Randomness

[Martin]

Do you believe that there is in fact randomness in the universe? That is, if you were to go back and replay an event under the exact same conditions (and when I say exact, I mean that the universe is identicle in every respect to when the event was first played out) there would possibly be a different outcome.

So far, we have been unable to artificially create randomness. Random computer algorithms take into acount things like the time of day to make them unpredictable to the user, but, if as I said before the event was played out with identicle conditions, the outcome would be the same every time.

So the question is: Do you believe in absolute randomness?

[Maverick]

No

[Dan]

No, not not b/c i think there is some super power out there contorling things (ie. god). I think there is no true randomness b/c there is a fixed amount of energy (incudling matter witch in a way is a form of energy) in the univers witch is governed by unchageable laws that are consten to this univers. There for it whould seem that if you could contorl every pice of matter and eneregy you could make things hapen the same way every time u tryed.

Althougth there could also be other univers other then ours witch could have difrent laws and thos alowing for true randomness. But i the question was in this universe so no

[Delos]

This statement does not exist.

[Paul]

bananas

[templest]

There's a very neat example that I found on the internet that can show you in a very compelling way that there really is nothing that occurs that is random.

In my opinion, something is triggered by the events of something happening previously, that in turn causes something else to cause the way it does, and so on. My thoughts are the even if you throw a dice, it's not random, the number that appears is all a matter of physics, with the amount of newtons that you apply at whatever angle projecting at a certain velocity, the wind, gravity, ect, ect... Get the point? It's not random, had you tossed it differently, the outcome would have been different.

I'll try and find the experiment. Someone here might know it, it consist of plotting "Random" dots on a piece of paper, you print it to an over head... ah, I can't be bothered to explain it, I'll make it a point to get the exact article.

[Delos]

Anything that happens, happens.

Anything, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.

Anything, in happening, causes itself to happen, happens again.















But not necassarily in chronological order.


- Doglas Adams, the master.

[templest]

Found it, this is it:

http://www.grand-illusions.com/puzzle1.htm

[Martin]

I hope that whoever edited my post has their firstborn eaten by rabbid mice.

[Dan]

Was not me, i whould have done somting funner if i was going to eidt your posts.

[Martin]

Well then, your future child is safe. Well, from the mice at least.

[Tony]

For my first child - I'll clone Darkness

and when he kills himself and goes insane - I'll get to keep the entire rez appartment to myself for the 2nd term and perhaps get a default pass on all classes because one of my roommated was killed by mice and another went insane

[Mazer]

Does this mean that tony edited the poll and not someone else?

[Dan]

I think so

[Mazer]

Oh good. **looks around cautiously**