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> In a message dated 99-07-05 19:18:00 EDT, amalcolm.domain.name.hidden
> writes:
>
> << Thanks for all your replies, but despite rereading the threads you have
> suggested, I am still looking for a clear solution to the flying rabbit
> paradox challenge to Tegmark's hypothesis!
> >>
>
> The reason we don't see any flying rabbit is simple. Such an event would
> violates the "ultimate" anthropic principle which I explain in my book. This
> version of the anthropic principle deviates from the traditionally accepted
> ones. It assumes the SELF to be the ultimate frame of reference. (There are
> many versions of the anthropic principle. Barrow and Tippler describe
> the"first" as the need for life to explain the coincidences of the word. They
> describe the "second" as the need for intelligence, i.e. generally
> distributed through the Universe.) The ultimate anthropic principle is
> relative... or relativistic with respect to the observer and pushes the
> anthropic concept to its ultimate conclusion: The Self. The perspective that
> the self has of the MW is constrained by this principle. The only events that
> can be observed are those that do not or cannot prevent the self from being
> aware. A flying rabbit implies rules of physics incompatible with the
> awareness of the self by the self. Therefore such an event is impossible to
> observe. This is not saying that they are impossible in the MW, simply that
> given the parameters defining the SELF (our Selves) we cannot PERCEIVE a
> world where flying rabbits are possible.
>
> George Levy
>
Unfortunately, there are many of us who don't think the Anthropic
principle is sufficiently strong to rule out the while rabbit
paradox. There is no problem with considering physically identical
universes to our own, that happen to have a "white rabbit" grafted
on. Agreed, the number of universes containing intelligent should be
far greater for those with orderly physics, than those that create it
de novo. However, there is no reason to think that the laws of physics
shouldn't break down tomorrow, and allow "white rabbit" like phenomena
to occur? These universes are by far more numerous compared with
those that have orderly physics.
Cheers
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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
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Received on Tue Jul 06 1999 - 00:05:14 PDT