A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
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Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#2And one of the connections is Ramanujan's letters. Both the FIRST letter that he wrote to Hardy, and the LAST letter he wrote on his death-bed talking about 'mock-theta functions' that are now called mock-modular functions.
> Ken Ono, of Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. “Without either letter, we couldn’t write this story.”
Weird, and fascinating!
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#3Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#4Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
Some other people (most notably Max Tegmark) also agree with this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_universe_hypothesi...
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#5Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
What would that even mean though? People throw around these "universe is a computation" ideas without ever making any predictions.
Do you think you're living in the matrix? Or do you just think that quantum mechanics can be fully simulated on a classical turing machine?
Here is the almighty Scott Aaronson to set us right on the subject:
http://www.closertotruth.com/series/the-cosmos-computer#vide...
http://www.closertotruth.com/series/what-does-quantum-theory...
EDIT: lets throw in this full length lecture at IBM for good measure, even though its not 100% related https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7lv4-Bah5c
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#6Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
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Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#7Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
Humans should have enough humility to accept that our limited cognitive abilities probably don't define the universe. If you had a certain mutation, you might in principle discover things out of reach of my mere math perceptions. Just like my number sense apparently lets me notice things out of the cognitive reach of cats. (Or so they let me think.)
Humorously, for all we know we're surrounded by entities which can perceive a lot. But we're as aware of them as slugs are of us when confronted by our shoes...
One thing about our math sense is that it seems fairly underdeveloped in comparison to some other abilities; maybe physics is currently dominated by math because we have to work harder at it. Otherwise, the fruits would've come to us earlier.
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#8Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
Humans should have enough humility to accept that our limited cognitive abilities probably don't define the universe. If you had a certain mutation, you might in principle discover things out of reach of my mere math perceptions. Just like my number sense apparently lets me notice things out of the cognitive reach of cats. (Or so they let me think.) Humorously, for all we know we're surrounded by entities which can p…
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#9Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
What would that even mean though? People throw around these "universe is a computation" ideas without ever making any predictions. Do you think you're living in the matrix? Or do you just think that quantum mechanics can be fully simulated on a classical turing machine? Here is the almighty Scott Aaronson to set us right on the subject: http://www.closertotruth.com/series/the-cosmos-computer#vide... http://www.closer…
I was watching last night. Is the Universe the Ultimate Computer?, with Seth Lloyd and others.
Re: A mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory?
#10Both physics and the unreasonable success of math at explaining the world make much more sense if you just assume we are living in a math equation.
It may make much more sens but it doesn't answer two fundamental questions of mine: why is there something instead of nothing and what do I do now ?
I doubt we'll ever get the answer to the first one in this life/physical realm. Philosophy can help ponder over the second one though.