🚀 go-pugleaf

mkagalen@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (michael kagalenko) writes:

>In article <431@mtnmath.UUCP> paul@mtnmath.UUCP (Paul Budnik) writes:
>>
>>I have never looked into Everett's work. I have no opinion on its merits.
>>However the many worlds interpretation based on his work lacks
>>scientific interest. This is because one can prove anything if one is
>>allowed to create a new universe made to order at the drop of a hat. This
>>is not to say that it is incorrect. I certainly think that it is false, but
>>I could never provide evidence for or against this idea by either experiment
>>or mathematical arguments. That is precisely why this idea lacks scientific
>>interest and content.

>And originality as well. I've read the story (by Marquez, I believe), 
>where this idea was presented in an interesting way.

Jorge Luis Borges, perhaps?  I think it was called "The Garden of 
Forking Paths."

Olaf Stapledon describes a similar idea quite casually near the end
of "Star Maker."

It cannot be stated too many times, however, that people who use
Everett's formalism to "prove anything" with "a new universe made
to order at the drop of a hat" are seriously misusing Everett's work.
Unfortunately, there are many of them running about, particularly
in the popular literature.
-- 
Matt McIrvin