• JosephS
    108
    Beginning with 2 assumptions:
    1. The universe is infinite - either a single universe (a) temporally or (b) spatially infinite or an (c) infinitude of temporally and spatially disconnected universes.
    2. The universe follows a distribution of matter (or the state of that matter) that is cosmologically analogous to a normal sequence of digits
    Normal Number

    Is this sufficient to establish an instance of subjective human self-awareness, identity, as immortal?

    Identity, here, consists not of a single string of connected moments in time (a branch), but of a tree of these branches that all rise from a common root history.

    Some portion of my experienced history may die out (states with limited or non-existent physically possible branches), but those that do not will perceive themselves as me. Example - I am in a plane that fails catastrophically at 30,000 ft mid-Pacific. Those branches after the catastrophic failure are almost all ruled out. My continued identity will persist with, among others, those branches where the plane did not fail catastrophically.

    Immortality would be ruled out only if all possible branches from the tree root are eventually pruned, such as if I was child who realized self-awareness only after the catastrophic failure of the airplane.

    This is not quite the same as quantum immortality, but may suffer from some or all of the same concerns. This premise does not rely on a many worlds interpretation, but instead on a 'resonance' across spatially and temporally disconnected spaces. This resonance is a product of, given the 2 assumptions, all possible states being realized an infinite number of times.
  • PoeticUniverse
    1.3k
    This premise does not rely on a many worlds interpretation, but instead on a 'resonance' across spatially and temporally disconnected spaces. This resonance is a product of, given the 2 assumptions, all possible states being realized an infinite number of times.JosephS

    The 'resonance' wouldn't be there since there is probably no kept history of the universe; however, all eventualities should still repeat, in their turn, even exactly you if the quantum resolution was fine enough. In this way, the universe is kind of its own history.

    There's no 'infinite' amount or extent that can be capped or completed, but potentially the repeats should keep on going, with the universe being finite. Though, as in the expansion of pi goes on forever, it is probably not exhaustive.
  • JosephS
    108
    The 'resonance' wouldn't be there since there is probably no kept history of the universe; however, all eventualities should still repeat, in their turn, even exactly you if the quantum resolution was fine enough. In this way, the universe is kind of its own history.PoeticUniverse

    Resonance, here, is metaphoric. No expectation of connection outside of a certain similarity. Consider the observable universe of this instant (T-0) as a frame of 10^80 particles in a particular configuration (state S@T-0). The set of states {S@T-1} reflect the possible states specified by applying physical laws to S@T-0.

    I suppose part of this thought process on my part is influenced by Wolfram and A New Kind of Science. Looking at the universe through the lens of cellular automata. Part of me says that looking at the universe through this lens is functionally equivalent to the many worlds interpretation as it applies to the prospect of immortality.

    If I'm not misreading you, I agree with the 2nd half of your quote -- that is that no history is required because the imperfect maintenance of history is reflected in the state expression (e.g. my memory encoded in the neuronal structure of my brain reflected in the state of the universe).

    Critiques of quantum immortality seem to rely, in part, on the identity expressed within a 'branch' rather than the entire 'tree'. Is this because any reasonable measure of identity dissipates with the distance between branches (the measure of 'you' if we have to go back to a branch that separated at 5 years of age -- because all other branches died out -- need be no closer to 'you' at present than a sibling or kindergarten classmate)?
  • Janus
    15.4k
    Consider the observable universe of this instant (T-0) as a frame of 10^80 particles in a particular configuration (state S@T-0).JosephS

    According to Relativity theory there is no universal "this instant".
  • Fine Doubter
    200
    It is probably more to do with "time" (which is "curved" anyway) than with "spaces".
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