Algorithmic compression of empirical data: reply to Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe

Abstract: This discussion note responds to objections by Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe to my earlier claim that empirical data sets are algorithmically incompressible. Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe hold that many empirical data sets are compressible by Minimum Message Length technique and offer this as evid...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in History & Philosophy of Science Part A Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 403 - 411
Main Author: McAllister, James W.
Format: Editorial
Published: Elsevier B.V. Jun2005
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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Summary:Abstract: This discussion note responds to objections by Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe to my earlier claim that empirical data sets are algorithmically incompressible. Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe hold that many empirical data sets are compressible by Minimum Message Length technique and offer this as evidence that these data sets are algorithmically compressible. I reply that the compression achieved by Minimum Message Length technique is different from algorithmic compression. I conclude that Twardy, Gardner, and Dowe fail to establish that empirical data sets are algorithmically compressible.