OT: An Existential Dilemma

[Tris]

I'm no expert either, I just enjoy sounding like one :-)

Ok, the thing about the die roll and probability is that we don't know what effect the small influences will have. If we knew exactly how the die was rolled, a decent computer could calculate what it would land on every time. Probability says "When you roll an unbiased D6, you have a 16% chance of getting each result" Actually, if you roll it exactly the same way, you will get exactly the same result, it's just you can't determine the starting conditions perfectly, so it seems probabalistic, rather than determanistic.

As far as existential questions go, I think perhaps you can use probability. Here goes:

"I am the only person other than you on this forum"

> I am impersonating everyone else.
> All other posters have distinct personalities
> To create such a number of posters with distinct personalities accurately, I would have to be very clever. In fact I would need to be X clever.
> The average IQ is 100. IQ is a bell curve with set varience.
> Using this curve, and the worlds total population we can see that there are likely to be 5 people in the world clever enough
> The chance of one of these people spending all their time posting on a dominions 2 forum is 0.001%, given that there are Z other forums, and at least 2 of those people are enlightened Zen Buddists who live solitary lives of contemplation.
>The chance of me being the only other person on this forum other than you is 0.001%, from your point of view.

Of course, from mine it is different, as I have different information

Tris (who has exactly 0 idea why he bothered writing that...)

[Zapmeister]

Originally posted by Tris:
As far as existential questions go, I think perhaps you can use probability. Here goes:

Heck, there's no way I'm arguing with this.
You win

[Tris]

If anyone wants to buy my new Book, "Winning by making stuff up (how long words can make YOU seem intelligent)" please contact me on
0800 SUCKERS

[Maltrease]

I called that number they didn't know any Tris or anything about your book.

I think you made that up.

However I did win a free vacation, all I had to do was send them $400 cash as a deposit. Cool deal!

[guybrush threepwood]

Originally posted by Tris:
Ok, the thing about the die roll and probability is that we don't know what effect the small influences will have. If we knew exactly how the die was rolled, a decent computer could calculate what it would land on every time. Probability says "When you roll an unbiased D6, you have a 16% chance of getting each result" Actually, if you roll it exactly the same way, you will get exactly the same result, it's just you can't determine the starting conditions perfectly, so it seems probabalistic, rather than determanistic.

Actually, taken to the limit this deterministic picture of the rolling dice is not really true either due to the ways of quantum mechanics. Of course, quantum mechanics and existentialistic discussions is a whole other can of worms...

[Stormbinder]

Originally posted by Zapmeister:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tris:
As far as existential questions go, I think perhaps you can use probability. Here goes:

Heck, there's no way I'm arguing with this.
You win

---

Heh.

On the more serious note take the existential question related to the existance of atoms of quickly decaying radioactive element inside of the well isolated box where it was placed in any particular moment.

The nuclear physicist, given all appropriate data, can calculate the exact probabilities to this existantial question.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by guybrush threepwood:
Actually, taken to the limit this deterministic picture of the rolling dice is not really true either due to the ways of quantum mechanics. Of course, quantum mechanics and existentialistic discussions is a whole other can of worms...

Totally. It undid the big bang, AND all the arguments used to "debunk" just about anything religious or supernatural. FUN fun fun.