NancyLebovitz comments on The Argument from Common Usage - Less Wrong

29 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 13 February 2008 04:24PM

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Comment author: Caledonian2 14 February 2008 01:26:25AM 4 points [-]

Words are used within our minds because we don't have the computational resources to duplicate association-bundles every time we want to think about something. It's far cheaper to use pointer variables. We bind a reference to the bundle to a much simpler name and then store the name in memory instead.

As for the omnipotence-with-rocks argument, the solution is to recognize that the question is nonsense because the concepts it uses are self-contradictory. What happens when an immovable object meets an irresistible force?

Comment author: Amanojack 11 March 2010 05:27:39PM 4 points [-]

"As for the omnipotence-with-rocks argument, the solution is to recognize that the question is nonsense because the concepts it uses are self-contradictory. What happens when an immovable object meets an irresistible force?"

Well said. The question is no different in principle to asking, "What happens when a number is both 2 and not 2 at the same time?"

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 03 August 2010 06:57:48PM 12 points [-]

When an irresistible force meets an immovable object, it goes through without leaving a hole.