Re: [asa] Study claims that Parallel Universes really do exist.

Pim noted this in a post on 20 Sept. I pointed out then that, whatever else it may do, it certainly does not prove that parallel universes exist. If A => B and B is true, it doesn't necessarily follow than A is true.

In view of some later posts in this thread, it's also worth noting that the many worlds interpretation of QM, now 50 years old, isn't the same as the multiverse theories that arise from some inflationary cosmologies, string theory &c.

& while I'm at it, let me call attention to a symposium on "Christ, Cosmology and Creation" which will be held in 2 weeks (12-14 October). Paul Davies, who has written extensively on cosmology, anthropic principles, multiverse, life in the universe &c (& is a Templeton Prize winner) will be the main speaker & I'll be giving one of the presentations as well. This is at a Lutheran camp/retreat center near Phoenix & is sponsored by the ELCA Alliance on Faith, Science and Technology - but you don't have to be Lutheran to participate! It's the 4th of the "Sunday Scientist Symposia" whose purpose is to help scientists who are Christians to use their expertise in the service of the church & to encourage them to do so. Especially if you're in the southwest, give it a try. You can find more info at http://www.elca.org/faithandscience/ .

Shalom
George
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Iain Strachan
  To: asa
  Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 6:45 AM
  Subject: [asa] Study claims that Parallel Universes really do exist.

  This seems to have come up in the last week, originally reported, I believe in New Scientist.

  http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=paUniverse_sun14_parallel_universes&show_article=1&cat=0

  The punch-line is:

  The Oxford team, led by Dr David Deutsch, showed mathematically that the bush-like branching structure created by the universe splitting into parallel versions of itself can explain the probabilistic nature of quantum outcomes.

  Does anyone know anything about this? Is it really anything new (one expert commenting in New Scientist) says it will go down as one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. In the absence of details, it's hard to tell whether or not this is just journalist hype.

    It seems to me that showing mathematically that the branching structure of the universe can explain the probabilistic nature of quantum outcomes is NOT the same as proving that the parallel universes exist, and falls foul of the same fallacy as the Design argument - because we know that Designers can explain intricate mechanisms from watches is not the same thing as saying that the existence of apparent design implies the existence of the Designer.

  In order to show that the parallel universes really exist, one would have to find independent predictions from the theory, that differ from, say Copenhagen, which can be tested against.

  It is of great interest that a forthcoming Christians In Science meeting in Oxford on October 15th is on multiverses.

  Iain

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  After the game, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.

  - Italian Proverb
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Received on Sun Sep 30 12:04:11 2007