Multiverse or Singleverse?!

[TankAss95]

The theory of a multiverse is often seen as a solution to quantum mechanics, and would possibly lead scientists to finding a so called 'Theory of Everything' (TOE).
The concept is impressive, the idea of an infinite number of parallel universes is mind boggling, but is it just science fiction? Even more, can it be proven?

So, what do you think?

 

[Famine]

The multiverse theory may be dressed up in scientific language, but in essence it requires the same leap of faith.

I think that this sentence is bollocks.

If it can be tested, it doesn't require the "faith" that a defined-as-untestable "Creator" does.

 

[homeforsummer]

So, what do you think?

I think that these sort of questions are certainly interesting ones, but would be better approached with an open mind, than loaded with a "but I believe in God anyway so none of this is really possible"-type overtone.

Asking questions: Brilliant
Asking questions hoping for a non-answer that somehow "proves" the existence of a deity: Not so good

 

[TankAss95]

I think that this sentence is bollocks.

If it can be tested, it doesn't require the "faith" that a defined-as-untestable "Creator" does.

I agree, but I just thought the paragraph would be suitable for an example of skepticism.

EDIT: @homeforsummer:
At no point do I want to mix up or use this thread as an advantage for my argument in the God thread, I'm honestly interested and would like to hear some opinions.

If you guys think the quote should be removed, just say. 👍

 

[homeforsummer]

The question would appear less "loaded" sans quote.

As it is, the first post reads a bit like "Does the multiverse exist... QUOTE SAYS NO... what do you think?..."

 

[TankAss95]

The question would appear less "loaded" sans quote.

As it is, the first post reads a bit like "Does the multiverse exist... QUOTE SAYS NO... what do you think?..."

Okay, corrected.

 

[Ibonibo]

I ask Superman next time he's around.

/sarcasm

I just entered to say the opposite of a multiverse is uni-verse not singleverse. Uni is latin and is the combined word of unus, which means one.

But as I am in, how do you see multiverses. Already conceived verses or does a verse beeing created by every possiblity that we have not taken in this verse?

 

[Dotini]

There is a line of thinking (perhaps now old-fashioned) that demands there must be multiple universes. This is because the present universe we are in appears fine-tuned (i.e., not random). But the present universe becomes random once again if we accept that there are many other universes without fine-tuning to numerically counterbalance against our universe that is, as our luck would have it, fine-tuned.

At least, that was an argument going around a few years ago among Stephen Hawking followers, as I recall.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve

 

[PeterJB]

I see no reason why their shouldn't be many universes, but I doubt their is a infinite amount of them. If they are all expanding, then they are filling an empty void. This empty void must eventually have it's limits, but then that begs the question of what lies beyond those boundaries? Another form of nothingness? It makes my head hurt.

 

[Exorcet]

I see no reason why their shouldn't be many universes, but I doubt their is a infinite amount of them. If they are all expanding, then they are filling an empty void. This empty void must eventually have it's limits, but then that begs the question of what lies beyond those boundaries? Another form of nothingness? It makes my head hurt.

Well the void could just be infinite, though in reality the universes would be independent from each other, each one a point in the multi-dimensional reality. They could not crash into each other.

The first four dimensions (space and time) are divided into an infinite number of points in the fifth dimension.

On the original question, multiverse makes sense to me, especially considering the evidence backing it up from quantum mechanics. I wonder if eventually we'll prove it to exist and people will buy their own universes. "Get off my supercluster".

 

[TankAss95]

I see no reason why their shouldn't be many universes, but I doubt their is a infinite amount of them. If they are all expanding, then they are filling an empty void. This empty void must eventually have it's limits, but then that begs the question of what lies beyond those boundaries? Another form of nothingness? It makes my head hurt.

Yeah, infinite is a hard concept, and I doubt any human mind will ever comprehend it.
In mathematics, infinity is acceptable as a concept. In physics, infinity is a nightmare .

 

[Liquid]

We don't know if there are multiple universes and what their proximity to ours is. At the moment we just don't. Some people will spend their whole lives trying to figure it out and all the best to them.

I think it would be somewhat arrogant to rule out the possibility of other verses. It may be a Duoverse or a Triverse or Polyverses.

I certainly think it's plausible. It is not something I have a 100% concrete confirmed belief in, but it could happen. I don't see any good reasons why not.

 

[DK]

I think that there are multiple universes, each with differing laws of physics - ours happens to be one of those which allow life to adapt to its laws of physics.

 

[Negrumir]

Define Universe.

'Cause as far as I can see, it means "All matter energy and space."
If it includes everything, how does that leave anything out?

I mean, the universe as we know is essentially the space containing all that we can observe right? But we also know that there are things we can't currently observe with our technology; those current unknowns are still part of the universe though.

Now if you think of multiple universes like in comic books or whatever (for example), how can an alternate reality be defined as not of the same universe? Any another "universe" is still space, energy, and matter. How would a certain collection of matter be not part of "all matter?"

Just my thoughts.

Not to say there couldn't be alternate existences, but I wouldn't call them Universes as that just means "everything."
Multiverses, sure. Universes, no.

 

[Liquid]

Define Universe.

'Cause as far as I can see, it means "All matter energy and space."
If it includes everything, how does that leave anything out?

Imagine what the native Americans thought about how far the land stretched. There were lands far beyond their own borders across what was seemingly infinite water. (i.e. Europe and so on). But I bet they never thought about it or considered it possible.

Just because it's as far as we can see, doesn't mean that there is nothing beyond it.

Not to say there couldn't be alternate existences, but I wouldn't call them Universes as that just means "everything."
Multiverses, sure. Universes, no.

Using the same analogy, that would be like calling all the land on Earth by the same thing.

Just because we call it the Universe and think that everything is inside it, doesn't make it strictly true.

 

[Negrumir]

Imagine what the native Americans thought about how far the land stretched. There were lands far beyond their own borders across what was seemingly infinite water. (i.e. Europe and so on). But I bet they never thought about it or considered it possible.

Just because it's as far as we can see, doesn't mean that there is nothing beyond it.



Using the same analogy, that would be like calling all the land on Earth by the same thing.

Well, I said exactly that a little later in the post.

Just because we don't know it exists, doesn't mean it's not included under "everything."

The point of my post was that "Universe" by definition, means "everything." You can't have more than everything or multiple "everythings."

A different word should be used is all. (Not to say most people aren't using more accurate wordage.)

 

[Liquid]

I see your point.

It's an interesting question. I haven't voted in the poll because I'm undecided. I think we do live in a Uni-verse, but I won't discount the possibility of other verses.

Finite or Infinite? Unsure. It's more feasible to suggest a finite universe, but again, I just don't think we can discount the possibility of infinity. It could just be something that we can't comprehend.

 

[Baron Blitz Red]

It's always going to be hard to give an answer to this question because the definition of the word is ever-evolving right along with our understanding. I doubt very much the word universe has the same meaning now as it did when first thought up. The spirit of the word might be the same, but the actual meaning... I'm not so sure. It tries to define what may not be definable. A limit to what might be limitless.

(If you follow my point of view, you will never have a true definition, because that implies something is finite)

With all the concepts of alternate realities, multiple dimensions, planes of existance (and the list goes on) floating around... it may come down to the concept of a universe might just be as laughable as falling off the edge of the world.

 

[Exorcet]

The usage of the word is already well ingrained. Making new words for universe/multiverse would probably go as well as officially changing the English word for pants to uthkanga.

how can an alternate reality be defined as not of the same universe?

Well, QM says that two universes could have been the same universe before a specific event where they split. This is reason why I find uni/multiverse more than adequate as terms.

If you think about, the [word] "universe" you're looking for already exists. Existence, as in all existence. Or reality.

 

[TankAss95]

The reason why I used singleverse as the title was because I wanted to separate it clearly from the multiverse to stop confusion. Should I change 'singleverse' with just 'universe' then?

Sorry for inconvenience.

 

[Recon]

I had just ordered a book called "Imagining the Tenth Dimension" but I haven't started reading it yet. Well I have, but there's a video describing the part I read.
And I'm still wrapping my head around the 6th dimension.

I've been thinking about the 5th dimension though, all possible timelines existing in what is considered the "Possible Space" dimension. When the word infinity comes up, I think of not only the general choices, like choosing to outside or not, but very impossible differences like sitting 1 nanometer to the left, or 1 nanometer to the right. Combined with all possible combinations, it almost is an infinity, or a very very very very big number.

But to think that there are multiple infinities?!?!? Too much to think about.

 

[DK]

^ I think I heard of a mathematician who went insane trying to get his head around infinity. I'd hate to imagine him if he were to hear of BT's broadband packages these days.

 

[Lain]

Regarding the whole issue of the meaning of the word "universe", that's just semantics. You don't bitch about the word "atom" even though it comes from the Greek word atomos, which means unsplittable... something we now know can be done. Likewise, what we think about when we hear the word "universe" (space and the matter in it) may not truly be everything that exists.

I think you knew what was meant though, so just answer the question. And if you didn't know what was meant, here's the question reworded to avoid the semantic issues with the word "universe": Do you think that what we know as the universe is actually all there is, or do you believe it's only one "bubble" and that there are bubbles outside of it with different properties?

I personally am more inclined to believe the concept of the multiverse, but really there's no evidence to substantiate the belief yet. Likewise, there's no evidence to prove a single universe. It's not something you can just assume based on what we see (or rather, what we don't see), as history has shown that we've been laughably ignorant in the past due to our unquestioning faith in our very limited vantage point into reality.

 

[Slash]

I believe there is one universe that is still expanding, but I don't know what is beyond that.

 

[Strittan]

Yeah, infinite is a hard concept, and I doubt any human mind will ever comprehend it.
In mathematics, infinity is acceptable as a concept. In physics, infinity is a nightmare .

Infinity is logical. Please, don't tell me you don't believe in infinity?

 

[Liquid]

Yeah, infinite is a hard concept, and I doubt any human mind will ever comprehend it.

A hypothetical example, but a comprehendable example; A monkey tapping away at a typewriter will eventually reproduce the complete works of Shakespeare.

 

[jcm]

A hypothetical example, but a comprehendable example; A monkey tapping away at a typewriter will eventually reproduce the complete works of Shakespeare.

That would be awesome, he could also potentially do my homework for me

 

[TankAss95]

Infinity is logical. Please, don't tell me you don't believe in infinity?

1. I never said infinity wasn't logical.
2. I never said I didn't believe in infinity.

Infinity is actually acceptable in mathematics. Textbooks have been written about it, but... I'm no mathematician.

The reason we find infinity so hard to understand is because our minds are used to finite. The best thing to do to imagine infinity is to think of the largest number you can. I'd recommend anyone interested to look up 'Graham's number' if they are interested.

 

[Baron Blitz Red]

Another number if you'd like... The estimated size of the universe is 930 Yottameter (approx. 93,000,000,000 light years). Convert that into Yoctometers...

There's a number for ya...

Have a good one

 

[Strittan]

The reason we find infinity so hard to understand is because our minds are used to finite. The best thing to do to imagine infinity is to think of the largest number you can. I'd recommend anyone interested to look up 'Graham's number' if they are interested.

Please, don't say "we" when you speak for yourself.