Secrets of the universe

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In summary: Basically a twist on the old thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters eventually writing a great novel.
  • #1
Blenton
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Basically a twist on the old thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters eventually writing a great novel.

Suppose you are you because of the arrangements in your brain (neurons etc). Now if we had a machine capable of create a human brain with random neuron arrangements we would probably have a lot of failures, but there would be a finite, and eventual case where we would get a brain identical to yours or mine - that is they know everything you know (btw I'm not delving into existence though). Now equally as likely a brain would be created that knows science beyond our current understanding, possibly even understanding the complete universe.

Now what does this mean? Learning information the way we do it now is the hard way? Possibly that the secrets to understanding the universe are accessible everywhere? The latter statement puzzles me, as say this was all occurring in some closed of room without knowing what exists outside those walls, could derive all physical principles, scientific theories without prior knowing what it is up against ~ what exists outside its 'own universe'.
 
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  • #2
Blenton said:
The latter statement puzzles me, as say this was all occurring in some closed of room without knowing what exists outside those walls, could derive all physical principles, scientific theories without prior knowing what it is up against ~ what exists outside its 'own universe'.
Better yet, how would YOU know when that neuron arrangment has been made? I'm not doubting that it's possible but how useful would it be? If I did that experiment I would think (if I was disposing of the computers after I got the information off of them) that I would treat the 'special' one that knows EVERYTHING the same way I treated the one before and after it.
 
  • #3
I think you fail to understand the magnitude of the problem. Consider that the human brain contains on the order of 100 billion neurons, and each neuron can connect to as many as 10,000 others. How many combinations is that?

And that's the simplest case! In fact, each neuron operates at the molecular level and each connection to another neuron is weighted, determining the "strength" of that particular connection. And each synapse has its own configuration of neurotransmitter receptors, adding additional complexity.

I suspect that if you could generate random brains one per second, you'd need more than the age of the universe to hit one identical to yours.
 
  • #4
Now equally as likely a brain would be created that knows science beyond our current understanding, possibly even understanding the complete universe.
That brain is not perfect. You should be looking at technological singularity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity
 
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  • #5
negitron said:
I think you fail to understand the magnitude of the problem. Consider that the human brain contains on the order of 100 billion neurons, and each neuron can connect to as many as 10,000 others. How many combinations is that?

And that's the simplest case! In fact, each neuron operates at the molecular level and each connection to another neuron is weighted, determining the "strength" of that particular connection. And each synapse has its own configuration of neurotransmitter receptors, adding additional complexity.

I suspect that if you could generate random brains one per second, you'd need more than the age of the universe to hit one identical to yours.

Well I'm completely talking hypothetically, it would be a huge feat to accomplish, but there is a possibility there of this happening ~ who knows aliens may be able to create thousands a second but this is not what i am discussing. Its the fact that there is a finite chance to stumble on a configuration that knows more than we know now without having prior knowledge of the subject.

Better yet, how would YOU know when that neuron arrangment has been made? I'm not doubting that it's possible but how useful would it be? If I did that experiment I would think (if I was disposing of the computers after I got the information off of them) that I would treat the 'special' one that knows EVERYTHING the same way I treated the one before and after it.

Yes you'd probably have no way to know if the information there is real or pure garbage, but i guess you could probably cross reference it to things we know for a fact now or something.
 

1. What is the Big Bang Theory?

The Big Bang Theory is the prevailing scientific explanation for the origin of the universe. It states that the universe began as a hot, dense singularity and has been expanding and cooling ever since.

2. How old is the universe?

The current estimate for the age of the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years. This is based on various observations and calculations, including the cosmic microwave background radiation and the expansion rate of the universe.

3. What is dark matter?

Dark matter is a type of matter that does not emit or absorb light, making it invisible to telescopes. It is believed to make up about 27% of the universe and is thought to play a crucial role in the formation and structure of galaxies.

4. What is dark energy?

Dark energy is a mysterious force that is believed to be responsible for the ongoing expansion of the universe. It is thought to make up about 68% of the total energy in the universe and its exact nature is still not fully understood.

5. Is there life on other planets?

While there is currently no definitive proof of life on other planets, the vastness of the universe and the potential for habitable conditions on other planets make it highly likely that there is life beyond Earth. Scientists continue to search for signs of life on other planets and moons within our own solar system and beyond.

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