According to quantum theory there exists a finite probability that someone will simulate me in a virtual environment using a computer. This means that there is a finite probability that I could wake up in a virtual world with different effective laws of physics. Of course, the real laws of physics haven't changed, but to me that's not relevant. Once I find myself in the simulation, I have to deal with the virtual world.
I would thus say: The MWI of quantum physics implies that all logical possible universes actually exist, because they can all be simulated inside a single universe, and the MWI guarantees that every posible simulation is actually being run on a computer in some branch. Brett Hall wrote: > There's 'many worlds' and there's the multiverse. In terms of philosophical > games - that is, in terms of modal logic - postulating the infinite class of > possible worlds is a useful tool when discussing the notions of > 'possibility' and 'necessity'. This is an extremely interesting field in > philosophy. Check out perhaps the most famous exposition on this in American > David Lewis' "On the Plurality of Worlds'. In using this device one can > certainly speculate about universes (worlds) which operate under different > laws to our own. Do they 'really' exist? Well we certainly do not have > access to them and speculating that they 'really do physically exist' might > be interesting - but it's certainly not scientifically testible. One may > arrive at the conclusion that they indeed do physically exist - but only on > purely philosophical grounds. > > The Multiverse - that is Quantum Theory - posits that there exists an > infinite set of almost-parallel universes. These do physically exist and we > have access to them. They obey our laws. A recent post by David Deutsch on > this topic speculated that universes where magic really does work (or at > least always has seem to have worked) are actually in existence even though > the number of them may be vanishingly small. These universes appear to have > different laws to ours but infact they do not. It is simply the case that > whenever, say, a Harry Potter type student wizard tried to pull a rabbit out > of an empty hat - he did due to some rather exotic and improbable > goings-on. But none of that suggests that that universe obeys different > laws. Pulling rabbits out of 'empty' hats - as improbable as it may be - is > consistent with quantum theory. Again, this may be wierd, but not all that > is weird is supported by quantum theory. Anyone who says they really can > pull rabbits out of empty hats should be disbelieved, of course, not because > what they say is 'impossible' given the laws of physics but rather > overwhelmingly unlikely. > Brett Hall. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2001 10:47 AM > Subject: Universes with different laws? > > > > Do universe with different laws supposedly exist? Is there lots of > > universes where say the charge on an electron is different? and so > > on.... > > > > I was reading a Martin Rees book and he mentioned Many worlds, but he > > seemed to be talking about lots of different universes with different > > laws in each one, rather than lots of universes with the same laws in > > each. This is to allow a nice set of physical laws to exist, which of > > course is nesscesary for life to emerge. > > > > What does Deutsch say of this? > > > > > > Tom > > > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. >
