Talks to Watch

David Deutsch on Physics Without Probability

38K views · Jun 4, 2015 · 1:06:21 · 2 HN recommenders · 3 mentions · discussed 2020–2023

A 2015 talk by David Deutsch with slides and audio about constructor theory and how physics, in particular the many-worlds interpretation, can be framed without probability.

Why Hacker News points people here: Cited in threads on probability and quantum theory as a strong argument that probabilities can be eliminated from physics.

“Worth a watch especially if you balk at this idea just to to see a strong counter argument.”HN comment, 2023

What Hacker News said 3

Strongly recommendsThomPeteOct 2022

“It was a big awakening for me once I realized not only where probability theory came from”

Changed commenter's view on origin and role of probability.

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Any theory that is explainable and hard to vary does not need probability. Can you explain how probability is used in statistical mechanics in a way to contradict what I am saying? P.S. Thanks for being a sport and talk about this in a truly respectful way. If you want to understand where I am coming from, I can really recommend David Deutsch talk about probability here this video It was a big awakening for me once I realized not only where probability theory came from (not physics) and how engrained it is in our thinking.

RecommendsandrewgleaveMay 2023

“Worth a watch especially if you balk at this idea just to to see a strong counter argument.”

History of probability and why many-worlds has none.

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David Deutsch’s “Physics Without Probability” covers the history of probability, it’s legitimate and misconceived uses and concludes that according to MWI there is no such thing in reality - it’s basically that probabilities correspond to how measures of the multiverse proportion themselves as differentiation occurs. I watched it a few years ago so may be misremembering bits but I think that is the gist… Worth a watch especially if you balk at this idea just to to see a strong counter argument. this video Edit: link

in “The World is Built on Probability [1988/2023]” · view on HN
Cites itscribuAug 2020

“Contrast with the recent work from David Deutsch, which eliminates all probabilities from physics.”

Deutsch's work eliminating probabilities from physics.

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IMHO, a better title would be " Probabilistic Theories Of Everything" Contrast with the recent work from David Deutsch, which eliminates all probabilities from physics. Intro to Constructor Theory: this video

in “Algorithmic Theories of Everything (2000)” · view on HN