Comments on: Just Finish the Quote! John von Neumann is Sad. http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/ Ye Olde Computer Science Blogge Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:23:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Guild Invite http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/comment-page-1/#comment-9900 Guild Invite Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:32:07 +0000 http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/#comment-9900 After reading the initial "condemnation" the programmer in me said "but... but... but..." until I kept reading your post. Yet another reason to not take quotes out of context!! After reading the initial “condemnation” the programmer in me said “but… but… but…” until I kept reading your post. Yet another reason to not take quotes out of context!!

]]> By: Erikk http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/comment-page-1/#comment-3269 Erikk Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:04:46 +0000 http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/#comment-3269 Unless there can be physical manifestations of transfinite sets. The assumption is that all form can be mapped onto arithmetic which can be reduced further to the simple elements n and ~n. Anything that cannot be so reduced cannot be represented arithmetically. Colours have this property. There are three primary colours. This set cannot be reduced further and so cannot be represented in terms of n and ~n. So the human mind can directly apprehend transfinite sets. If there is an infinite number of possibilities at a juncture then determinism breaks down. Unless there can be physical manifestations of transfinite sets. The assumption is that all form can be mapped onto arithmetic which can be reduced further to the simple elements n and ~n. Anything that cannot be so reduced cannot be represented arithmetically. Colours have this property. There are three primary colours. This set cannot be reduced further and so cannot be represented in terms of n and ~n. So the human mind can directly apprehend transfinite sets.
If there is an infinite number of possibilities at a juncture then determinism breaks down.

]]> By: Lisette http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/comment-page-1/#comment-3268 Lisette Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:55:08 +0000 http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/#comment-3268 "The method is so easy that any reasonably educated 5th grader with a calculator should be up to speed on its use in 5 minutes." Sadly, we know this isn't the case for 5th grade Lisette. “The method is so easy that any reasonably educated 5th grader with a calculator should be up to speed on its use in 5 minutes.”

Sadly, we know this isn’t the case for 5th grade Lisette.

]]> By: Gregory Rineberg http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/comment-page-1/#comment-3260 Gregory Rineberg Sat, 09 Feb 2008 06:28:26 +0000 http://www.jakevoytko.com/blog/2008/02/08/just-finish-the-quote-john-von-neumann-is-sad/#comment-3260 Very enjoyable post on von Neumanns's logical thought. He is most definitely right about not being able to have a truly random number when an algorithmic formula was used to create that number. It is not 'true' randomness, per von Neumann. This makes me ponder whether it is possible that random happenings such as worlds developing or the make-up of the constellations are 'true' randomness? If I go with von Neumann, then the universe is not randomly set up at all, but rather through logic and physics it is set up through "strict arithmetic procedure". Very enjoyable post on von Neumanns’s logical thought. He is most definitely right about not being able to have a truly random number when an algorithmic formula was used to create that number. It is not ‘true’ randomness, per von Neumann.

This makes me ponder whether it is possible that random happenings such as worlds developing or the make-up of the constellations are ‘true’ randomness? If I go with von Neumann, then the universe is not randomly set up at all, but rather through logic and physics it is set up through “strict arithmetic procedure”.

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