Hal Finney wrote:
> This list is dedicated to exploring the implications of the prospect
> that all universes exist. According to this principle, universes
> exist with all possible laws of physics. It follows that universes
> exist which follow the MWI; and universes exist where only one branch
> is real and where the other branches are eliminated. Universes exist
> where the transactional interpretation is true, and where Penrose's
> "objective reduction" happens. I'm tempted to even say that universes
> exist where the Copenhagen interpretation is true, but that seems to be
> more a refusal to ask questions than a genuine interpretation.
>
> Therefore it is somewhat pointless to argue about whether we are in one
> or another of these universes. In fact, I would claim that we are
> in all of these, at least all that are not logically inconsistent or
> incompatible with the data. That is, our conscious experience spans
> multiple universes; we are instantiated equally and equivalently in
> universes which have different laws of physics, but where the differences
> are so subtle that they have no effect on our observations.
You may already be living in all of these universes, Hal, but I would rather
stay
in mine, for the moment, if you don't mind!
Even in a "plenitudinal" or "platitudinal" metaverse in which all the
conceivable laws of physics are realized somwhere, there is no call
for all the interpretations of quantum mechanics to be "true"!
Interpretations of QM are not laws, much less mathematical
structures in the sense of Tegmarks Level 4!
In your Metaverse, let us call it the HAL-metaverse, I agree there is
no much point in discussing which interpretation is correct but it is
equally pointless to carry on any scientific arguments or experiments
given that complete pluralism reigns!!!
I am sure all those democrats running for office will be happy to
know they will all be elected in some world...
>
> It may be that at some future time, we can perform an experiment which
> will provide evidence to eliminate or confirm some of these possible QM
> interpretations. At that time, our consciousness will differentiate,
> and we will go on in each of the separate universes, with separate
> consciousness.
>
> It is still useful to discuss whether the various interpretations work
> at all, and whether they are in fact compatible with our experimental
> results. But to go beyond that and to try to determine which one is
> "true" is, according to the multiverse philosophy, an empty exercise.
> All are true; all are instantiated in the multiverse, and we live in
> all of them.
>
> Hal
Tell me: If we live in all of them can we pick the cheapest one?
Than I would be interested...
-Joao
--
Joao Pedro Leao ::: jleao.domain.name.hidden
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
1815 Massachussetts Av. , Cambridge MA 02140
Work Phone: (617)-496-7990 extension 124
Cell-Phone: (617)-817-1800
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"All generalizations are abusive (specially this one!)"
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Received on Thu Nov 13 2003 - 12:56:22 PST