A. Wolf wrote: >> So universes that consisted just of lists of (state_i)(state_i+1)... >> would exist, where a state might or might not have an implicate time value. >> > > Of course, but would something that arbitrary be capable of supporting > the kind of self-referential behavior necessary for sapience? > > Anna > "Capable of supporting" implies some physical laws that connect an environment and sapient beings. In an arbitrary list universe, the occurrence of sapience might be just another arbitrary entry in the list (like Boltzman brains). And what about the rules of inference? Do we consider universes with different rules of inference? Are universes considered contradictory, and hence non-existent, if you can prove X and not-X for some X, or only if you can prove Y for all Y?
You see, that's what I like about Bruno's scheme, he assumes a definite mathematical structure (arithmetic) and proposes that everything comes out of it. I think there is still problem avoiding wonderland, but in Tegmark's broader approach the problem is much bigger and all the work has to be done by some anthropic principle (which in it's full generality might be called "the Popeye" principle - "I yam what I yam."). Once you start with all non-contradictory mathematics, you might as well let in the contradictory ones too. The Popeye principle can eliminate them as well. Brent --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
