Vladimir_Nesov comments on A note on the description complexity of physical theories - Less Wrong

19 Post author: cousin_it 09 November 2010 04:25PM

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Comment author: JGWeissman 09 November 2010 06:14:55PM 1 point [-]

It seems you want to define the complexity of QM by summing over all algorithms that can generate the predictions of QM, rather than just taking the shortest one.

Yes, though to be clear, it is the prior probability associated with the complexity of the individual algorithm that I would sum over to get the prior probability of that common set of predictions being correct. I don't consider the common set of predictions to have a conceptially useful complexity in the same sense that the algorithms do.

In that case you should probably take the same approach to defining K-complexity of bit strings: sum over all algorithms that print the string, not take the shortest one. Do you subscribe to that point of view?

I would apply the same approach to making predictions about bit strings.

Comment author: cousin_it 09 November 2010 11:43:35PM *  1 point [-]

I don't consider the common set of predictions to have a conceptially useful complexity in the same sense that the algorithms do.

Why? Both are bit strings, no?

Comment author: JGWeissman 10 November 2010 12:12:30AM 0 points [-]

My computer represents numbers and letters as bit strings. This doesn't mean it makes sense to multiply letters together.

Comment author: David_Allen 10 November 2010 12:27:32AM *  0 points [-]

This is related to a point that I attempted to make previously. You can measure complexity, but you must pick the context appropriately.