Mental experiment

[swords]

schrodinger's ceiling cat.
I can haz 50% chance of death.

 

[Dukat]

I guess we would have to go into what defines "existing", just to clear it a bit.

As it is possible, even if very very unlikely, that things fade in and out, it couldn't be proved and that's the problem, as you said. Heck, it's as likely to prove then to disprove it as you can't really observe something that can't be observed

If e define that the ceiling exists only if someone looks, sees, feels, hears, etc, it, then isn't it valid to say it doesn't exist if it's not seen/heard etc?

We're getting into semantics now; by that logic everything could turn into giant slices of bacon every time we turn our back on it, but we'd never know because it changes back whenever we turn around again.

This sort of thoery is valid, but its also essentially pointless because it doesnt affect us and by its own laws states that it cant possibly affect us, no matter what. I admit its possible, but even if it is true, it doesnt - and cant ever - change anything in our observable world, so whats the point in theorising about it?

 

[old.Tohtori]

We're getting into semantics now; by that logic everything could turn into giant slices of bacon every time we turn our back on it, but we'd never know because it changes back whenever we turn around again.

This sort of thoery is valid, but its also essentially pointless because it doesnt affect us and by its own laws states that it cant possibly affect us, no matter what. I admit its possible, but even if it is true, it doesnt - and cant ever - change anything in our observable world, so whats the point in theorising about it?

Because it's interesting to think about it, and if by some miraculous wonder of the seven worlds of Narkcha prime, you were able to go around this, you'd basically control everything.

Also, if it was true, it would change the perception of "world around us" to "world because of us".

 

[swords]

Imagine what the world would be like if everybody thought like that?
''What's the point in seeing if there is anything past those mountains over there, we have everything we need in this cave right here.''
We'd know bugger all about the world and we'd know bugger all about what we could achieve.

One good point I should make is that thinking in absolutes is always a mistake. Think in terms of probability, things can be highly unlikely but you can never prove the negative. So it is highly improbably that everything turns to bacon when you aren't looking, but it could still happen!

 

[tris-]

things only exist because its the most likely result, same for why anything happens at all ever.

things dont turn to bacon because its not the most probable event, otherwise it would be happening already,

if things didnt exist just because you cant see them, what about blind people?

 

[Olgaline]

I've thought up the perfect test for this.

Here's what you do

1. Go find a wall,
2. Close your eyes as suggested,
3. take 10 steps back
4 Now run as hard as you can towards where the wall was before you closed your eyes
5. Conclusion ? or should we maybe say concussion ?

 

[swords]

things only exist because its the most likely result, same for why anything happens at all ever.

things dont turn to bacon because its not the most probable event, otherwise it would be happening already,

if things didnt exist just because you cant see them, what about blind people?

Probabilities can and do shift you know, it might not be happening now but how can you know it hasn't already happened once somewhere or will happen once somewhere?
You fit into category 3 with a little dash of 5 I think.

 

[old.Tohtori]

I've thought up the perfect test for this.

Here's what you do

1. Go find a wall,
2. Close your eyes as suggested,
3. take 10 steps back
4 Now run as hard as you can towards where the wall was before you closed your eyes
5. Conclusion ? or should we maybe say concussion ?

That would prove that the wall exists when you feel it

Unless you hit your head real hard, hit it again when it bounces off the floor and forget what a "wall" is, or who you are, or where you stashed your porn...well that would mean death really.

 

[tris-]

Probabilities can and do shift you know, it might not be happening now but how can you know it hasn't already happened once somewhere or will happen once somewhere?
You fit into category 3 with a little dash of 5 I think.

so what about blind people then, they cant see anything. surely everything should be slices of bacon floating about?

and are you suggesting the probabilities in the universe shift so greatly that something can spontaneously turn to bacon?!

 

[swords]

Wow Tris, you completely missed the entire point.

 

[Shagrat]

The ceiling better still be there when I close my eyes, or all the bodies I've stashed up there will fall on me when I go to sleep

 

[tris-]

Wow Tris, you completely missed the entire point.

what point?

 

[swords]

The interesting part of asking a question like that isn't the answer per se but more what other questions or insights you can glean from trying to answer the question. It also tells you alot about how different people percieve and understand their reality. You can then inquire as to why such differences occur?

 

[gohan]

ofc its thier or id be cold and wet ..... NOOOOOOBS