[boost] Re: runtime unit-modifiablephysical-quantitiesusingpqs1-00-01

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-01-05 10:17:58

"David B. Held" <dheld_at_[hidden]> writes:

> "Andy Little" <andy_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
> news:bta7us$bkg$1_at_sea.gmane.org...
>> [...]
>> A physical-quantity is made of powers of  The Seven dimensions:
>> length, mass, time, temperature, current, amount-of-substance,
>> luminous intensity.
>> (aside  -please not lets get complicated :-) )
>> [...]
>> There are only 7 dimensions. Thats it.
>> [...]
>
> Surely this is ridiculous?  I can see an extreme reductionist arguing
> that you only need dimensions for space, time, and the fundamental
> forces.  And if you really want to get anal, then you could equate
> space and time, and end up with four dimensions (distance, mass,
> electroweak charge, strong charge).  Everything else is derived,
> right?  And if you buy superstring theory or quantum gravity, then
> you could probably get away with just one or two dimensions, right?
> But how useful is that?

Right.  Reductionism is dangerous, even to Physics.  Get ahold of
Phil Anderson's paper called "More is Different" if you're
interested (Science, Aug 4, 1972).

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com