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From: fred@inuxe.UUCP (Fred Mendenhall)
Newsgroups: net.astro,net.sf-lovers
Subject: Quantum Universe
Message-ID: <696@inuxe.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 10:22:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: inuxe.696
Posted: Wed Aug 14 10:22:50 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 07:32:12 EDT
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Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis
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*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***


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."
	
Such a statement tends to increase the entropy in my head.
However, quickly recovering, several thoughts coalesce in my
badly battered brain.


	1. Page is simply wrong by a factor larger than anyone
	   has ever been wrong by in the history of the world (way 
	   beyond astronomical).
	   While this thought is very comforting, it leads to
	   nothing interesting.
	
	2. Page is Right!
	   Crap, the theologians are right, God exists and
	   I'm in big trouble.
	
	3. Page is right, however, the number of universes that
	   exist are also way beyond astronomical and the 
	   probability that ours exist is something reasonable.
	
Probability has never been my strong suit. So, the first question
before the net is this. Assume that each universe is unique and
can repeated, how many universes has to exist before the probability
that the one I'm currently typing this message in is greater that
50%.

Second question, why is the number so large? I've always heard that
there were a handful of constants that if altered the universe as
we know it wouldn't exist. But (10,000,000,000)^124 is a little hard to
swallow.

					Fred Mendenhall
					AT&T IS