Is J Richard Gott's Self-Creating Universe Theory Still Relevant Today?

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SUMMARY

J. Richard Gott's self-creating universe theory remains a topic of debate among astrophysicists and enthusiasts. While some argue that recent breakthroughs in detecting cosmic background radiation support the Big Bang theory as the definitive origin of the universe, others find merit in Gott's concept of a universe that can create itself, likening it to a tree's branches. Critics label Gott as a "crank," yet his academic position at Princeton University and participation in conferences, such as the International Sherwood Fusion Theory Conference, lend credibility to his theories. The discussion highlights the ongoing exploration of cosmological theories, including the potential for closed timelike curves and quantum fluctuations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosmological theories, particularly the Big Bang theory
  • Familiarity with concepts of quantum fluctuations and closed timelike curves
  • Knowledge of astrophysics terminology and principles
  • Awareness of J. Richard Gott's contributions to the field
NEXT STEPS
  • Research "Self Creation Cosmology" by J. Richard Gott for deeper insights
  • Explore the implications of closed timelike curves in modern physics
  • Study the latest findings on cosmic background radiation and their impact on cosmological theories
  • Investigate the role of quantum fluctuations in the formation of universes
USEFUL FOR

Astrophysicists, cosmology students, and anyone interested in the philosophical implications of universe creation theories will benefit from this discussion.

stratovarius
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Hello, I'm new to this forum. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone is familiar with J Richard Gott's theories of a self-creating universe. Are his arguments still valid today, I was told that there have been recent breakthroughs in detecting background radiation which have conclusively proven that the big bang is THE way it all started, but I think that the self creating universe fits very well. I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks
 
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I don't think his ideas have ever been valid. He was a crank.

The self-creating universe in his own words:

"it would be like having one branch of a tree circle around and grow up to be the trunk. In that way, the universe could be its own mother."

He wasn't much interested in expanding on his ideas with anything like...you know...science.
 
Chimps said:
I don't think his ideas have ever been valid. He was a crank.

The self-creating universe in his own words:

"it would be like having one branch of a tree circle around and grow up to be the trunk. In that way, the universe could be its own mother."

He wasn't much interested in expanding on his ideas with anything like...you know...science.

If you are talking about this person http://www.princeton.edu/astro/people/faculty/jrg/ then he doesn't sound like a crank to me...

Garth
 
They are one and the same person, I read an interview referenced on the Princeton site and found the quote that Chimps disparaged.

But I agree with you Garth. He doesn't seem like a crank to me at all. They don't usually hire cranks as professors in Astrophysics at Princeton.

He might have some unusual ideas but that doesn't make him a crank.
 
Dr. Richard Gott with be a speaker at the INTERNATIONAL SHERWOOD FUSION THEORY CONFERENCE, APRIL 19-21, 2010, Seattle, Washington. :smile:

Made me think about:

"Every time you look up at the sky, every one of those points of light is a reminder that fusion power is extractable from hydrogen and other light elements, and it is an everyday reality throughout the Milky Way Galaxy."

--- Carl Sagan, Spitzer Lecture, October 1991

For centuries, the way in which the sun and stars produce their energy remained a mystery. During the Twentieth Century, scientists discovered that they produce their energy by the fusion process. Einstein's theory that mass can be converted into energy provided the basis for understanding fusion. This theory was further explored by other physicists who discovered two practical methods for achieving this conversion.
[Read on . . .]
http://www.pppl.gov/fusionenergy.cfm

Also, Dr. J. Richard Gott, III did write "A GOAL FOR THE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM."
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/368985main_GottSpaceflightGoal.pdf

Dr. J. Richard Gott, III is highly respected by the scientific community.
 
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I certainly hope he's not a crank, or my reading his books would seem like a waste of time. ;)

So does anyone have opinions on his theories, because I find the idea of a fractal universe very beautiful. I'm going to give a presentation on some of his theories in my speech class, so some quotes or opinions would be very appreciated. Thanks
 
Is this an ontological paradox? What is his theory exactly?
 
He wrote a paper in the 90s describing a universe in which quantum fluctuations can cause "baby universes" to branch off of the original one. One of the babies then curved back around to the original branch by traveling back through time to form a CTC (Closed Timelike Curve).

[PLAIN]http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/8202/selfcreation.jpg
 
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Hi Stratavarius

Some form of Self creation is at the heart of most cosmological theories - but the devil is in the details - Big Bang doesn't exclude self creation - it can be an event or era in an longer evolutionary process that begin earlier - perhaps in the infinite past- whether Gott's theories with closed timelines are realistic is yet to be verified - many cosmologists (Like Eddington) have expressed the view that they would be more comfortable with a less abrupt "Big Bang" The author of Post #3 above has published a very thoughtful paper entitled "Self Creation Cosmology" You might wish to read it in connection with your other material
 
  • #10
He published this paper:
http://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0405094v5"

I stumbled on his article in my research and I thought that it was quite good, the math is a little over my head, but the people in my class shouldn't notice my ignorance.:biggrin:
 
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