Re: Extra Terrestrials

From: Russell Standish <R.Standish.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 10:05:39 +1000 (EST)

GSLevy.domain.name.hidden wrote:
> infinite in every respect. The branching is infinite. So while our world
> seems to be discrete, (Quantum Theory - in fact discreteness may be an
> essential requirement for the evolution of consciousness), the variations
> ACROSS worlds does not seem to be similarly constrained.
>
> George Levy
>

I would only go as far to say that the description of the universe
must be discrete, not that the universe so described is discrete. For
example, the set of rational number admits a discrete description of
all its members, yet is not a discrete space (between any two rational
number lie an infinity of other rationals).

Why should the description of the universe be discrete? Because we're
universal turing machines (but not just UTMs mind - let's not get
computationally carried away). I have some private speculations with
some others about the possible existence of super beings who might
transend the UTM capability. Perhaps the ability to compute a
countably infinite number of computaional steps in finite time changes
fundamentally the form of the universe's description.

                                                Cheers

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Dr. Russell Standish Director
High Performance Computing Support Unit, Phone 9385 6967
UNSW SYDNEY 2052 Fax 9385 6965
Australia R.Standish.domain.name.hidden
Room 2075, Red Centre http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks
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Received on Sun Aug 13 2000 - 16:59:26 PDT

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