January 15, 2008
I take your brain to another dimension:
Pay close attention. The New York Times has an article on the Boltzmann brain theory that argues that random fluctuations in the universe could create self-aware entities. In other words, brains, being spontaneously created by the universe.
It turns out, the theory isn't solely about brains. It argues that matter could be created from fluctuations in the universe and it is mathematically conceivable that one of these fluctuations could create matter configured as a conscious creature.
Like Nick Bostrom's 'we could be living in a computer simulation' argument, it takes mathematically possibilities to their most astonishing extreme.
Regardless of the infinitesimally small probability of this actually happening, it does lead to some wonderful language in the article.
Where else are you going to read the sentence: "The numbers of regular and freak observers are both infinite."
Link to NYT article 'Big Brain Theory: Have Cosmologists Lost Theirs?'
