This is reposted essentially as is from sci.physics etc. Now, I wonder
if "logic" can provide any interesting insights into the problem:
Here's my humorous take on science and politics, modified from my recent
posts to NG alt.fan.rawilson and Backreaction blog:
My subtle quantum psi powers* tell me that the LHC did indeed "destroy
the world" last week, but it doesn't matter anyway ...!? "The" world
didn't get destroyed because there are so many of them according to the
Everett-DeWitt "many worlds" theory of quantum mechanics. In the MW
theory, each instance of random possibility branches into entire new
universes expressing every option. (Like, whether Schrödinger's cat dies
or not at any given moment. BTW don't let decoherence sophists take the
mystery away.)
For example, suppose that the chance of LHC experiments to date
destroying the Earth is about 99.99%. You're ordinarily inclined to say,
"we" probably wouldn't have made it. (That's a unique "we" in one
universe, as conventionally imagined.) But suppose E-DW MW is true, and
me and readers of this post are just in a multiverse branch that
survived! The LHC may have already destroyed most Earths and "we" can't
tell the difference!
("Quantum suicide" [hint - you survive the attempt!]):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_suicide_and_immortality)
(* inside joke, including the asterisk)
Here's something you can try: set up a "cat" type arrangement to kill
you if McCain/Palin win the election, but leave you fully intact if they
lose (put aside recount scandals, heh.) Hence, even if they have a 99%
or whatever chance of winning, "you" (well, those versions of you that
get through) will survive and be able to enjoy an Obama-Biden
administration! Modify for any situation you don't want to put up with,
like today's big financial meltdown! You can even ensure you win the
lottery, etc.! Isn't that cool?!
The genuine logical problems for scientific method, expectation issues,
etc. in this regard mean that maybe MW is BS after all ...But a man, or
woman, can dream; or what's a heaven or multiple worlds for?
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