Saying 'we really did observe them' is a lot less simple than saying 'they exist'. Jacques and I agree, I think, that Occam is against you here. James
> -----Original Message----- > From: Russell Standish [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, 04 May, 2000 2:19 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: this very moment > > Jacques Mallah wrote: > > > > --- Russell Standish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > There needs to be psychological time in which to > > > unravel the history embedded in a single observer > > > moment. Once one has psychological time, one may as > > > well go the whole hog and have a complete history, > > > with an infinite number of observer moments. > > > > > > Its an Occam thing. Nothing rules out a "Groundhog > > > Day" type of effect, where we endlessly keep playing > > > back a small piece of history (eg 1 day, or even 10 > > > seconds if you like), however I suspect this is > > > a more complicated explanation (therefore of smaller > > > measure) than just assuming that we live our whole > > > lives. > > > > You were doing fine until that little word "we". > > I'm not sure what your point is here. It doesn't seem to relate to > your following comment. > > > Other obsever-moments exist, but there's no reason to > > insist that the ones that seem psychologically to be > > in our past or future are really "the same person". > > Identity is based on recognition. If we recognise these other > observer-moments as belonging to us, then surely the simplest > explanation is that we really did observe them. I grant that it is > logically possible for us _not_ to have experienced them - perhaps > they were experienced by others, and implanted in our brains by aliens. > > > > > > > ===== > > - - - - - - - > > Jacques Mallah ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > > Physicist / Many Worlder / Devil's Advocate > > "I know what no one else knows" - 'Runaway Train', Soul Asylum > > My URL: http://hammer.prohosting.com/~mathmind/ > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. > > http://im.yahoo.com/ > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- > Dr. Russell Standish Director > High Performance Computing Support Unit, Phone 9385 6967 > > UNSW SYDNEY 2052 Fax 9385 6965 > Australia [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Room 2075, Red Centre http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > --
