Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- From: dean <robodean@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 15:33:46 -0500
On 2007-03-05 15:13:18 -0500, "Christina.Robertson" <Christina.Robertson@xxxxxxxxx> said:
On Mar 5, 1:53 pm, dean <robod...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<snip>
Another: Imagine a machine is turned on, say a quantum washing machine.
(Its very efficient because it cleans by sending subatomic soap
particles in every path possible, all at the same time!) The moment it
is turned on though it causes a terrible rip in reality. Let's say our
story revolves around a group of heroes who must struggle against
terrible odds to reverse the process....to find the machine and turn it
off before the entire universe comes apart. I keep on imagining a
character stopping as they run out of the room, and saying, hang on
gang. What's the big deal? Sure, in this universe we really screwed up
turning this machine on, but hey, there's another one where we didn't.
In fact, there may even be a universe where the machine was never
built. Sure, WE'RE kinda screwed, but in the BIG scheme of
things....who cares? Where is the danger? The danger cannot be that
unless the machine is turned off, all life will end, becuase there
exists a whole other set of universes where nothing has happened at all.
Well because we are human beings and we're NOT good at looking at the
big picture.
Lets say it was MY reality that was being torn apart by your Washing
Machine of Doom(tm). I wouldn't give a pair of dingo's kidneys that
there were a hundred thousand other realities cruising along happily.
I would care that my reality and my existence in it were in jeopardy.
Because as people we aren't usually very good at saying. Hey I may
die but there are a couple million other copies of me that won't so
what does it matter? We just don't do that. We care about ourselves
the US we experience inside our own head.
You could take me to another reality and have me meet my double but
that wouldn't be me. Not really. She would be infinitely or finitely
different from me (dependent on how far apart our realities were). I
wouldn't be terribly comforted to know that she'd keep right on
trucking if I got offed by a rampaging cloths washer.
So yes, you can have peril. Perhaps not Ultimate Peril where the
whole universe will end. But you can have Ultimate Peril for the
protagonists who are facing a very real and personal possibility of
snuffing it.
For some reason this discussion has brought out the silly in me, or
maybe its just that its 3PM and I'm bored of staring at technical
documents. ;)
Christina
Right. You are absolutely right. In the end, in a multiverse, your answer is the only viable argument for narrative jepoardy. Yes, many branches exist where the terrible thing dids not happen, but god dammit, it si happening to me. Of course. Its amazing how few people respond this way.
However, i was hoping someone much smarrter than me could make another argument, something not so much about perspective, but rather something that revealed aspects to the Everett interpretation I do not know about, or a line of logic i did not consider.
But yes, of course you are right.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- From: Christina.Robertson
- Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- References:
- The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- From: dean
- Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- From: Christina.Robertson
- The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- Prev by Date: Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- Next by Date: Re: Editor wants to help !
- Previous by thread: Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- Next by thread: Re: The Zero Jeopardy of a Multiverse
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
