why I am tempted to worship computer programmers

[thompnickson2]

Wimsatt defined an emergent property of X as any property of X that arises from the configuration or the order of assembly of the components of X.  One of the reasons that programming fascinates me is that it reeks with emergence in this very sence.  It’s like cake-making in that regard: order is essential.  Now others have attempted to define emergence by the wonder it provokes: definitions like, “an emergent trait of a collection is one that cannot be explained solely on the basis of the properties of the items collected.  So, now, I am thinking, “Gee, suddenly this is beginning to sound like the philosophy of mind.”

 

So, that makes me think of writing an essay (or sitting around and applauding while one of you writes an essay) entitled:  “TRIANGULARITY: The Hard Problem.  Such an essay would begin with a recipe for a triangle, an algorithm for its demonstration.   Ingredients: 4 2’ long 1 x 2’s; 3 2” hinges, with removable pins.  Screws to fit.  Drill.  Directions: Remove pins from hinges and screw hinges to the ends of three of  the 1x2’s.  Assemble triangle and pin hinges.  Note how resistant that structure is against deformation. Now, attach the remaining hinge to the ends of the remaining 1x2.  Unpin one of the hinges of the triangle and insert the 4^th 1x2.  Note that the resulting structure is entirely deformable, floppy even.  Finally, spend two millennia wondering about the ineffability of triangularity… or not.    

‘ 

Nick

Nick Thompson

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

 

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[Frank Wimberly-2]

Take a triangle, any triangle.  There is, modulo congruence, only one triangle with sides with the lengths of the original triangle.

Take a quadrilateral.  There are infinitely many quadrilaterals with sides with the lengths of the original.

On Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:06 PM <[hidden email]> wrote:

Wimsatt defined an emergent property of X as any property of X that arises from the configuration or the order of assembly of the components of X.  One of the reasons that programming fascinates me is that it reeks with emergence in this very sence.  It’s like cake-making in that regard: order is essential.  Now others have attempted to define emergence by the wonder it provokes: definitions like, “an emergent trait of a collection is one that cannot be explained solely on the basis of the properties of the items collected.  So, now, I am thinking, “Gee, suddenly this is beginning to sound like the philosophy of mind.”

 

So, that makes me think of writing an essay (or sitting around and applauding while one of you writes an essay) entitled:  “TRIANGULARITY: The Hard Problem.  Such an essay would begin with a recipe for a triangle, an algorithm for its demonstration.   Ingredients: 4 2’ long 1 x 2’s; 3 2” hinges, with removable pins.  Screws to fit.  Drill.  Directions: Remove pins from hinges and screw hinges to the ends of three of  the 1x2’s.  Assemble triangle and pin hinges.  Note how resistant that structure is against deformation. Now, attach the remaining hinge to the ends of the remaining 1x2.  Unpin one of the hinges of the triangle and insert the 4^th 1x2.  Note that the resulting structure is entirely deformable, floppy even.  Finally, spend two millennia wondering about the ineffability of triangularity… or not.    

‘ 

Nick

Nick Thompson

[hidden email]

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

 

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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6  bit.ly/virtualfriam
un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/
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- .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. .
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
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