Does Memorizing 70,000 Digits Increase the Chance of Being a Bolzmann Brain?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between memorizing a large number of digits and the likelihood of being a Boltzmann brain (BB). Participants explore theoretical implications and assumptions related to brain states and the nature of BBs, touching on concepts from statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant claims that memorizing 70,000 digits increases the chance of being a BB by a factor of 10^70000, based on the assumption that all brain states are equally likely to be BBs.
  • Another participant questions this assumption, suggesting that the brain state would remain equally likely to be a BB before and after memorization.
  • A third participant reflects on the small probability of creating a BB and expresses uncertainty about the significance of memorizing digits in this context, mentioning potential issues with writing large numbers and the relevance of quantum experiences.
  • One participant challenges the initial claim, asking for a scientific reference to support the assertion of increased likelihood due to memorization.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of memorizing digits for the likelihood of being a BB. There is no consensus on the validity of the initial claim or the assumptions underlying it.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes unresolved assumptions about the nature of brain states and the statistical mechanics involved in the concept of Boltzmann brains. The implications of quantum mechanics are also mentioned but not fully explored.

Bolzmann_brain
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In his article https://arxiv.org/abs/1702.00850 Sean Carroll says that we should abandon any theory that leads us to the BB problem. Why can't I, by generating quantum random numbers and memorizing them (the record for memorizing pi is 70,000 characters), make my experience as a normal observer so rare that one can say almost without a doubt that I am a Boltzmann brain and reject indeterministic quantum mechanics?
Assuming that all of my brain states are equally likely to be BBs, and that BBs may exist somewhere outside the event horizon and I won't know about this аnd also the fact that I am either BB or OO, by memorizing 70,000 digits in this way, it is expected that I have increased my chance that I am а BB іn 10^70000 times. Where is the error?
 
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If I am understanding you correctly, you assume that all brain states are equally likely to be a BB.

Therefore, after having memorized the digits, your brain state would have to be equally likely to be a BB as before you did or while you did, no?

-Riley
 
OK. As it stands, I didn't realize how small the chance of creating a Bolzmann brain was. Apparently, this small change to the experience can greatly increase its spawn time. The problem is writing a number with powers in the book. The numbers are all written in one row. I thought it must be even smaller than 10^70000 without even paying attention. If you think that is silly... Yes, it is. I thought... Okay, if the whole brain comes up so often, one little memory won't change much. Meybe the need for quantum experience was also quite unreasonable. But the question was more about BBs, not about QM. And what about quantum number generators, well, I found them less speculative and that's all.
 
Bolzmann_brain said:
by memorizing 70,000 digits in this way, it is expected that I have increased my chance that I am а BB іn 10^70000 times.
This seems like a strange claim. Do you have a professional scientific reference that supports this specific claim? Please PM me with the reference and I will reopen the thread