Re: Consistency? + Programs for G, G*, ...+ White Rabbits

From: George Levy <GLevy.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2001 21:26:24 -0700

Marchal wrote

> >Ok. Physics is pattern of laws perceived by the consciousness observing
> >the plenitude. The consistency filter that restricts consciousness is the
> >same filter that restrict the world that consciousness observes. This is
> >why the world is understandable and this is why there are no white rabbits.
> >White rabbits are not consistent.
>
> Unfortunately I don't think this is true. The problem with the white
> rabbits is that there are consistent! For exemple we can dream of
> white rabbits.

This is too simplistic.
It could be that we differ because of semantics or maybe because of confusion
with regard the frame of reference. Let's explore the issue with some thought
experiments.

1) Let's consider dreams that I've had. I have dreamt many times of flying
(white rabbits? to be determined). In those dreams, I strongly believe that
flying is a natural ability that I have and I wonder why sometimes in the so
call real world I cannot fly. Everything in the dream world seems to be
consistent and I can fly. Flying, from the dream world perspective is not a
white rabbit. In fact the so called real world seems to be false and not having
the ability to fly IS a white rabbit!

In the dream world, the rule of physics seem to be different and allow flying.
My belief system appears to conform to those physical laws and I do not find any
contradiction. Flying is OK in the dream world!

The resolution of the paradox is simple. The frames of reference are different.
What appears to be a white rabbit in one frame is not in another! Now, is the
dream world frame of reference consistent? As far as I tested it it was. I did
not do much testing.

2) Here is an example in which a kind of dream state Uncertainty Principle seems
to preserve consistency. I dream sometimes of seeing shapes and color ( these
are a form of phospenes produced by the brain in the dream state.) These
phospenes begin as relatively simple geometric patterns but then, as I enter
deeper into the dream state, they evolve into wonderful geometrical shapes, or
animals or people etc... They are so beautiful that I try to stop them form
changing, to be able to analyze them in detail. A soon as I attempt to focus on
them, they disappear. I can't perform any kind of consistency analysis on them.

3) Here is another dream which illustrates how the discovery of an inconsistency
brings the dream to an end. I sometimes dream of out of body experiences Are
they real or not? Being a amateur physicist -even in my dreams - I want to know
if these experiences are "real". So I give myself a test: to find out what is
the arrangement of certain objects in another room. When I tried that I came up
blank. I just couldn't do it. So, in the dream, I realized that these out of
body experiences were not real and that I was dreaming. This realization,
effectively, put an end to the dream - even though I continued dreaming, I knew
it was a fake.

To summarize:
White rabbits are inconsistent by definition. The issue is "inconsistent with
respect which frame of reference?"
If we dream of a real world white rabbit (inconsistency as seen from the real
world point of view) then it may be perfectly consistent in the dream world. If
it is consistent in the dream world, no problem. No paradox in the dream world.
No paradox in the real world..
If we dream of a dream world white rabbit (inconsistency as seen from the dream
world point of view), then we realize the dream world is a fake and we wake up.
No more dream world. No more paradox.

We can resolve the white rabbit paradox if we take relativity seriously.

George
Received on Thu Jun 07 2001 - 21:29:06 PDT