80
4 Google as God?
Fig. 4.2 New scientific ideas are produced primarily in democratic societies supporting freedom
of thought, speech, and markets. (Reproduced from Mazloumian et al. [13] with kind permission
of the Springer Nature Publishing Group.)
4.12 Appendix 2: Limitations to Building a Crystal Ball
4.12.1 Laplace’s Demon and Measurement Problems
Laplace’s Demon is a hypothetical being that could calculate all future states of
the world, if it knew the exact positions and speeds of all particles in the universe
and the physical laws governing their motion and interactions. But Laplace’s Demon
cannot exist in reality, not least because measurements to determine all particle speeds
would be impossible due to the restriction of Einstein’s theory of special relativity: all
velocities must be less than the speed of light. This would prevent one from gathering
all the necessary data.
4.12.2 Parameter Sensitivity
How close can computer-modeled behavior ever come to real human social behavior?
I would say, a digital mirror-self wouldn’t resemble us more than two “identical
twins” resemble each other. To specify the parameters of a computer double (digital
4 Google as God?
Fig. 4.2 New scientific ideas are produced primarily in democratic societies supporting freedom
of thought, speech, and markets. (Reproduced from Mazloumian et al. [13] with kind permission
of the Springer Nature Publishing Group.)
4.12 Appendix 2: Limitations to Building a Crystal Ball
4.12.1 Laplace’s Demon and Measurement Problems
Laplace’s Demon is a hypothetical being that could calculate all future states of
the world, if it knew the exact positions and speeds of all particles in the universe
and the physical laws governing their motion and interactions. But Laplace’s Demon
cannot exist in reality, not least because measurements to determine all particle speeds
would be impossible due to the restriction of Einstein’s theory of special relativity: all
velocities must be less than the speed of light. This would prevent one from gathering
all the necessary data.
4.12.2 Parameter Sensitivity
How close can computer-modeled behavior ever come to real human social behavior?
I would say, a digital mirror-self wouldn’t resemble us more than two “identical
twins” resemble each other. To specify the parameters of a computer double (digital