For those of you who saw the movie Interstellar, and did not understand the philosophical underpinnings, here are some excerpts from Enter The Gods: The Devolution of Intelligence, that might shed some light on the movies cosmic discombobulation. It is theorized by some scientists that there are more dimensions than the three spatial ones that are currently known. In superstring and M-theory, other dimensions have been introduced in hopes of finding a theory of everything. It is posited that space has up to 26 other dimensions. If the whole concept of anthropicism should be jettisoned from any serious scientific discussion, as some scientists believe, then the Copernican and mediocrity principles must, too! Not only must an infinite amount of universes be postulated to exist, but also dimensions as well - dimensions that can also be inhabited by other forms of life. The idea of parallel universes posits the existence of many universes co-existing and parallel to each other. Some physicists dismiss the whole idea of parallel universes as bordering on science fiction, while others take them seriously. Four levels of parallelity are assumed to exist. Level 1 parallel universes are basically the Copernican principle applied to an infinite amount of universes, in which Earth-like planets may exist. I referred to that idea as the super-Copernican principle in another chapter. It is believed that humans (cosmic doppelgangers) populate those other Earth-like planets, and that their histories are similar to those of their inter-dimensional cousins histories on planet Earth. Level 3 parallel universes supposedly occupy the same space and time as our universe, while level 4 is believed to be an Alice in Wonderland type place, where strange mathematics is the norm. In the end, there is a lot of fantastic speculation regarding other dimensions and parallel universes, and postulating their existence, using mathematics, makes them no more real than using the Rare Earth equation to prove anthropicism. projection or teleportation. The purpose of this brief chapter on time travel is to show that there are some scientists who are postulating theories that are more in line with science fiction than with objective science. The whole idea behind time travel is tied in with the theory of general relativity. Because of that, it is given serious consideration by some. It is claimed by several physicists that the theory of general relativity permits the possibility of traveling, if not backward in time, at least forward in it. It is theorized that time travel can be accomplished by using a specially built device (time machine), which is beyond the technology of humans at the present. The time machine would have to travel at speeds close to the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) in order to affect the geometries of space-time, which is theoretically needed for time travel. Another way time travel is theorized as a possibility would be to make use of black holes, not only as linkages or shortcuts to other parts of the universe, but also as a means to travel through time. The concept of wormholes has also been considered as possible time machines, but their very existence is still conjectural. Regardless of the all the fantastic speculation, time travel would still require some kind of special space/time vehicle. There are “paradoxes” involved with the idea of time travel, and the most common one is the possible dislocation of time localities, or the set flow of time. Critics of the whole idea of time travel dismiss it as absurd and fanciful, no more truthful than astral projection or teleportation. Those concepts, the critics contend, are best kept within the realm of fantasy and science fiction. Laplaces Demon and Scientific Determinism Pierre-Simon Laplace (d. 1827) can rightly be called the modern founder of scientific determinism (also known as hard determinism). Laplace proposed the idea of the atomistic make-up of everything, believing that Newtons laws were deterministic in nature. He also played with the idea of an omniscient demon, who mathematically knew everything about all particles at all times, being able to compute from their positions and velocities using the laws of nature, their past and future positions and velocities. Man, he reasoned, did not have such powers and was thus forced to rely on the laws of probabilities. Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow say of scientific determinism in their book The Grand Design (2010), that given the state of the universe at one time, a complete set of laws fully determines both the future and the past. They also state in the same book, that Laplaces form of scientific determinism is the basis of all modern science.” Classical scientific determinism has had to rephrase some of its language toward a more probabilistic approach because of the influence of quantum theory. What has really changed, according to some critics, is the role of observer,” who plays a role in determining without certainty, where a particles position and velocity will be at a given time. Critics say that such uncertainties are human uncertainties and not actual ones of particles that are following the laws of determinism anyway. They also see this as an epistemological conundrum that has no bearing on the deterministic reality within the quantum world. Scientific determinism must also hold true for human behavior as well, say its leading proponents. So any concept of free will becomes moot! Scientific determinists believe that humans have no more free will than a roundworm with 959 cells.” They state unequivocally, that any concept of free will is an illusion, which in the end makes that illusion deterministic. -Enter The Gods: The Devolution of Intelligence
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:05:16 +0000
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