--- Tom McCabe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Why would a simulating alien race want to create a > universe with fluctuating constants as opposed to > fixed constants? To drop us a subtle hint? Why a > subtle hint, and not an obvious hint or no hint at > all?
There is no experimental evidence that c, G, h, or the size/mass of the proton are changing, certainly not as fast as the theory suggests. The only constant whose change we could not detect would be G. It is only known to 4 significant figures. With this accuracy, it would take about a million years to detect a change directly. But even then we should still be able to look at galaxies when gravity was significantly different see some effects, but we see none as far as I know. So it may just be a coincidence. As for why the universe is the way it is, I believe the multiverse theory and anthropic principle apply. > > --- Matt Mahoney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > --- Eugen Leitl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > On Wed, Mar 28, 2007 at 06:19:47AM -0700, Matt > > Mahoney wrote: > > > > *The entropy of the universe is of the order T^2 > > c^5/hG ~ 10^122 bits, > > > where T > > > > is the age of the universe, c is the speed of > > light, h is Planck's > > > constant > > > > and G is the gravitational constant. By > > coincidence (or not?), each bit > > > would > > > > occupy the volume of a proton. (The physical > > constants do not depend on > > > any > > > > > > A proton is a damn complex system. Don't see how > > you could equal it with one > > > mere bit. > > > > I don't. I am equating one bit with a volume of > > space about the size of a > > proton. The actual number of baryons in the > > universe is smaller, about 10^80. > > If you squashed the universe flat, it would form a > > sheet about one proton > > thick. > > > > But I am also pointing out a coincidence (or not) of > > physics. But you will > > note that the volume of the universe is proportional > > to T^3, not T^2, so if > > the relation is not a coincidence, then either the > > properties of the proton or > > one of the other physical constants would not be > > constant. > > > > And BTW I agree that we cannot prove or disprove > > that the universe is a > > simulation. > > > > > > -- Matt Mahoney, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- Matt Mahoney, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- This list is sponsored by AGIRI: http://www.agiri.org/email To unsubscribe or change your options, please go to: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?list_id=11983
