Re: Ideal lamps

From: scerir <scerir.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 08:18:31 +0100

wichy:
> The question of the Thompson's Lamp seems to me either doesn't not have
> anything to do with physics. Time does not have to shrink; we don't even
> need to deal with time. To me is the same problem than ask what happen
> with the infinite sum 1-1+1-1+1-1+1....... Is it 0 or 1? (Here +1 stand
> for ON and -1 OFF). It is just an arithmetical question. I don't know
> the present status of such dilemma. Does anyone know?

Yes, it is equivalent to asking if the last integer is even or odd,
in a series which goes to ... Aleph. The term 'lamp' diverts our
imagination. The 'lamp' cannot go to Aleph. (But there are quantum
objects, like a particle in a box, which produce fractal patterns,
in space and in time, thus you could build a different weird
paradox, maybe.)
Received on Sun Oct 26 2003 - 02:20:09 PST