Hardest questions to answer

[zeebo]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

[21st Century Man]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

An infinite one is harder to imagine but more believable than a finite one.

[(Sandman) Logan-5]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

[starrmtn001]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

For me, a finite.  I want to know what's beyond the boundary.

[zeebo]

For me, a finite.  I want to know what's beyond the boundary.

Aha, me too.  See at first I'd think the infinite one would be harder to imagine.  But then there's always that tricky part with a finite universe - What's 'outside' of it? 

[Lilith]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

zeebo, you KNOW I can't "think" when I'm at bellgab. 

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

I've given considerable thought to both, and all I can say is that it's one of the reasons I quit dropping acid years ago.

[Lilith]

It's a tough question. It's difficult for our minds to imagine anything finite, that is not contained within something else that could be either finite or infinite. My "ultimate" answer is "I don't know".

Neither is easier for me to imagine.

[Rix Gins]

Here's one, to start things off:  Which is harder to imagine ... A finite universe, or an infinite one?  Think about it.

If you head out far enough into space you will come across a massive brick wall.  Congratulations, you have just traversed the finite universe.  What's on the other side of the wall?  The infinite universe, of course. 

[starrmtn001]

If you head out far enough into space you will come across a massive brick wall.  Congratulations, you have just traversed the finite universe.  What's on the other side of the wall?  The infinite universe, of course.

Well!  Imagine that. :

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

If you head out far enough into space you will come across a massive brick wall.  Congratulations, you have just traversed the finite universe.  What's on the other side of the wall?  The infinite universe, of course.

But what would happen if the people who thought they were living in the infinite universe encountered the wall from the other side? And who paid for the wall? This is why I don't regret giving up LSD.

[Rix Gins]

But what would happen if the people who thought they were living in the infinite universe encountered the wall from the other side? And who paid for the wall? This is why I don't regret giving up LSD.

You assume that there are people on the other side of the wall.  There might very well be gods there.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

You assume that there are people on the other side of the wall.  There might very well be gods there.

Fair enough, and they might be giants, too, but the wall would still be there. I think. 

[starrmtn001]

You assume that there are people on the other side of the wall.  There might very well be gods there.

Pink Floyd.

[zeebo]

If I took one of your atoms away for a minute, then slipped it back where it was before, we can agree you'd still be you, right?  Now what if I blasted apart all your atoms at once, then painstakingly recombined them back perfectly as they were.  Still you?

[Taaroa]

If I took one of your atoms away for a minute, then slipped it back where it was before, we can agree you'd still be you, right?  Now what if I blasted apart all your atoms at once, then painstakingly recombined them back perfectly as they were.  Still you?

This type of question makes me think I wouldn't use the transporters in Star Trek.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

If I took one of your atoms away for a minute, then slipped it back where it was before, we can agree you'd still be you, right?  Now what if I blasted apart all your atoms at once, then painstakingly recombined them back perfectly as they were.  Still you?

Would that be in the finite or infinite universe?

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

This type of question makes me think I wouldn't use the transporters in Star Trek.

That was my first thought, because there's always the chance something like this could happen.

[zeebo]

Would that be in the finite or infinite universe?

Not a big deal perhaps in an infinite universe since there'd probably be plenty of you's out there already.   

[Taaroa]

That was my first thought, because there's always the chance something like this could happen.

They kill you when they're working properly, and much worse when they aren't.

[Dr. MD MD]

But what would happen if the people who thought they were living in the infinite universe encountered the wall from the other side? And who paid for the wall? This is why I don't regret giving up LSD.

Having read many of your post I heartily recommend taking it up again. 

[TigerLily]

They kill you when they're working properly, and much worse when they aren't.

Brundlefly

[Ciardelo]

You assume that there are people on the other side of the wall.  There might very well be gods there.

All I know is they ain't gonna trick me out of my starship!

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

Brundlefly

That was my second thought, except I imagined it with Kirk and more like original version, ending with housefly Kirk stuck in the spider web desperately squeaking, "Help me, Spock."

[TigerLily]

That was my second thought, except I imagined it with Kirk and more like original version, ending with housefly Kirk stuck in the spider web desperately squeaking, "Help me, Spock."

Lo tech

[zeebo]

If it meant you could live another few hundred years, would you have your brain transplanted into a robot body?  What about going further and having your consciousness downloaded into a computer?  Would you still be 'you'?  Would it matter?

[WhiteCrow]

If it meant you could live another few hundred years, would you have your brain transplanted into a robot body?  What about going further and having your consciousness downloaded into a computer?  Would you still be 'you'?  Would it matter?

It would "matter"  if I count all the grains of sand on all the beaches in the world. "One" needs a sense of importance to a "you"

"One"

[Taaroa]

If it meant you could live another few hundred years, would you have your brain transplanted into a robot body? 

Sure, Deus Ex and Ghost in the Shell can't come soon enough. The question reminds me of this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo9hqmkEfEY

[whoozit]

Does this dress make me look fat?  Maybe more damned whatever you say than hard to answer.

[ponyboysunset]

I like to think of the universe as infinite. I also like to indulge the string theory regarding other universes. Maybe we don't die and just go to another universe like in The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Who knows?