Re: reasoning under computational limitations

Ross A. Finlayson (RAF@tomco.net)
Mon, 05 Apr 1999 08:41:55 -0400

Wei Dai wrote:

> On Sun, Apr 04, 1999 at 09:25:11PM -0700, hal@rain.org wrote:
> > But isn't the conventional model of the universe, if we assume that it
> > is spatially open and unbounded, in exactly this form?
>
> The conventional model does have a prefered position, namely the Big
> Bang.
>
> > Would you suggest that, on philosophical grounds, we have evidence that
> > the universe cannot be infinite (without preferred positions)?
>
> Yes.

If the universe is not infinite, what is it that lays infinitely beyond it?

I put forward that beyond our universe is absolute vacuum with no light, and beyond that approximately infinitely more universes in various stages of expansion and contraction. Similarly to how we might astronomically observe protostars forming and supernovae, perhaps somewhere right now a new universe is experiencing its Big Bang, and another is contracting to either a super black hole or a proto-universe to explode again.

Where two expanding universes collide, there shall be much energy. Crossing the barrier or region between two universes might be possible or impossible. Two universes colliding is a wave of energy from each universe colliding at almost the speed of light. I believe relativity holds true as we can see from the redshift phenomenon. There are some redshift anomalies, but evidence points towards the Big Bang theory.

Alternately, there is an ontological plane above ours where our universe is an experiment in a test tube.

Of course, similarly, all the universes in an infinity of space might simply be an occurrence in a higher level ontological plane.

An approximately infinitely long time ago, prior to the Big Bang, if it occurred, either something existed, or nothing existed, on our ontological plane.

I would suggest the term Universe (capitalized) to represent all the universes in an infinity of space, conjecturally. I would suggest the term Metaverse to represent all things.

Infinity, i, or oo, is a scalar number increase without bounds in one dimension. Infinity, I, is i in i dimensions.

Ross F.

--
Ross Andrew Finlayson
202/387-8208
http://www.tomco.net/~raf/
"C is the speed of light."