Metaphysics of the coming age | 236 comments (236 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: distinction between observer and observed (none / 0)

Why would it have to be you? perhaps your existence is only guaranteed by the existence of another individual who is the actual observer. That would mean that the biblical "thou shalt not kill" might be to guarantee your own existence and that of the universe, by maintaining the life of the observer.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jan 2nd, 2008 at 09:03:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: distinction between observer and observed (none / 1)

That's why I asked about how much consciousness you need.

There's a neat paradox which says that if you try to kill yourself in a quantum experiment, you can't do it. If you did you wouldn't be able to observe the result of the experiment. So it would never happen.

Your colleagues meanwhile can see a quantum suicide note, and possibly a dead body.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Jan 2nd, 2008 at 09:21:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: distinction between observer and observed (4.00 / 2)

The flip side of that one is that we're all immortal, we only see other people die and there's at least one history of the universe in which the observer persists.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jan 2nd, 2008 at 09:22:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: distinction between observer and observed (none / 0)

So that makes the worlds militarists, those who are not taking Pascal's wager in that form.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jan 2nd, 2008 at 10:42:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Metaphysics of the coming age | 236 comments (236 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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