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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

One example of configuration space that could plausibly never run out is mathematical theorems. It takes relatively few atoms to write down absolutely mind-boggling theorems. As math progresses, these get easier to understand and work with, and presumably we'd work on harder theorems. As we do, it doesn't take many more atoms of notation to write he harder theorems. The complexity and interest of a theorem seems to be more than exponential in the size of the notation, for good theorems.

Another possible example is genetic information. Both literal genes, and organizational patterns of a culture. Like mathematical theorems, the complexity hidden in a small amount of information seems to be high, more than exponentially high.

Maybe these are still not enough to prevent an end of progress over the long haul. They deserve some careful attention, though. And anyway, even if it's just matter that stagnates, Robin's argument is still well worth taking to heart. We're living in a golden age.

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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

As unbelievable as 4% growth for a trillion years is, your argument is really just that: an argument from incredulity. If such incredible growth is so obviously impossible, then it should be easy to explain exactly why.

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