mathemajician comments on Taking Occam Seriously - Less Wrong

22 Post author: steven0461 29 May 2009 05:31PM

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Comment author: mathemajician 29 May 2009 10:48:54PM 0 points [-]

The title is a bit misleading. "Algorithmic complexity" is about the time and spaces resources required for computations (P != NP? etc...), whereas this web site seems to be more about "Algorithmic Information Theory", also known as "Kolmogorov Complexity Theory".

Comment author: steven0461 29 May 2009 10:52:03PM *  0 points [-]

Are you sure? I always thought that was "computational complexity". This seems to agree with my usage, as does this.

Comment author: mathemajician 29 May 2009 11:53:14PM 3 points [-]

One group within the community calls it "Algorithmic Information theory" or AIT, and another "Kolmogorov complexity". I talked to Hutter when we was writing that article for Scholarpedia that you cite. He decided to use the more neutral term "algorithmic complexity" so as not to take sides on this issue. Unfortunately, "algorithmic complexity" is more typically taken as meaning "computational complexity theory". For example, if you search for it under Wikipedia you will get redirected. I know, it's all kind of ridiculous and confusing...

Comment author: steven0461 30 May 2009 12:12:37AM *  1 point [-]

Changed title.

To make things more confusing, this says algorithmic/Kolmogorov complexity is a subfield of AIT.

Comment author: mathemajician 30 May 2009 01:03:02AM 1 point [-]

Yeah... I know :-\ There are various political forces at work within this community that I try to stay clear of.