eli_sennesh comments on Open thread, Aug. 10 - Aug. 16, 2015 - Less Wrong

5 Post author: MrMind 10 August 2015 07:29AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (283)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: Stephen_Cole 14 August 2015 08:39:12PM 3 points [-]

I get your point that we can have greater belief in logical and mathematical knowledge. But (as pointed out by JoshuaZ) I have seen too many errors in proofs given at scientific meetings (and in submitted publications) to blindly believe just about anything.

Comment author: [deleted] 14 August 2015 11:52:54PM -1 points [-]

I get your point that we can have greater belief in logical and mathematical knowledge.

That wasn't quite my point. As a simple matter of axioms, if you condition on the formal system, a proven theorem has likelihood 1.0. Since all theorems are ultimately hypothetical statements anyway, conditioned on the usefulness of the underlying formal system rather than a Platonic "truth", once a theorem is proved, it can be genuinely said to have probability 1.0.

Comment author: Stephen_Cole 22 August 2015 04:13:59AM 0 points [-]

I will assume by likelihood you meant probability. I think you have removed by concern by conditioning on it. The theorem has probability 1, in your formal system. For me that is not probability 1, I don't give any formal system full control of my beliefs/probabilities.

Of course, I believe arithmetic with probability approaching 1. For now.