More Really Is Different

[Ian P. Cook]

All,

Being geographically separate from the corpus of folks on this list, the reason for this email may have already been discussed, debunked, railed at, lauded, etc. But since I don't think I've seen it on the mailing list I thought I'd take a swing at passing it on. If I've made a mis-step, my apoligies.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0809.0151

More Really is Different

Authors: Mile Gu, Christian Weedbrook, Alvaro Perales, Michael A. Nielsen

In 1972, P.W.Anderson suggested that `More is Different', meaning that complex physical systems may exhibit behavior that cannot be understood only in terms of the laws governing their microscopic constituents. We strengthen this claim by proving that many macroscopic observable properties of a simple class of physical systems (the infinite periodic Ising lattice) cannot in general be derived from a microscopic description. This provides evidence that emergent behavior occurs in such systems, and indicates that even if a `theory of everything' governing all microscopic interactions were discovered, the understanding of macroscopic order is likely to require additional insights.

And commentary from NewScientist:
http://tiny.pl/srp2


-Ian


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Ian P. Cook
m: 412.759.8973
jabber: [hidden email]
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Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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[Russell Standish]

I'm not sure why this result is surprising really?

Cheers

On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 04:04:16PM -0400, Ian P. Cook wrote:

> All,
>
> Being geographically separate from the corpus of folks on this list, the
> reason for this email may have already been discussed, debunked, railed at,
> lauded, etc. But since I don't think I've seen it on the mailing list I
> thought I'd take a swing at passing it on. If I've made a mis-step, my
> apoligies.
>
> http://arxiv.org/abs/0809.0151
> More Really is Different Authors: Mile
> Gu<http://arxiv.org/find/cond-mat/1/au:+Gu_M/0/1/0/all/0/1>,
> Christian Weedbrook<http://arxiv.org/find/cond-mat/1/au:+Weedbrook_C/0/1/0/all/0/1>,
> Alvaro Perales<http://arxiv.org/find/cond-mat/1/au:+Perales_A/0/1/0/all/0/1>,
> Michael A. Nielsen<http://arxiv.org/find/cond-mat/1/au:+Nielsen_M/0/1/0/all/0/1>
>
> In 1972, P.W.Anderson suggested that `More is Different', meaning that
> complex physical systems may exhibit behavior that cannot be understood only
> in terms of the laws governing their microscopic constituents. We strengthen
> this claim by proving that many macroscopic observable properties of a
> simple class of physical systems (the infinite periodic Ising lattice)
> cannot in general be derived from a microscopic description. This provides
> evidence that emergent behavior occurs in such systems, and indicates that
> even if a `theory of everything' governing all microscopic interactions were
> discovered, the understanding of macroscopic order is likely to require
> additional insights.
>
> And commentary from NewScientist:
> http://tiny.pl/srp2
>
>
> -Ian
>
>
> --
> ___________________________________
> Ian P. Cook
> m: 412.759.8973
> jabber: [hidden email]
> Y!/MSN: ian_palmer_cook
> AIM: ianpalmercook
> ___________________________________

> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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[Jack Leibowitz]

P.W. Anderson's long-standing observations are undeniable. This doesn't exclude recognition of the value of reductionist efforts to get at scientific understanding. They go hand-in-hand. One example of the value of reductionism can be seen in the recent recognition (Nobel Prize) of three Japanese physicists . They explained how it happens that matter "overbalances" antimatter in the early universe, to make posssible our matter universe-- and creatures such as ourselves able to contemplate such questions. 

 

Jack

 

----- Original Message -----

From: [hidden email]

To: [hidden email]

Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 2:04 PM

Subject: [FRIAM] More Really Is Different

All,

Being geographically separate from the corpus of folks on this list, the reason for this email may have already been discussed, debunked, railed at, lauded, etc. But since I don't think I've seen it on the mailing list I thought I'd take a swing at passing it on. If I've made a mis-step, my apoligies.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0809.0151

More Really is Different

Authors: Mile Gu, Christian Weedbrook, Alvaro Perales, Michael A. Nielsen

In 1972, P.W.Anderson suggested that `More is Different', meaning that complex physical systems may exhibit behavior that cannot be understood only in terms of the laws governing their microscopic constituents. We strengthen this claim by proving that many macroscopic observable properties of a simple class of physical systems (the infinite periodic Ising lattice) cannot in general be derived from a microscopic description. This provides evidence that emergent behavior occurs in such systems, and indicates that even if a `theory of everything' governing all microscopic interactions were discovered, the understanding of macroscopic order is likely to require additional insights.

And commentary from NewScientist:
http://tiny.pl/srp2


-Ian


--
___________________________________
Ian P. Cook
m: 412.759.8973
jabber: [hidden email]
Y!/MSN: ian_palmer_cook
AIM: ianpalmercook
___________________________________

---

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org