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From: stu@sct60a.sunyct.EDU (Stu Card)
Newsgroups: comp.theory.cell-automata
Subject: meta-life
Message-ID: <20295.on.Thu,.9.May.91.10:02:12.EDT.@sct60a.sunyct.edu>
Date: 9 May 91 14:02:12 GMT
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The responses to I.J. Palmer's question raise the following possibility:
is it possible to define a problem, the solution to which requires an
INFINITE regress up these meta-life simulation levels? I suspect so.

If Life is 'universal', I think that means it is also 'complete' in the sense
of Goedel's Theorem, and therefore inconsistent; otherwise it must be 
'incomplete' (although perhaps 'nearly complete'?!) to keep it consistent.

I am not mathematically heavy enough to know if I am making sense.
Anyone out there with a good understanding of Goedel's Theorem who would
be willing to enlighten me on how it applies to the universality of a 
computing scheme in general, and Life in particular?

stu@sct60a.sunyct.edu
Stu Card