• Re: Sabine Hossenfleder reports on a study that finds that the universe

    From Ernest Major@21:1/5 to John Harshman on Mon Nov 25 10:51:47 2024
    On 24/11/2024 21:40, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/24/24 8:44 AM, Ernest Major wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzV7zdl4oU

    Interesting paper, but I find her delivery annoying. It seems that we're supposed to like a scientific result to the extent that it argues
    against a theory she dislikes for unexplained reasons. And why does a
    lack of fine-tuning argue against a multiverse anyway?


    I think that the argument is that in a multiverse the majority of
    observers exist in universes that are "fine tuned" for the existence of observers, and therefore if you pick an observer at random it is
    unlikely that it will be in a universe which is not fine tuned. That we
    find ourselves in a universe that it not fine tuned (at least according
    to the reviewed paper) is contrary to the expectations of a theory incorporating multiverses. But I saw no quantification of how unlikely
    this observation is, and regardless I'm cautious of drawing statistical conclusions from samples of one.

    --
    alias Ernest Major

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  • From Bob Casanova@21:1/5 to All on Mon Nov 25 08:05:51 2024
    On Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:51:47 +0000, the following appeared
    in talk.origins, posted by Ernest Major
    <{$to$}@meden.demon.co.uk>:

    On 24/11/2024 21:40, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/24/24 8:44 AM, Ernest Major wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzV7zdl4oU

    Interesting paper, but I find her delivery annoying. It seems that we're
    supposed to like a scientific result to the extent that it argues
    against a theory she dislikes for unexplained reasons. And why does a
    lack of fine-tuning argue against a multiverse anyway?


    I think that the argument is that in a multiverse the majority of
    observers exist in universes that are "fine tuned" for the existence of >observers, and therefore if you pick an observer at random it is
    unlikely that it will be in a universe which is not fine tuned. That we
    find ourselves in a universe that it not fine tuned (at least according
    to the reviewed paper) is contrary to the expectations of a theory >incorporating multiverses. But I saw no quantification of how unlikely
    this observation is, and regardless I'm cautious of drawing statistical >conclusions from samples of one.

    Same here. But at bottom, this whole debate still seems to
    me to be in the nature of "Look how perfectly that hole fits
    the water in it!". And exactly what constitutes "finely
    tuned"? If it means that we *know* what are the optimum
    values for various constants (which I doubt), fine, but if
    all it means, as it seems to, is "allows the universe and
    life to exist in the form we observe" it seems like
    navel-gazing; perhaps interesting in a late-night-with-beer
    dorm discussion, but with no realistic expectation of
    resolution.

    --

    Bob C.

    "The most exciting phrase to hear in science,
    the one that heralds new discoveries, is not
    'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'"

    - Isaac Asimov

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  • From J. J. Lodder@21:1/5 to Bob Casanova on Tue Nov 26 10:25:51 2024
    Bob Casanova <nospam@buzz.off> wrote:

    On Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:51:47 +0000, the following appeared
    in talk.origins, posted by Ernest Major
    <{$to$}@meden.demon.co.uk>:

    On 24/11/2024 21:40, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/24/24 8:44 AM, Ernest Major wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzV7zdl4oU

    Interesting paper, but I find her delivery annoying. It seems that we're >> supposed to like a scientific result to the extent that it argues
    against a theory she dislikes for unexplained reasons. And why does a
    lack of fine-tuning argue against a multiverse anyway?


    I think that the argument is that in a multiverse the majority of
    observers exist in universes that are "fine tuned" for the existence of >observers, and therefore if you pick an observer at random it is
    unlikely that it will be in a universe which is not fine tuned. That we >find ourselves in a universe that it not fine tuned (at least according
    to the reviewed paper) is contrary to the expectations of a theory >incorporating multiverses. But I saw no quantification of how unlikely
    this observation is, and regardless I'm cautious of drawing statistical >conclusions from samples of one.

    Same here. But at bottom, this whole debate still seems to
    me to be in the nature of "Look how perfectly that hole fits
    the water in it!".

    Yes, precisely.
    God made the grass green because that colour
    is the most pleasant on our eyes.

    And exactly what constitutes "finely
    tuned"? If it means that we *know* what are the optimum
    values for various constants (which I doubt), fine, but if
    all it means, as it seems to, is "allows the universe and
    life to exist in the form we observe" it seems like
    navel-gazing; perhaps interesting in a late-night-with-beer
    dorm discussion, but with no realistic expectation of
    resolution.

    As long as we don't have the faintest idea
    of why those constants have the values they have
    we have also no idea if there is anything to 'tune',
    or even of what 'tuning' might mean.

    It is empty talk for IDiots with nothing better to do.
    The constants are what they are observed to be,
    and that's it, for the time being,

    Jan

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  • From Bob Casanova@21:1/5 to All on Tue Nov 26 07:54:53 2024
    On Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:25:51 +0100, the following appeared
    in talk.origins, posted by nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J.
    Lodder):

    Bob Casanova <nospam@buzz.off> wrote:

    On Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:51:47 +0000, the following appeared
    in talk.origins, posted by Ernest Major
    <{$to$}@meden.demon.co.uk>:

    On 24/11/2024 21:40, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/24/24 8:44 AM, Ernest Major wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzV7zdl4oU

    Interesting paper, but I find her delivery annoying. It seems that we're >> >> supposed to like a scientific result to the extent that it argues
    against a theory she dislikes for unexplained reasons. And why does a
    lack of fine-tuning argue against a multiverse anyway?


    I think that the argument is that in a multiverse the majority of
    observers exist in universes that are "fine tuned" for the existence of
    observers, and therefore if you pick an observer at random it is
    unlikely that it will be in a universe which is not fine tuned. That we
    find ourselves in a universe that it not fine tuned (at least according
    to the reviewed paper) is contrary to the expectations of a theory
    incorporating multiverses. But I saw no quantification of how unlikely
    this observation is, and regardless I'm cautious of drawing statistical
    conclusions from samples of one.

    Same here. But at bottom, this whole debate still seems to
    me to be in the nature of "Look how perfectly that hole fits
    the water in it!".

    Yes, precisely.
    God made the grass green because that colour
    is the most pleasant on our eyes.

    And set the constants so as to create a pleasantly blue sky.

    And exactly what constitutes "finely
    tuned"? If it means that we *know* what are the optimum
    values for various constants (which I doubt), fine, but if
    all it means, as it seems to, is "allows the universe and
    life to exist in the form we observe" it seems like
    navel-gazing; perhaps interesting in a late-night-with-beer
    dorm discussion, but with no realistic expectation of
    resolution.

    As long as we don't have the faintest idea
    of why those constants have the values they have
    we have also no idea if there is anything to 'tune',
    or even of what 'tuning' might mean.

    It is empty talk for IDiots with nothing better to do.

    To be fair, many who aren't IDiots (or plain idiots) seem to
    enjoy discussing it, too. It just seems a vaguely amusing
    way to waste time to me.

    The constants are what they are observed to be,
    and that's it, for the time being,

    Yep.

    --

    Bob C.

    "The most exciting phrase to hear in science,
    the one that heralds new discoveries, is not
    'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'"

    - Isaac Asimov

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  • From Burkhard@21:1/5 to erik simpson on Wed Nov 27 05:22:24 2024
    On Wed, 27 Nov 2024 4:43:44 +0000, erik simpson wrote:

    On 11/26/24 7:55 PM, LDagget wrote:
    On Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:54:42 +0000, erik simpson wrote:

    On 11/26/24 3:01 AM, LDagget wrote:
    On Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:51:47 +0000, Ernest Major wrote:

    On 24/11/2024 21:40, John Harshman wrote:
    On 11/24/24 8:44 AM, Ernest Major wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzV7zdl4oU

    Interesting paper, but I find her delivery annoying. It seems that >>>>>> we're
    supposed to like a scientific result to the extent that it argues
    against a theory she dislikes for unexplained reasons. And why does a >>>>>> lack of fine-tuning argue against a multiverse anyway?


    I think that the argument is that in a multiverse the majority of
    observers exist in universes that are "fine tuned" for the existence of >>>>> observers, and therefore if you pick an observer at random it is
    unlikely that it will be in a universe which is not fine tuned. That we >>>>> find ourselves in a universe that it not fine tuned (at least according >>>>> to the reviewed paper) is contrary to the expectations of a theory
    incorporating multiverses. But I saw no quantification of how unlikely >>>>> this observation is, and regardless I'm cautious of drawing statistical >>>>> conclusions from samples of one.

    One could incorporate the Fermi Paradox and suggest that we are in
    a universe which is only marginally favorable to the rise of life
    capable of interstellar travel (or signaling), and wave away all
    the uncertainties about those contingent probabilities.

    These don't seem to be speculations worthy of more than perhaps
    a good friend buying you another beer that they were probably
    going to buy you anyway.

    They probably won't buy you much more beer unless you come up with
    half-assed amusing things to say.

    Sorry to disappoint. I blame the fact that I haven't had a beer
    in months.

    That's easily remedied: I recommend Ichtyosaur pale ale.

    ewwww, that's Icky

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