Anything than can happen, will happen, given enough time

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In summary, the concept of "Anything that can happen, will happen, given enough time" suggests that given an infinite amount of time, any possible event will eventually occur. However, this concept is not applicable to all events and situations as there are limitations and exceptions. It is commonly used to explain the process of evolution and can be tested through experiments and observations, but cannot be proven with absolute certainty due to its reliance on infinite time. There are criticisms and controversies surrounding this concept, with some arguing that it is too simplistic and does not consider other factors such as natural selection and environmental conditions. There are also debates about its applicability to human behavior and decision-making.
  • #1
MathJakob
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Anything that can physically be true, will eventually be true given infinite time right? Is there a law or an expression which I can use to express this statement? Obviously we're talking about arrangement and forumation of atoms ect. I already know that if you had 2 atoms traveling parallel to each other they would never diverge but I'm talking about arrangements of atoms.

So for example given enough time there will be a planet which forms which is an exact replica of earth, but instead I am an exact replica of Newton but I'm asking this question dressed as a banana.

I know it sounds outrageous but those kind of statement are true right?

tldr; is there an equation or law that explains "anything than can happen, will happen, given enough time"
 
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  • #3
Although I've never done any calculations related to it personally, I imagine Poincare recurrence theorem might be what you're looking for. It concerns the amount of time necessary for a system to return to a given initial state.
 
  • #5
MathJakob said:
is there an equation or law that explains "anything that can happen, will happen, given enough time"

As you've phrased it, no.

However, you can write down the probability of the event having happened by time ##T##, and you can consider the limit as ##T## approaches [itex]\infty[/itex].

For example, say you're flipping an honest coin once a second. Obviously it can happen that the coin lands heads-up eventually. But must it do so, given enough time? The probability of the coin landing heads-up at least once in N flips is ##1-2^{-N}##. That's never equal to 1, but you can make it as close to 1 as you wish by choosing a large enough value of N.
 
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  • #6
'Anything THAT can happen, will happen, given enough time'.
 
  • #7
Anything that can happen may not happen even if given enough time.For example,think about us,humans.We CAN kill people.Think about yourself.If you are not willing to do something,then even if YOU are given a lifetime,you will not do it.If you are forced,it's not you doing it.So not everything that CAN happen,will happen,given enough time
 
  • #8
adjacent said:
Anything that can happen may not happen even if given enough time.For example,think about us,humans.We CAN kill people.Think about yourself.If you are not willing to do something,then even if YOU are given a lifetime,you will not do it.If you are forced,it's not you doing it.So not everything that CAN happen,will happen,given enough time

But in an infinite universe there will be a me that does kill someone?
 
  • #9
Parallel universes,like in this thread,(https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=325209)are just theoretical,they are not proven.We don't know for sure whether they exist or not.That doesn't even make any sense at all.There were many theoretical theories which seems very strong but disproved later.Like Aristotle's planet revolving around Earth theory,Some ancient greek saying that sun was 1 inch long,and many more.
 
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  • #10
Why this in the math forums, I have no idea.

Thread closed, pending moderation.

Zz.
 

1. What is the concept of "Anything that can happen, will happen, given enough time"?

The concept, also known as the "Law of Infinite Probability" or "Law of Inevitability", suggests that given an infinite amount of time, any event that is possible will eventually occur.

2. Is this concept applicable to all events and situations?

While it may seem like this concept can apply to all events and situations, it is important to note that there are certain limitations and exceptions. For example, some events may be physically impossible, and therefore will never occur even with infinite time.

3. How does this concept relate to the theory of evolution?

This concept is often used to explain the process of evolution, as it suggests that given enough time, any random genetic mutation that can improve an organism's chances of survival will eventually occur.

4. Can this concept be proven or tested?

As a scientific concept, it can be tested and supported through experiments and observations. However, since it deals with infinite time, it is impossible to prove it with absolute certainty.

5. Are there any criticisms or controversies surrounding this concept?

Some critics argue that this concept is too simplistic and does not take into account factors such as natural selection and environmental conditions. There are also debates about whether or not the concept can be applied to human behavior and decision-making.

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