Plasmon comments on Open Problems Related to Solomonoff Induction - Less Wrong

27 Post author: Wei_Dai 06 June 2012 12:26AM

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Comment author: private_messaging 16 June 2012 05:56:53PM *  -1 points [-]

The interesting bit is that if you could actually use Solomonoff induction as prior, I'm pretty sure you'd be an irreparable aether believer and 'relativity sceptic', with confidence that has so many nines nothing would ever convince you. That's because the absolute-speed irreversible aether universes like 3d versions of Conway's game of life are so much more computationally compact than highly symmetric universe with many space-time symmetries (to the point of time and space intermixing in the equations) and the fully reversible fundamental laws of physics. Saying this to you as applied mathematician with experience actually implementing laws of physics in software.

The priors are only a free parameter if all you care for is not getting Dutch-booked on your bets about physics but do not give a damn to have any useful theories.

Comment author: Plasmon 16 June 2012 07:05:19PM *  0 points [-]

Consider Penrose's "Angular momentum: An approach to combinatorial space-time" (math.ucr.edu/home/baez/penrose/Penrose-AngularMomentum.pdf)

Hence, we have a way of getting hold of the concept of Euclidean angle, starting from a purely combinatorial scheme

...

The central idea is that the system defines the geometry. If you like, you can use the conventional description to fit the thing into the ‘ordinary space-time’ to begin with, but then the geometry you get out is not necessarily the one you put into it

It seems that euclidean space, at least, can be derived as a limiting case from simple combinatorial principles. It is not at all clear that general relativity does not have kolmogorov complexity comparable to the cellular automata of your "aether universes".

Comment author: private_messaging 16 June 2012 07:55:29PM *  0 points [-]

Kolmogorov complexity of GR itself (text of GR or something) is irrelevant. Kolmogorov complexity of universe that has the symmetries of GR and rest of physics, is. Combinatorial principles are nice but it boils down to representing state of the universe with cells on tape of linear turing machine.