The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World (82 page)

BOOK: The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World
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indiscernibles, Leibniz’s doctrine of
265

6

induction
see
inductivism

inductivism
5

7
,
9
,
27
,
30
,
210
,
220
,
318
,
340
,
403

and Lamarckism
89
,
106
,
210
,
411

12

principle of induction
5
,
7
,
28
,
31

inexplicability
53

4
,
104
,
103
,
264

5
,
281

2
,
445

6

see also
supernatural

inexplicit knowledge
365
,
367
,
369
,
374
,
375
,
380
,
403

5
,
408
,
412
,
414

infinity
164

95

Cantor’s definition
167
,
181

and confusions of abstract attributes with physical ones of the same name
182

6

of the continuum
164
,
170
,
195

countable
171
,
172
,
194

ideas with infinite reach
167

93

our infinite ignorance
447

infinite ignorance and potential for knowledge
447

the infinite reach of ideas
167

93

infinite regress
174

5
,
178
,
190
,
194
,
226
,
341

infinite sets
102
,
118
,
122
,
164
,
167

80
,
277
,
453

Infinity Hotel thought experiment
167

77
,
181
,
185

6
,
195

introduction to concept of beginning of
vii–viii

mathematics and
164
,
166
,
167

77
,
186

measuring instruments and
181

physics and
164
,
173
,
175
,
177

81
,
182

3
,
193

4

potential
165

principled rejections of
132

3
,
165

7
,
459

and probability
176

7

religious objections to study of
166

uncountable
171

2
,
177
,
181
,
182

and universality
164

5

see also
Zeno’s mistake

information flow
238
,
263
,
265
,
266
,
281
,
282
,
292

people as channels of
302

in quantum theory
282
,
287
,
295
,
304

see also
histories (sequences of events in a multiverse)

initial state
107
,
118
,
280

innovation
125
,
127
,
133
,
147
,
197
,
202
,
204
,
205
,
392
,
394
,
398

401
,
402
,
410
,
413

14
,
435

and catastrophes
201

and criticism
222

Florentine
218

19

rapid
397
,
399
,
457

suppression of
202
,
204
,
384
,
416
,
423
,
427

see also
universality, the jump to

insoluble problems
53
,
193
,
213

see also
problems are soluble
;
undecidable questions

inspiration
36
,
37
,
41
,
42
,
58
,
158

60
,
333
,
341
,
440

inspiration/perspiration
36
,
37
,
41
,
58
,
76
,
158

60
,
341

2
,
456

see also
automation

instrumentalism
15

16
,
26
,
31
,
110
,
112
,
210
,
325
,
356

and quantum theory
307

9

see also
behaviourism
;
finitism

instruments, scientific
see
measuring instruments

intelligence
2
,
47
,
60
,
86

artificial
see
artificial intelligence (AI)

and explanations
30

extraterrestrial
see
extraterrestrials

see also
fine-tuning

interference, quantum
282

8
,
291
,
293
,
295

8
,
301

2
,
303

see also
Mach–Zehnder interferometers

interpretation
36
,
45
,
65
,
115
,
127
,
144
,
164
,
178
,
216
,
219
,
253
,
255
,
301
,
311
,
318

19
,
329
n,
330
,
337
,
344
,
423
,
428

9
,
436

of experiences
7

10
,
17
,
18
,
22
,
30
,
38
,
151
,
317
,
359
,
369
,
370
,
403
,
404
,
407
,
410
,
448

of quantum theory
263
,
266
,
306

10
,
312
,
322
,
325
,
460

split from prediction in scientific theories
315

16
,
323
,
324

5
,
449

introspection
154

‘ironic science’
448

9

Jacquard, Joseph Marie
134

Jacquard loom
134

5

Jefferson, Thomas
330

Jews
219
,
385

joke, hideous, played on humans
416

jokes
see
humour

jump to universality
see
universality

justificationism
9
,
31
,
120
,
187
,
189

see also
authority and knowledge

Kant, Immanuel
183

Keats, John
355

Kennedy, John F.
215

Kepler, Johannes
112

Kepler’s laws
112
,
113
,
256
,
446

knowledge
78

in adaptation
55
,
56

65
,
78

81
,
88

and the problem of creationism
79

81

and authority
see
authority and knowledge

creation of
see
creation of knowledge

cultural
50
,
51
,
55
,
59
,
422

and deduction
5

certain
see
fallibilism

and ‘a dream of Socrates’
226

43
,
245
,
252

3

effects on an environment
74

5
;
see also under
biosphere

encoded/embodied in matter
50
,
56
,
74

5
,
266

7
,
375

7

and evolution
77
,
78

105

explanatory
see
explanations
;
scientific theories

genetic
see
DNA
;
genes
;
genomes

inexplicit
see
inexplicit knowledge

infinite ignorance as potential for
447

moral
see
moral knowledge

as ‘nearly there’
445

6

non-explanatory
29
,
73
,
78
,
94
;
see also
inexplicit knowledge
;
rules of thumb

objective
vii
,
15
,
31
,
122
,
185
,
193
,
203
,
209
,
221

2
,
226
,
236
,
238
,
242
,
253
,
255
,
308
,
314
,
345
,
350
,
353

4
,
358

68
,
388
,
394
,
448

Plato’s theory of
119
,
252
,
252

3

as a replicator
95
,
114
,
266

7

significance of people and
70

75
,
76

and survival
202
,
207

see also
epistemology

Kuhn, Thomas
313

Kurrild-Klitgaard, Peter
339

Lagrange, Joseph-Louis
198

9
,
206
,
445
,
446

Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste
87

8
,
89

Lamarckism
87

9
,
96
,
103
,
105
,
106
,
158
,
210
,
376
,
411
,
446

language
93
,
94
,
125

6
,
142
,
154
,
268
,
280
,
309
,
311
,
315
,
323
,
363
,
365
,
366
,
369

70
,
405
,
407
,
409
,
413
,
414
,
428

other than natural language
144
,
154
,
159

62
,
199
,
292
,
361
,
365
,
366
,
399

see also
universality: the jump to
;
writing systems

Laplace, Pierre Simon
133

lasers
73
,
266
,
267
,
273

4
,
294
,
393
,
446

see also
atomic lasers

laws of nature
see
nature, laws of

laws of physics
see
physics, laws of

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm
137
,
164
,
181
,
199

200
,
265

6
,
268
,
269

Leonardo da Vinci
219

liberty
see
freedom

life-support system
44

51
,
45
,
64
,
71
see also
Spaceship Earth
;
sustainability

light
2
,
3
,
8
,
11
,
16
,
38
,
46
,
47
,
54
,
61
,
68
,
80
,
85
,
208
,
228
,
240
n,
261
,
273
,
305
,
314
,
357
,
413
,
433
,
452

faster-than-light communication
55

6
,
275

6
,
283
,
434

speed of
192
,
199
,
262
,
263
,
273
,
291
,
293
,
294
,
451

sunlight
8
,
47
,
57
,
441

see also
photons

Littlefield, John E.
333

llamas
426

7
,
429

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