random" says more about the ability of people to predict than
it says about the event being observed. Also, once it happens, a random
event is no longer random. If you draw a straight flush in poker, the odds
against it happening no longer apply and everyone who calculated the odds
for their betting strategy is gong to loose their money.
Grant
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