From: Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Sat Mar 07 1998 - 15:27:59 MST
John K Clark wrote:
> Polarization is digital. Pick a direction at random, and for any photon of
> unknown polarization there are only 2 choices, it must be polarized in that
> direction or at right angles to it. If it makes it through your polarization
> filter, it could make it through a thousand set in the same direction, and so
> could any twin photon correlated with it. If it doesn't make it through then
> the photon was polarized at right angles to the polarization filter, as can
> be proven by the correlated photon.
Do we have to go over this again? If this were so, John, when you put a
polarization filter at a 1 deg. angle to a vertically polarized light source, you
would get no light through it. Since you don't then this isn't so. Polarization is
an x/y polar vector combination (meaning you are going to get the square root of
-1 in there somewhere, which is hardly binary). If it weren't, and what you said
was true, then we'd be able to tell by the polarization of light which way was
absolutely up in the universe. Since we can't and everything is relative, then
what you are saying isn't so.
That being said, when people refer to the digital vs. analog dichotomy, they
really mean binary vs. analog.
When people think 'digital' they mean that they are thinking in terms of b&w,
on/off, flip/flop, rather than the many shades of grey that most people prefer to
muddy their thinking with. This is why Mr. Jones objects to seeing AI's as 'human'
since they will be much more logical and straightforward than humans, and will not
be prone to the grey muddy thinking that he sees as the hallmark of 'human'
intelligence.
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?
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