‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

Biology might not be quantum, but its math is quantumlike

123 points · 60 comments · pseudolus

  1. dataviz1000 · · focus · HN ↗
    Something similar came up in Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk yesterday. [0]

    Neil deGrasse Tyson used the number 8 as an analogy to explain that mathematical similarities between two systems do not mean they share a physical connection -- they were discussing how both the universe and human brain can be described using fractal mathematics. He pointed out that you can count 8 planets in the solar system and 8 children in a room, but having the same count doesn't mean the children are planets.

    The similarities say more about mathematics than it does about the universe and the human brain or planets and children.

    [0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=0zNnJ2AzmA4" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=0zNnJ2AzmA4

    1. melvinroest · · focus · HN ↗
      That it says something about the human brain seems to be about right. If you have 8 planets and 8 children it means you&#x27;ve classified certain things you&#x27;ve seen to be part of the same concept and you group them together.
Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.