Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site inuxe.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!inuxe!fred 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 Distribution: net Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis Lines: 48 Xref: linus net.astro:829 net.sf-lovers:8465 *** 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