Programming the Universe (Humans)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Wednesday, January 06, 2010, 00:46 (5227 days ago)

As I'm almost done reading this fascinating layman's introduction to quantum computing, I think this is a good place to continue some of the discussion I began in the "Origins" thread. -Lloyd discusses that the problem with looking at the universe simply as a mechanical machine--the paradigm that has been in effect for nearly 300 years--leaves a vast problem of complexity. How does complexity arise? -His answer lies in modifying the paradigm: The Universe is a machine that processes information. So what, one might ask? -Chance has reared its head continually in this public forum, but no one has addressed the fact that Quantum science is 100% "chancy." Running the equations that describe the universe, random quantum fluctuations actually describe parts of the early universe that would eventually turn into matter.-[At this point I leave Seth Lloyd's book alone, though this thinking is based on his perspective.] 
I've touched briefly before about Chaos theory; it's a misnamed subset of physics and mathematics, but in essence what it describes is how very small perturbations are amplified over time until they are grossly complicated. The major success of this theory has been in giving us a mathematical language that accurately describes features of both life and nature that didn't exist with calculus alone. Chaos theory IS the butterfly effect--it was this theory that coined that highly popular term. -The answer to the chance question, is as I said at the outset--probably not a valid question. The reason is that because quantum phenomenon are resolutely chancy in nature, chance describes about damn near everything in our universe--in short, chance is a tautology as it underlines the very fabric of our universe. The reason that so many in the physical sciences end up atheists, I feel is because of this fact--a fact that has been confirmed by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of experiments over the past 100 years. (Quantum physics was hotly contested.) To an atheist, quantum theory is experimental evidence that the very fabric of our cosmos IS an expression of chance, and since this chance accurately describes the fabric of our cosmos, then all things were created "by chance." I put that in quotes, because the simplistic properties of the universe at the quantum level are actually somewhat deterministic. -Rest assured David--this does not challenge your faith beyond taking away a weapon from everyone on the field. Not for those of us that refuse to rest upon inference alone, at least! -[Back to Lloyd]

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"