Re: Implications of MWI

From: Russell Standish <r.standish.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 09:49:59 +1000

On Fri, Apr 29, 2005 at 10:32:44AM -0400, John M wrote:
> Russell wrote:
>
> >"The reason for TIME is the need for a dimension in which to make
> comparisons, to measure differences. Computationalism (Bruno's working
> hypothesis implicitly assumes TIME). With TIME, the Anthropic Principle and
> PROJECTION (or equivalently Evolution or Bostrom's SSA), the quantum
> Multiverse is the only place observers can live. Apparently Bruno gets a
> similar result from a slightly different set of basic assumptions - I say
> apparently, because I haven't understood the last part of his argument, the
> bit about Thaetetus's model of knowledge. But I will be looking back at his
> thesis soon - I find my ability to understand these arguments has improved
> over time :)"<
>
> Not too impressive.
> IOW it means that we construct the 'world' according to our capability 'to
> make comparisons, to measure (!) differences".
> I would not state that the Q-MV is the ONLY place... before I know ALL other
> (known and unknown) possibilities. "The only place we know of"?
> Since IMO an 'observer' can be anything that absorbs information, I don't
> find it impressive where such can or canot "LIVE". It may not.
>

I am merely pointing out the necessity of TIME. One can treat it as an
axiom (as I do), seek further justification in terms of other axioms
(eg computationalism), or provide a model that doesn't satisfy it in
order to show it is not necessary.

I appreciate that you are attempting to do the third of these options,
and I will be most intrigued with your results should you obtain
any. In the meantime, I find it more productive to work with it as an
axiom, and to provide some "handwaving" justifications for it.

Cheers

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Received on Fri Apr 29 2005 - 19:21:37 PDT

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