From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Mon Jun 17 2002 - 00:55:41 MDT
At 11:34 PM 6/16/02 -0700, Wei Dai wrote:
>We believe that there is a mathematical structure that corresponds with
>our physical universe, which implies that mathematical structures can
>contain sentient beings. Even if nothing exists physically, these beings
>inside platonic mathematical structures can still have consciousness.
I guess the discussion reduces to an undecidable contest of intuitions.
Right now, I find this claim (`beings inside platonic mathematical
structures can still have consciousness') strictly inconceivable, just word
play. That might be simply because I'm a mathematical ignoramus, but I
consider that mathematical statements, proofs, etc, result from transforms
done on mappings the brain makes from observing regularities in the
empirical world (and has been evolved to do so, with some cognitive
templates in place from the outset). Yes, one quickly moves away from any
isomorphism with brute reality, and learns to postulate freely all manner
of oddities, which are then turned this way and that and scrutinized for
internal contradictions, fecund implications, etc. But I rather like David
Bloor's `strong program in the social construction of science' model of
mathematical genesis:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/sociol/Research/Staff/bloor.htm
Platonic structures with consciousness seems to me to make about as much
sense as alphabet beings living inside words.
Damien Broderick
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