From: Dan Clemmensen (dgc@cox.rr.com)
Date: Mon Aug 06 2001 - 17:35:03 MDT
JoshCahoon@cs.com wrote:
> Given that time and space constitute a unitary spacetime, isn't it
> inconsistent or at best arbitrary for us to want to be temporally infinite
> creatures when we aren't in the least concerned that we are physically
> finite? I mean, imagine a 4-dimensional plot of our lives, with axes w,x,y,z.
> Say w is the time axis. Why should we want the graph to be unbound on that
> axis rather than x or z?
>
> Actually, I think the above is pretty silly reasoning. Just thought I'd throw
> it out there.
>
You're right. It's silly, :-)
The difference is that we are bounded on the x,y,and z axes by the laws
of physics, and we move on the t axis (your "w axis") at a fixed rate,
also bound by the laws of physics. There is, however, no obvious law
that bounds how far we can go on the t axis. (more precisely, there
are such laws, but we are not at all close to those limits.)
Alternatively, all the extropians who are space travel evangelists
are working on those axes.
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