User:SurrealWarrior/Levels Of Stasis
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[edit] Levels
The essential elements of levels are recursion, iteration, interleavings, and, orderings. Interleavings and orderings are activities on a single level, while recursion and iteration move you from level to level.
- Recursion – A particular way of specifying (or constructing) a class of objects (or an object from a certain class) with the help of a reference to other objects of the class: a recursive definition defines objects in terms of the already defined objects of the class.
- Iteration -- The repetition of a process, typically within a computer program. It can be used both as a general term, synonymous with repetition, and to describe a specific form of repetition with a mutable state.
- Interleavings -- A way to arrange data in a noncontiguous way in order to increase performance.
- Orderings -- A system of parts subject to certain uniform, established ranks or proportions.
The first two of the above defined words include assumptions that the notions of sameness and difference are already defined. The notion of when two things are the same and when they are different takes up several chapters in Douglas Hofstadter’s book Gödel, Echser, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid.
[edit] Stasis
In the punctuated equilibrium model of evolutionary biology, stasis is a period of little or no evolutionary change in a species.
In The Fabric Of Reality, David Deutsch talks about the theory of scientific knowlege put forth by Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (which is similar to punctuated equilibrium) and dismisses it with a convicing arrguement. In GEB, Douglas Hofstader skims past the same theory and comments that it is untrue because we can see the paradigm shifts happening on all 'levels big and small'
[edit] Levels of Stasis
Stasis contains change, the change is just too small to disrupt the stasis, but the change will disrupt a more fagile stasis on a lower level.
[edit] Geological Time Scales
The second and third timelines are each subsections of their preceding timeline as indicated by asterisks. 
The Holocene (the latest epoch) and the present (from 1950 to now) are too small to be shown clearly on this timeline.
Levels of Geological Time: Eon, Era, Period, Epoch Stasis of Geological Time: Every level is marked by two drastic changes with a period of stasis in between. Levels of Stasis of Geological Time: A bigger change is required to disrupt an eon's stasis and end the eon than is required to disrupt an epoch's stasis and end the epoch.
[edit] Human Time Scale
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In this example the levels are more continuous, blending in with one another, which is why the paraigm shifts show an exponential trend. An event like the invention of agriculture only happens about once every 10^10 years while a Major War happens about once every 7 years. The lists are biased towards the persent because the closer an event is to the present the less drastic it has to be to be considered as important as a more distant event. This can even be seen in the Geological time scale: Epochs don't show up until the very last eon and periods don't show up until the second to last eon. The closer time gets to the present the more finely we want to divide it.
[edit] Fabric of Reality
The 4 main strands are:
[edit] Scientific method
The essential elements of the scientific method are the following:
- Problem
- Explanation
- Criticism
Problem and Criticism are the two "steps" of the scientific method. Explanation is what the theories of science are (or should be).
The "real" scientific method is the above three elements acting on several levels at the same time.
[edit] Theory of Evolution
Evolution contains these basic elements:
- Species adapting to fit in niche (Speciation)
- Species
- Extinction of unfit species (Extinction)
By repeating these steps over several levels you get a veiw of evolution similar to puctuated equilibrium continued over different levels.
[edit] Problem, Speciation
Problem refers to a situation, condition, or issue that is unresolved or undesired.
Problem corresponds to Speciation.
[edit] Explanation, Species
An explanation is a statement which points to causes, context and consequences of some object (or process, state of affairs etc.), together with rules or laws which link these to the object.
Explanations corresponds to Species.
Species
- "I do say in the book (Fabric of Reality) that there can never be a closed definition of 'explanation'. Having said that, there will be considerably more detailed discussions of the nature of explanation in my next book The Beginning of Infinity (which I hope will be out in a year or so)."
-- Quote from David Deutsch regaring explanation
A definition may be a statement of the essential properties of a certain thing, or a statement of equivalence between one expression and another, usually more complex expression that gives the meaning of the first. The definition of a concept, or of (a given sense of) a word or phrase, is a description of its intension—that is, the set of properties that characterizes all and only members of the extension of the word; the extension is all the things that the concept, word, or phrase applies to. An intensional definition specifies all and only the properties required of something in order that falls under the term defined (its necessary and sufficient conditions). This, like the following is typically used to characterize ways of specifying sets. For example, the set of primes less than 20, or {x:x is prime and x < 20}, is an intensional definition of a set. \
- "On the whole, I disagree that definitions are very important in either physics or in the associated branches of philosophy. Both Popper and Feynman have explained why (I can't locate the references easily but they shouldn't be hard to find)."
-- Quote from David Deutsch regaring definition
[edit] Criticism, Extinction
Criticism is the activity of judgement or interpretation. In some contexts, the term indicates a position of opposition or disagreement with the object of criticism. More generally, a "judge" may be a qualified person who evaluates and passes judgment on something. In other contexts, a judgment implies a balanced weighing up of evidence preparatory to making a decision. A formal process of evaluation applies. A judgment may be expressed as a statement, e.g. S1: 'A is B' and is usually the outcome of an evaluation of alternatives. The formal process of evaluation can sometimes be described as a set of conditions and criteria that must be satisfied in order for a judgment to be made. What follows is a suggestive list of some conditions that are commonly required:
- there must be corroborating evidence and/or an argument for S1,
- there must be no true contradicting statements,
- if there are contradicting statements, these must be outweighed by the corroborating evidence and/or argument for S1, or
- contradicting statements must themselves have no corroborating evidence or argument
- S1 may also corroborate and be corroborated by the system of statements which are accepted as true.
One should be cautious in attributing, without a rigorous analysis, a rigid set of criteria to all forms of judgment. Often this results in unnecessary restrictions to judgment methodologies, excluding what may otherwise be considered legitimate judgments. For analogous difficulties in science and the scientific method see the Wikipedia entry on the scientific method. From the criteria mentioned above, we could judge that "It is raining" if there are raindrops hitting the window, if people outside are using umbrellas, and if there are clouds in the sky. Someone who says that despite all this, it is not raining, but cannot provide evidence for this, would not undermine our judgment. However, if they demonstrated that there was a sophisticated projection and audio system to produce the illusion of our evidence, then we would probably reconsider our judgment. However, we would not do this lightly, we would demand evidence of the existence of such a system. Then it would need to be decided again upon available new evidence whether or not it was raining. Many forms of judgment, including the above example, require that they be supported by, and support, known facts which are themselves well supported, and its negation must be shown to be unfounded, before it is accepted as well founded.
A critic (from Greek krites, a judge) is a person who offers judgement or analysis, value judgement, interpretation, or observation. The term can also be used to describe an adherent of a position disagreeing with or opposing the object of criticism.
Corroborating evidence is evidence that tends to support a proposition that is already supported by some evidence. For example, W, a witness, testifies that she saw X drive his automobile into a green car. Y, another witness, testifies that when he examined X's car later that day he noticed green paint on its fender.
Argument may mean:
- logical argument, a demonstration of a proof, or using logical reasoning for persuasion
- probabilistic argument, any proof using probability theory
- heuristic argument, a proof or demonstration relying on experimental results
An argument is an attempt to demonstrate the truth of an assertion called a conclusion, based on the truth of a set of assertions called premises.
An heuristic argument is an argument that reasons from the value of a method or principle that has been shown by experimental (especially trial-and-error) investigation to be a useful aid in learning, discovery and problem-solving. A widely-used and important example of a heuristic argument is Occam's razor.
[edit] Three Important Thoeries
In its simplest form, Occam's Razor states that one should make no more assumptions than needed. Put into everyday language, it says
- Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simpler.
Alonzo Church, Alan Turing, and David Deutsch contributed to the Church–Turing–Deutsch principle, also known as the CTD principle, of computer science. The principle states
- A universal computing device can simulate every physical process.
Dr Johnson’s criterion for reality
- If it can kick back, it exists.
OR
- If, according to the simplest explanation, an entity is complex and autonomous, then that entity is real.
“After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true; it is impossible to refute it. I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, 'I refute it THUS.'” -- From Life of Johnson by (James) Boswell
[edit] Theory of Evolution
Evolution -- the theory of evolution is the same as the scientific method except in a different form.
By comparing the two and trying to find corresponding elements in both you get this:
- Problem
Opening of a niche - Explanation Species adapting to fit in niche
- Criticism Extinction of unfit species
Using this correspondence we can understand more about the scientific method. For instance, there can never be a closed definition of explanation (See this) just as there can never be a closed definition of life. This also shows that problem and criticism have an antagonistic relationship.
[edit] Theory of Computation
A computer is a device or machine for processing information from data according to a program — a compiled list of instructions. The information to be processed may represent numbers, text, pictures, or sound, amongst many other types.
Information is any type of pattern that influences the formation or transformation of other patterns.
Pattern is defined as the repetition of a template through many different universes.
Computation can be defined as finding a solution to a problem from given inputs by means of an algorithm.
[edit] Many-worlds quantum theory
Quantum Physics -- The many-worlds interpretation (or MWI) is an interpretation of quantum mechanics that proposes the existence of multiple "parallel universes", all of which have the same physical laws and constants, but occupy different states. MWI was initially formulated by Hugh Everett as an alternative to wavefunction collapse used in the Copenhagen interpretation to explain non-deterministic processes (such as measurement) in quantum mechanics.
Quantum Computation -- A quantum computer is any device for computation that makes direct use of distinctively quantum mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. In a classical (or conventional) computer, the amount of data is measured by bits; in a quantum computer, it is measured by qubits. The basic principle of quantum computation is that the quantum properties of particles can be used to represent and structure data, and that devised quantum mechanisms can be used to perform operations with this data.
A simulation is an imitation of some real device or state of affairs. Simulation attempts to represent certain features of the behavior of a physical or abstract system by the behavior of another system.
Process is a naturally occurring or designed sequence of operations or events, possibly taking up time, space, expertise or other resource, which produces some outcome. A process may be identified by the changes it creates in the properties of one or more objects under its influence.
[edit] Replicator Clarification
Replicator – An entity that causes certain environments to create copies of it
Niche – The set of all possible environments in which the replicator would cause its own replication.
Adaptation – The degree of adaptation is equal to the degree that the replicator causes its own replication.
Replicator R
Environment E
Copy C
Variations of Replicator R *
Variations of Environment E *
[edit] Ramblings
A strange loop is a case of self-reference which affects (or even damages) the original item, possibly causing a paradox. For example, Abbie Hoffman once wrote a book called Steal This Book, which thereby tried to undermine its own sales in bookstores. The liar paradox and Russell's paradox also involve strange loops. Strange loops often involve violation of hierarchies, in which (for example) a computer program (rather than a person) writes computer programs. This, by itself, is not enough to be a strange loop (it is merely self reference, and is common practice for a compiler). An example of a strange loop in software is a quine, which is a program that produces a new version of itself. Metamorphic code is similar. In the book GEB, Douglas Hofstadter says that life (refering to the 
strange loop) is based on strange loops. He also says that intelligence is based on strange loops. Replicators are based on strange loops.
Self-reference occurs when an object refers to itself. Reference is possible when there are two logical levels, a level and a meta-level. It is most commonly used in mathematics, philosophy, computer programming, and linguistics. Self-referential statements can lead to paradoxes (but see antinomy for limits on the significance of these). An example of a self-reference situation is the one of autopoiesis, as the logical organisation produces itself the physical structure which creates itself. In metaphysics, self-reference is subjectivity, while "hetero-reference", as it is called (see Niklas Luhmann), is objectivity. Self-reference produces strange loops.
Recursion specifies (or constructs) a class of objects (or an object from a certain class) by defining a few very simple base cases (often just one), and then defining rules to break down complex cases into simpler cases. Recursion is sometimes mistaken for circular reasoning. However, the crucial difference is that its base cases are defined in terms that are not part of the system. Since all the cases break down into base cases, and the base cases are in different terms, the analysis stops. That is, it is not circular. For example, the following is a recursive definition of person's ancestors:
- One's parents are one's ancestors (base case);
- The parents of any ancestor are also ancestors of the person under consideration (recursion step).
For instance, your ancestors are:
- your parents, and
- your parents' parents (= grandparents), and
- your grandparents' parents, and
- everyone else you get by successively adding ancestors
It is convenient to think that a recursive definition defines objects in terms of "previously defined" objects of the class to define. Definitions such as these are often found in mathematics. For example, the formal definition of natural numbers is: 0 is a natural number, and each natural number has a successor, which is also a natural number. To visualise recursion, it can be helpful to consider recursively-defined geometric figures, such as the Koch curve, the Sierpinski triangle, or the Cantor set.
A self-similar object is exactly or approximately similar to a part of itself. A curve is said to be self-similar if, for every piece of the curve, there is a smaller piece that is similar to it. For instance, a side of the Koch snowflake is self-similar; it can be divided into two halves, each of which is similar to the whole. Many objects in the real world, such as coastlines, are statistically self-similar: parts of them show the same statistical properties at many scales. Self-similarity is a typical property of fractals. It also has important consequences for the design of computer networks, as typical network traffic has self-similar properties. For example, in telecommunications traffic engineering, packet switched data traffic patterns seem to be statistically self-similar. This property means that simple models using a Poisson distribution are inaccurate, and networks designed without taking self-similarity into account are likely to function in unexpected ways.
A fractal is a geometric object which is rough or irregular on all scales of length, and so which appears to be 'broken up' in a radical way. Some of the best examples can be divided into parts, each of which is similar to the original object. Fractals are said to possess infinite detail, and they may actually have a self-similar structure that occurs at different levels of magnification. In many cases, a fractal can be generated by a repeating pattern, in a typically recursive or iterative process. The term fractal was coined in 1975 by Benoît Mandelbrot, from the Latin fractus or "broken". Before Mandelbrot coined his term, the common name for such structures (the Koch snowflake, for example) was monster curve.
Let me introduce, for those of you who don't know it or have forgotten the details, Douglas Hofstadter's model of messages as containing three levels:
- The frame message says "I am a message, decode me if you can!"
- The outer message tells how to decode the inner message; if put into words, the outer message of *this* message would say something like "This message is encoded in ASCII and written in the English language".
- The inner message is the actual content intended by the Creator. (:-))
If you do not understand the frame message, you fail to recognize the message as a message; to you, it is just a bunch of chicken tracks, or bits, or whatever.
If you do not understand the outer message, you recognize that you have a message, but (like an archaeologist confronted with the Phaistos disk or Easter Island rongo-rongo) have no clue what it says.
If you do not understand the inner message, then you have the formal requisites for reading the message, but its meaning escapes you.
Note that neither the frame message nor the outer message can be part of the inner message: to one who does not understand the frame message, putting "This is a message" at the top of the inner message is useless; likewise, saying "This message is in English" is only useful to those who already understand English.
From this perspective, metadata is an attempt to make the inner message of one message contain the outer message of another, and if interpreted naively, leads to an infinite regress. Somewhere there must be a core of messages whose understanding is hard-wired into the system, which permit all other messages to be bootstrapped from them. At present, the only way we know to create such universally understood messages is to write messages in some (human or programming) language, which can be presumed to be, understood everywhere. The fact that no such language(s) exist is the rationale for struggling to create them.
A trigger can be said to have a universal inner meaning if all intelligent beings will recognize the trigger’s frame message and outer message allowing them to construct the inner message. For instance if jukeboxes were naturally occurring objects and on all the jukeboxes the buttons A-3 stood for Bach's Magnificat in D, then we may be inclined to say that the code A-3 (or its equivalent in the naturally occurring jukebox) stands for Bach's Magnificat in D (and it would no longer be thought of as Bach's Magnificat in D).
