Quantum Physics is about probability isn’t it? And the universe was a singularity before the big bang, therefore quantum physics come in. In the current mathematical models, was there a certain possibility that the singularity would expand causing inflation…
Was there, at the point of imaginary time, a probability that the universe would be created? If so, was it 100%?
I’d like to put my money on the existance of the universe.
First of all, there is no “before the big bang”. Second, the probability of an event which happened is 100%.
So betting that the universe exists is a pretty safe bet.
QM deals with probibility; probability is required by uncertainty.
Not so. If I select from the even integers, no matter how many time I select, I will never select a three.
As I understand, Libertarian is correct. Stephen Hawking has suggested that QM might allow some sort of loophole to the Big Bang singularity, but I don’t quite get it.
First of all, there is absolutely no difinitive proof that the Universe was a Singular entity before the big bang, to physicists, it may appear that the Universe is expanding, and will one day stop and either implode, or just keep expanding. Quantum mechanics did not just appear, or start to exist at any one point, it has always been and will always be. Human Species simply discovered it, it was “latent” until it was discovered. The actual probability that we exist I would say is very good, I would imagine among the trillions of stars that we can see, and the quadrillions of stars out there we can’t see, there are other planets just like ours, with similar yet different life forms. Carl Sagan, said that the probability of life on other planets is very good. I think it would be quite silly to think the contrary.
Also I agree with DrMatrix, the probability of an event that already occured is 100% I won’t say anything else about that, thats enough
Phlosphr & DrMatrix What I was saying was if somehow an observer existed outside of the universe and was able to look in at the singularity what would be the probability of it expanding to form the universe.
I understand that we exist but I was trying to use the weird phrase “What’s the Probability that we exist?” to highlight my question of probability that the universe started and what possibility there was for the universe not to have expanded, if any.
Dr Matrix before the big bang was imaginary time according to Steven Hawking, so for now let’s use his model.
If none of you actually know the answer to the question then I guess we’ll just sit here until Steven Hawking comes to this message board and answers a few of my questions.
If you are in an imaginary place “outside the universe” at an imaginary time “before the big bang,” why don’t you just imagine that the probability is 23.697654 per cent. I am sure Steven Hawking won’t mind.
Tris
“My best friends all tell me I’ve no friends at all.” John Prine
It is difficult to imagine such an observer since he would not experience space or time.
I know what you are trying to say. The answer is that it is impossible to say right now. Modern physics has not progressed to a point where we can describe the big bang in enough detail to place a probablity on it.
I was speaking of a larger, all encompassing infinity, not just a simple infinity like the integer selecting example you gave. What I meant was, given an infinite amount of space, and an infinite amount of time, everything will eventually happen, no? I could be wrong, it’s just a thought I’ve had.
There is a “scientific” speculation about our universe coming from a “quantum foam” meta-universe…which would be a meta-universe filled with something like virtual particles…one of which formed our universe. If that kind of meta-universe exists, and if it’s infinite, then the odds would be fairly good that a universe such as our could form.
Time and space, too for that matter, are artifacts of the universe. If you are outside of the universe, you are outside of space and outside of time.
Stephen Hawking has said that speaking of before the Big Bang is as meaningless as speaking of north of the North Pole. What he said was that if you use imaginary time, there is no singularity at the Big Bang. I can’t say I fully grasp it, but I think he is talking about transforming time by multiplying by sqrt(-1), not about some time outside of the universe.
Maybe this is a question best answered by philosophy, while the jury is still out in the physist’s camp. While I am no expert on the philosophical question of existence, there has been much said about whether we (me, you, the universe)truly exist or if it is just a manifestation of our own individual mental processes. For example, I can only say for sure that I exist because I have self awareness and am able to form thought. However, I cannot be sure that anything else exists outside my own consciousness. This is because everything I observe, experience, manipulate and deduce all must be processed in my own mind. Therefore, I have no external, objective method by which I can truly say something exists (beyond myself).
SEE: SOLIPSISM
So, do I exist? I can only speak for myself and say “yes”. Do you and the universe exist? Probably, but I don’t know for sure and I will undoubtedly never know with any certainty.
Remember, there are no “LAWS” in the universe, only necessities.