OT: What is the Universe Expanding into?

Fyron · #1 February 11th, 2004, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
The problem with sentience and the question of has anything else pondered this- is both are damn near impossible to negatively prove. Intelligence is not an on/off button.

There is a huge difference between intelligence and sentience. There are plenty of highly intelligent non-human animals that do not show any signs of sentience.

Kamog · #2 February 11th, 2004, 07:51 AM

There is no way to know for sure whether another creature on earth has pondered the universe and what lays beyond it. We like to think that only us humans are sentient and therefore special, but how do we know that, say, a dog isn't sentient? We can't get into the dog's mind and know what it's thinking.

Well, actually, I must admit that I'm not entirely sure what "sentient" means. I only learned that word in that Star Trek episode where Data had to defend his rights to be equal to a living being. Data had to be intelligent, self-aware, and sentient. So "sentient" is not the same thing as "self-aware". I guess it means something like having consciousness, but I'm not sure.

Fyron · #3 February 11th, 2004, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taz-in-Space:

quote:
"physically" proving that a number is infinite in length is silly and a waste of time.

I agree. I also still maintain that stating that an infinite void exists outside the universe is also silly. Nobody knows. IT IS JUST IDLE SPECULATION - A GUESS.

Actually it is more than just a guess... it too is based on logical reasoning. Also, the two things are completley unrelated. One can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, the other can not be. Apples and oranges.

narf poit chez BOOM · #4 February 11th, 2004, 07:58 AM

Existence Of Apples And Oranges Provisionally Accepted After Intense Experience Of What May Be Hunger Pains.

Kamog · #5 February 11th, 2004, 08:02 AM

I don't think that the universe will cease to exist when the Last human dies. Because there's a lot of evidence that the universe existed for a long time before the first humans appeared, we know the universe can exist without humans.

Fyron · #6 February 11th, 2004, 08:08 AM

Unless, of course, that is all part of the illusion...

narf poit chez BOOM · #7 February 11th, 2004, 08:14 AM

Existance Of Some Sort Of Reality Provisionally Accepted For Lack Of A Better Alternative.

*opinions of researcher may not be opinions of wacko at keyboard.*

just in case anybody missed it, my recent statements have been cleverly concealed arguements that 'scientific arguements about things that can't be proven can only go so far before they go in circles. '

[ February 11, 2004, 06:24: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]