logoalt Hacker News

fc417fc80206/04/20261 replyview on HN

Temperature is a classic example of an emergent phenomenon. It can be physically measured using (for example) a mercury thermometer which is an exceedingly simple construction. It is a real thing. You can touch a hot or cold surface and feel it for yourself, no map required.

Anyway even if you don't like the example I chose can you see the point I was trying to make? What would it mean for a quantifiable phenomenon to happen on the map as opposed to happening in the territory? How would it interact with the world (ie the territory)? Would it not necessarily imply dualism?


Replies

kelseyfrog06/05/2026

A variable within a model can be measured. We use physics to describe the universe, but we shouldn't confuse it with the universe.

show 1 reply