The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World (85 page)

connection between computation and
138
,
142
,
187
,
189
–
92
,
195
,
295
–
6

constants of
62
,
97
–
104
,
105
–
6
,
177
,
179
,
180
,
199
,
283
,
294
,
446
,
452
–
3

fine-tuning
see
fine-tuning of the universe/laws of physics

counter-intuitive theories of
27
,
107
,
195
,
199
,
265
–
7
,
279
,
304
,
306
–
7

elementary particle physics
see
particles, elementary

and infinity
164
,
177
–
81
,
182
–
3
;
see also
singularities

laws of
3
,
6
,
43
,
54
,
61
,
65
,
67
,
69
,
70
,
71
–
2
,
83
,
87
,
104
,
110
,
137
,
186
–
91
,
364
,
425
,
434
,
437
,
454
,
458
,
459

as abstractions
122
–
3
,
458

conservation of energy
61
,
109

deterministic nature of
136
,
200
,
263
,
265
,
275
,
304
,
358
–
9

are not evils
123
,
193
,
213

fine-tuning
see
fine-tuning of the universe/laws of physics

and the mind–body problem
117
–
22
,
130

second law of thermodynamics
110
,
111

determine simplicity and complexity
187

need to be specific
79

our window on abstractions
185
–
8
;
see also
nature: laws of

and proof
183
,
185
,
187
–
8
,
195

quantum
see
quantum theory

pictograms
125
–
7
,
130
,
134

Pitcairn Island
418
–
19
,
430

planets
2
,
28
,
35
–
6
,
43
,
44
–
6
,
63
,
68
,
71
,
73
,
96
,
97
,
101
,
112
–
13
,
216
,
273
,
290
,
292
,
373
,
411

plasma
46
,
69

Plato
119
,
187
,
216
,
223
n,
253
–
5

and ‘a dream of Socrates’
243
–
7
,
249
–
53

plurality (first-past-the-post) voting system
346
–
50
,
352

political philosophy
12
,
209
–
12
,
217
–
18
,
342

Popper’s criterion of ridding ourselves of bad governments without violence
see under
Popper, Karl

rulers
209
–
12
,
251
–
2
,
344

society-wide planning and decision-making
335
–
51

see also
voting
;
representative government

Polynesians
419
,
421
,
427

Popper, Karl
4
,
10
,
14
,
17
–
18
,
66
,
104
–
5
,
114
,,
210
,
211
,
215
,
230
n,
312
,
403
–
4
,
406
,
409
,
447
,
460
–
61

criterion of demarcation for science
14
see also
testability

criterion of ridding ourselves of bad governments without violence
209
–
12
,
344
–
51
,
352
,
396
,
423

on our infinite ignorance
447

on instruction
411
–
12

on ‘sources of knowledge’
209

theory of knowledge in ‘a dream of Socrates’
223
–
54

letting theories die in our place
114
,
124

and optimism
196
,
212
,
215

on prediction and prophecy
198

on ‘who should rule’
209

‘Population, Resources, Environment’ (lecture by Ehrlich)
431
–
2
,
440

populations
48
–
9
,
50
,
55
,
58
,
418
,
421
,
422
,
428
,
437

and evolution
89
–
92
,
93
,
106
,
378
–
9
,
383
–
4
,
401

Malthus on resources and
205
–
6
,
214

paradox
330
–
31
,
334
,
337
,
339
,
346

in the US Constitution
326
–
30
,
338
,
349
,
350
,
351

Porter, Roy
66
,
457
,
461

positivism
312
,
313
,
325

logical
313
,
314
,
325

postmodernism
314
,
448

potential infinity
165

‘potentialities’, quantum
309

precautionary principle
see under
pessimism

predators
48
,
52
,
89
,
91
,
144
,
203
,
359
,
360
–
61

predictions
5
,
6
,
7
,
8
,
11
,
17
,
20
–
22
,
24
,
44
,
136
,
153
,
175
,
181
,
182
,
189
,
206
,
256
,
277
–
8
,
281
,
293
,
300
,
300
,
322
,
359
,
415
,
451

and anthropic reasoning
99
–
103
,
178
,
179
–
80

of Darwinism
96
,
371

and explanation
27
–
9
,
70
–
73
,
112
–
13
,
116
,
117
,
209
,
324

high-level
107
–
9
,
110

and instrumentalism
15
–
16
,
112

fundamental limitations on
see
unpredictability

low-level
107
–
9

and multiple universes
99
–
103
,
177
–
80

and prophecy
198
,
432
,
439

Malthusian prophetic fallacy
206
,
214
,
432
;
see also
prophecy

pure
see
rules of thumb

not the purpose of science
14
–
15

quantum theory and
307
,
315

useless when separated from explanation/interpretation
22
,
315
–
16
,
325

by supercomputer simulation
107
,
437
–
9
,
441

testable
13
,
14
–
15
,
27
–
8
;
see also
experimental testing

preferences
21
,
122
,
335
–
46
,
350
,
353
,
359
,
379
,
382
,
386
,
388
,
391
,
453

aesthetics and
356
,
363
,
366

of a group
336
–
7
,
345
–
6
;
see also
will of the people

in mating
see
sexual selection

prehistory
12
,
62
,
95
–
6
,
128
,
206
,
220
,
399
–
400
,
416
,
426
,
428

prey
55
,
57
,
144
,
203
,
360
–
61
,
411

priests
4
,
209
,
223
,
226
,
345
,
413

primates
57
,
80

see also
apes/aping

prime numbers
115
–
19
,
185
–
6

prime pairs conjecture
185
–
6

Principle of Mediocrity
43
–
4
,
45
,
51
–
4
,
64
,
76
,
101
,
110
,
166
,
434

printing
134
,
136
,
137
,
143

movable-type
134

privilege

among abstractions
165
,
175
,
186
,
190
–
91
,
378

among people
175
,
223
n,
328
–
39
,
346

among animals
35
,
408

see also
authority

probability
5
–
6
,
9
,
31
,
99
–
100
,
150
,
277
–
8
,
452
–
3

and infinity
see under
infinity

and multiple universes
see under
multiple universes

problems
31

connectedness of different kinds
63

and decision-making
341
–
2

are inevitable
61
,
64
,
66
,
97
,
192
,
206
,
208
,
211
,
222
,
311
,
423
,
435
–
6
,
437

insoluble problems
53
,
193
,
213

and optimism
197
–
222
,
435

problem solving
17
–
18
,
62
,
64
–
5
,
432

and the plurality voting system
350

positive conception of
17
–
18
,
446
–
7

are soluble
65
,
66
,
76
,
141
,
154
,
191
–
3
,
208
,
211
,
212
,
222
,
311
,
345
,
423
,
435

in mathematics
185
,
191
–
3

programs
see
computer programs

progress

artistic
355
–
6
,
367

to better problems
447

celebration of
419

conditions for
vii–viii
,
12
–
13
,
14
,
19
,
22
,
32
,
122
–
3
,
203
,
211
,
217
,
312
,
320
,
321
,
344
,
346
,
385
,
429
,
456
,
459

in cosmology, recent
450

counteracts bad philosophy
324

critics of ‘so-called progress’
vii
,
390
,
394
,
434
,
436
,
449

and explanation
4
–
33
,
122
–
3

dependent on existing knowledge
39
,
60
,
113

desire for
11
,
19
,
63
,
133

Enlightenment, quintessential idea of
65

evolution does not necessarily constitute
91
–
2
,
378
–
9
,
382
–
3