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Re:How random can you be? by justinpombrio on Friday March 08, 2019 @03:04PM (#19341655)
> Are you saying an omniscient being is impossible, because something about quantum mechanics implies that it is impossible to possess all possible knowledge?

> Or are you saying that even if an omniscient being possesses all possible knowledge, they would nevertheless be unable to accurately predict all sequences because of some knowledge we have about quantum mechanics?

That's an extremely astute question. I'm impressed that you managed to realize that that's an important distinction and that you don't know which it is.

It's actually the latter, and incredibly we can prove it. And the proof of this is surprisingly accessible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcqZHYo7ONs

Re:How random can you be? by jawns on Friday March 08, 2019 @03:31PM (#19341884)
I'm still not sold on this. I'm no quantum mechanics expert, but I do have a philosophy background, and it seems as if true omniscience -- possessing all possible knowledge -- seems like it should transcend this limitation.

Maybe I'm thinking about a form of omniscience that exists outside of time, in which case, of course an omniscient being would know what happens next, because they would know the future just as well as the past. (Example: Any omniscient being will know which photons will pass through a polarizing lens not based on prediction but based on already knowing the outcome.)

Re:How random can you be? by gus_massa on Friday March 08, 2019 @06:00PM (#19343067)
There are always hidden assumptions. The proof only applies up to half-omniscience being that know everything in the current and past of the universe, but not in the future.

As a less powerful entity, if you know all the result in the lab until now, you can consider an experiment made 1 hour ago and "predict" the outcome without breaking the laws of quantum mechanics.

Re:How random can you be? by thfuran on Friday March 08, 2019 @03:46PM (#19341998)
Such an entity cannot exist.
Re:How random can you be? by prophesi on Friday March 08, 2019 @03:57PM (#19342087)
Such a statement can't be proven.
Re:How random can you be? by thfuran on Friday March 08, 2019 @05:08PM (#19342681)
Sure, just append "unless it turns out we were wrong" to every scientific and mathematical claim if it helps you feel better.
Re:How random can you be? by prophesi on Friday March 08, 2019 @07:29PM (#19343592)
I only append that to philosophical claims and string theory.
Re:How random can you be? by chrisweekly on Friday March 08, 2019 @09:05PM (#19344013)
"philosophical claims and string theory" sounds redundant to me
Re:How random can you be? by jawns on Friday March 08, 2019 @07:16PM (#19343528)
Interesting. I can point you to some very influential philosophers who argue that not only can such an entity exist, it necessarily exists.

Can you tell me more about why you think it can't?

Re:How random can you be? by gus_massa on Friday March 08, 2019 @11:37PM (#19344492)
Apparently many other influential philosophers disagree, so take that proof with a grain of salt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark_argument#Criticisms_...