An Alternative to Evolution: Expounded Upon (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Sunday, August 12, 2018, 00:55 (2082 days ago) @ David Turell

Tony: The greater organism would likely contain a correspondingly greater intelligence. This should be evident by a greater degree of agency, in some form or fashion. We do not know what form this greater agency would be.

If the planet is a living organism, how can we detect it? By what measure does the bacteria judge the human? As to whether the universe is quantum computing, that is unknown and unknowable. We would first need to establish whether a) the universe could think, or b)there were some 'mechanical' function that was constantly crunching numbers.

David: The universe is said to have 10^80 particles, which follow quantum mechanics laws. The realm of Quantum Reality undergirds the physical reality of the universe.

Tony: Of that there is no doubt. My comments are in regard to the idea that a) the universe is 'quantum computing'. This implies action, either intelligent or mechanical. I am curious as to which he means, because the answer defines whether he sees the universe as a 'living' thing, or a machine.

Tony: Scaling

If quanta communities form quarks, and quark communities form atoms, and atom communities form molecules, and molecular communities form cells, then cell communities form multi-cellular life. This brings us to humanity, plants and animals, but what beyond that? Communities, towns, cities, states, etc? What about the next step up from us?

The logical answer is that multi-cellular life is to a planetary host what bateria are to humans. In turn, the planets to the solar systems, solar systems to the galaxy, galaxy to the universe, and we have no clue what lies beyond that. It could very well be that our universe has the universal equivalent of a cellular membrane (background radiation) that prevents us from seeing out beyond it. It is entirely possible that it regresses infinitely in either direction. We will likely not know in our lifetime, if humanity ever learns the answer.

David: If spacetime is expanding from a Big Bang, it must have a boundary with the nothingness into which is is enlarging. But we cannot reach it if the theory is correct that spacetime curves back on itself.

Tony: Again correct. However, there is no way of knowing if there are more than four dimensions, ones that can only be observed at particular scales.

David: Multiple dimensions are math games in my view. I don't think string theory is going anywhere along with Woit and Smolin.

X,Y,Z and Time are not math games, and quantum physics offers some interesting possibilities through superposition and entanglement. If time and space have no meaning to entangled particles, since changes can happen instantly between two particles regardless of spatial difference, how do we describe the path of communication between them? How is the informational change getting from point A to B?

I am not interested in string theory, nor am I talking about it. However, it is scientifically observable that we humans are not capable of what electrons are. Why is it such a stretch to think that at a similar differences of scale (electrons are to humans as humans are to the universe) that there might be options available at one end of the scale that are not available or accessible to objects at the other end of the scale?

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.