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Notes

[Notebook: DB 58 Bringing God Home]

[Sunday 27 November - Saturday 3 December 2005]

[page 20]

Sunday 27 November 2005

To be a dictator is to reduce the variety of a corporation to that of one person. Not only does this imply the deployment of violence, but it most probably reduces the fitness of the corporation (organization, system). The pure pyramid is a null system in the sense that the cardinal of the whole is no greater than that of one part, der Furrier, and the power of the whole varies only linearly with its cardinality (population)

Corporatization allows superposition of the ideas of employee and shareholder, as with The Theology Company.

Fitness and science link through the art of compression., whose boundaries were defined by Shannon: one can compress until all redundance us gone and the compressed output is indistinguishable from a purely random (equally weighted) string of letters from the source alphabet.

The quantum constraint: all observable source alphabets are of cardinality aleph(o) or less.

Science searches for redundancy (symmetry) in the world and expresses it as a statement of the form (with probability p) all As are green, etc. Having learnt that they are green, we seek to know why and eventually, find a succinct explanation which fits a vast number of different phenomena, eg Quantum electrodynamics.

This symmetry adds to the fitness of the community by enabling it to design its future more precisely, leaving less to change.

The evolutionary balance lies in the costs and benefits of compression vs transmitting 'raw data'.

Maximum entropy = maximum information per symbol = minimum bias.

Alexis de Tocqueville "In history there are many copies

[page 21]

but few originals. De Jonge Stalin page 492. de Jonge

'We think of terror as the reign of those who inspire terror; on the contrary it is the reign of people who are themselves terrified. Terror consists of useless cruelties perpetrated by frightened people in order to reassure themselves. Marx to Engels during the Paris Commune, de Jonge 510.

DEMOCRACY - LAND TENURE de Jonge page 515,

NETWORK {SOURCES, SINKS, SYMMETRIES}Source == SERVER, sink == CLIENT

The symmetries are the protocols of communication shared by the sources and sinks that make the communication possible. The first step is to choose an alphabet and then develop the representations which use this alphabet to express more complex truths than can be captured by one letter.

Distinguish entropy - order - information. Information reduces entropy by creating order and so simplified the system, as the Stalinist model of secret police, informers and executioners tended to do in twentieth century Russia. The politics of death.

As the formalism grows in power it more clearly reveals misinterpretations of its meanings. We want to connect Gödel's theorem to the real world by showing that the quantum world of experience matches the hypotheses of the theorem.

Lysenko: Those who hold falsified or unfalsifiable models of the world must turn to political means to gain recognition. Roll-Hansen

[page 22]

Monday 28 November 2005

On intelligent design

We consider the Universe as a network of sources and sinks transmitting natural numbers (or entities that can be put into correspondence with the natural numbers, ie elements of a countable alphabet). to one another.

Then we can apply Gödel's "On formally undecidable propositions" to this system. (Feferman page 145).

We know that the Universe is strong enough to express [the logic of] Principia Mathematica because Principia is expressed in [the Universe] Russell and Whitehead So the theorem must hold and the Universe is capable of emitting strings which represent undecidable propositions.

Haroun al Rashid [?]: a Stalinist converted to a naturalist by the wiles of Scherezade. (Get a reliable translation of the 1001 Nights. reference

Beneath the observable network quantum mechanics proposes a hidden layer (or layers) of elementary Hilbert spaces corresponding to individual particles like photons and electrons. The 'inner life' of these particles is described by 'state vectors' and 'unitary transformations'.

We describe interactions between particles by state vectors in Hilbert spaces which are tensor products of the elementary spaces of the particles involved. The 'wave function of the Universe" is represented by a state vector in a Hilbert space constructed by the tensor products of tensor products . . . of all the possible observable subsets of interacting particles in the observable network.

History tells us that there was once a set of interacting particles called Kurt Gödel, and that the observable behaviour of this person (including his published writings) can (in quantum theory) be described by vectors and transformations in the tensor product of Hilbert spaces that lies behind

[page 23]

the 'persona" (mask) Kurt Gödel as he appeared in human history. The Hilbert world that lies behind this persona might be taken to correspond to the 'soul' of Kurt Gödel. [This soul is in communication with the rest of the Universe through the transfinite network described by quantum field theory. ]

The construction and properties of Hilbert spaces is most easily understood in the two state version of elementary quantum mechanics whose development has exploded with the development of theories of quantum communication and computation, that underlie the quest for practical quantum information handling systems.

We learn here that the size of Hilbert spaces grows exponentially when we construct tensor products, just as the power of the bits of a binary representation of natural number (ie a binary numeral) grows along the bit string as we proceed in the direction of the most significant bit.

Quantum information theory is a 'toy' model of the Universe. We step up to reality by representing particles, such as the hydrogen atom, in Hilbert spaces with countably many dimensions, ie as many dimensions as there are natural numbers. The rate of exponential growth arising from the tensor products of such spaces is isomorphic to the Cantor Universe. In other words, we postulate that the observable network is the tip of a transfinite iceberg of hidden quantum computation.

The biggest break between quantum and classical mechanics lies in the interpretation of the mathematical formalism. When a classical mechanics writes F = ma, it understands that there are three precisely measurable quantities available to us, Force, mass and acceleration, whose numerical values . . . correspond exactly to values predicted by the arithmetic expression F = ma.

We have unbounded faith in arithmetic as a formal system but its application is problematic (did you really count

[page 24]

the sheep properly?). We have similar faith in the formalism of quantum mechanics, which is considered to evolve with mathematical precision and determinism. However, while the equation F = ma has the same complexity as the measurements it models, there is a vast difference between the transfinite complexity of our mathematical models of the world and the countable number of observations upon which we have based our (very effective) mathematical conjectures.

This situation has led to a lot of philosophical head banging about the meaning of quantum mechanics. Max Born formulated it very precisely for practical use: the normalized probability of any event is proportional to the absolute value of the 'inner product' of the state vector representing that event with itself. The mathematical construction of the inner product adds (or integrates) the complex details of the wave function down to a single real number between 0 and 1, the probability of the given event. 0 means impossible, 1 means inevitable. Physics, on this analysis, is a sort of network traffic analysis which is not sensitive (at the measurement level) to the fine detail contained in the wave function. In other words we cannot see a state, but states can be communicated over quantum channels as long as they cannot be observed.

Where does intelligent design fit into this picture? To get started we need a few words about knowledge, intelligence and design. To do this we start with a standard description of the history of the observable network, the theory of evolution. This perspective is possible because events in the observable network are spread over a timescale ranging from the age of the Universe to the time required for a single event whose energy is the maximum possible (in quantum mechanics, frequency = 1/duration is proportional to energy - f = E/h (Planck's constant))

Evolution basically seeks to describe the origin of relatively stable aggregates of particles in the Universe like stars, planets, bacteria, plants, animals and so on.

[page 25]

Evolution explains the present population of the Universe by applying the notion of 'survival of what fits' to the Universe, since the 'initial singularity' which is postulates to have the minimal structure consistent with actual existence.

Using the power of ordering, a countable sequence of bits can be used to represent an uncountable large number, the first cardinal number of the continuum, ℵ1

Does the evolutionary record manifest intelligent design? I answer yes and no, and begin from my own experience of sixty years of trying to establish areas of intelligent design in my life. (ranging across child rearing through building houses to boiling eggs and driving nails).

Tuesday 29 November 2005
Wednesday 30 November 2005
Thursday 1 December 2005

Intelligent design is only possible insofar as the Universe is provable == predictable.

The Universe as we experience it is a source to our sink, as we absorb photons, phonons and other particles originating in our environment (which includes, in a way, our own bodies). In a sense the observable Universe is a channel communicating between different states of the 'wave function of the Universe' wfotu or fotu.

The political/legal task is to formalize peace and fairness and so place closer bounds on their opposites, war and corruption. Formalization takes the heat out of situations. The temperature of a perfectly drafted peace treaty is absolute zero. One class of formalism (the absolutist)(Stalinist) lays down a central [normative] line and kills everybody who is not seen to toe the line. The other class (democratic) allow all members of society to do everything that is possible which does not entail harm to other things.

Friday 2 December 2005
Saturday 3 December 2005

 

Related sites

Concordat Watch

Revealing Vatican attempts to propagate its religion by international treaty


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Further reading

Books

Aquinas, Thomas, Summa Theologiae, Editiones Paulinae 1962 Advertenda: 'Cum Summa Theologia Divi Thomas usitatissimus in scholis theologicis evadat, saepius temporibus anteactis forma manuali edita est, ut facilius eius usus redderetur; tamen hucusque impossibile fuit editionem manualem unico volumine parare. Nunc progressus artis typographicae ad hoc optima media praebet et ideo desiderium omnium professorum at alumnorum adimplere nisi sumus, illis Summam Theologiae unico volumine, forma manuali et scholaris, cum typis maxime perspicuis, offerendo et hoc modo magno incommoda editionum in prluribus voluminis evadendo.'back

de Jonge, Alex, Stalin: and the Shaping of the Soviet Union, William Morrow & Co 1986 Editorial review: From Library Journal: 'De Jonge has written a provocative biography of this major figure of Soviet history. He has drawn heavily upon emigre accounts and diplomatic reports; all the same his study is not free of superficialities. He sharply criticizes Stalin's rivals and his World War II allies, and he hides nothing of Stalin's savagery. Yet de Jonge's conclusions, sure to be challenged, are also clear: Russia could never have become a superpower without coercion (the national work ethic being what it is), and, in exercising that coercion, Stalin enjoyed support from every level of Soviet society. This biography will not replace Adam Ulam's Stalin: the man and his era (1973), but it is a useful, clear-eyed introduction for the general reader.' R.H. Johnston, History Dept., McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. 
Amazon
  back

Feferman, Solomon, and John W Dawson, Stephen C Kleene, Gregory H Moore, Robert M Solovay, Jean van Heijenoort (editors), Kurt Goedel: Collected Works Volume 1 Publications 1929-1936, Oxford UP 1986 Jacket: 'Kurt Goedel was the most outstanding logician of the twentieth century, famous for his work on the completeness of logic, the incompleteness of number theory and the consistency of the axiom of choice and the continuum hypotheses. ... The first volume of a comprehensive edition of Goedel's works, this book makes available for the first time in a single source all his publications from 1929 to 1936, including his dissertation. ...' 
Amazon
  back

Keane, John, The Life and Death of Democracy, Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster 2009 Jacket: 'JK's The Life and Death of Democracy will inspire and shock its readers.Presenting the first grand history of democracy for well over a century, it poses along the way some tough and timely questions: can we really be sore that democracy had its origins in ancient Greece? How did democratic ideals and institutions come to have the shape they do today? . . . ' 
Amazon
  back

Quinlan, Michael, and Tanya Ogilvie-White (editor), On Nuclear Deterrence - The Correspondence of Sir Michael Quinlan, Internsional Institute for Strategic Studies 2011 'This timely book, published in the lead up to the 2012-14 decision on Trident renewal, makes available for the first time the late Sir Michael Quinlan’s private correspondence on nuclear deterrence. It shows why Sir Michael, as Policy Director and then Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence during the last years of the Cold War, became known as the ‘high priest of deterrence’: his unparalleled grasp of nuclear strategy, contribution to nuclear doctrine in the UK and NATO, and deep and genuine concern with defence ethics earned him respect and admiration around the world. . . . ' 
Amazon
  back

Roll-Hansen, Nils, The Lysenko Effect: The Politics of Science, Humanity Books 2004 Jacket review: 'This is a superb account of Lysenko's rise to power and the circumstances that led to the destruction of classical genetics in the USSR. Roll-Hansen brilliiiantly leads the reader through the step-by-step process by which personal ambition, state ideology, legitimate scientific division, appeasement, and a curious mixture of legitimate and bogus science could get out of hand. Roll-Hansen's marshalling of evidence is magnificent and scholarly. He discusses the science at issue and the quality of experimentation as well as the toxic effects of ideological thinking on both sides of the debate in its earlier phases. This fresh look at a tormented event in the history of science is free of the Cold War perspectives that have dominated earlier studies of Lysenkoism. This is a major contribution to the history of science.' Elof Axel Carson 
Amazon
  back

Whitehead, Alfred North, and Bertrand Arthur Russell, Principia Mathematica to *56 , Cambridge University Press 1997 Amazon editorial review: 'Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Could it be true that Whitehead and Russell's Principia Mathematica is the most influential book written in the 20th century? Ask any mathematician or philosopher--or anyone who understands the impact these fields have had on modern thinking--and you'll get a short answer: yes. Their goal, to set mathematics on a firm logical foundation, was revolutionary, and their tools and rigor continue to influence modern professionals. Using Peano's symbolic logic, they formalized axioms and produced theorems (including the famous "1 + 1 = 2") in orderings, continuous functions, and other areas of mathematics. Although the Principia is far from comprehensive, Whitehead and Russell's method and program captivate their readers. The audacity to hope to formalize all of mathematics logically was inspirational and helped to give great boosts to math and logical philosophy. Though Gödel proved in 1931 that any such program is doomed to incompleteness, the tools found in and developed from the three volumes helped build the atomic bomb and the Internet. It may not be summer vacation reading (for most), but Principia Mathematica will reward the dedicated student with a deeper understanding of how we got here.' --Rob Lightner  
Amazon
  back

Whitehead, Alfred North, and Bertrand Arthur Russell, Principia Mathematica to *56 , Cambridge University Press 1997 Amazon editorial review: 'Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Could it be true that Whitehead and Russell's Principia Mathematica is the most influential book written in the 20th century? Ask any mathematician or philosopher--or anyone who understands the impact these fields have had on modern thinking--and you'll get a short answer: yes. Their goal, to set mathematics on a firm logical foundation, was revolutionary, and their tools and rigor continue to influence modern professionals. Using Peano's symbolic logic, they formalized axioms and produced theorems (including the famous "1 + 1 = 2") in orderings, continuous functions, and other areas of mathematics. Although the Principia is far from comprehensive, Whitehead and Russell's method and program captivate their readers. The audacity to hope to formalize all of mathematics logically was inspirational and helped to give great boosts to math and logical philosophy. Though Gödel proved in 1931 that any such program is doomed to incompleteness, the tools found in and developed from the three volumes helped build the atomic bomb and the Internet. It may not be summer vacation reading (for most), but Principia Mathematica will reward the dedicated student with a deeper understanding of how we got here.' --Rob Lightner  
Amazon
  back

Links

Bernard Keane, The birth of modernity, 'Nearly five hundred years ago, a German theologian published a paper on an obscure doctrinal point. It started a cascade of ideas that fundamentally shaped the modern world.' back

Costica Bradatan (Los Angeles Review of Books), The Philosopher of Failure: Emil Cioran's Heights of Despair, 'Whenever I happen to be in a city of any size, I marvel that riots do not break out every day: massacres, unspeakable carnage, a doomsday chaos. How can so many human beings coexist in a space so confined without destroying each other, without hating each other to death? As a matter of fact, they do hate each other, but they are not equal to their hatred. And it is this mediocrity, this impotence, that saves society, that assures its continuance, its stability.' back

Filippo Mercer, Misinformation on social media: Can technology save us, 'If you get your news from social media, as most Americans do, you are exposed to a daily dose of hoaxes, rumors, conspiracy theories and misleading news. When it’s all mixed in with reliable information from honest sources, the truth can be very hard to discern. In fact, my research team’s analysis of data from Columbia University’s Emergent rumor tracker suggests that this misinformation is just as likely to go viral as reliable information.' back

Fred Miller (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), Aristotle's Political Theory, 'Aristotle (b. 384 – d. 322 BCE), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. . . . Aristotle's life seems to have influenced his political thought in various ways: his interest in biology seems to be expressed in the naturalism of his politics; his interest in comparative politics and his sympathies for democracy as well as monarchy may have been encouraged by his travels and experience of diverse political systems; he criticizes harshly, while borrowing extensively, from Plato's Republic, Statesman, and Laws; and his own Politics is intended to guide rulers and statesmen, reflecting the high political circles in which he moved.' back

Hegemony - Wikipedia, Hegemony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Hegemony (Greek: ἡγεμονία hēgemonía, "leadership, rule") is the political, economic, or military predominance or control of one state over others. In ancient Greece (8th century BCE – 6th century CE), hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states. The dominant state is known as the hegemon.' back

Janet Ferrell Brodie, The little-known history of secrecy and censorship in the wake of the atomic bombings, 'Although everything related to the effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs was defined at the time as a military secret, US officials treated the three main effects – blast, fire, and radiation – very differently. They publicized and celebrated the powerful blast but worked to suppress information about the bombs’ radiation.' back

Matt Slaby, We are poorer for the things you are looking at in these pictures, 'At the height of the Cold War, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev boasted that the Soviets were manufacturing nuclear missiles “like sausages.” His bravado underscored early strategic posturing that turned on the assumption that more was better. The Kennedy administration responded in kind, referring to the perceived shortage of American nukes as a runner would imagine trying to pass the leader of a race. . . . President John F. Kennedy sought to bridge what was referred to as the “missile gap” by stepping up production, funding concurrent missile programs, thereby kicking the arms race into full gear' back

Nautilus Institute, Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability, 'This page lists the publications and resources associated with the research on Pine Gap by Desmond Ball, Bill Robinson and Richard Tanter. It will be updated for new publications and as more materials from the project are available. Contact: Richard Tanter: rtanter at nautilus.org back

NY Times, Rare Photos Show World War II From the Soviet Side, Solders traveling by foot for bandaging before going back to the front line. Zeelov Heights. Germany. April 1945. CreditValery Faminsky/Courtesy of Arthur Bondar back

Richard Tranter, Fifty years on Pine Gap should reform to better serve Australia, 'The base has capabilities that could genuinely contribute to the defence of Australia. This would depend on the will and resolution of an Australian government capable of identifying these. . . . However, given the almost comprehensive inability of recent Australian governments to separate Australian and American interests and to pursue an autonomous Australian foreign policy, the prospect of reform of Pine Gap is a distant one. It will most likely prove impossible for the foreseeable future.' back

Richard W Painter, Trump's Business Empire Isn't Just an Ethical Disaster, 'How can we expect a Trump administration to rein in loose lending practices, particularly in the real estate sector, when the president himself owes hundreds of millions of dollars to banks? What will he do when a foreign dictator acts up in a country where there is a Trump hotel? The American people should not have to worry about those conflicts of interest — and neither should President Trump. For the good of the country, he should divest from his business empire as soon as possible, put the cash proceeds into United States treasury securities, broadly diversified mutual funds or a blind trust managed by an independent trustee, and then focus on being a good president.' back

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