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A comment on Random computer simulation produces wealth distribution similar to reality.

Re:Random computer simulation produces wealth distribution s... by tlb on Thursday March 01, 2018 @06:23PM (#16497343)
The study does not demonstrate what the headline claims.

The study shows that a simulation where randomness plays a major role can produce similar wealth distribution to what's observed in the world. But that doesn't rule out a more deterministic mechanism.

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Re:Random computer simulation produces wealth distribution s... by vannevar on Thursday March 01, 2018 @06:52PM (#16497517)
True. But by virtue of Occam's Razor, we should prefer the random explanation, which doesn't require any deterministic rules.

If I walk into my kitchen and see a broken egg on the floor, it could have been left by a wayward chicken. But the simpler explanation is that my spouse broke an egg from the refrigerator. If I prove that my spouse was home and up before me this morning, I don't really need to disprove the chicken theory to reasonably believe the simpler explanation.

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Re:Random computer simulation produces wealth distribution s... by dang on Thursday March 01, 2018 @07:15PM (#16497647)
OK, we've changed the title above to use your phrasing.
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Re:Random computer simulation produces wealth distribution s... by mbrodersen on Thursday March 01, 2018 @11:57PM (#16499155)
What it does show is that even if there is a "more deterministic mechanism" then it doesn't perform better than random luck.
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