• A much shorter proof that the Halting Problem is a category error.

    From olcott@polcott333@gmail.com to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 09:46:33 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy


    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct computational entities:

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive
    pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    The category error occurs when the halting problem asks HHH to report on
    the direct execution behavior, which:

    Depends on HHH's own return value
    Is therefore not a property of the input HHH analyzes
    Represents a different computational object than what HHH can examine
    through simulation

    The philosophical point: A Turing machine decider should only be
    expected to report on properties determinable from its input. When the
    halting problem construction makes the "actual behavior" dependent on
    the decider's output, it's asking the decider to report on something
    outside its input - hence, a category error.

    This reframes the "impossibility" of the halting problem not as a
    limitation of computation per se, but as a conflation between what an
    analyzer observes about its input versus what happens when that input is executed with the analyzer's answer embedded in it.

    The distinction between input-behavior and non-input-behavior is the
    crux of resolving the apparent paradox.

    https://claude.ai/share/6e4ccef9-9749-4fb4-b58d-946fe18e7c73
    --
    Copyright 2025 Olcott "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius
    hits a target no one else can see." Arthur Schopenhauer

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  • From Alan Mackenzie@acm@muc.de to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 15:43:24 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    [ Followup-To: set ]

    In comp.theory olcott <polcott333@gmail.com> wrote:

    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct computational entities:

    There is no self reference in the statement of the halting problem.

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    The category error occurs when the halting problem asks HHH to report on
    the direct execution behavior, which:

    The halting problem does no such thing. If anything, it is your
    constructions of HHH and DD which have the category error, not the
    statement of the problem. But there is no such error.

    Depends on HHH's own return value
    Is therefore not a property of the input HHH analyzes
    Represents a different computational object than what HHH can examine through simulation

    What your purported decider decides on is a pure function. This is an
    abstract mathematical entity, which retains its identity regardless of
    whether its a "computational object" or just a specification written on
    paper with a pencil.

    It's the same thing.

    The philosophical point: A Turing machine decider should only be
    expected to report on properties determinable from its input.

    There's no "expected" about it. A turing machine does what it does, and
    is incapable, by its very construction, of reporting on anything apart
    from its input.

    When the halting problem construction makes the "actual behavior"
    dependent on the decider's output, it's asking the decider to report
    on something outside its input - hence, a category error.

    No, the purported decider's input is a pure function, the same thing
    which is also used elsewhere.

    This reframes the "impossibility" of the halting problem not as a
    limitation of computation per se, but as a conflation between what an analyzer observes about its input versus what happens when that input is executed with the analyzer's answer embedded in it.

    You're wide of the mark. The input is the same pure function in both
    cases.

    The distinction between input-behavior and non-input-behavior is the
    crux of resolving the apparent paradox.

    The "paradox" is entirely in your own mistaken analysis.

    https://claude.ai/share/6e4ccef9-9749-4fb4-b58d-946fe18e7c73

    --
    Copyright 2025 Olcott "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius
    hits a target no one else can see." Arthur Schopenhauer
    --
    Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).

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  • From Kaz Kylheku@643-408-1753@kylheku.com to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 16:21:25 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 2025-10-26, olcott <polcott333@gmail.com> wrote:

    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct computational entities:

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    The category error occurs when the halting problem asks HHH to report on
    the direct execution behavior, which:

    Depends on HHH's own return value
    Is therefore not a property of the input HHH analyzes
    Represents a different computational object than what HHH can examine through simulation

    When DD is given to a puerly simulating decider which naively steps
    through DD, that decider has no problem with it!

    To that decider, DD is just fine as an input.

    You are asserting that whether DD is an input or non-input
    depends on which decider is 'looking" at it.

    That means that this input versus non-input classification is not
    a property of the input, but of the pair: <H, P>.

    In the pair <H, P>, P is a non-input whenever <H, P> lies on
    the diagonal.

    So "P is a non-input to H" carries no information whatsoever different
    from "<H, P> are a diagonal pair, such that H cannot decide P".

    You are just playing more of your word semantic game; you've invented
    the synonym "non-input" for this situation, without shedding any new
    light on it.

    Moreover, the question "Is P a non-input to H?' is not decidable
    for all P and H. There is no algorithm that can take as inputs
    any H and P, and decide whether P is a non-input or input
    with respect to H.

    Presenting the concept of a non-input just adds another undecidable
    question.
    --
    TXR Programming Language: http://nongnu.org/txr
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  • From Richard Damon@Richard@Damon-Family.org to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 13:30:15 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 10/26/25 10:46 AM, olcott wrote:

    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct computational entities:

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    But the input isn't "as simulated by HHH", but is supposed to be a
    proper representation of the program DD.


    The category error occurs when the halting problem asks HHH to report on
    the direct execution behavior, which:

    Depends on HHH's own return value

    Which can't be a problem if HHH is actually a computation, and thus the
    answer is fixed by the algorithm that HHH was built on,

    Is therefore not a property of the input HHH analyzes
    Represents a different computational object than what HHH can examine through simulation

    Sure it is, if the input was properly prepared, and thus include in it
    the algorithm that HHH uses.


    The philosophical point: A Turing machine decider should only be
    expected to report on properties determinable from its input. When the halting problem construction makes the "actual behavior" dependent on
    the decider's output, it's asking the decider to report on something
    outside its input - hence, a category error.

    And the answer is, if the input was properly constructed from an actual
    Turing Machine.

    Your problem is that your HHH, as a machine that meets your
    requriements, doesn't actually exist, and thus DD doesn't exist, so you
    can't ask that question which become the error.


    This reframes the "impossibility" of the halting problem not as a
    limitation of computation per se, but as a conflation between what an analyzer observes about its input versus what happens when that input is executed with the analyzer's answer embedded in it.

    No, the fact that it *IS* impossible to build the decider you describe,
    is what shows that the actual proper problem of the halting problem is
    just non-computable.


    The distinction between input-behavior and non-input-behavior is the
    crux of resolving the apparent paradox.

    No, the fact that your arguement is based on lies and category errors
    resolves the paradox.

    There does not exist an actual computation for which the actual halting problem question doesn't have an answer( "Does the computation described
    by this input halt when run?"), and thus the problem is fully valid.

    There can be inputs that don't represent computations, for which
    technically, the correct answer is they do not halt, since they aren't a halting computation. But, as the actual proof shows, we CAN create a
    valid computation from ANY decider that might be claimed to be a correct
    halt decider, and it will fail to be correct on that input, thus there
    can not exist a totally correct halt decider.


    https://claude.ai/share/6e4ccef9-9749-4fb4-b58d-946fe18e7c73



    Showing that you are just naturally stupid, as you seem to believe in artificial intelegence, which is just as intelligent as "artificial
    meat" (like made from soy protein) is actually meat.

    part of your problem is you are just ignorant of the meaning of the
    words you use, because you are just too stupid to understand them, and
    morally corrept to the point of thinking that doesn't matter.


    This makes your whole grand premise of Semantic Logic flawed, as if
    words don't have their meaning, you can't use semantics, so you world is
    just based on you lying to yourself what things are. All you have done
    is imprissioned yourself into your own jail cell of stupidity.
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  • From Kaz Kylheku@643-408-1753@kylheku.com to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 17:48:50 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 2025-10-26, olcott <polcott333@gmail.com> wrote:
    This reframes the "impossibility" of the halting problem not as a
    limitation of computation per se, but as a conflation between what an

    OK, let's play along and validate the idea that there are "non-inputs".

    The fact is that non-inputs are still finite machine descriptions of
    Turning machines, which can be crisply simulated, and (if they are
    terminating) all the way to their halt state.

    Non-inputs are only non-inputs with respect to their targeted decider.

    So, yes, that /is/ a limitation of computation: that some decision
    machines cannot correctly handle some inputs, which are well-formed
    machines whose execution can be traced, possibly to termination.

    For instance, your _DDD, though a "non-input" to _HHH, can be simulated
    from beginning to ends; its last RET instruction at 002183.

    This has been shown true of that very simulation of _DDD that _HHH
    initiates and abandons.

    If there were no limitation in computation, it would not be necessary
    for you to argue that there are "non-inputs", and that deciders
    should simply be excused from failing to decide them.

    Excuses are always made for limitations.

    You cannot take the excuse so far that you proclaim that _HHH's
    decision is correct. _HHH is wrong: _DDD halts, including the
    simulation of _DDD started by _HHH. You can make excuses for _HHH
    being wrong, but that is of no consequence, and the necessity of
    the excuses amounts to there being a limitation.

    The distinction between input-behavior and non-input-behavior is the
    crux of resolving the apparent paradox.

    There is no paradox to be resolved; that's just in your head.

    It is an /informal/ paradox that an algorithm cannot decide a test
    case which embeds that same algorithm in a certain way.

    It is not a formal logical paradox (a logically flawed thesis
    that has no solution).
    --
    TXR Programming Language: http://nongnu.org/txr
    Cygnal: Cygwin Native Application Library: http://kylheku.com/cygnal
    Mastodon: @Kazinator@mstdn.ca
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  • From Tristan Wibberley@tristan.wibberley+netnews2@alumni.manchester.ac.uk to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 17:50:29 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 26/10/2025 14:46, olcott wrote:

    The philosophical point: A Turing machine decider should only be
    expected to report on properties determinable from its input. When the halting problem construction makes the "actual behavior" dependent on
    the decider's output, it's asking the decider to report on something
    outside its input - hence, a category error.

    When a copy of HHH is embedded in the input then the copy is part of the
    input, yet, to be a universal decider every copy of HHH must be able to
    decide on all inputs that have another copy of HHH embedded in it. Since
    a subject program may copy itself and the HHH that's embedded in it, the subject can always (on a TM, simulated or otherwise) create another
    identical input with all of its original (or some reduced/partially interpreted) form, including a new copy of HHH.

    Your text looks like it shows you have assumed that cannot be done.

    --
    Tristan Wibberley

    The message body is Copyright (C) 2025 Tristan Wibberley except
    citations and quotations noted. All Rights Reserved except that you may,
    of course, cite it academically giving credit to me, distribute it
    verbatim as part of a usenet system or its archives, and use it to
    promote my greatness and general superiority without misrepresentation
    of my opinions other than my opinion of my greatness and general
    superiority which you _may_ misrepresent. You definitely MAY NOT train
    any production AI system with it but you may train experimental AI that
    will only be used for evaluation of the AI methods it implements.

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  • From Kaz Kylheku@643-408-1753@kylheku.com to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Sun Oct 26 18:19:57 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 2025-10-26, Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> wrote:
    On 10/26/25 10:46 AM, olcott wrote:

    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct
    computational entities:

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive
    pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    But the input isn't "as simulated by HHH", but is supposed to be a
    proper representation of the program DD.

    Halt7.obj's _DDD as simulated by _HHH is halting. This is not just a well-founded hypothesis now; it's demonstrated with code. Identifying
    the _DDD simulation left behind by _HHH, and single-stepping it with
    DebugStep (also used by HHH) takes it to the RET instruction at the end
    of _DDD, atl address 002183.

    If Olcott wants there to be a separate "_DDD simulated by _HHH"
    cateogory which doesn't halt, as indicated by he 0 return from _HHH, he
    will have to somehow fix his code.
    --
    TXR Programming Language: http://nongnu.org/txr
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  • From Richard Damon@Richard@Damon-Family.org to comp.theory,comp.ai.philosophy on Mon Oct 27 22:03:01 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.ai.philosophy

    On 10/26/25 2:19 PM, Kaz Kylheku wrote:
    On 2025-10-26, Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> wrote:
    On 10/26/25 10:46 AM, olcott wrote:

    Summary of the key point:
    The halting problem's self-referential construction creates two distinct >>> computational entities:

    Input (DD-as-simulated-by-HHH): Shows non-halting behavior - recursive
    pattern that HHH correctly identifies
    Non-input (DD-as-directly-executed): Halts because HHH returns 0

    But the input isn't "as simulated by HHH", but is supposed to be a
    proper representation of the program DD.

    Halt7.obj's _DDD as simulated by _HHH is halting. This is not just a well-founded hypothesis now; it's demonstrated with code. Identifying
    the _DDD simulation left behind by _HHH, and single-stepping it with DebugStep (also used by HHH) takes it to the RET instruction at the end
    of _DDD, atl address 002183.

    If Olcott wants there to be a separate "_DDD simulated by _HHH"
    cateogory which doesn't halt, as indicated by he 0 return from _HHH, he
    will have to somehow fix his code.


    Unless he has changed his code, _HHH never completes the simulation but
    ALWAYS aborts it part way.

    The core engine HHH uses, that of DebugStep, if allowed to continue the simulation (as HHH1 does) shows that the complete simulation of that
    input, by the rules that HHH claims to be using, will halt, but HHH
    doesn't do that.

    Oclott's logic tries to change the code of HHH, while still insisting
    that it is the same program, and thus his logic is based on the concept
    of lying is ok, and that different things are the same.
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