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William_Quixote comments on Mathematics as a lossy compression algorithm gone wild - Less Wrong
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Comments (80)
I think this is interesting even if I don't fully but into it's argument. May I ask what your mathematical background is? I have a mental prediction based on the post that I'd like to test.
What's your prediction?
He shouldn't tell it to you, but in secret to a third party. Otherwise the experiment would be ruined.
I think we can trust shminux not to go get additional degrees in response to WQ's answer.
Never underestimate the race for status.
He has sent me his prediction in a private message.
Well?
The prediction was:
A graduate physics degree no doubt requires calculus. What about the rest?
That's about right. I did learn elementary set theory and logic, and had to prove theorems in the course of my research, but I was not interested in, say, computability, advanced logic, formal systems or the number theory. I guess Platonism is more pervasive among pure mathematicians.
You've studied abstract algebra too, no? At minimum, you've dealt with groups.
Oh, for sure, had to learn some, like finite groups, Lie groups/algebras.
How would it be ruined? My "mathematical background" does not depend on his prediction and I cannot change it after learning what the prediction is.
But his prediction could change subtly after learning what your background is.
"Ruined" is too strong; I should have said "influenced".
Right, that's why I asked what it is before revealing the answer.
Your way of formulating the answer may have been influenced by his theory?
I'm quibbling. I recommended the "full procedure" out of habit. It's wasn't really necessary in this particular case.
Anyway, I have about 3 years of college math (geared toward physics, not math students), plus some elements of grad-level math required for my grad degree, such as differential geometry and algebraic topology.