I think the intuitive surface reading of that post (supernatural objects are black boxes; they have state, but are denied to have internal structure that implements the state) at least makes it clear that simulators are not “supernatural” under this definition. Which is the actual query people were blocking on. But evidently many people read the post differently.
Amen. Maybe we should just use a different wording. Thinking a thing is supernatural seems incompatible with believing it exists in most common uses (though yes, we all can contrive counterexample)
Man, I’m late this year. Taken. To save my index finger, just upvoted everyone who took it in November :)
Next time, the “supernatural” question really needs to just link to the Sequence post defining the word.
I’ve read the sequences. I still don’t think the concept is clearly defined.
I think the intuitive surface reading of that post (supernatural objects are black boxes; they have state, but are denied to have internal structure that implements the state) at least makes it clear that simulators are not “supernatural” under this definition. Which is the actual query people were blocking on. But evidently many people read the post differently.
Amen. Maybe we should just use a different wording. Thinking a thing is supernatural seems incompatible with believing it exists in most common uses (though yes, we all can contrive counterexample)