Hello Stathis and James,
   In answer to the first question, does the multiverse inlude perfect 
duplications of entire universes, the answer is yes with a but.  Any 
particular universe in it can be sliced up in any number of ways, just 
as 1 = (1/n + 1/n + 1/n..... n times) for any value of n.   This gives 
rise to a picture of a very large number of universes differentiating 
from each other as time moves forward, as opposed to the more 
conventional picture of a single universe splitting as time moves 
forward.  Both pictures seem to be mathematically valid and mutually 
compatible, IMHO.  The fact that at a particular instant any given 
universe has multiple possible futures means that any given universe can 
be considered as a sum of however many identical copies of that universe 
you like.
   In answer to the second question, in addition to these perfect 
duplications, there are duplications that differ only by the state of a 
single photon somewhere in a galaxy on the other side of the universe 
(i.e. arbitrarily close), as well as 'duplications' that share nothing 
in common with our universe save the laws of physics, and everything in 
between.
   In the plenitude theories of Max Tegmark and others, the requirement 
that other universes share the same laws of physics and the same big 
bang is relaxed.
   Hope this helps,
         Matt.
Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> Let me add a postscript to this quicky: does the multiverse include 
> perfect duplications, or only arbitrarily close to perfect - and does 
> it make a difference?
>
> Stathis
>
>
>> From: James N Rose <integrity.domain.name.hidden>
>> To: everything-list.domain.name.hidden
>> Subject: Re: a possible paradox
>> Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 15:52:30 -0800
>>
>> quicky:
>>
>> does the multiverses version of existence
>> include perfect duplications - included
>> redundencies - of universes?
>>
>> James
>>
>
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When God plays dice with the Universe, He throws every number at once...
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Received on Thu Oct 30 2003 - 07:48:40 PST