Is the world a big machine ?

**Langbein** · Jun6-07, 03:53 AM

Would it be right and reasonable to understand the world as a big machine, where everything that is on it can be understood while applying those logical structures of thinking, that is derived from the use of mathemathics, physics and the use and application of technology ?

What about the humans, can they be understood as kind of machinery "technically working items" as well ?

If not how can it then be possible to make some science of the human nature ?

Is the world reasonable ?

Will "technical thinking" be a well suited method for understanding the earth and the humanity ?

If not, what would then be the alternative ?

**baywax** · Jun6-07, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Langbein

Would it be right and reasonable to understand the world as a big machine, where everything that is on it can be understood while applying those logical structures of thinking, that is derived from the use of mathemathics, physics and the use and application of technology ?

What about the humans, can they be understood as kind of machinery "technically working items" as well ?

If not how can it then be possible to make some science of the human nature ?

Is the world reasonable ?

Will "technical thinking" be a well suited method for understanding the earth and the humanity ?

If not, what would then be the alternative ?

The Tesla expert physicist who takes care of an FMRI machine at a large institute in the U.S. and I were using his home-made telescope to view some galaxies and different planets at a big party one night. When I proposed that all of the universe, including humanity, was a series of mechanisms interacting to give us what we perceive as a reality he agreed. I'm no physicist and he's certainly not someone with a design background so I thought that if our two vastly separated perspectives were the same on a subject such as the mechanics of the universe there might be some truth to the idea that everything works as though it were a machine. This idea could even apply to the "metaphysical" aspects of existence that have never been proven to exist but get a lot of air play.

Thinking of the universe, including life, as an interacting mechanism of great complexity in no way diminishes its splendor nor its mystery or the mystery of its creation.

**baywax** · Jun12-07, 11:46 AM

Generally the word "machine" refers to something man-made.

Definitions of machine on the Web:

• any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

• an intricate organization that accomplishes its goals efficiently; "the war machine"

• an efficient person; "the boxer was a magnificent fighting machine"

• car: a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine; "he needs a car to get to work"

• a group that controls the activities of a political party; "he was endorsed by the Democratic machine"

• turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery

• a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point

• make by machinery; "The Americans were machining while others still hand-made cars"

wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

In this sense, the world and the universe are not a big machine.

**jiohdi** · Jun14-07, 12:44 PM

It seems to me that the universe is a quantum computer and we are all virtual computers running within the great mainframe and we are ourselves runnning shared virtual reality programs which are the only worlds we ever actually know.