| That Guy said: ok back to more crazy stuff. So if the universe was strictly newtonian (i.e. we can describe everything in terms of forces, velocities, and positions), then could theoretically create a computer to model all the movements of all the bits of *stuff* ( i say stuff because things like photons and crap don't have *mass* and thus cannot be matter or something like that) out there. Also assuming that our thinking process is nothing more than simply a matter of *stuff* going back and forth in our brains, then we could mathematically prove that fate is what exists. Let me rephrase, if we track every single thing out there in the universe, then we could also predict where everything would be in the future, taking into consideration all we know about physics. Problem: The universe is not strictly newtonian and we have stuff like quanta to worry about. Quantum mechanics deals with randomness and probabilities. With everything explained using quanta, then everything really is just random, disproving fate (oddly, though, not *proving* free will) Even weirder: Providing that string theory will lead us to a Grand Unified Theory, we can explain everything in strings and map out everything in the universe again, and thus we come back to fate. Crazy, huh? |
I know some about Grand Unified Theory as well, but therein lies some problems with fate. Yes(in this theory), everything is in some manner connected and mapped out., BUT, this is a big BUT, it has already be done so an infinite number of times, with every possible decision already been made. So in this case there could still be free will and every decision you make sends you down a different "mapped out" path.
Now with Quantum mechanics we also get presented different challenges, like you said with randomness. Though it seems to be on a more primary level, like atoms, protons, electrons, etc. But I'm not so sure it could actually be used to disprove fate, simply because it is a purely mechanical/physics based theory(mostly), and does not use any human elements in it, which it seems that the discussion is talking about. What I would say that it DOES confirm in some ways is that because of known actions/reactions the "fate" of stars/planets/celestial bodies may be predetermined. Like our own Sun, ABSOLUTELY WILL either implode/explode/die in some fashion, it's just what happens to stars. Just look at what happened to Britney ;) LOL
