Search
Profile
Dave Bacon is a theoretical ski bum who is also a pseudo professor. His research is on quantum computing, his scientific passions extend to everything in physics, mathematics, computer science and beyond, and his personal pleasures include making wine, playing poker, skiing, camping, and daydreaming (although not all of those at the same time.)
Nothing he says on this blog should be construed as having anything to do with his employer or his dog.
Recent Comments
Recent Posts
Other Information
The use of Occam's razor on this website is strickly prohibited.
Cows are well approximated by a sphere.
Mathematics:
Category: Quantum
The Dutch book argument of Bruno de Finetti is an argument which is supposed to justify subjective probabilities. What one does in this argument is gives probabilities an operational definition in terms of the amount one is willing to bet...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:44 PM • 23 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Finance
James Simons, he of the Chern-Simons form, and also, of late, from the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies Corporation, is retiring. The infamous Medallion fund was up last year, apparently, only a mere 80 percent. Quite a feat, turning into...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:23 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Mathematics
Israel Gelfand, one of the great mathematicians of our age, apparently passed away yesterday at the age of 96. Check out the list of results that bear his name on the above linked Wikipedia page. Wow. Today I will, in...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:42 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Economics
Those of you interested in the recent debate over math, beauty, economics, and Paul Krugman, and who are in New York on Oct 5 might be interested in a talk by Eric Weinstein at Columbia:We will be taking a position...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:53 PM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Economics
Krugman clarifies:I've been getting some comments from people who think my magazine piece was an attack on the use of mathematics in economics. It wasn't...So by all means let's have math in economics -- but as our servant, not our...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 11:37 AM • 26 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Extralusionary Intelligence
Over at the most uncertain blog, he of uncertain principles (aka Chad) takes up a challenge posed by @EricRWeinstein on twitter concerning Paul Krugman's recent article on why economists got the economic crisis so wrong. Since I know even less...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 8:12 PM • 39 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self.
Over 9 months ago I decided to apply for teaching tenure track jobs. Then the economy took what can best be described as a massive, ill-aimed, swan dive. Thus creating an incredible amount of stress in my life. So what...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 11:14 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Bacon
Vote for Mrs. Pontiff's entry into the Scienceblogs pie contest here "Bacon made me do it."...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:51 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Mathematics
3.141592...om nom nom nom! Behold! Mrs. Pontiff's entry into the Scienceblogs pi day pie contest, variously known as "Spicy Brittle Bacon Chocolate Pie", "Spicy Pi Bacon Squared", or "Bacon brittle...om nom nom nom nom!"(On the March 14, a poll will...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:50 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Mathematics
From a crazy model to a concrete question: is there a nice mathematical structure hidden here?...
Read on »
Posted by Dave Bacon at 12:38 PM • 22 Comments •