MTGandP comments on Logical Pinpointing - Less Wrong

62 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 02 November 2012 03:33PM

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Comment author: MTGandP 02 November 2012 02:02:32AM 6 points [-]

What if 2 + 2 varies over something other than time that nonetheless correlates with time in our universe? Suppose 2 + 2 comes out to 4 the first 1 trillion times the operation is performed by humans, and to 5 on the 1 trillion and first time.

I suppose you could raise the same explanation: the definition of 2 + 2 makes no reference to how many times it has been applied. I believe the same can be said for any other reason you may give for why 2 + 2 might cease to equal 4.

Comment author: Luke_A_Somers 06 November 2012 09:34:36PM *  7 points [-]

Where that is the case, your method of mapping from the reality to arithmetic is not a good model of that process - no more, no less.