Re: [sl4] Complete drivel on this list: was: I am a Singularitian who does not believe in the Singularity.

From: John K Clark (johnkclark@fastmail.fm)
Date: Tue Oct 13 2009 - 00:30:30 MDT


On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 "Mu In Taiwan" <mu.in.taiwan@gmail.com> said:

> > if it were not true *all* algorithms would be useless.
 
> 2. Absolute rubbish. There are algorithms and heuristics that are used
> despite our inability to predict their run-times accurately.

What I was saying was that if no algorithm halted then all algorithms
would be useless.

> your reply to me: "What Turing proved is that in general there is no way
> to prove that any given algorithm will halt."

Yes.

> your immediately subsequent reply to Robin: "what Turing proved is that
> in general the only way to know what a random program will do is to watch it
> for eternity and see."
 
Yes.

> These claims are inconsistent

Bullshit.

 John K Clark

-- 
  John K Clark
  johnkclark@fastmail.fm
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