I like this topic. I will think about it a little first. By the way, is your use of blue and red a metaphor for Obama and McCain? ;)
Tom On Nov 7, 10:44 am, "A. Wolf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > But this begs the question "What is EVERYTHING?" > > I would say the class of all mathematical models which are not > self-contradictory constitutes "everything". I'd even go so far as to > suggest that's exactly what existence is, in a literal sense: a lack > of mathematical contradiction. All things that are consistent exist > and all things that exist are consistent. > > This is broader than the MW interpretation which imposes additional > tacit restrictions: that everything which /is constructable/ solely by > /quantum perturbations/ occurring /since the Big Bang/ must exist. > > It also raises the question about whether we can assume there is a > universe where I wore a red sweater instead of a blue one today. I > would certainly guess that the probability of this happening is > nonzero, but I have no way of confirming that there exists a > particular model containing this state which is non-contradictory. > Certainly the model couldn't be identical to the current universe I'm > in, because I don't own a red sweater, and I can't readily envision a > situation where quantum perturbations would make me wake up early > enough to go purchase one. > > So I suspect that "everything" has lots of odd holes in it, but > perhaps quantum effects smooth them out so well that we can assume > nearly any conceivable change to our universe has non-contradictory > representatives. I'd prefer not to assume that, even if I believe (as > I do) that worlds which are not constructable from out Big Bang exist. > > Certainly there are worlds out there where I'm deluded into thinking > that I have on a red sweater, though. ;) > > Anna --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
