From: Ross A. Finlayson (raf@tiki-lounge.com)
Date: Sat Dec 16 2000 - 08:56:32 MST
Hello,
scerir wrote:
> Ross A. Finlayson wrote:
> "A symbolic expression that can be evaluated might represent
> symbolically the end result of infinite iterations. For example,
> a way to measure the area under a curve is to split it into infinite
> subsections and measure each and sum the area of them,
> another way is to integrate the function, a finite computation.
> I guess this is to say that just because a process might be infinite,
> our brains can still get a handle to it."
>
> Your guess is interesting.
> L.M. Krauss and G.D. Starkman wrote that:
> http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9902189
This abstract posits that the cosmological constant is not zero or that the
Universe is not the sole result of our "local" big bang. It is something like
that, or something else, these astronomists tell us more about it.
>
> "We have shown that it is impossible to collect more than
> a finite amount of any quantity that scales as the (scale-factor)^3 .
> However, the entropy density of the universe scales in this fashion.
> Thus, independent of issues of whether there is infinite information
> in an infinite universe, it is impossible to collect more than a finite
> amount. Effectively even an infinite universe allows only a finite
> computational system. The picture we have painted here is not
> optimistic. If, as the current evidence suggests, we live in a cosmological
> constant dominated universe, the boundaries of empirical knowledge
> will continue to decrease with time. The universe will become noticeably
> less observable on a time-scale which is fathomable.
> Moreover, in such a universe, the days - either literal or metaphorical -
> are numbered for every civilization. More generally, perhaps surprisingly,
> we find that eternal sentient material life is implausible in any universe.
> The eternal expansion which Dyson found so appealing is a chimera."
> Is it possible to collect the full amount of information? I hope so.
> We can get deep informations, at least mathematically.
> -scerir
The full amount of information is collected, it is the state of the Universe.
Our technology can sample the tendency and state of matter at various points.
To use the entire information of the Universe it would be necessary to put the
Universe into the computer.
The Universe of a game of Tic-Tac-Toe, a finite state machine, has 9 spaces and
2 kinds of markers. Chess has one significantly larger, or possibly infinite.
Basically, what the paper seems to be saying is that the Universe is infinitely
large. This is perhaps plainly naive.
Later in the piece (p. 21), the authors allude that some technology allowing
the contravention of strong gravity would allow alternate space-time
construction events, or remove the physical laws preventing them from
occurring.
Thank you! Happy Holidays.
Ross
-- Ross Andrew Finlayson Finlayson Consulting Ross at Tiki-Lounge: http://www.tiki-lounge.com/~raf/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:32:24 MST