mykola 🙃🌎🤘

So, I see the whole universe as a function. Its input is its own prior state, its output is its own next state. It cycles in Planck time.

Its logic is described by math implemented in physics, which in turn decomposes into biology and cognition and even, sometimes, software.

But there's really just the one big function. An infinite relation between everything and everything else, over time, forever.

This is kinda my religious belief, I guess? It compels no particular behavior.

Apr 25, 2017 at 3:03pmWeb
Show threaddeoh can be strange sometimesApr 25, 2017

@mykola It's your cosmological belief.

Also, it seems similar to occasionalism, I guess.

Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017
@deoh I guess so though I don't ascribe agency to this function. Its entire logic is informed by the rules of the system.
Show threaddeoh can be strange sometimesApr 25, 2017
@mykola Then what made the rules of the function?
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017
@deoh what made physics? I have no idea. Some physicists think that they're caused by the way the universe cooled as it was created, I guess?
Show threaddeoh can be strange sometimesApr 25, 2017
@mykola But the universe only cooled because it obeyed certain rules in the first place. If this function *is* the way the universe operates then it must be prior to that
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017
@deoh Maybe, maybe there are infinite universes as different parts of the initial cooling medium cooled differently. Certainly we'd have very little access to any kind of knowledge about that sort of thing, right?
Show threaddeoh can be strange sometimesApr 25, 2017

@mykola If they cooled differently there must be a cause for it. If they cooled at all that's still the result of some rule of some sort.

And sure, we have little access to knowledge in those things, but that never stopped philosophical speculation and argumentation. 😛

Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017

@deoh it does for me, dude, I like Kant's thought that some things are just unknowable fundamentally and that we oughtn't waste too much time worrying about them.

I'll leave that to the scientists who may one day give us another inch of answers, or may not.

For now I'm happy with my modeling exercise.

Show threadRoss SchulmanApr 25, 2017
@mykola Or you could say it compels all behavior, just that we can't know what it is compelling until its over. :)
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017
@ross ha, good point.
Show threadShanShenApr 25, 2017

@mykola I had to look up Planck time.

:)

So, to you, the passing of time has little significance, since any one moment (or even an era) is a negligible amount of time when considered in light of the universe itself?

Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017

@ShanShen not at all, subjectively the passage of time is really important to us.

It's just that, I think of 'time' as the way we measure the smallest possible difference between two states of the universe.

Planck time is how long it takes light to cross planck unit, right? This is why speed of light is maximum speed of universe. Anything else would exceed the bounds of the function.

Show threadShanShenApr 25, 2017
@mykola Ah, I see. Your phrase " smallest possible difference between two states of the universe" is very clarifying.
Show threadArcanist of the Atom Apr 25, 2017
@mykola we call that an autonomous dynamical map. It's the discrete time version of a differential equation, effectively. Of course, no one has yet managed to tunnel down to the timescale where they'd be able to find out whether that discretization is proper or not
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 25, 2017

@atomicarcane Even a simulation slowed down by many orders of magnitude would be crippled by a lack of infrastructure to execute it.

The universe is itself a distributed computer, in some way I don't fully understand. It's like all matter is just information that transforms according to knowable - but not necessarily known - rules.

Show threadArcanist of the Atom Apr 25, 2017
@mykola Borges remains inimitable https://kwarc.info/teaching/TDM/Borges.pdf
Show threadwildwalkerwoman✔️Apr 26, 2017

@mykola

*picks up fragment of sea-washed mykola belief from sandy beach of eternity and holds it up to the Light*

Now isn't that beautiful! 😍 https://a.weirder.earth/media/ecWR35Lg1zh5Un7LS-w

Show threadwildwalkerwoman✔️Apr 26, 2017
@mykola I see belief as the ultimate Gestalt. This fathomless Mystery made up of infinite fragments and which human belief is incapable of ever grasping consciously (our unconscious does better). But we can catch glimpses of it in each other if we allow that aspect of us to show... if that makes sense to you. https://a.weirder.earth/media/bWo9oRZyKy-fGy_gvlg
Show threadwildwalkerwoman✔️Apr 26, 2017
@mykola I've been meaning to thank you for enabling this space *looks round at a.weirder.earth*. I feel comfortable and at home here. https://a.weirder.earth/media/y4KN5gaS47mJE0ad11Y
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 26, 2017
@wildwalkerwoman You're quite welcome! :)
Show threadmykola 🙃🌎🤘Apr 26, 2017
@wildwalkerwoman Yeah, I think it's hubris to think we can understand our reality - so our best bet is to paint a pretty picture and understand that it's just a model, but that it's ours.