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The Theory of Several Knowing Machines

Alexander, Samuel A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366362999

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Mathematics.
We study the structure of interacting systems of truthful, mechanical knowing agents. This leads to three main consistency results. Suppose a system of knowing machines is arranged in a hierarchy, with some machines being subordinate to others. If this hierarchy is recursively enumerable and well founded, the following three situations are consistent. First, it is consistent that every machine knows the truthfulness of its subordinates and codes of every machine. Second, it is consistent that every machine knows the truthfulness of itself and its subordinates, codes of its subordinates, and the mechanicalness of every machine. Third, it is consistent that every machine knows the truthfulness of itself and its subordinates, the limited truthfulness of its superiors, codes of its subordinates, and the mechanicalness of itself and its subordinates. In addition we show that all the above situations are inconsistent if the hierarchy is ill founded and the agents are aware of rudimentary facts about the ordinal numbers.
Timothy Carlson, Dr. (Advisor)
Chris Miller, Dr. (Committee Member)
Stewart Shapiro, Dr. (Committee Member)
103 p.
Mathematics
knowing machines; machine knowledge; strong mechanistic thesis; Lucas-Penrose argument

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Alexander, S. A. (2013). The Theory of Several Knowing Machines [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366362999

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Alexander, Samuel. The Theory of Several Knowing Machines. 2013. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366362999.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Alexander, Samuel. "The Theory of Several Knowing Machines." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366362999

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1366362999
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© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.