Would a general physicist have reason to know what Solomonoff induction is? Kolmogorov complexity is in general not computable. In the computable cases it is difficult to compute. As a rough approximation a basic notion of Occam’s razor works in essentially all practical contexts.
It’s in general uncomputable. Even if you can use it, it’s not at all clear that it’s the right thing. I would rather an easy-to-use but complicated theory instead of an elegant theory that is intractable. I don’t see why a professional scientist would ever benefit from knowing it.
I asked a physicist and college professor what Solomonoff Induction was. He said he’d never heard of it. And now this post hits me emotionally.
Would a general physicist have reason to know what Solomonoff induction is? Kolmogorov complexity is in general not computable. In the computable cases it is difficult to compute. As a rough approximation a basic notion of Occam’s razor works in essentially all practical contexts.
It’s in general uncomputable. Even if you can use it, it’s not at all clear that it’s the right thing. I would rather an easy-to-use but complicated theory instead of an elegant theory that is intractable. I don’t see why a professional scientist would ever benefit from knowing it.