21 JUN 2012 by ideonexus

 Mathematicians Who Can Only Generalize or Specialize

A mathematician who can only generalise is like a monkey who can only climb UP a tree. ... And a mathematician who can only specialise is like a monkey who can only climb DOWN a tree. In fact neither the up monkey nor the down monkey is a viable creature. A real monkey must find food and escape his enemies and so must be able to incessantly climb up and down. A real mathematician must be able to generalise and specialise. ... There is, I think, a moral for the teacher. A teacher of traditiona...
Folksonomies: mathematics methodology
Folksonomies: mathematics methodology
  1  notes

They are like monkeys that can only climb either up or down a tree, nonviable.

30 JAN 2012 by ideonexus

 Mathematical VS Metaphysical Understandings of Quantum Ph...

The mathematical framework of quantum theory has passed countless successful tests and is now universally accepted as a consistent and accurate description of all atomic phenomena. The verbal interpretation, on the other hand – i.e., the metaphysics of quantum theory – is on far less solid ground. In fact, in more than forty years physicists have not been able to provide a clear metaphysical model.
  1  notes

We have explained the quantum world mathematically, but we have failed to understanding it verbally.

28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus

 Do Not Extrapolate Macro-Philosophy from Quantum Phenomena

Many scientists have tried to make determinism and complementarity the basis of conclusions that seem to me weak and dangerous; for instance, they have used Heisenberg's uncertainty principle to bolster up human free will, though his principle, which applies exclusively to the behavior of electrons and is the direct result of microphysical measurement techniques, has nothing to do with human freedom of choice. It is far safer and wiser that the physicist remain on the solid ground of theoreti...
Folksonomies: philosophy micro macro quantum
Folksonomies: philosophy micro macro quantum
  1  notes

People try to infer that the uncertainty principle means we have free will, but the principle only applies to the behavior of electrons.