The nature of the universe.

[apathy maybe]

http://www.smh.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popup...8950273151.html (http://www.smh.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2002/12/08/1038950273151.html)

page 249 of "The Anthropic Cosmological Principle" by John Barrow and Frank Tipler, I quote:

"In a randomly infinite Universe, any event occurring here and now with finite probability must be occurring simultaneously at an infinite number of other sites in the Universe. It is hard to evaluate this idea any further, but one thing is certain: if it is true then it is certainly not original!"

What is the nature of the universe? Is it infinte? is is finite? is it a computer program? We shall probable never be able to go to the edge of the universe to find out if its infinite or not (and if it is infinite we wouldn't be able to anyway), but science has thrown up some ideas recently such as String Theory (http://superstringtheory.com/) and M-theory (formally known as String). (http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/gr/public/qg_ss.html)

Are we ever going to find a theory of everthing?

And I am sorry for the mess this post is in but it is late and I am tired. There seems to be a number of ideas here but good night.

[apathy maybe]

Here are some more links
http://superstringtheory.com/forum/extrabo...ages12/226.html (http://superstringtheory.com/forum/extraboard/messages12/226.html)
http://www.lns.cornell.edu/spr/2001-01/msg0030826.html
http://www.astronomy.net/forums/blackholes....shtml?show=top (http://www.astronomy.net/forums/blackholes2/messages/3133.shtml?show=top)
I havn't read them yet but so be warned.

[redstar2000]

As I understand it, the current consensus is that the universe is finite and will expand infinitely in the future.

As someone put it, "cosmologists are often wrong but never uncertain".

My personal opinion is that we have a long way to go before a "theory of everything" will be confirmed.

http://anarchist-action.org/forums/images/smiles/redstar.gif

The RedStar2000 Papers (http://www.anarchist-action.org/marxists/redstar2000/)
A site about communist ideas

[sc4r]

"In a randomly infinite Universe, any event occurring here and now with finite probability must be occurring simultaneously at an infinite number of other sites in the Universe. It is hard to evaluate this idea any further, but one thing is certain: if it is true then it is certainly not original!"

obviously mathematically true. But not neccessarily relevant to the real universe :

1. The universe is not usually considered to be infinite.

2. Actually deciding whether an event you or I would recognise as such has a finite probability is considerably less obvious than might at first sight appear.

[RyeN]

I disagree with the flow here. I say that the Universe is Infinite. I belive that even if what we consider our universe is a science project in some freaks lab, there is stilla universe that the freak lives in. We wont live long enough for it to matter though but If our species lives on I dont belive there will ever be an end.

[Rasta Sapian]

:rolleyes: WOW! the universe, makes me feel small! I think that everything is relative, and untill we fully explore and understand how relativity works we will have to be cotent studying the stars and planets in optical range. :ph34r:

Anyway, I feel fortunate to be living under the suns rays which light up my life everymorning! :)

[Umoja]

The Universe is self contained, so it's finite in any way we can understand.

[Red Flag]

The universe is infinite, but we as finite beings, will never be able to fully comprehend the magnitude of that statement. As we have a begaining and end, we look for all other things to have a begaining and end, including the universe.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

The Universe is finite, but it curves in on itslef thus giving the appearance of infinity.
The reason it curves in on itself is because there is nothing outside the universe, and therefore as soon as you leave one edge of the universe you immediately enter a new (or opposite) edge.

Can you wrap your head around that one?

[chetheking]

if the universe is infinite, then it has an infinite number of stars (like the sun) and other things. if it is infinite then the night sky will be as bright/brighter than the sky of day.

[Zafiro]

Infinite and ever expanding,....

[Soviet power supreme]

The universe is infinite if there are not enough material in it.It will expand forever.

The universe is finite if there is enough material.The gravity force will pull it back to spot like was before big bang.Then there would be big crunch(new big bang) and the universe would expand again.

[Red Flag]

For those that argue that the universe is finite.. let's look @ that the universe (everything in exsistance) is finite, then there is an end to it right? so what's beyond that end? Nothing? Nothing is SOMTHING though.. and thus is a part of the Universe (Everything in exsistance, and non-existance IS exsistance).. what about that?

[Xvall]

I don't care. I don't really see why I should. Sure I'm curious, but I'm not dying to know. Chances are that half of the world can't figure out how the hell crap works on earth, let alone the size of the universe.

[Palmares]

I think this question is better left to a guy named Stephen Hawking, and maybe a book by a guy named Stephen Hawking called "A Short History of the Universe".

Immanuel Kant said even thinking about this is absurd, as no-one was their, hence it cannot be proven empirically, it is unscientific, and unprovable.

[apathy maybe]

How can the universe be both infinite and expanding at the same time?

If the universe if infinite, then it must have an infinte amount of stuff in it, it must also have been around for an infinite amount of time. Therefor everything that has already happened will happen again. You know that old saying about nothing new under the sun? Well it should be there is nothing new in the universe. If the universe is infinite.

I used to think that the universe was infinite as well, but I have read a lot since then. There are a few agruements against the infinite universe idea depending on what you believe.
If you believe in a God (of a specific type), there must be a finite universe for God to exist out of. If the universe is in a computer program, then who has an infinite amount of memory?

[The Children of the Revolution]

I happen to believe in God. (the phrase "Godless Communists" always irritated me...)
I believe that God created the Universe and everything in it.
Therefore, by default I guess, I believe the Universe is finite.

This is only my opinion - and my belief - it has no proof, but I don't need any. Hence "faith".

The Universe is sufficiently large for us never to be able to see or comprehend all of it.
And to be honest, why bother?
The miracle of God's creation is here, on Earth.
Take a look around - the Earth is a beautiful place. As awe-inspiring as the stars are, they cannot ever compare to an eagle in flight, a tropical sunrise, or an English Oak forest.
I prefer to leave it like that.

[I realise that my opinion may not be popular on this thread!!!]

[MiDnIgHtMaRaUdEr]

I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves here. I don't think that until we have the equiptment to see the universe in its entirity will we be able to determine if it expanding or not. I am not sure one way or another, but I am sure that science can explain everything. However, explaining science will take all of eternity.

[Umoja]

The Universe is finite, because it had a "start" and will have an "end" because without the Universe time doesn't exist. Time is self contained in the Universe.