It’s Not Quantum Physics

If you’re not familiar with the name, Stephen Wolfram is a British mathematician and physicist and the chief designer of the Mathematica computer program and Wolfram Alpha Answer Engine. In a recent interview with Spiegel Online he makes an interesting if provocative observation in connect with his latest project, mining the wealth of data provided by Facebook users. Apparently, people are a lot less complicated than atomic particles.

That may be because people are social while particles aren’t.

6 comments… add one
  • Red Barchetta Link

    Heh.

    People are idiots. I’m a case in point.

    I have a fascination with quantum mechanics and partical physics. I have read Feynman. It goes back to physical chemistry. Want a good read? Look up the Gibbs-Duhem free energy equation. Basic thermo. It rules the world, people. (OK – I’m boring.) I also like the mega end: astrophysics.

    Facebook is crap.

  • michael reynolds Link

    Apparently, people are a lot less complicated than atomic particles.

    Not true. For example, I’m both a particle sitting in an easy chair, and a wave moving toward the refrigerator, unless you’re watching me in which case I’m either one or the other. Or asleep.

  • Andy Link

    Apparently, people are a lot less complicated than atomic particles.

    Typo? It seems to me we can predict the behavior of particles with a lot more consistency, accuracy and precision than we can the behavior of humans.

  • Red Barchetta Link

    Go to sleep, Reynolds. We will all be better off. 😉

  • Red Barchetta Link

    And now, in best Monty Python fashion……………”now for something completltely different:”

    (Bonzo drum intro) ……(Jimmy) And then Robert….. “Its been a long time since I rock and rolled………Its been a long time since I did the stroll..”

    Have a good night.

  • Cannons Call Link

    Planck’s constant = 6.62606957 × 10-34 m2 kg / s
    lets start here.

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