SD:H Time

I can feel my eyes grow cold and she notices as well, a memory of a misunderstanding echoing even here. I crawl out of our shelter and stand facing the window, observing the now silent storm outside. Silence rests inside as well until I finally speak.

"I was discussing the nature of space and multiple dimensions with a friend. He argued that in a multiverse where any choice made results in a number of alternate dimensions where we made the alternate choice, the result would be an infinite number of universes in the multiverse here. I have heard this before, but this time it struck me as something I needed to correct.

Let's say the Big Bang happened as described, which from my understanding is in the same realm of belief and reasoning for many of those who have suggested this infinite multiverse theory; in that case time, by any measurement, in our universe, would have "started." Just after this juncture, a single minimum moment later, a clearly finite number of "choices" would have been made by the components present in the universe. Even then this number may have been quite large, but finite nonetheless.

Now let's look at a smaller example. Let's say one finds themselves in a reality where they are the only ones who can make a relevant 'choice' and they can only do so once per hour. Since the universe, when fast forwarded, also ends in most theories- let's say the Big Crunch or alternatively such a rapid expansion that nothing can interact with anything else, which I have heard is another way to define a quantum 'choice'- we can also say in this example that the reality ends after one day. In this example, precisely 24 choices are made. Let's say each is a binary choice, this means that 2^24 universes will exist in this multiverse, by this logic. Essentially the equation is based directly on: number of choosers, number of choices- or said another way the slice of time in which a choice can be made-, number of outcomes, and units of time. These result in the defined number of multiverses for the scenario.

If the number of choosers increases to two, the number of multiverses grows, but does not become infinite. If the number of choices grows -or slices of time in which choices can be made shrinks-, the number of multiverses grows but does not become infinite. If the number of outcomes grows, the number of multiverses grows but does not become infinite. If the number of units of time until the end grows, the number of multiverses grows but does not become infinite. In fact, the number of multiverses that can develop through this method will never grow to an infinite value because, if an end to the universe is assumed, then all the factors put into the equation will always be finite, despite being unfathomably large. It seems as though those that adhere to this idea have confused unfathomably large with infinite, which is an incalculably large error. Also, if one travels an arrow in time, or even if one arrives, through time travel, at a moment in time, one would only ever be calculating the number of multiverses that have occurred in that realm up to that point, meaning the calculation, from any conceivable point of reference, will always be finite.

Now I have presented previously in my blog that consciousness must either persist forever, or at some point cease. Since cessation of consciousness would mean a meaninglessness of the journey, and results in a kind of paradox in the ability to experience any given moment, I instead look at the outcome of consciousness persisting forever. In addition to logic I will not rehash here, this also aligns with my faith- if you want to, see John 10:28-30, et al. So, you end up with an actual infinite value for time, but only if the soul is considered to be infinite- outside the body, potentially even outside the universe, etc. Even then you can only include this as a component of the equation if the equation is viewed at the hypothetical point of the infinite end. So, the question remains 'how many seconds are there in eternity?'

Let's say every choice in our universe combines into a painting, and at the end we realize our lives have really been a trance like state we have been in while painting this masterpiece. Let's say even outside of a natural lifespan we were still able to observe events and that each event, each choice ever made, added a pixel to this painting. If consciousness persists forever, we would then be there with the painting. We could hang it on the wall, examine it later, what have you. Now let's say when you examined it, you considered other possible choices you could have made, and when you stopped considering, the painting had changed. This changed painting would be another multiverse representation of this universe. I prefer to picture a computer screen where you can scroll through and see all the images that could have resulted, the ones you envisioned at least, on the same "canvas." While the possible outcomes for this painting would be vast, they would not be infinite, and the ones you have "saved" would likely be far less.

Now let's say you also had the materials to make more paintings, and you set out to do it again, also placing each on the wall. In fact, since you live in a large castle, you filled your walls with paintings in this way. Eventually your walls filled up, each painting representing the span of time within a universe, like the one we each wake up in, but with different starting conditions, etc. When the castle walls filled you realized you did not live just in a castle, but on a planet filled with castles, all yours, so you continued to paint until every wall in every castle on the planet was filled with paintings. When you had finally done this, you snapped out of your trance, realizing the planet of castles filled with paintings was just a movie you were finishing, but had gotten caught up in. You save the movie, which could be viewed later, and put it on the shelf, realizing you are in a mansion filled with shelves and you have materials enough to make as many movies as you'd like. Given a function of time that is truly infinite, this process would never cease. Once the shelves were filled something else would occur, and it would continue forever.

This is the delicacy of eep. This is one of many scenarios that could occur in infinite time, but the important piece that persists is that meaning must persist in the face of eternity, or all is lost. The entirety of this multiverse is but a few frames in the movie I describe, while you are swiping from one configuration to the next on a painting on a wall. Even then, it is one of many movies to make and watch while wondering what the next zoom out might be. That is a glimpse of how small the confines of this universe are in the face of infinity, when our universe is compared to time. It cannot be accurately done, for one is attempting to compare something finite to something infinite. This is why I coined the phrase 'functionally infinite' and recommend its use even mathematically, as the limits of what is possible in this universe. In my example, space is revealed to be a kind of infinite as well, but not in this universe; much like time is delineated, space is demarcated as well. 

I hope this helps explain why I am so focused on this topic. The ability to learn to walk the infinite while in a finite field is delicate, nearly impossible, but if not accomplished, all is lost. Imagine instead a castle with one scorched painting and no materials to make another. A movie with one botched scene, and no way to finish it or make any more. If you even attempt to imagine forever without meaning it will terrify you, I do not recommend it. As such, I continue to demarcate and delineate here, in hopes of being able to do it there, with meaning, and love, sewn throughout the whole."

One more bolt of lightning strikes just outside, thunder booming seemingly at the exact same time. I consider what imperfect receivers we have of information, these eyes and ears, as the scene fades.