Related papers: Tales and Tails and Stuff and Nonsense
As AI model size grows, neural scaling laws have become a crucial tool to predict the improvements of large models when increasing capacity and the size of original (human or natural) training data. Yet, the widespread use of popular models…
This work deals with models described by a single real scalar field in two-dimensional spacetime. The aim is to propose potentials that support massless minima and investigate the presence of kinklike structures that engender polynomial…
In this work we review some features of topological defects in field theory models for real scalar fields. We investigate topological defects in models involving one and two or more real scalar fields. In models involving a single field we…
I examine the debate between substantivalists and relationalists about the ontological character of spacetime and conclude it is not well posed. I argue that the so-called Hole Argument does not bear on the debate, because it provides no…
In this paper we review the theory of the ``falling chimney'', which deals with the breaking in mid-air of tall structures, when they fall to the ground. We show that these ruptures can be caused by either shear forces, typically developing…
In this volume in honor of GianCarlo Ghirardi, I discuss my involvement with ideas of dynamical collapse of the state vector. 10 problems are introduced, 9 of which were seen following my initial work. 4 of these problems had a resolution…
We study the empirical version of halfspace depths with the objective of establishing a connection between the rates of convergence and the tail behaviour of the corresponding underlying distributions. The intricate interplay between the…
The realistic interpretation of classical theory assumes that every classical system has well-defined properties, which may be unknown to the observer but are nevertheless part of reality and can in principle be revealed by measurements.…
A simple quantum model describing the onset of time is presented. This is combined with a simple quantum model of the onset of space. A major purpose is to explore the interpretational issues which arise. The state vector is a superposition…
In this work we consider black holes surrounded by anisotropic fluids in four dimensions. We first study the causal structure of these solutions showing some similarities and differences with Reissner-Nordstr\"om-de Sitter black holes. In…
There are many ways of measuring and modeling tail-dependence in random vectors: from the general framework of multivariate regular variation and the flexible class of max-stable vectors down to simple and concise summary measures like the…
We display a number of advantages of objective collapse theories for the resolution of long-standing problems in cosmology and quantum gravity. In particular, we examine applications of objective reduction models to three important issues:…
We show that any countably generated von Neumann algebra with specified normal faithful state can arise as the tail algebra of a quantum exchangeable sequence of noncommutative random variables. We also characterize the cases when the state…
This is a non-standard paper, containing some problems, mainly in model theory, which I have, in various degrees, been interested in. Sometimes with a discussion on what I have to say; sometimes, of what makes them interesting to me,…
This paper gives a theoretical discussion of the orbits and isotropies which arise in a space-time which admits a Lie algebra of Killing vector fields. The submanifold structure of the orbits is explored together with their induced Killing…
In this essay, dedicated to the one hundredth anniversary of Hermann Minkowski's talk "Space and Time", I argue that physicists should face the issue of the reality of spacetime and worldtubes of physical objects for two reasons. First,…
Global textures are interesting because they are promising candidates for seeds in the structure formation of the universe. The important configurations are those who will be able to collapse. The type of configurations that I will consider…
The concepts of symmetry and its breakdown are investigated in two different terms according to whether the resulting asymmetry is universal or only obtained for a special configuration: we shall illustrate this by considering in the first…
Ex ante forecast outcomes should be interpreted as counterfactuals (potential histories), with errors as the spread between outcomes. Reapplying measurements of uncertainty about the estimation errors of the estimation errors of an…
The advantages and disadvantages of some pedagogical non-relativistic quantum-mechanical models, used to illustrate spontaneous symmetry breakdown, are discussed. A simple quantum-mechanical toy model (a spinor on the line, subject to a…