There is a concept in popular culture that there are parallel universes populated with our doppelgängers. What’s more, it is even claimed that science predicts, or even has shown, that these alternative universes and our doppelgängers exist. That really confounds me. Prior to researching this newsletter, I knew a little of the science behind alternative universes suggestions, but had never come across any scientific evidence. Could it be that there really are scientific theories or evidence that we need to take seriously? Although alternative histories could be very useful for winning arguments, the idea that there are copies of me does my head in.
<<Brian Greene's on the top of my Christmas list this year!>>
I recommend starting with "Fabric of the Cosmos," which is a great primer on all branches of physics. You may not need this, but I sure did! It made "The Hidden Reality," his book about multiple universes, make much more sense. Looks like he has a new one out called "Until the End of Time." I'll need to grab that.
<<The number of peeling off universes seems like another of the too many infinities. I don't know but wouldn't Hilbert space get crowded if all those possiblities peeled off.>>
This is exactly my sense. My cat just walked in the room. She blinked, swished her tail, then sat on the ground and licked her butt. If any of that had happened in any other order, there would be three new universes. Multiply that by every cat on the planet. Intuitively, it seems ridiculous, so I'm skeptical, but not completely closed to the possibility.
<<Not to mention!! That we've never seen quantum mechanics operate on a macro scale so why would it here. That argument doesn't preclude the quantum peelings off but it does counter the increasingly unlikely hypotheses that our choices cause universe bifurcations.>>
Exactly. We need some real-world evidence. That will probably come at some point, but likely long after we're gone.
<<Is book 3 out yet???>>
Coincidentally, book 2 is being released on Kindle this week, paperback will follow in about 10 days. Book 3 is awaiting editing and will be out in the Spring. :-)
My wife's nephew is a physicist, and when I asked him how I could get a handle on what he did, he suggested Brian Greene's books. I read two of them, including the one on multiverses, and loved them, partly because he's such a good writer and can make these concepts clear to someone like me who's always struggled with math. I make fun use of his explanation of Einsteinian time in book 3 of my series... I left the Quantum stuff aside. ;-)
I agree with you about doppelgängers - highly unlikely. I'm also skeptical of Quantum multiverse theories, that all outcomes happened. When you look at the number of "outcomes" that happen in a day just on Earth, it seems ridiculous that there is a new universe created every time a cat decides to barf on the rug or the linoleum. I can't prove it, but it just doesn't pass my personal smell test. Anyway, fun article, and I also agree that these are valid scientific pursuits that have many positive and interesting spinoffs.
<<Brian Greene's on the top of my Christmas list this year!>>
I recommend starting with "Fabric of the Cosmos," which is a great primer on all branches of physics. You may not need this, but I sure did! It made "The Hidden Reality," his book about multiple universes, make much more sense. Looks like he has a new one out called "Until the End of Time." I'll need to grab that.
<<The number of peeling off universes seems like another of the too many infinities. I don't know but wouldn't Hilbert space get crowded if all those possiblities peeled off.>>
This is exactly my sense. My cat just walked in the room. She blinked, swished her tail, then sat on the ground and licked her butt. If any of that had happened in any other order, there would be three new universes. Multiply that by every cat on the planet. Intuitively, it seems ridiculous, so I'm skeptical, but not completely closed to the possibility.
<<Not to mention!! That we've never seen quantum mechanics operate on a macro scale so why would it here. That argument doesn't preclude the quantum peelings off but it does counter the increasingly unlikely hypotheses that our choices cause universe bifurcations.>>
Exactly. We need some real-world evidence. That will probably come at some point, but likely long after we're gone.
<<Is book 3 out yet???>>
Coincidentally, book 2 is being released on Kindle this week, paperback will follow in about 10 days. Book 3 is awaiting editing and will be out in the Spring. :-)
My wife's nephew is a physicist, and when I asked him how I could get a handle on what he did, he suggested Brian Greene's books. I read two of them, including the one on multiverses, and loved them, partly because he's such a good writer and can make these concepts clear to someone like me who's always struggled with math. I make fun use of his explanation of Einsteinian time in book 3 of my series... I left the Quantum stuff aside. ;-)
I agree with you about doppelgängers - highly unlikely. I'm also skeptical of Quantum multiverse theories, that all outcomes happened. When you look at the number of "outcomes" that happen in a day just on Earth, it seems ridiculous that there is a new universe created every time a cat decides to barf on the rug or the linoleum. I can't prove it, but it just doesn't pass my personal smell test. Anyway, fun article, and I also agree that these are valid scientific pursuits that have many positive and interesting spinoffs.