Conversation

サメQCU
@sameQCU
nobody actually believes in induction, right? we all just agree that it works as part of some kind of collective fiction, right?
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QC (in Berlin 7/29-???)
@QiaochuYuan
i think believing in induction is pretty much identical to believing that the natural numbers "really exist" and i think a lot of people do believe that. like, the natural numbers are the thing such that induction is true of them
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サメQCU
@sameQCU
yeah, i don't think i'm saying i'm repulsed by the natural numbers (but someone who was disgusted by the natural numbers would probably be really interesting 🥺), & maybe that the rules you can use while manipulating the natural numbers don't feel universal or non-arbitrary.
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