George, the reason I don't commit QS is that I want to minimise the number
of worlds in which I have grieving relatives.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Russell Standish [SMTP:R.Standish.domain.name.hidden]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 5:46 AM
> To: GSLevy.domain.name.hidden
> Cc: everything-list.domain.name.hidden
> Subject: Re: Q Wars Episode 10^9: the Phantom Measure
>
> >
> > Jacques may have a point that there may be cases where all branches
> terminate
> > EVEN IF THE MW IS INFINITE. As an example, we could consider in the
> domain of
> > mathematics Fermat's problem: There is no integer solution to the
> problem
> > X**n + Y**n = Z**n for all n > 2. This results holds for the infinite
> set of
> > integers X, Y Z and n. Similarly, this may implies that there exists in
> the
> > MW some worlds which are closed to us. However as long as the REMAINING
>
> > number of worlds is infinite we are still immortal. If the number of
> worlds
> > that we have access to is finite then we end up in an universe that
> > terminates or in an infinitely recurring universe which is as boring as
> a
> > universe that terminates. My hope is that our number of options is
> infinite.
> > I do not know the answer to this question.
>
> Indeed, MWI does not IMHO rule out points in which all future branches
> terminate. Its just that I can't think of any. It would be comforting
> to know that there is at least the possibility of dieing.
>
>
> >
> > I haven't heard of any QS yet. There are several possibility for this
> > situation:
> > 1) Either no one is 100% convinced of QM immortality
> > 2) Or those of us who are 100% convinced of QM immortality possess some
> form
> > of ethics that prevents them from QS. (even though no one has yet
> formulated
> > an explicit "morality" or "ethic" for a MW world)
> > 3) Or those who are 100 convinced of QM immortality are happy to live a
> > schizophrenic existence actually believing several contradictory things
> > simultaneously, like Lewis Carrol said.
> >
>
> You are forgetting a fourth possibility. In order to successfully
> implement QS, you must be absolutely sure that no negative
> consequences occur because of your action. For instance, shooting
> yourself with a gun is likely to leave you with a large hole in your
> head for the reast of your eternal life (or worse - perhaps
> paraplegic, or whatever). I would not attempt QS, because I cannot
> ensure the outcomes will be what I want to achieve. Perhaps this will
> change with better understanding, but that will be a long way off.
>
> > My favorite possibility is #2. I think it is possible to formulate an
> ethic
> > in the MW. I would like to counter the argument that says that since the
> MW
> > is complete chaos, contains all the possibility and why bother with
> ethics
> > since everything will happen anyway. My argument is that at a meta
> level, the
> > MW does give rise to life and consciousness which are emergent
> properties of
> > the MW and therefore we should have an ethic. Sometimes, after a close
> call
> > on the road that did not result in any accident, I catch myself worrying
>
> > about my wife and children in the other universes where I did not make
> it
> > alive. How can I tell them that over here everything is fine and not to
> worry?
> >
> > Jacque Mallah wrote
> > >>Note 4: George, you still owe me an apology re: Bayesian Boxes.>>
> >
> > Jacques, we had a good argument, and I bought Gilles' explanation.
> However, I
> > am not sure if I am ready to give up my point of view yet. I think that
> it is
> > possible to bridge the gap between the two points of views and explain
> one in
> > terms of the other. Jacques there is no animosity on my part and I
> really
> > enjoyed exchanging posts with you. I think the devil's advocate role
> that you
> > play is invaluable.
> > George
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> Dr. Russell Standish Director
> High Performance Computing Support Unit,
> University of NSW Phone 9385 6967
> Sydney 2052 Fax 9385 7123
> Australia R.Standish.domain.name.hidden
> Room 2075, Red Centre http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
Received on Tue Jun 15 1999 - 03:50:01 PDT