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Undecidability, Uncomputability, and Unpredictability - Essay Contest Winners
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FQXi Administrator David Sloan wrote on Jul. 29, 2020 @ 15:03 GMT
FQXi's essay contests are always set up as a challenge for our community to push back on the boundaries of our understanding. This year was no different, as we asked you to decide how something could be undecidable, compute what we would find uncomputable, and predict where we will find the unpredictable. As ever the response to the call was impressive. After a long period of analysis and deliberation our panel have returned their verdict:
Unable to separate the top two candidates, the panel elected to jointly award first place to Markus Mueller for
"Undecidability and unpredictability: not limitations, but triumphs of science" , and Klaas Landsman for
"Undecidability and indeterminism" . The panel were impressed by the deep philosophical implications of Landsman's work, and the clear logical writing displayed by Mueller.
Taking a second place prize is David Wolpert and David Kinney's
"Noisy Deductive Reasoning: How Humans Construct Math, and How Math Constructs Universes" . The panel cited the discussion of the role of mathematicians as imperfect reasoners as novel and interesting.
Discretionary prizes were awarded to Rick Searle's
"Computational Complexity as Anthropic Principle" with the panel noting the entertaining literary device of an imagined conversation between Laplace, Champollion and a mechanical Oracle, and to Jochen Szangolies's
"Epistemic Horizons: This Sentence is 1/√2(|True> + |False>)" for a creative approach to the problem.
Thank you to our sponsors,
The Fetzer Franklin Fund and
The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation for making this happen. We also thank our anonymous judging panel for the hard work they put in, and congratulate our winners. And finally, thanks to everyone who entered the contest. We hope to see you again in the next contest soon!
For a full set of winners with third and fourth place please see the
winners list
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Steve Dufourny wrote on Jul. 29, 2020 @ 19:24 GMT
Hi Mr Sloan, great to see these results, I beleive they are just, They were my favorites, My favorite was Flavio Del Santo personally, congrats to all the winners and long life to FQXi, you make a wonderful job, friendly
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Jonathan J. Dickau wrote on Jul. 29, 2020 @ 20:16 GMT
Congratulations to all the winners!
I recall enjoying several of your essays. Some of my favorites were overlooked. I can't say I got to read all of the ones that turned up in the winner's circle, however.
Thanks to everyone who participated, for making it enjoyable. I really do enjoy the engaging debates. I'm not one of those folks who is just looking for appreciation, because I want to understand things on a deeper level.
So it is disappointing when some of the folks who end up winning choose not to engage with folks like myself. I think they would get something out of reading my essay, but many in these contests are very insular. That I don't like so much.
Best to All,
Jonathan.
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Steve Dufourny replied on Jul. 30, 2020 @ 07:53 GMT
Hello Jonathan, hope you are well, I am understanding your words. I asked me if you could help me also in this project of global collaboration, the aim being to create concrete solutions adapted to our global system to optimise what we can improve. The aim is to convice this UN and make a win win for all. Hope you could put some ideas , I beleive strongly that it is important and that we must try to solve and FQXi and thinkers seems essential to reach this aim. take care, regards
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James Lee Hoover wrote on Jul. 30, 2020 @ 17:58 GMT
Congratulations to the winners. I must confess that I didn't evaluate any of the winners. They have quite impressive credentials and from what I understood in the abstracts, challenging concepts. I most likely scanned several and with my meager math background went on. Like Jonathan, I have experienced evaluating winners in several past contests and most did not return the favor. Of course, some did. But under the circumstance, I value these contests and the opportunity to exchange ideas. I have learned a great deal from participants in the contest and hope to continue.
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Michael Smith wrote on Jul. 30, 2020 @ 23:31 GMT
A big congrats to the winners and to everyone who participated! As a first timer submitting an article, I must say I was impressed by the diversity and originality of ideas submitted and the thought provoking topic selected by FQXi.
One suggestion I might offer for future contests is to add an "engagement" prize for one or more individuals who are especially responsive in replying to posts about their article and offering constructive feedback to other articles (but not necessarily rating their articles in return). This might help encourage healthy dialogue while discouraging the "I rated yours so you should rate mine" expectation.
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Jason Mark Wolfe wrote on Aug. 1, 2020 @ 08:45 GMT
Wish I could decide the next essay topic! Topics I would suggest include:
- Quantum gravity
- Is there a theory better than string theory?
- What theory would best unify QM with GR?
- What is the connections between wave functions and gravitons?
- Are the gravitons the foundation carriers of the physics constants?
- Does a gravitational propulsion experiment exist?
- Are the Einstein equations a special case for gravity?
- Forget a theory of Everything, is there a theory that will lead to new technology?
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 2, 2020 @ 12:27 GMT
Hi Jason, lol Is there a theory better than string theory?, yes of course, the 3D quantum spheres but of course for this, the lobbies of strings , the universities and the strings theorists must less insist about the main origin of our physicality, they consider all that our geometries, topologies, matters come from fields , it is a fashion in fact because they had not an other theory, but these coded particles spherical turn, are in motions and oscillate ......
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 2, 2020 @ 12:29 GMT
An other paramter is this vanity , all we are persuaded and it is difficult to change a line of reasoning, imagine all these Phd and professors having worked so many years in the maths of strings, and me I arrive with my small coded quantum spheres, I am a problem in fact and I am conscious of this, the vanity and the money are against me lol
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 2, 2020 @ 12:30 GMT
instead to accelerate the process of evolution of discoveries, unfortunally this vanity decreases it , the competition is well but the points of equilibrium also like the complementarity ....
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Member Tejinder Pal Singh replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 07:28 GMT
Dear Jason,
You ask: is there a theory better than string theory?
Kindly visit my homepage at www.tifr.res.in/~tpsingh
to see the quantum gravity theory I have developed.
Many thanks,
Tejinder
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 08:09 GMT
Hi Tejinder, like I explained it is also a string development and octonions, so you consider also like many that the origin is made of fields and like many you fractalise these fields to explain this quantum gravitation, but all is not true if the main origin is not made of fields and that we have only a pure 3D at all scales, I respect your attemps but like many you are in this strings prison for me, regards
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 08:12 GMT
why all are focused on these strings I don t know , and I know that it is difficult to change due to years of works and that this vanity is a parameter also to take into account, we are all persuaded but it could be well to think beyond the box and try to change a little bit the generalities of ideas, since that these strings exists and the attemps to explain this Quantum gravity, nobody has quantified it , because simply there is a problem with these fields and strings, it is not an emergent electromagntic force, you can utilise all what you want like geonetrical algebras and all the fractalisations of fields and the non commutativity, you don t reach it
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 08:14 GMT
what I tell is that the symmetries and automorphisms shall not change this truth if the foundamental objects are not true and the origin of fields also simply, this prison of strings is really a big problem inside the sciences community,
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 08:19 GMT
like I said I was surprised to reach it , in changing the distances and in respecting this newtonian mechanics, because we have a deeper logic, this gravitation seems the main chief orchestra and we need to superimpose particles encoded different simply and in 3D , not need to fractalise the fields , consider the cold Dark matetr encoded in nuclei and encircling this standard model and see the balance necessary to explain the heat cold, the +-, the negentropy entropy, the electronmagntism gravitation, the matter anti matter, the electrons positrons and others, the fact to encode kind of gravitons spherical of DM solve the problem, the simplicity sometimes is essential , the electromagntism is just emergent , we need a balance at all scales and this matter non baryonic answers, not need of strings to reach our unknowns, the 3D coded spheres are an easy way
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 09:19 GMT
You know Tejinder, I don t want to destroy the works of strings theorists, I just find odd that all is focused in these strings forgetting to think differently, I prefer to see convergences and they are possible with these 3D psheres because they are in motions, rotations oscillations and that it exists probably a conjecture with the superstrings , Mtheory and branes and maybe also the poincare conjecture helping and the ricci flow intrinsic in these coded spheres. The clifford algebras also can help and the lie groups, derivatives and algebras. It is also philosophically speaking that we can converge in considering particles coded instead of fields like main primoridal origin. I respect your works and the works of others, I just try to explain that we can think differently and beyond the box, I beleive strongly that the strings and photons only have created a prison for the thinkers and now they turn in round simply. I can understand that I irritate with my spheres but they seem foundamental at all scales and nobody can deny this, don t forget the words of Feynmann , he told , one day we shall see all the truth and we shall tell, oh my god, how is it possible that we have not seen a thing so simple before, even Ray Munroe my friend told me this, he was relevant and I respected a lot this person on FQXi I miss him, I have discussed a lot in private, he told me that I have found a innovative thing and that many was irritated due to this human nature but after all the competition is well but the complementarity is better for me, I beleive strongly that this vanity is a real global problem and more inside the theoretical sciences community, all we want to be recognised and all we are persuaded , it is sad because in complementarity we could go farer all, regards, I respect your ideas and I find many relevances in your ideas, the convergences like I told can appear if the thinkers forget to focus too much on their works and open their minds maybe simply, friendly
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Steve Dufourny replied on Aug. 3, 2020 @ 10:30 GMT
I repeat this simple general intuitive idea, what are your thoughts? ....
matter and antimatter dance together to create our universal balance like an universal foundamental, this cold dark matter probably is the secret of this balance, the photons like primordial essence does not seem to be sufficient, we need a balance for the heat , like a balance electromagnetism gravitation, negentropy entropy, +-,matter anti matter,:...... and if we consider these 3D spheres and their senses of rotations and the 3 main finite series , one space and two fuels, so we encircle the emergent geometries , topologies and matters and fields, sometimes the complexity return to simplicity, all this is an assumption general but seems logic.
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Georgina Woodward wrote on Aug. 2, 2020 @ 06:42 GMT
CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!! : )
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PRASAD RAMESH DIVATE wrote on Aug. 11, 2020 @ 15:23 GMT
Respected sir,
I have suggestions for next essay topic
1: consciousness and theory of everything
2:the physical and mathematical aspect of consciousness
Thanks,
Regards,
Prasad Divate
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Dr Narayan Kumar Bhadra wrote on Jul. 29, 2021 @ 07:17 GMT
It is known to all that sometimes light seems to acting as wave and sometimes as like particle that means wave-particle duality. But in our present dissertation we considered that a kind of invisible light rays emerges by maintaining the wave-wave duality (firstly we imagined as an electromagnetic-like ocean may formed by the explained new energy sources beyond our Physical Universe and secondly the said ocean of new kind electromagnetic-like energy field force created after unfolding the Physical Universe) constructed by neutrino-like bosons as photon-like quanta from the new energy sources of SU(6), SU(12), SU(24),……etc. after unfolding the Physical Universe through successive symmetry breaking [considering as different layers of Universe] of the Generalized Gaussian Energy group (GGEG) as SU(11) SU(6) SU(5) U(1); SU(23) SU(12) SU(11) U(1); SU(47) SU(24) SU(23) U(1);............so on. Therefore, there possible to created a new kind of electromagnetic ocean with discrete new energy wave functions within the folding Universe in another phase for the appearance of Fundamental Consciousness as well as we can imagine an ocean of electron with new kind of electromagnetic energies and new strong forces created after unfolding the Physical Universe through phase-like transitions of energies for the creation as Consciousness.
Cordially requested to read my all articles including "PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECTS: HUMAN MIND AND SENSE DATUM" and "How SU-Levels Are Imply Consciousness and Life".
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Steve Dufourny replied on Jul. 29, 2021 @ 10:40 GMT
Hi Dr Bhadra, very interesting what you tell, regards
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Dr Narayan Kumar Bhadra replied on Sep. 19, 2021 @ 11:35 GMT
An event occurred when consciousness as light passing through soft matters of bio atoms as lumps of matter or the whole body-system of human-like or dark matter in bio-cell like as spiral galaxy, then light as consciousness bended by quantum gravitational attraction through bio-cell or like by human mind-body system, we may call it mind-lensing. We assumed that gravitational force as well as...
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An event occurred when consciousness as light passing through soft matters of bio atoms as lumps of matter or the whole body-system of human-like or dark matter in bio-cell like as spiral galaxy, then light as consciousness bended by quantum gravitational attraction through bio-cell or like by human mind-body system, we may call it mind-lensing. We assumed that gravitational force as well as quantum gravity created by the new energy sources of the Gaussian group SU(6) as explained details in my published articles.
Thus, we may assumed that light as consciousness may converges or bending by the electromagnetic interaction of mind-body system naturally or artificially exciting the nervous system through soft matters of biology as lumps of matter of the galaxy formation and otherwise it accelerated by the effect of photoelectric currents within the live body for the stability of mind-screen-picture. Consciousness may appeared by the light of various packets of variable new energy photon-like bosons of neutrinos as quanta-like may be named as “narayan” within the electron-ocean of our Physical Universe containing various electromagnetic waves with various amplitudes, which then accumulated or superposition with increased electrons density, as like as “Tsunami in Water Ocean” by these new energies in the respective framework with energy group U(1). Resonance of energy waves introduces the different class of lives with increasing strengths. In the initial stages of DNA formation or the formation of Protein Structures etc., we observed the bio-molecules formed through dark matter or dark energy, those very are similar to the formation of spiral galaxy from dark matter, we found there vacant spaces around the black-hole-like centre region of bio-atoms were gradually changes to the nascent matters through exotic matter fluids as soft-matters and consequently then evaporated the black-hole-like, hence then formed ordinary matter bio-cells of bio-molecules etc. These are very similar to the formation of stars, planets from exotic matter fluid around the black-hole of any galaxy etc. Lumps of matter in the large scale and soft matters in the small scales of biology are all formed by the new unknown lepton-likes but quark-types particle-like in wave status with tightly binding by the bosons of SU(6) called “bhadras” then compacting or accumulating the various class quarks formed different kind of living matter atoms etc.
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Dr Narayan Kumar Bhadra wrote on Sep. 19, 2021 @ 12:06 GMT
Honourable Scientists are cordially requested to feedback my article entitled “How “SU” Levels Are Imply For Life & Consciousness.”, the DOI number; doi.org/10.33140/ABBSR.03.02.06.
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Dr Narayan Kumar Bhadra wrote on Sep. 19, 2021 @ 12:16 GMT
All the Honourable Scientists are cordially requested to feedback that we need a new science beyond the Standard Model of Physics otherwise a Revision of Standard Model of Physics and an extension of Einstein's GRT such as my article "Modern Theory of Generalised Relativity" for the betterment of our Planet for our Future.
http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.12412.44161
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Steve Agnew wrote on Sep. 19, 2021 @ 18:41 GMT
Mueller opens his essay with...
"As the argument goes, there are truths that we can never uncover with our scientific methods, hence we should be humble and acknowledge a reality beyond our scientific grasp. Here, I argue that this view is wrong."
...and closes his essay with...
"Let me therefore conclude this essay with one further outmoded declaration of blind faith: We can know what there is to know."
So Mueller states that there are no truths beyond Science and then states that we can know what there is to know... and therefore we cannot know any truths beyond Science, like morality and ethics evidently.
This essay seems to simply restate three truths that we already know and therefore does not seem to have reveal any new knowledge about the nature of physical reality. We already know that there are limitations to Science and we already know there are plenty of truths to know beyond Science and we already know there are questions that have no answers...
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Robert H McEachern replied on Sep. 20, 2021 @ 16:41 GMT
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Shakespeare's Hamlet
The physics world needs to rethink their entire approach to understanding the nature of reality, though the acquisition of Information, to be in accord with
Point #5Rob McEachern
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