Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tekchips.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!tektronix!tekcrl!tekchips!wm
From: wm@tekchips.UUCP (Wm Leler)
Newsgroups: net.astro,net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Quantum Universe
Message-ID: <115@tekchips.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 18-Aug-85 13:35:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekchips.115
Posted: Sun Aug 18 13:35:07 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 01:44:37 EDT
References: <696@inuxe.UUCP>
Reply-To: wm@tekchips.UUCP (Wm Leler)
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 27
Xref: watmath net.astro:933 net.sf-lovers:9664
Summary: universe != dice


> I've just read an interesting article in the August 3, 1985
> Science News titled "The Quantum Universe : A Zero-Point 
> Fluctuation?". In the article a Mr (Dr?) Don N. Page of the
> Institute of Advanced Study in Prinction N.J. is credited with
> the following observation:
> 
> 	"Page estimates that the chances of 'The Creator sticking
> 	 in a pin' and pulling out just this combination of qualities
> 	 that makes such a unique universe are way beyond
> 	 astronomical, 1 in (10,000,000,000)^124."
>	

Lets say I have a die with (10,000,000,000)^124 faces.  I throw
this die, and let's say that the face numbered 5,903,256,541,008,
192,234,865,234,505,314,262,195,000,105,524,578,234 comes up.
Well, the probability that that particular face came up is *so*
astronomical, that it couldn't possibly have.  Therefore, God
must exist.

The probability that this universe exists is 1.  As long as there
is a universe, it may as well be the one we are currently in, no?
The number 1 in (10,000,000,000)^124 seems more likely to be a
measure of the probability that there is another universe identical
to the one we are in.

wm