uwot wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:27 pm
Science is not just formal models. Science is not restricted to maths.
But science is model-building. Mental/conceptual models still produce some anticipation/prediction. Such as "when I am sad playing classical music makes me happy", or "burnt toast has an unpleasant taste".
Testing those expectations empirically is math. Statistical mechanics to be exact. Your brain can intuitively discern 3+ Decibels of evidence without much need for rigorous statistical amplification. Even if you aren't keeping an exact score you will still get an idea whether you are more wrong than right; or more right than wrong.
But it kinda begs the question: Is it science if you haven't accounted for hits AND misses; or if your model is more wrong than right?
uwot wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:27 pm
As it happens, I'm working on an article about time now. For which theory of time do you wish me to demonstrate a means of falsification?
How about we start with the conceptual rather than theoretical problems? By virtue of practicing the scientific method you are committing yourself to a conception of time.
Page and Wootters theorize that time emerges from the evolution of entangled particles. If a quantum-entangled system does not evolve then time does not exist. So how do you determine if a system is evolving? Well - you take 2 measurements and .... fuck!
The assertion "the quantum system is
NOT evolving, therefore time doesn't exist" requires at least two measurement events. This is the Turing paradox.
The theory of time that I want you to falsify is the one which is semantically entrenched in the scientific method. If falsification is the result of future observation, what is a "future" if time doesn't exist?
uwot wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:27 pm
What makes you think I haven't already got one?
Your apparent lack of telos. What are you using other people's models for? Personally - I have minimal use for physics in my day-to-day life, but the Mathematical instruments physics has produced are indispensable thinking tools! Those I use daily.