Martin Rees On The Multiverse, Scientific Research & Reality

There's an interesting piece by Martin Rees about the nature of the Uni/Multiverse, as well as some of the underlying mechanics. Also, a good bit on the nature of scientific research. You can get the text or the Real version. Good stuff.

Comments

Real audio

[fredrikj]

You can get the text or the Real version. Good stuff.

Great, except that the odds of getting meaningful sound out of the noise in .ram files are worse than those of finding alien signals in the SETI@Home project.

(OT, it's great to have karma to burn)

Re:Real audio

[product byproduct]

[Morpheus] What's Real? Real is an audio codec designed to blind you from the truth.
[Neo] What truth?
[Morpheus] The text version is better.

Theory of Doughnut shaped universe

[someguy456]

Your theory of a donut-shaped universe is intriguing, Homer. I may have to steal it.

Multiverse theories scientific?

[Dale Dunn]

What is the basis for multiverse theories? Is there anything in observed physics to indicate their possible existence? Is there any data pointing to a multiverse other than the fact that the idea of existence having a finite beginning is "philosophically repugnant".

If multiverse theories are based on philosophical preference rather than observed data, are not multiverse theories then properly classified as philosophical or metaphysical rather than scientific? Is there any conceivable test that could prove the existence of another universe? If not, then it seems multiverse theories should be published in philosophical journals, and certainly should not be classified as scientific, since science can neither prove nor disprove them.

This author may be a brilliant scientist, but I think we should keep in mind that he's speculating outside the realm of science.

Info about dark matter and extra dimensions

[zaneIO]

Here is some info about dark matter and extra dimensions.

Re:I thought this was interesting

[Dale Dunn]

Well, until a multiverse theory has actualy observational data pointing to it, perhaps it should stay restrained to sci-fi and comic books.

I'm not aware of any widely accepted theory that says we can make observations to prove or disprove any multiverse theory, so it hardly seems logical to classify them as scientific. SciAm should know better, or at least admit that the article is philosophical speculation, and not scientific.

Re:More universes than atoms

[feepness]

Note the bolded part of this quote... there could be a multiverse where most slashdotters have sex on a regular basis.! The best news geeks have ever heard!

Yes, but equally frightening is that _this_ could be the universe where slashdotters have the most sex!

Whats wrong with you?

[m4g02]

Don't encourage idiots...
I hate to say that such things shouldn't be written, but they may actually do more harm than good

Elitist crap. Its ok if people dont understand now what he is saying, they dont need to, a lot of persons reading such an strange theory (to current common knowledge) is enough to do good for civilization. Is not like they are going to be in charge of a nuclear reactor, so why in the first place are you whining?, this kind of "for common folks" inspired documents are good to introduce ideas to the base culture, maybe it wont be undertood until 2050, but thanks to documents like this, that little by little introduce new ideas, it will be undertood some day.

So, without prolonging more this stupid thread of yours, my guess is that you think you are way too special with your selfish elitist crap.

Re:Don't encourage idiots...

[Anonymous Coward]

"I'll bet that over 50% of the comments for this article will be pseudo-intellectuals espousing their retarded theories, misinformation, and other general stupidity... "
Guess which side of that 50% fence your comment is on! bwhahahahaaaa!