Multiverses (useful catagorization tools)

I have chosen to adopt the term "Multiverse" to define a large set of universes which can or should be grouped together. It should be mentioned that many people use this term interchangeably with the term "Omniverse." (Please see blog entries titled "Our House" and "MWI Diagram" for further explanation.) The term Multiverse applies to certain universes that share certain traits, allowing for a logical and reasonable grouping to form. All universes with the same initial conditions and corresponding laws would group nicely together.

[Some people will disagree with the use of terms like Omniverse and multiverse, saying that the term "universe" "uni" meaning one and "verse" meaning word, implies that that "one-word" is as all inclusive a term as we need to use. This view and terminology is fine, unless you want to explain the larger concepts of MWI. An infinite universe would work just fine as long as it was truly infinite "enough" so that all possible outcomes and all possible interactions could take place somewhere or somewhen within that one universe.]

These similar universes need not appear so much the same (at least considering their appearance) some planets might be missing or out of place, some might be unusual additions. The laws, and the way that everything functioned would be very much the same. It can be said (with more than a little certainty) that the initial conditions and the act of the universe's creation should contribute that universe's laws and the way that it functions all at the same time. A twin or sibling universe to our own might look like our universe down to even the species of grass growing on (what might be your "twin's" front lawn,) but subtle and not so subtle changes would inevitably occur as random outcomes gave way to alternate historical time-lines. Hitler might have teamed up with Mexico and South American forces, winning the second world war, or maybe WWII never even occurred! I have noted before that some universes should not hold our same initial conditions, and would thus be grouped into a different set of universes outside of our Multiverse. It is important to remember though, that this designation is purely one of categorization. There is no reason why these universes (with different initial conditions and laws) could not exist right next to or even right on top of one another, possibly sharing the same physical space or containing gateways in and out of one another. Many current cosmologists view the MWI model to suggest that each universe is contained within some kind of cosmic "soap bubble." Since we have not even the means to suggest how we can leave our own universe, or manage to see it from a greater vantage point, this "bubble concept" will have to remain a logical supposition. In the blog entitled "...world without end..." I discussed the idea that whatever the state of the greater cosmos may be, the end result must logically be an infinite in time and space larger "whole." This all inclusive, all containing "whole" I refer to as the Omniverse, a staggering concept that contains (as the picture in MWI diagram shows) all worlds in all universes, across all time and space. This Omniverse is infinite in every way. Logic tells us that beyond the boundary of the larger container lies something, that something must be contained by something else, and so on and so on, ad infinitum. An ancient philosopher once asked, if a man threw a spear, and were able to continue to do so on and on, where would the end be? If that spear were a spaceship traveling in hyperspace (far faster than the speed of light) where should it end? The answer is the same. There can be no end, for the Omniverse is infinite in both every quality and every quantity, it is the sum total of all existence and all non-existence!

Schrodinger's Quantum Menagerie

Erwin Schrodinger helped to pioneer the field of quantum mechanics during the 1920's, when it was still in its proverbial infancy. One of the unique ideas attributed to Schrodinger is his equation concerning the evolution of quantum states within physical systems. (Schrodinger's famous equation) Schrodinger's theories would later become some of the basic building blocks of Quantum Mechanics. At the time Schrodinger probably didn't realize that he would be remembered for a strange little thought experiment he worked out in 1935, (Schrodinger's Cat Paradox.) In which a cat is placed into a sealed box for a given length of time. Inside the box is a device containing a radioactive isotope and a trigger mechanism. If the isotope decays spontaneously (as they sometimes do) then the trigger is tripped and allows a hammer to drop onto a glass vial of poison. Once the poison has been spilled the box will flood with toxic fumes, instantly killing the cat, as seen in the above diagram. His big question: At a given time, without opening or looking into the box, what is the state of the cat? The cat is part of a physical system (essentially a closed system) which is either a lethal or a non-lethal environment depending on the quantum state of the isotope-trigger mechanism and the corresponding poison-release mechanism at that exact time.
The common sense answer is that the cat can only be in one of three states, dead or alive or somewhere in the process of dying (easy enough.) Quantum Mechanics, (notably Schrodinger's equation) says that the answer isn't that simple. As with much of QM, things tend to go from weird to weirder to weirdest - this is no exception. After a given length of time has progressed, the cat is said to be both dead and alive at the same time! It is then the act of opening the box and observing the cat that brings about the observable state of the cat. This same act takes place whenever we peer into the subatomic world of the electron, or view the "Color Phi Phenomenon" or the famous "Double Slit Experiment." We are experiencing the strange yet ordinary world of quantum states within physical systems, as they evolve over time.
It is important to remember that this experiment did not take into consideration Bryce Seligman DeWitt - Hugh Everett's MWI of QM. Instead this experiment sought to describe the events of the system in the terms of a more classical view of QM. MWI was initially rejected by mainstream physics in favor of more classical Newtonian physics and its related theories. It is important to note that the laws of "classical" or "Newtonian physics" do not hold up when applied to systems within the quantum scale. Strangely enough, objects and systems that are this small have their own set of unique laws which govern behavior of particles and systems. It is for this reason that QM emerged in the first place, to explain these new troublesome questions and paradoxes. So what does the MWI (Many Worlds Interpretation) of QM have to say about the Schrodinger's Cat Experiment? MWI would say that 1.) there are more than just the one cat and system involved, 2.) the cats and systems exist within an infinite system (we can call that the "omniverse,") 3.) the cats and their systems exist in an infinite number of states within that infinite super-system - at least one experimental cat per universe or "world-line" exists in one definite state (dead, alive, dying, zombie, mutant, slightly sick, happy, sleepy, confused, enlightened or non-existent.) The previous list is meant to be slightly humorous, but you get the picture right? Sometimes the cat changes color, sometimes it was never there in the first place, sometimes the experimenter becomes the cat, sometimes it vanishes into a puff of smoke and sometimes that little hammer doesn't break the glass vial of poison. Why so many crazy options to choose from? Because this group of cats exists in universes where all those things are possible, even one where the cat mutates, grows to the size of a lion and eats the observer before they can even know what has hit them. Universes where these "novel" effects frequently take place might simply have a different set of physical laws governing the discreet action of particles or Newtonian physics may be completely re-written. It is likely that we in this universe share some degree of these strange effects with all others. It is also likely that the laws which govern our own universe exist (at least in some fashion) within others. This is a thought experiment (largely because a real experiment would be difficult, and probably toxic to cats) but even if it were a "real" experiment, we could expect to see these kinds of results to occur across the infinite omniverse we live in. I'm not usually a betting man, but the universe I live in is only slightly random, with fairly predictable laws (at least on the Newtonian scale.) I don't often witness Tabby cats growing into lions and eating people, but I am not willing to throw out the possibility that somewhere out there it does happen. Because I do not witness it does not make it any less possible. After all, stranger things happen all around us everyday!

The sooner you begin to view the universe around you as a strange and sometimes random environment, the easier it becomes to learn about the very odd world of Quantum Physics and its Many Worlds Interpretation. The sooner you learn about MWI and QM, the sooner you become ready for the dawn of the Quantum Age.

(portion below from Wikipedia free online encyclopedia) of Erwin Schrodinger's Equation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger_equation#General_quantum_system

General quantum system

For a general quantum system:

where

• is the imaginary unit
• is the wave function, which is the probability amplitude for different configurations of the system.
• hbar is the Reduced Planck's constant, (Planck's constant divided by 2π), and it can be set to a value of 1 when using natural units.
• is the Hamiltonian operator.

The Big Blue Invisible Sun!

I would like to take a moment to remind myself and everyone who reads this why it is that I write this blog. Imagine that you step outside onto your front lawn (or the equivalent thereof ) and while standing there you look up into the sky. Instead of seeing a normal sunny day you see something very startling. Hanging above you is a brilliant blue sun, burning with all the intensity of a thousand splendid suns! The normal sun seems but a mere speck of pale yellow light. You go inside, call, email, fax and yell to whomever you possibly can that something very strange has happened. Only people just don't seem to see the big blue sun, in fact, they just don't seem interested that one might even exist. They say things like, "A big blue sun? We've already got a sun, and it does a good job as it is." or "Maybe the new blue sun is evil, that's why people cant always see it." or maybe "You can't prove to me that the new big blue sun exists, because I don't see it!" Seeing is believing or so they say, well I say that experiencing is believing. SO what is the big blue sun? To me its a new paradigm, so new that a name has yet to accurately fit it. This new Quantum Age is approaching us at the speed of light, and yet we hold the views and paradigms of 500 years ago. The wisdom of the Renaissance provided the last great push towards a new era of exploration, and modern times (like the industrial revolution) sought to exploit new technology rather than to use them to explore and learn. So it is that we sit on the brink of the largest new age of mankind, the ledge that divides all human experience from a new and brave frontier. The Quantum Age will find man reaching for the stars and landing upon them, reaching for immortality and attaining it (in many ways,) reaching for wisdom, power and experience and finding his only limits to be those which he places upon himself! This new world that is being born, it needs a new paradigm, a new set of ideas to explore! That paradigm IS Quantum Cosmology and its related fields, Quantum Philosophy and even strange new fields like Quantum Psychology. Quantum Mechanics has grown from a desire to reach new frontiers and to explore the world around us (big and small, excluding nothing,) and its reaches can exceed all mankind can think of. I have been asked if this new way of thinking is a cult or a religion. I ask you this... When Copernicus (450 years ago) told his teachers and students about the earth revolving around the sun, what effect did that have on the world? Was Copernicus trying to get us to believe in a new religion of Heliocentrism, or was he trying to help us see a strange new sun?

Time Travel (QM and the Titor Method)

Ever since I was a nerdy little kid (say 2nd grade) I have maintained a steady obsession with the topic of time travel. I had all but relegated it to the kind of topic that belonged on "X-Files," nowadays "Fringe," or late night AM radio shows (like my favorite, "Coast To Coast AM" with host George Noory- formerly the Art Bell Show- heard every night from 12am to 4am on stations like AM 1200 WOAI. ) I was suddenly forced to place it in another category when I read the book, "The Yoga Of Time Travel" by world renowned physicist Dr. Fred Alan Wolf. This book firmly takes hold of the topic of time travel, and brings it into the light of believable scholastic en devours. It may be partially because of the work of scientists like Ronald Mallett (see a 2-part video on YouTube about Ronald Mallett's Time Machine project.) Scientists like Mallett have been working hard to create a laser driven device that would warp or bend space-time into a loop. The device should allow transmissions from the future (all the way up until the moment that the device was first turned on.) The device could not however allow for trans-temporal communication prior to the moment that it was turned on. As we forge the machineries of the first Quantum Computers and Quantum Gate Networks we will be on the cusp of creating a device similar to the Quantum Shell or Sphere discussed in "The Yoga Of Time Travel," that will allow for its driver to navigate the omniverse and time itself by way of super-positional states (a Quantum Computer would use 'q-bits' in superposition to compute and store data, please read "The Yoga Of Time Travel" for more on this topic, I will update as much as possible.) The most outlandish source of information within this topic is without a doubt the website and related sites devoted to John Titor. Titor is supposedly a time travellor from the year 2036 (on another world-line or version of Earth.) But just because its claims are outlandish doesn't mean that it holds no value. The John Titor story is a very unique one, and its worth reading! A short but detailed account can be read on the John Titor website. There is a very expensive and hard to find book also (released by the Titor family after John's departure in 2001, entitled "John Titor A Time Traveler's Tale") There have been several interviews on "Coast to Coast AM" with George Noory and Oliver Williams (founder of www.johntitor.com) The interviews are definatly worth listening to, and reveal much about the accounts of Titor and his family (now believed to be living in Nebraska, previously of Florida.) Titor's device utillizes the gravitational distortion effects of a twin micro-singularity engine system. This engine is essentially a smaller, smarter version of the LHC now in use by the team of scientists at CERN (in europe.) Titor predicted that CERN would create a fully functional device (the LHC) that would eventually give rise to units like the ones within his device by 2034 (in his world-line.) Titor believed that the MWI or Everett-Wheeler model of the universe/omniverse was correct. The original devices would be made by General Electric for the US Army, Model # GE-C204 (possible image of Titor's device shown above in diagram) after a series of disturbing civil wars and unrest. A later version of the device GE-C206 was much more accurate and was able to travel further with more accuracy. Titor claimed to be part of an elite Time Corps unit of the new US Armed Services, Division 177th. (a picture of his division's logo is available under Google Images.)

QCT (Quantum Cell Theory) continued from "A Night in the Life..."

In the following previous posts ("A Day In The Life: An Introduction To MMT," "A Night In The Life : An Introduction to MMT" and "The Meaning Of Life.") I briefly touched on the analogy of the self (individual version) as a cell within a larger body, that being the "real" self or individual. This perspective is not altogether unheard of. Christians refer to themselves "collectively" as "The body of Christ." Hindus view all beings as being part of the great body of Brahma. Each being, each soul is very much like a cell within a body. Each soul has a place, a function to perform, and a way in which to do that intended work. As with the cells in our body, each one part is independently conscious (at least to some extent) this is why muscle testing and biofeedback work. Each part is connected to a network of like parts with like functions. Each part need not know what it is, why it is, or how it is to fulfill its task, just like a cell. Cells perform their tasks by the use of a modified form of consciousness and a plan written into them (DNA.) As conditions change, DNA reveals the needed information and provides the proteins to execute each task. The consciousness of the higher self is not unlike the DNA of our cells. It transmits the necessary information and means by which to carry-out each task. It may transmit it by dreams, random thoughts, automatic behavior, or unconscious thoughts and behaviors. The underlying function of all unconscious thought and behavior is to carry out the complex tasks of the larger entity, the soul! It is less important that we know what the soul is up to from moment to moment and more important that we nurture the sacred and intimate connection between our infinite higher mind or soul and that which we have immediate control over, our conscious mind and physical body (which are really one and the same.) It is this connection which allows mankind to raise himself above the finite human brain and physical body, just as the internet allows this computer to access and manipulate files through a network (a complex system built to perform a specific function by the use of many separate units.) One may view the portion of the unconscious mind (soul) that we interact with (when dreaming, praying or meditating) as a remote interface with that larger system.

Strange Math

I though it would be fun to discuss the relationships between the current field of MWI related cosmology and physics; as it relates to the study of light, sound and vibrational energies. So what we know so far about light is that it falls into a strange spectrum of particle-waves that are equally "here" and "not-here." That is to say that the effects of photons are readily detectable (as seen in visable light,) but that the actual particle-waves that produce them are not wholy contained within this dimensional plane. We have known this for some time. Dr. Fred Alan Wolf has done a marvelous job illustrating this phenomenon in his book "Parallel Universes." Dr. Michio Kaku further describes the anatomy of matter by saying that If you smash particals down to their smallest bits you get pure light. This means that on some level we are all essentially made of light energy, and it is light energy that ultimatly runs all aspects of the life process. Light, and sound are both part of the electromagnetic spectrum of vibrational energies. Behind the everyday nature of material physics we can see that all matter is masquerading as vibrational energy patterns. The first time I came accrossed this concept was when I saw the film, "What The Bleep Do We Know?!" where quantum physics and philosophy debate the meaning of life and the answers to everything. Its a great little film that everyone should see at least twice! It all boils down to tendancies of systems. Everything that exists (and does not exist) is composed of matter, energy and "mind" or consciousness. Interactions within this system produce patterns on a subatomic or quantum scale, which we then interpret and experience as life. From the smallest atom to the largest galaxy super-cluster, discreet tendancies are interacting and exchanging data which creates the ripples that we know to be our conscious experience of this life fantastic! These tendancies could (theoretically) be asigned an equation that would express their values, allowing us to predict their effects (ripples.) If we could do this strange kind of math, we would be able to control the universe and everything that operates by that particular set of rules (expressed within that equation.) Its worth mentioning that in order for anyone to be able to perform that sort of mathmatical genius, they would first have to be able to step outside of this dimension and into higher and higher dimensions, like the 7th or 8th (at least) Rob Bryanton has commented that it is likely that a living being or anything recognizable as material substance may not be able to exist within these highest dimensions. The one hope we have to traverse these wild inhospitable shores of higher dimensions is to use our minds as a vehicle to get there. Our minds need not exist within a material framework, and appear to have no actual physical limitations.

Gone Baby Gone!

What happens to all that stuff that we do, to the moment that existed just a fraction of a second ago? Where do the ripples of time end up after they are done stirring our world into existance? There is a surprising answer offered by QM (Quantum Mechanics,) the simple answer is that it all vanishes into a sea of infinite possibility. The actual past of your experience becomes as nebulous and murky as the actual future you will experience. This means that from a QM perspective the study of history is not an actual science, infact nothing is really an exact science, unless it is capable of encompassing that sea of endless possibilty we find within the QM perspective.

Functions of the Universe

We are in essence a function of the world around us, the stars, the galaxies, the clusters, super-clusters, groups and universes, multiverses, and finally the omniverse itself, contribute to the nature of us all. We cannot escape the inherant patterns that penetrate the fabric of space-time and make up what we are and how we function. These patterns lie deep within higher dimensional symmetries, the math of the omniverse. These patterns are controlled by laws that are largely unknown to us. Like a child at a lake, tossing stones into the water, all we can do is watch the ripples. We are forced to investigate the shaddows, the ripples, the effects of these higher dimensional laws, rather than observing them dirrectly. It it conceivable that somewhere, somewhen, there is a being that knows the equations, the formuli that would represent these higher laws of inter-dimensional physics, even that they could manipulate or utilize them to their advantage. Imagine the raw power that a being could command with the control over the entire omniverse and all its laws, it is a sobering thought. We humans do not even know the entire spectrum of laws which govern just this small patch of stars we know as our universe, let alone those which govern other universes. We do know that other universes should not all have the same laws or effects as our own, as this is statistically unprobable, given the infinite nature of the omniverse. Rob Bryanton (in his blog "Imagining the Tenth Dimension." ) has described these laws as emminating from within higher symmetries born in the Tenth Dimension.

The Truth... It Makes a Liar of Us All!

I have used the analogy of a many-sided puzzle box before, in describing the mysterious nature of truth or reality. Each "truth" or "reality" can really only be known (in part) for a fraction of a moment, and during a certain set of conditions. Consider the tiny electron, as it spins into one of its inifinte orbits, it appears frozen into a specific state. I have addressed the nature of this phenomenon as well as its staggering ramifications in the blog "The Measurement Problem," and many others. The truth for that electron is nothing but a set of conditions under which it temporarily exists. The truth is but for a infantescimal fraction of a second and then it is gone. Actually on a quantum level, its not just gone, it never even happened! Douglas Adams had it right- "...reality is often inaccurate..." Now to take it just one step further, this concept of linear time we have needs some serious revising. The Mayans were much closer to understanding the flow of the 4th dimension that of time (duration.) They viewed time as being both linear and cyclical, like a fractal or spiral. Within the infinte nature of time lies an infinite number of infinite futures and an infinite number of infinite pasts, (infinite in both quantity and quality, stretching into eternity in 360!) This is because space-time is infinte and the omniverse is infinite. Read more about the omniverse in my other posts, (it is the sum total of infinite subsystems, the all inclusive container.) So where does that leave each individual as they travel life's jouney? It may mean that it is more true to say that once a person is born their actual history is just as unsure as their future. They should have an infinite number of pasts as well as futures, each one is a truth, each one is just as real, just as valid as the next. SO what is real for you? I guess it depends on what world you are in, what your perspective is. Perspective equals truth, its just a matter memory that leads us like blindmen up and down that scale. You will remember of course that memory is about the most inaccurate sense that we humans posess. Now remember that tiny electron, spinning in its path about the nucleus of an atom. How would we accurately describe its actions and experience from a quantum perspective? Each path it takes (and there are an infinite number of them) can be seen as a "reality" a "truth." Strangely enough for every "real" path that the electron takes, there are "non-real" paths. From the quantum perspective the electron is in all possible states, real, un-real, and it exists and does not exist, all at once. How much more complex are the lives of us human beings, composed of trillions and trillions of electrons and nuclei, engaged in the primordial dance of life!

An Army Of One

In the film "The One" (directed by: James Wong, written by: James Wong and Glen Morgan,) Jet Lee does a great job portraying a unique kind of serial killer, the kind that kills other versions of himself. The US Army has used the slogan "Army Of One" for a while now, and it really does a great job explaining my next topic, so I recruited it. Picture if you will the entire omniverse, with all its countless versions of yourself. Now imagine that that system of "you" has got an agenda, specific acts and a series of game plans to achieve that agenda. This system would in fact, be the real function of your life, here on this world. Each version would behave in slightly different ways, with unique tasks and goals to accomplish. Once each version had completed their tasks and achieved their goals, they would simply appear to die, rejoining the larger self in its on-going omniversal and eternal life. I have mentioned before that all that need to exist (in order to provide our current experience of consciousness) is that a focus or emphasis be placed on the given world or reality by the larger omniversal mind. That is to say that, the real "I" consciousness within the entire self would contribute the partial conscious experience that we all share (right here and right now) by focusing a portion of its energy into all its many manifestations (ie. the finite versions in each universe.) In essence, "it is as real as it needs to be," and it doesn't really need to be that real!

Never Say Die (Reincarnation 2.0) Or not!

There are clearly more theories about what happens after you die, than ones that explain what happens before you are born. Where do we come from? Here's my friend Calvin's great question, "What are we?!" Both these questions point us in the direction of metaphysical origins. The physical process is easy enough to understand (if you are unclear on this, think back to your sex ed. classes, if this is new material, than most likely; you are either the most advanced 1st grader on planet earth, or living at home with your aging parents - NDNM "no date-no mate.") This question of origin is usually met with some outlandish scene involving heaven, angel-singing-harp-carrying beings, losing a bet or contest-being sent back to earth...no really intelligent theories get put out there. (At least not in modern western civilization.) Plenty has been said about the pre-life origins of humans, many traditions incorporate the concept of reincarnation-life before life. I myself have spent considerable time toying with that notion of recycling. It occurred to me that there were other novel approaches to be found within the MWI framework of theories, which might better explain this mystery. Every single theory that I have heard, read or considered revolves around the concept that we are finite beings (at least our bodies, and ourselves as individual souls or lives) living a unique life that is lived out within a system thats surrounds us. Each individual has a finite body that is conceived, born, grows to maturity, ages and dies (Very few people would dispute that.) And yet, there is another possibility that has not (to my knowledge, and I have looked a bit) been proposed. Reincarnation suggests that we live again, in a new body, in a new life, with the same old soul - minus the conscious memory. There are millions of texts that do a much better job at explaining the whole process ("Good Life, Good Death: Tibetan Teachings on Reincarnation by: Gini Alhadeff, Mark Magill, Nawang Gehlek. is just one of them.) I would like to introduce a new theory, M.L.T. (Many Lives Theory.) MLT would take into account both an infinite omniverse and the infinite, eternal spectrum of life. If we can call the omniverse infinite we can also call time infinite as it would be repeated out forever throughout an infinite set of time-lines (none of which would ever end.) So to recap, time is infinite, space is infinite, and you are infinite. You in fact, are a system all unto yourself. If MWI is to be read correctly, there are an infinite number of "you" living out an infinite number of lives, some nearly the same as you are living now, others quite different. These other "you's" (twins, if you like) needn't be living right now (as we in this universe would see it) from our perspective they might not live for another million years. Let us remember an earlier figure or set of figures, the two Joes. Joe (totally hypothetical here) born midnight July 7th 1978 to his parents Dan and Sue in Paris, Texas, could be born under the exact same set of conditions in an infinite number of parallel universes where that universe's time-line could be assigned a positive (time-plus) or negative (time-minus) value when compared to our own universes time-line. This omniversal view of time would of course mean that time was even more relative than Einstein had predicted! There could never be an omniversal clock. The one thing that would hold true is that Joe would be have to be conceived at the exact same time and under those same exact conditions in every single universe he was born into, otherwise he would most likely-not be Joe. DNA and other biological constraints might restrict those conditions further. The end result would still be an infinite number of Joes living out their many lives eternally. One might die as another was born. One might shift back and forth between universes and never suspect a thing. In fact, we can't actually prove that this does not happen naturally. We could be born here, our body die, and our self, soul, spirit or mind could easily be transported to another "ourself" where we would never know that death, instead we would dream that we had died, wake up and begin living our new one. The mind is an excellent filter, and what it can't filter out, it will paint over. I have noted before that our memory is a mutable thing, so much so, that it is difficult to tell what has happened even 10 years ago. Try to remember a detailed set of events that happened 30 years ago and you will surely notice that you are having to reconstruct from the fallen remains, the fragments of a once solid memory structure. So Joe would die here (at least to us) but he would be reborn or shift into a new life and body- that of his own- but not quite. He might notice that things weren't exactly the same as they once were. His mind might even struggle to pin it all down into something that made sense. Eventually his new life would fade into reality and the remnants of his old life would haunt him only in his dreams, but for a moment. He would never know that he got to do all the things he wanted to do in his life. He would never remember all the experiences he had. He would have no idea that he was strangely living, an eternal life. Joe would never die, he would always be Joe, but he would never know! (This strange new view also meshes well with the John Titor view and personal account of time travel. The jury is still way-out on that one!)

CERN - LHC update: Sept./Oct. 2009

CERN
"Geneva, 9 February 2009. CERN¹ management today confirmed the restart schedule for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) resulting from the recommendations from last week’s Chamonix workshop. The new schedule foresees first beams in the LHC at the end of September this year, with collisions following in late October. A short technical stop has also been foreseen over the Christmas period. The LHC will then run through to autumn next year, ensuring that the experiments have adequate data to carry out their first new physics analyses and have results to announce in 2010. The new schedule also permits the possible collisions of lead ions in 2010.

In Chamonix there was consensus among all the technical specialists that the new schedule is tight but realistic." (From CERN website press release) http://press.web.cern.ch/press/PressReleases/Releases2009/PR02.09E.html

The Great Void

Somewhere between 6-10 light years from earth lies the largest hole we have ever found! Its a complete empty space, known as a cosmic void "The Great Void" as it is being referred to is about 1 billion ly (light years) from side to side. It is roughly 1,000 times larger than any known or predicted cosmic voids. The universe appears to be pock-marked by empty bubbles (like soap bubbles.) These gaps often occur regularly, helping us to define galaxies, clusters and walls, great filaments or strings of galaxy clusters. What make this one unique is that no one would have ever predicted its unbelievable size. "It's hard even for astronomers to picture how big these things are." [University of Minnesota Professor Lawrence Ruddick] Just to give you an idea how big that is: it would take a spaceship {traveling at the speed of light} a billion years to cross it. The Milky Way galaxy is estimated to measure a mere 100,000 ly in diameter. This would feel kinda like studying normal fleas and then suddenly finding one the size of Jupiter. The team from UM found the enormous void by using the National Radio Astronomical Observatory's VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) in 2007. (I know its old news, but its still exciting!) The void is located just off the edge of the Eridanus constellation, and contains no stars, heavenly bodies,visible matter or dark matter, its a real pit of absolute nothingness! What lurks within the void may be more mysterious than the cause of its existence. As we begin to explore further and further into the starry blackness of space I cannot shake the mental image of an infant crawling through a jungle. The stars are not a playground, but a jungle of unimaginable variety. It is filled to the brim with every kind of creature, every kind of thing unfathomable, and we must respect it or perish. The earth and all its kind are but a tide pool, spinning in its sacred eddies and whirls around a small pond, The Milky Way. That ocean, that jungle has no end, no shores, only wave after wave of stars and inky black holes between them. So go out into the night, look up at the stars, and be in awe, for it is the correct response to such an unbelievable existence.

Quantum Religion (The basic tenets of a QM Gospel)

What kinds of flavors might we find within a religious practice that embraced the concepts of MWI, MMT, and an ever expanding field of QM related philosophies? We might hear sermons concerning the vast spectrum beings within our realm of existence. Possibly a mission field of meditation or dream related outreach would be spawned by the universal drive to help others. We might explore a new practice of tolerance for the humanity within ourselves as finite manifestations of infinite systems. The over-arching message of many current religions is more or less friendly with this system of philosophy. Jesus of Nazareth showed a particular bend toward the quantum nature and all things zen. Buddha spoke of the eternal void, lacking nothing, yet perfectly empty. Lao Tzu embraced the Tao, an amazingly simple explanation for the quantum nature of the system of reality we reside in, and outlined a way for following its path. The eternal wisdom of Krishna and the Hindu concept of the Spanda Shakti reveal the very nature of the Creator of this realm to be infinite, their body encompassing all the matter of the cosmos. The teachings of Kabbalah (ancient Jewish mysticsm) lay clear the way for a view of the universe as a logical, natural system built upon quantum wave-state technology. Sufi mystic Rumi understood the nature of the heavens and the earth as a larger universal system, ever continuing to wonder at the beauty that overwhelmed him. We read in the Poets: Blake, Milton, Emerson, Twain, and so many others, a common thread of the timeless gospel of QM.

"What is and What should never be."

I would like to discuss the subject of variety of species, with the current framework of an MWI cosmology in mind. Consider either an infinite (in space and time) universe, or a sea of finite (large beyond all comprehension) universes. Both provide an adequate background for the discussion. We can imagine a multiverse where humans exist on an infinite number of planet Earths, as well as a infinite number of other extraterrestrial planets, asteroids, planetoids, space stations or spaceships where humans also exist (both within our own universe - separated by tremendous gaps of space and or time, or within other universes that are somewhat similar to our own - terrestrial or extraterrestrial in nature. But what of the worlds (universes) that are so different from our own that the very act of visiting them would prove fatal? How many worlds could exist with laws of physics so foreign, so odd and so chaotic that the creatures that dwelt within could never be seen, heard, smelled or touched? How many worlds would fall so far from our limited experience here, that we are forever incapable of grasping their very form. This foray into different realms and experiences should lead us to another more profound question: What actually exists? There are at least two answers to this question. (1.) Everything exists (somewhere, somehow and somewhen) the second answer is troubling. The second answer is that (2.) nothing actually exists. Both answers are simultaneously correct. The truth is that there is not just one truth, not just one way of seeing what exists or does not exist. The truth is like a many-sided puzzle-box, that changes shapes, qualities and properties as one revolves around it. Every side looks different, and every side is real. There is not one true nature or one true way to see or interact with it. Many people look at life from different sides, different perspectives, and truly feel as if they are viewing the correct side, seeing at last the true nature of reality. Think if you will about the reality, the lawfulness the solidity of even our most fanciful dreams. They appear to be infused with all the correct conceptual elements of life, no matter how warped or shattered, they seem to function as a whole. Most importantly, we usually accept this artificial reality scape as being, real enough for the time being. These dreams, these thoughts, this life, is real enough for the time being, and that is enough for me.

TIARA IN TB [New Motto]

"This-Is-As-Real-As-It-Needs-To-Be."

Wisdom of THHGTTG (The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

I have found quite a few subjects of interest between the many pages of Douglas Adam's series THHGTTG also known as the "Guide." Science fiction may be fiction, but it sure harbors a ton of fact! The perspective that Adams frequently shows us is one of a pandimensional, intergalactic omniversal kind. He does not shy away from using the ridiculous to point us to the unknown. Often times we are more receptive to learning new things if we can first; reject them, laugh at them and quietly be influenced by the idea of them. My favorite quote in Adam's second installment of the "guide" series ("The Restaurant At The End of the Universe ," Chapter 6, p.174) is as follows: "The Guide is definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate." The joke often points to a grain of truth. Reality, or rather its perception is by its very infinite nature completely impossible to grasp. First we find one loose thread, so to speak, then another and soon the entire menagerie unravels like a house made of yarn. Yet the house of yarn is functional, even in its own dysfunction. The universe need not be real (in a classical Newtonian sense) in order for it to be functional. All that is required is that it be (or appear to be) functional. As we go through our daily lives, we are mostly unaware of the gaps, the flaws and the unravled ends that make up our tattered reality matrix. This matrix or tapestry is continually built upon by the higher, more discreet functions of our mind and the shared mind we all interact with (society, both micro and macro) Any discrepancies are quickly labeled as "paranormal" in nature or "painted" over by higher functions of our mind. If we were to see clearly the higher order symmetries that are responsible for our world and others' existence (the raw program code, of sorts) we might deduce that reality, at least as we know it, is in fact very inaccurate after all!

The Measurement Problem?

Ask any physicist today what scares them the most. Undoubtedly their answer will relate to something called the measurement problem of Q.M. (Quantum Mechanics.) The measurement problem arises whenever we try to observe a system at the quantum level. We know that particles like electrons have a waveform nature and that they exist in a unique "superposition" such that every possible position is realized at once, they "should" appear as an indeterminate cloud. Instead, when we observe them, they instantaneously appear to take on one of their infinite number of possible positions. This jump into a definite position is known as a quantum probability waveform collapse. The measurement "problem" is the key to understanding why our universe isn't exactly what it should be, and also the key to understanding what lies beyond our universe. The big question is why does the act of observation by a person affect the observed state of the particle? This seems ridiculous, beyond even the scope of the most fanciful science fiction, nevertheless it remains true.
Perhaps if we plug in the element of consciousness into the equations of the universe, things might make more sense. When we run into problems, paradoxes or conundrums it usually a flaw in our perception or understanding that quickly resolves the matter. It took us many centuries to realize the the world was round, rotated around the sun and was one of many other heavenly bodies. Once we recognize the fact that consciousness is linked to both matter and energy, as the third primordial element then the problem of measurement makes sense, and the long battled arguments over dualism become resolved. We are forced to admit that we are inexorably linked to the systems we reside in, if our consciousness were removed from this universe (this world) it would be different because of our departure. If all consciousness were to disappear, the universe would collapse and disintegrate. We are made out of a complex process that temporarily fuses these three elements together. As conscious beings we are part of the system we are trying to understand and observe, this is bound to cause some difficulty. How are we to gain the lofty vantage point by which we might see clearly the world we live in? The Measurement Problem isn't really a problem at all! It is one of the many sign-posts pointing to the solution, (a solution I am confident will one day free mankind from the world and existence we now live in.)

Our House.

Let's take a moment to explore our cosmos as a system. We can imagine our earth as a big round house surrounded by windows giving us a perfect view of the endless sky. This house has many rooms, containing every kind of animal, plant and person we have ever, or will ever know. If at night time we peer outside one of the many windows, we notice that we observe a whole neighborhood of houses. We "appear" to be residing next to several abandoned houses. The abandoned houses do not have any lights on or any activities we can readily observe. In fact, we "appear" to be the only people living in the neighborhood, a neighborhood we call our solar system. As we turn our pair of high-resolution binoculars out into the surrounding neighborhoods (the suburb our neighborhood resides in) we find more seemingly empty houses. That suburb we refer to as an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Beyond the suburbs we can view the entire city, The Milky Way Galaxy. That city is in turn part of a county, (galaxy cluster) the county is part of a state, (galaxy super cluster) the state is part of a nation, (universe) the nation is part of a continent, (multiverse) and the continents make up the entire planet (omniverse.)

House = Earth
Neighborhood = Solar System
Community/Suburb = Galaxy Spiral Arm
City = Galaxy
County = Galaxy Cluster
State = Galaxy Supercluster
Nation = Universe
Continent = Multiverse
Planet = Omniverse

Planck Time

Planck scale time is said to be equal to: 5.39121 × 10⁻⁴⁴ seconds, which clearly puts it in the realm of Quantum Mechanics. This minute amount of time is so small that we have no frame of reference to compare it to. Planck time scale is also said to be the rate of time by which the universe recreates itself "moment by moment." (Please see Rob Bryanton's blog for more on this concept-"Imagining the Tenth Dimension." The 'vlogs' video blogs on the "Imagining the Tenth Dimension" site do an excellent job explaining many concepts discussed here as well as on his own site.) So if we are to understand the finer concepts of MWI as well as Quantum Mechanics, Planck scale and its temporal equivalent are important concepts to grasp. Planck scale is usually used in reference to length. Planck mass is also used to measure objects and processes which work within this minute scale.

CERN update! LHC Back up by Summer '09

CERN "We have a lot of work to do over the coming months," said LHC project Leader Lyn Evans, "but we now have the roadmap, the time and the competence necessary to be ready for physics by summer. We are currently in a scheduled annual shutdown until May, so we're hopeful that not too much time will be lost...The top priority for CERN today is to provide collision data for the experiments as soon as reasonably possible," said CERN Director General Robert Aymar. "This will be in the summer of 2009...The initial malfunction was caused by a faulty electrical connection between two of the accelerator's magnets. This resulted in mechanical damage and release of helium from the magnet cold mass into the tunnel. Proper safety procedures were in force, the safety systems performed as expected, and no one was put at risk." (From CERN press release given on 12/05/08.)

http://press.web.cern.ch/press/PressReleases/Releases2008/PR17.08E.html

Back To The Chalkboard (Initial Conditions I.)

We don't actually know the Initial Conditions of our own universe' creation, just thought I'd throw that out there. - And this is an important concession to make if we are to explore in earnest the universe around us. It is less important what we think, what other scientists or researchers think, more important what underlying patterns and the world around us has to say.

5 BIG Questions to be Re-Asked!

Mind, Matter and Energy are what I would consider to be the three jewels of MMT. What can you think of that is not composed of at least one of these three elements. Sound and light are forms of vibrational energy. Space-time has been assumed to be forged within the higher dimensions (possibly the 10th-see Rob Bryanton's "Imagining The Tenth Dimension" for more on this subject) from the elements of matter and energy. Modern physics would have you believe that the universe is finite in space as well as time. It points to red-shift data (this form of analysis measures light from both nearby and distant stars to estimate distance and time relative to earth,) and declares that the universe is a mere 12 to 14 billion years old, with our solar system being only 4.5 billion years old. I find it interesting that the point furthest from earth (as currently observed by our telescopes) is considered the end of space-time and the beginning of our universe. I also find it odd that scientists believe that the universe is expanding, when it is clear that data is inconclusive in this matter. In fact, there is significant data that disproves this theory of an expanding universe all together. There have been documented observations of stars which appeared clearly within the "red," which are now moving "blue." This would indicate that the stars are not moving away from us, but around and through us. Picture an ocean of spiraling galaxy super clusters, within which lie swirling galaxy clusters, galaxies and within them solar systems, planets, beings, cells, atoms, subatomic particles and so on, into infinity. The spectrum may have no end in sight, either way out on the scale. This view is much more consistent with what we see in nature already. Fractal geometry and chaos theory both support a much more complex view of the universe than is currently accepted. It would seem pretentious of us to assume that we lie within the center of the universe, and yet this theory is common today amongst astronomers and physicists. Would it not be more logical to assume that our ability to observe the heavens is (as of yet) unable to find the end of our known universe? Would it not also be more prudent to advise students that we actually do not know if the universe began with a Big Bang, when the universe began, or even if the universe is finite or infinite in both space and time? These questions are no longer being asked, and THEY SHOULD BE!!! It is much more logical to question if the universe had a beginning at all, than to assume that it emerged out of a giant explosion of "absolutely nothing" or even an explosion of "pure energy." What is "pure energy" anyway?
Again here are the BIG questions we all need to re-ask:
1.) What makes up the universe we live in?
2.) How was our universe created/born?
3.) When was our universe born?
4.) Was our universe and all others always in existence?
5.) How large is our universe? Is it finite or infinite?
We need to keep nature in perspective when we ask these questions, what do we see in smaller systems, like eco-spheres?

"...As above, so below..." -Annonymous

The Meaning Of Life.

Every thought, every dream, every single thing that you are conscious of is both contributed to and shared by other versions of yourself. Each version (whether they are aware of MMT or not) instinctively believes that they are alone, that their thoughts are their own, that the dreams they dream at night are their own. It is an illusion that is needed, as we progress through our life. We live our everyday lives with some degree of identity, we identify with ourself as an individual, as unique and somehow different from all other beings. There is some truth in this illusion (as there is with all illusions) that there are none just exactly like ourself, only others so very like us that we may never know what the differences are. It is hard to allow this perspective much application because our world demands a certain degree of individuality, and because the starkness of our physical world does not readily reveal the true nature of ourselves. The psychology of today is not ready for a world view that seeks to integrate all consciousness or even all versions of oneself. The science of today views the universe and all existence as finite, composed of matter and energy. MMT views the universe and all existence to be composed of three unique and omniversal elements; matter, energy and consciousness. This last element is lacking within the theories of modern physics, so it does not understand the true identity or significance of the observer. Modern Quantum Physics is on the very verge of realizing that the observer is the reason that the universe exists as it does. If you remove energy then the equation collapses, if you remove matter then the equation collapses, and if you remove "mind" then the equation collapses. These sacred three elements are the very reason we exist, they are in essence, the meaning of life!

A Night In The Life... An Introduction to MMT continued

As we explore MMT (Many Minds Theory) more we find that the ties should not stop short of the entire consciousness of every living being. In some sense we are all one. Together we compose a rich tapestry interwoven with the fibers that are the lives of every being that has ever lived or will ever live. On this level the illusion of separateness has vanished and the whole that remains is all inclusive. We could call this aspect of MMT the "unity perspective." But there remains within this expansive view of self a perspective that takes into account the individual as a group. Each being has an innumerable amount of versions of themselves living within other parallel universes. I hesitate to call these versions of beings "twins" because they should be both more similar and more different than what actual twins should be. The relationship should be more like subtle hues of color. Some versions should be so identical that they could be swapped into each others universe without any real hope of detection, even by themselves. Other versions could be so different that they might even appear as distant relatives. In this way versions could appear more different than they actually are. At their core lies the same mind, that same consciousness. What pair of actual twins, even as they appear identical, could ever truly share the other's mind? So it is that I say that they should be more similar and more different than what twins should be to one another. Consider also that some versions should be relatively younger, others older, some in the moment of being conceived, some in the process of dying. There is not just everywhere, but everywhen to consider once we explore the omniverse as it should exist. Think how much one could gain by talking with an elder that is not just a relative , but a version of yourself. Each version could provide a unique perspective as they shared thoughts, feelings and memories with the others. MMT views the "whole" self, the integrated self, as an interconnected being, composed of an almost infinite number of versions, many of which might never know that they are part of a larger "whole." This larger mind or soul would well be aware of its condition, and of the many versions lives. This soul should be a very complex being, as it lives with the experience the intimate knowledge of all the: toils, troubles, sadness, joy, excitements of the individual selves. It would truly know the agony and the ecstasy of every single version's life as it happened, and all at once. This bitter-sweet symphony would unfold seemingly without end. The questions would remain. How many versions are there? How many have there been? How many will there be? It might be comforting to know that there were just so many, that the life might end. To the larger "mind" it would not end, to the individual mind it might seem that way. I think it all boils down to perspective and memory. If one had the perspective of the "whole" and a perfect memory, one would be aware of one's immortality. But the memory fades, and the complete perspective is limited to the portion of ourselves that can contain it. Consider all the events, emotions and energies of the "whole." What being do you know that can contain that sort of energy, can withstand that sort of emotion, or that can maintain it s sanity while such a torrent of woes besets it? That portion of the self, the "whole," must too belong to all other "wholes" as a collective being, just as we belong to it. That even larger portion could be seen as God, the sum of all wisdom, all consciousness and all power. This view seeks to provide a new paradigm for our growing world, one that includes all and excludes none. It seeks to bring all life together in omniversal harmony, keeping the truth that all life is present within each being. Each being is both a distinct sovereign and a community unto itself, as well as a member of a larger community of all life across the omniverse.

Quantum Ethics II. (The Metta Sutra) From The Buddha.

The Metta Sutra (passage taken from the Pali text, of The Buddha)

"This is the work for those who are skilled and peaceful, who seek the good:
May they be able and upright, straightforward, of gentle speech and not proud.
May they be content and easily supported, unburdened with their senses calmed.
May they be wise, not arrogant and without desire for the possessions of others.
May they do nothing mean or that the wise would reprove.
May all beings be happy.
May they live in safety and joy.
All living beings, whether weak or strong, tall, stout, medium or short, seen or unseen,
near or distant, born or to be born, may they all be happy.
Let no one deceive another or despise any being in any state,
let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.
As a mother watches over her child, willing to risk her own life to protect her only child,
so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings,
suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness.

Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, during all one's waking hours,
may one remain mindful of this heart and this way of living that is the best in the world.
Unattached to speculations, views and sense desires, with clear vision,
such a person will never be reborn in the cycles of suffering."

I belong to a local meditation group, at the close of every session the following passage is read:

"May the merit of our practice be shared with all beings, in all worlds, in all directions,
May all beings be at peace,
May all beings be free from suffering,
May all beings be free from harm,
May all beings be free from fear,
May all beings be happy,
And may all beings awaken."

(This a great little prayer or mantra, taken largely from the Metta Sutra above.)

If you will notice that the second passage in blue makes no specific designations as to who the prayer is directed to, or from. This is done to bring one a sense of unity with all beings that exist, will exist or have existed in the past, it is all-inclusive, excluding none. There is a great amount of wisdom to be gained from this perspective, and if applied, it slowly but steadily begins to change one's behavior toward both oneself and all others. If one is to evolve into the kind of being by which that greatest possible perspective and life is gained, a new and radical form of ethics must be practiced, if not perfected.

The Life Extraordinary

Have you ever noticed how easily we switch between our everyday reality and dreaming, daydreaming, fantasy or introspective thought? I find this very interesting. It seems as if humans were set up to experience two separate kinds of reality. The everyday reality we share (in varying degrees of coherence) with others here in our world, holds a special focus within our minds and within our society. The second portion of conscious experience seems to appear only as an afterthought, a jumbled pile of loose fragmentary thoughts, emotions and experiences. This "mess" is hardly given its due attention, even by the most enlightened of persons. This is probably due to the fright factor involved with the unconscious mind and its many mysterious processes. Nobody likes exploring their our unconscious it seems. It's dark, dank and down-right scary! We miss out on so much knowledge this way, so much hidden from the everyday world. Dreams have the ability to bridge the gap between the gulf, that abyss of madness and chaos we all fear within our own bewildered souls and that rational mind and everyday world we try so hard to perfect and cultivate. It is only after much thought and great mental efforts that I have arrived at this conclusion: If we are to succeed in actualizing the self, perfecting the mind, purifying the soul, it will be through the use of dreams, the all powerful vehicle of the soul. So it is that I urge you to explore your dreams, for you may find, as I have, that you are not so much "seeing" as you are "doing," you are experiencing the life extraordinary!

Infinity into Infinity

How does one understand in a functional way the concept of infinity. A friend and I have discussed this at great length. Its not an easy question to answer! One must leave classical mathematics behind, along with newtonian physics. Infinity can only be found in the land of zero. Where 0 - 0 = 0, 0 + 0 = 0, 0 x 0 = 0, 0 / 0 = 0, this is an almost useless bit of mathematical jargon here in our realm. But it means more than one might assume. Zero means more than "nothing" it also means "everything" and it also means "infinity." Infinity fits into infinity! Thus you can have an infinite number of worlds within an infinite omniverse. You could even have an infinite number of "twin universes" within an infinite omniverse. Think about that last comment for a moment... it's not possible by our logic is it??? It's possible because another form of logic controls that side of the mirror, so to speak. We live on one side, and we understand as a "flatlander" would. We know in part. But we are just smart enough to know that what we are observing hints at something much much greater. Understanding this, is key in digesting the greater concepts of MWI and MMT.

Quantum Ethics I.

So what paths should ethics take along this new and treacherous road of Quantum Age?

I would like to introduce a odd little quote from quasi-occult literature attributed to Al Hazred "The Mad Arab." "Nothing is real, and everything is permissible." (It is likely that the quote actually originated from the works of H.P. Lovecraft or even Robert Howard or Robert Bloch, all three are writers that delved into the Cthulhu Mythos and its related legends. As for Al Hazred, he probably never existed.) The quote is quite profound! Think about its first half: "Nothing is real..." This section strikes a chord in both Sufi scripture and Zen literature. The second half alludes to the paradox of existence, everything is real and everything is an illusion. "...Everything is permissible." This paradoxical quote asks us to view the very construct of our reality with the element of illusion as a central theme. It also inadvertently mentions a concept I mentioned earlier, that being the loss of the traditional "free-will" as one takes in the MWI concept. [If everything is permissible and everything that can happen will happen, and everything can happen, then one is forced to play out all possible actions and all possible sets of corresponding conditions.] Free will is then a concept that is just as real as one's perspective, as soon as one's perspective grows beyond the individual observer, the illusion is gone. From the perspective a completely integrated self (one could call this a soul, universal mind...etc) free will might mean very little, to an individual self, it would be a key element in their life, providing them with the construct to understand their own decisions. So does this mean that the epicureans had it right? Do whatever feels good? Or maybe La Vey had it right with his infamous "And if it harm none, do as thou wilt." I would have to say that I disagree with all of these slogans. It is my belief that we have an obligation to uphold the higher "good," whatever that may be. I feel that it is even more important to consider the concept of "others" other people, other things, other systems, other worlds, other consciousnesses and to include this larger spectrum of being into our personal concept of morality. As the song says, "It's not enough just to stand and stare..." ('On The Turning Away'-Pink Floyd.) Where this path leads is closer to Jainism, Buddhist or even the Hindu; Ahimsa, than the carefree viewpoints so common and popular today. It is easy to overlook that which you do not understand, and even easier to overlook that which you do not believe exists. The key is expanding your perspective! That is the primary goal of this blog, to expand my own and other's perspectives. I feel it especially relevant in the age we currently live, for we are standing on the absolute edge of the Quantum Age. This coming age will make the massive progress of the Industrial Revolution pale in comparison. In fact by all estimates, the Quantum age will be the single largest progressive era mankind has ever or will ever see. A new paradigm is desperately needed, if we are to remain productive and viable in such a new and brave frontier.

A Day In The Life... An Introduction to MMT

This is going to be a multi-part series of posts. Please read the previous post, "On The Turning Away"... as it relates heavily to the content and concepts discussed in this post. I would like to introduce a new (at least for this blog) concept. That concept which I will simply refer to as MMT (many minds theory) is related to the MWI concept of Quantum mechanics. MWI basically states that there are an infinite number of parallel universes "versions" of our own and other universes. In such a system there should be an infinite number or at least a very large number of "versions" of yourself. Scientists estimate that there are somewhere between 10-100 trillion cells in the human body (we don't actually know the average number of cells for a human body yet.) Imagine if there were even 100 trillion versions of yourself, thats a lot of you!

Now here's were MMT comes in. Imagine that each one of these versions of yourself has there own finite body, and brain as well as a life that is similar but not the same as your own. Indeed their thought patterns and behaviors would most likely resemble your own, with the occasional variation. If you could meet with anyone in the Omniverse, you would find these people to be the closest match to an exact duplicate of yourself. Talking with a version of yourself would seem effortless, most likely enjoyable, and yet thought provoking. Each version would be able to share unique events, ideas, lessons and perspectives, in such a way that the other would instinctively understand and relate to. These versions could provide each other with an almost limitless flow of advice for self-improvement and life enriching knowledge, as well as unique memories the other had never experienced. Imagine finding out how going to a different university turned out, taking that other path, marrying a different spouse, having kids, not having kids, having grandkids, choosing a different religion, lifestyle, an the list goes on... there would be many things similar, some exactly the same, many different about your "other-self." Some people would choose to identify with their counterparts directly as "them self" others would feel insecure and have to put some space between them and their "other-self" perhaps identifying them as a brother/sister, twin or some other label.

For myself the choice would be clear, I would have to identify directly with the "others" as myself, other versions of myself, at least mentally. Behavior would most likely be something similar to standing in front of an identical twin you never met before, and finding that they share your thoughts , feelings, and behavior patterns far more than they probably should. It might seem a bit scary at first, especially if they are very close to your same world-line (say... only < 2% different, overall.)

Is it possible that these versions could converse, meet, and share (on some level) while completely unaware? I believe that this is a distinct possibility. The validity of MMT is its connection to everyday reality as we experience it right now. I believe that dreaming and certain cognitive functions and features provide us with clues as to how MWI and MMT affect us all, every single day. I have mentioned previously that human cognition is a strange and wonderful phenomenon. I believe that the reason why human cognition is as complex and chaotic as it is, is because it not only involves a complex, yet finite physical element (the brain), but also an infinite element. This infinite element is (I believe) a conglomerate of consciousness, a society of mind, produced by all the versions of yourself within the Omniverse. What better explanation do we have for the endless creativity, the boundless capacity of random, chaotic thoughts and the strange "other worldly" images/scenes that we all experience while dreaming? I will elaborate much more on dreaming in my next post... there is SO much more I have to say about it.

So my big tie in to "On The Turning Away" -Read or better yet Listen to sections 1 and 3. Communication is taking place between ourselves and so many others, how can we turn away from so many others? How can we turn away from ourselves? (Okay, thats my deep creepy thought for today)

"On The Turning Away" (Pink Floyd, from "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason," 1987.

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away"

It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it's shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?
-Pink Floyd

MWI diagram

You may recall that the "Omniverse" is the term given to the largest concept in MWI Cosmology. It is an all encompassing place, containing all possible multiverses, universes, galaxy clusters, galaxies, solar systems, worlds (planets, planetoids, plutoids, asteroids, comets, space-stations, space ships and ring-worlds.) The term "world" is really an over-used word, but it holds significance with most readers (myself included.) The Omniverse is infinite in space, stretching out into infinity in all directions and times. It contains all that exists and all that does not exist, simultaneously. There is however only ONE Omniverse! how can there be more than one "all encompassing" everything? The colored portions of the diagram represent those portions which are limited in size but not in number. There should be an infinite number of multiverses, universes, etc... on down to worlds, beings, events, thoughts... you get the picture. Each portion contains one side of the same coin, so to speak. One is infinite in size, but finite in number, the other is just the complimentary, infinite in number, but finite in size. One might imagine that the colored portion is a single drop of water, and the black portion is an endless sea.

Given this diagram, or any other cosmological diagram:

1. Where are we located?
2. When are we located?
3. What are we?
4. Why are we?

Just some fun questions to play with (especially as they relate to MWI, the above diagram)

"Another World" -Brian May, 1998.

"Another World" the title track from "Another World" Brian May, 1998.

"In another world,
Under another sky,
I see another story waiting to be told,
And another you,
Wakes up with another me,
For that's the way we've come to be,
In another world.

In a different place,
Way across time and space,
A door is open wide,
Drawn to a different light,
Maybe we'll step inside.

In another world,
We can show we care,
You can be sure I'm waiting there,
In another world.

Oooh yeah,
When the dies were cast,
They laid a crazy path,
We follow to our graves,
But I know in a different world,
We journey a different way.

So we live,
But life isn't what it seems,
We're only living in our dreams,
In another world.

You can believe I'll meet you here
In another world."
- Brian May

I heard this song back in '98 when it was released, just didn't know what to call the whole "another world" concept yet. It has helped inspire me to further explore MWI and Parallel Universe theory. Brian, (or should I say Dr. May) as always, you are way ahead of the times!