Speaking of parallel universes, Max Tegmark has made the very interesting suggestion that our Universe (our Multiverse in fact) is just a mathematical structure; that all mathematical structures (including trivially simple ones, like permutation groups) have equal “physical reality” in their own right; and that we ourselves are simply mathematical substructures which happen to be sufficiently complicated to have self-awareness. I’m impressed by Tegmark’s idea because it is the very first I have ever run across that offers even the remotest hope of answering the question “Why is there something rather than nothing.”
Anyway, ever since I read Tegmark’s book I’ve wondered whether there could be a mathematical structure (not necessarily ours, but who knows?), that included a being who was a “God” — i.e., fully aware of, and having some sort of control over, the entire structure. Way, way, way over my head of course, but I can’t see any way to rule it out. (And maybe there is even a mathematical universe with a being who, in addition to being a god, also happens to have the mentality of an Iron Age barbarian king?)
I’ve been reading Lawrence M. Krauss’s “A Universe From Nothing, Why is there something rather than nothing” only to discover once again that I do not have the brain for cosmology. I can follow every step until I get to one of those “This means that…” statements and they simply do not compute. I’m now resigned to this fact, and willing to accept that the great controversies of my age – whether the universe is open or closed, what is the nature of dark matter and dark energy – will have to be solved without my participation.
Gaps are another thing entirely. They double every time a new fossil is fitted into the record. Suddenly there are two gaps, though both are smaller than the gap that was just filled. The Templeton Foundation has no problem finding gaps. Their problem is in finding credible scientists who will defend the absurdity that is creationism. I’m sure money helps in this search.
Krauss got a lot of flack for his book, and I think it was justified. It may be true that that the rules of Quantum Mechanics allow for the creation of “a universe from nothing,” but you still have to explain where those rules came from, and what it is that they apply to.
Tegmark’s big idea is that rules are all there is. That there is nothing for those rules to apply to, but that instead the rules themselves — all possible (coherent) sets of rules — are reality, and there is nothing else. He even holds out the possibility that there could be statistical tests that might provide evidence for or against his hypothesis! At this point of course he is up to his ears in speculation, and he had kind of lost me, but still….
Suggestions, possibilities, ideas, thoughts, opinion, rules, etc. etc. etc. and then find those gaps, people! Aren’t these the methods used to confuse?
How nice that people place a reliance
On simple things like alleged science
The more science uncovers
The more it discovers
The universe is in some sort of compliance.
It would depend on which is larger
the amount of scientific knowledge we have or the amount of scientific knowledge we dont have.
this we will never be able to say with certainty.
therefore ‘god’ will always have a dark corner to hide away from humanity.
is it possible that ‘god’ is afraid of humans enough to want to hide from them despite ‘god’ being ‘all powerful’?
Some folk will believe any old bullshit regardless of evidence Some are too lazy or stupid to question their “faith”. Others conflate their religion with their cultural identity, and many are just too scared to challenge their parents, community, isis, etc.
Jesus & Mo (the characters) are absurd, blinkered, and oddly very sweet. J&M (the cartoon) is brilliant: sharp, delicious, irresistible. Salman Rushdie
Jesus and Mo cartoons are wonderfully funny and true. Richard Dawkins
Jesus and Mo make the world a better place, bless their little hearts. Ophelia Benson
In a world defined by outrage and offence and liberal spinelessness, Jesus and Mo is a treasure, whose value we should never fail to recognize. Read them. Laugh. And think. Kenan Malik
The brilliant, celebrated, freaking hilarious atheist comic strip ... Greta Christina
...rays of sanity in a befuddled world. Keri Hulme
The liveliest depictions of Muhammad currently available... Malise Ruthven
J & Mo is the funniest and most consistently thought-provoking cartoon strip on the Net. In a saner world, it would run in a major newspaper. Nelson Jones, Heresy Corner
Consistently amusing, frequently thought-provoking and often heart-warming. New Humanist
Jesus & Mo is one of the most wonderful things on the internet.. JT Eberhard
Wittily captures much of the absurdity of religious apologetics. Mano Singham
I love jesusandmo.net cartoons - witty and sharp! Katha Pollitt
Often hilarious, frequently wry, these cartoons do what all the best cartoons do: they tell the truth through humour. Terry Sanderson, NSS President
...a wonderfully acid British cartoonist... Nick Cohen
I love the scrappy mockery of Jesus and Mo. Freedom of speech
includes the freedom to mock any person, any thing, any activity, and
any belief -- and J&M stands up for this unflinchingly Richard Stallman
...empowering, important and deeply progressive, not to mention hilarious... Council of Ex-Muslims
May 26, 2006
Soon the gap will be about Planck size. Hope god(s) almighty will feel comfortable.
Maybe He can have one of the infinite number of parallel universes?
To each God his/her/its own parallel universe, avoids conflict
Like the Templeton reference – missed it first reading 😉
Must be traumatic to have to move out of a palatial mansion into a studio apartment. Poor sod.
Speaking of parallel universes, Max Tegmark has made the very interesting suggestion that our Universe (our Multiverse in fact) is just a mathematical structure; that all mathematical structures (including trivially simple ones, like permutation groups) have equal “physical reality” in their own right; and that we ourselves are simply mathematical substructures which happen to be sufficiently complicated to have self-awareness. I’m impressed by Tegmark’s idea because it is the very first I have ever run across that offers even the remotest hope of answering the question “Why is there something rather than nothing.”
Anyway, ever since I read Tegmark’s book I’ve wondered whether there could be a mathematical structure (not necessarily ours, but who knows?), that included a being who was a “God” — i.e., fully aware of, and having some sort of control over, the entire structure. Way, way, way over my head of course, but I can’t see any way to rule it out. (And maybe there is even a mathematical universe with a being who, in addition to being a god, also happens to have the mentality of an Iron Age barbarian king?)
I’ve been reading Lawrence M. Krauss’s “A Universe From Nothing, Why is there something rather than nothing” only to discover once again that I do not have the brain for cosmology. I can follow every step until I get to one of those “This means that…” statements and they simply do not compute. I’m now resigned to this fact, and willing to accept that the great controversies of my age – whether the universe is open or closed, what is the nature of dark matter and dark energy – will have to be solved without my participation.
Gaps are another thing entirely. They double every time a new fossil is fitted into the record. Suddenly there are two gaps, though both are smaller than the gap that was just filled. The Templeton Foundation has no problem finding gaps. Their problem is in finding credible scientists who will defend the absurdity that is creationism. I’m sure money helps in this search.
Oh, @author, that’s … that’s… There just aren’t words of praise strong enough to fill in the, er, gap! You amaze me! Kudos!
@bookworm
Plank size.
That’s brilliant. There ain’t no more places to squeeze!
Sorry, Planck.
Sheesh
Author,
Absolutely brilliant. BRAVO!!
In my opinion, this has to be among your very best ever. Thank you for every one of your excellent posts.
Krauss got a lot of flack for his book, and I think it was justified. It may be true that that the rules of Quantum Mechanics allow for the creation of “a universe from nothing,” but you still have to explain where those rules came from, and what it is that they apply to.
Tegmark’s big idea is that rules are all there is. That there is nothing for those rules to apply to, but that instead the rules themselves — all possible (coherent) sets of rules — are reality, and there is nothing else. He even holds out the possibility that there could be statistical tests that might provide evidence for or against his hypothesis! At this point of course he is up to his ears in speculation, and he had kind of lost me, but still….
Plenty empty heads out there for god to fill, I think.
Never before has the meaning of the phrase “Mind The Gap” been so clear.
Suggestions, possibilities, ideas, thoughts, opinion, rules, etc. etc. etc. and then find those gaps, people! Aren’t these the methods used to confuse?
Good grief: now what – quantum physics!
‘A god of the gaps’
That would be a god of the absence of existence.
To think that religion stands or falls by its ability to explain natural phenomena is just moronic.
Here are a couple of reading suggestions on the topic of why there is something…
The Void, Frank Close
Why Does the World Exist; An Existential Detective Story, Jim Holt
How nice that people place a reliance
On simple things like alleged science
The more science uncovers
The more it discovers
The universe is in some sort of compliance.
Any size of gap considered
It would depend on which is larger
the amount of scientific knowledge we have or the amount of scientific knowledge we dont have.
this we will never be able to say with certainty.
therefore ‘god’ will always have a dark corner to hide away from humanity.
is it possible that ‘god’ is afraid of humans enough to want to hide from them despite ‘god’ being ‘all powerful’?
Some folk will believe any old bullshit regardless of evidence Some are too lazy or stupid to question their “faith”. Others conflate their religion with their cultural identity, and many are just too scared to challenge their parents, community, isis, etc.
Wow, Nasser. Not half bad. Finally a true limerick, if you slur one or two syllables.
Macha. Could it have been one of the proverbial “two short planks”?
Does this mean people seeking the bounty from this foundation are going
to be staking out my P.O. Box waiting for me to come get my mail…
…or do they just want to take over retail space previously used by the
retailer who is using my initials? ^_-
The DnD way! (lots of conflict with each other though)
Congratulations Nassar! Almost there!
Yeahh…..last time god did that, we got jesus….god’s a randy bastage when he gets in the mood…