Philosophical (is it?) question

Borris · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:32

In an infinite universe, anything can happen.

If anything can happen, a slinky can go up the stairs in every single universe.

The real question, however, is would it still make a sound in an empty forest?

Pudney · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:48

Borris said:
In an infinite universe, anything can happen.

If anything can happen, a slinky can go up the stairs in every single universe.

The real question, however, is would it still make a sound in an empty forest?

No, as already said, in an infinite universe anything possible will happen. The laws of physics are constant (theoretically) therefore everything must conform to them, and as such there are things which are impossible to happen. Like a slinky disobeying the laws of gravity.

Melm0 · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:51

Borris said:
The real question, however, is would it still make a sound in an empty forest?

Depends if the forest has stairs?

Borris · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:53

Pudney@work said:
No, as already said, in an infinite universe anything possible will happen. The laws of physics are constant (theoretically) therefore everything must conform to them, and as such there are things which are impossible to happen. Like a slinky disobeying the laws of gravity.

How about a tiger?

They defy the laws of gravity.

Pudney · 24 Feb 2006 at 10:59

Borris said:
How about a tiger?

They defy the laws of gravity.

Tiger's are a special case. They defy all known constants. That's why I love tigers and want to get a cub, so I can watch it grow and wrestle with it in the garden.

Ahem, I like tigers, not a good idea to mention them

Deka · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:03

Che said:
Okay. Say we live in an infinite universe. Because it is infinite then it can be assumed that everything is happening at some point blah blah, stick a thousand monkeys in a room with a thousand type writers and they'll produce a literary masterpiece.

Does that mean that somewhere, sometime there exists a slinky can defy the laws of physics and travel up stairs instead of the normal down stairs?

I thought you were going to ask something along the lines of:

Given that God is infinite....

...and that the universe is also infinite...

...would you like a toasted tea-cake?

DJammyRasta · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:07

if the universe is infinate then surely some diabolical genius has invented a slinky that can go up the stairs... maybe a nice reverse gravity machine... or little motors... or magic

Melm0 · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:13

DJammyRasta said:
if the universe is infinate then surely some diabolical genius has invented a slinky that can go up the stairs... maybe a nice reverse gravity machine... or little motors... or magic

If they invented the George "lean mean... blah" grilling machine, then im sure all those are extremely possible!!

Borris · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:16

Pudney@work said:
Tiger's are a special case.

Like a racing car passing by.

Like Lady Godiva.

Mat · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:53

If a slinky is a "metal spring that goes down stairs", if it were to go up stairs, would it, by definition, still be a slinky?

Melm0 · 24 Feb 2006 at 11:59

Mat said:
If a slinky is a "metal spring that goes down stairs", if it were to go up stairs, would it, by definition, still be a slinky?

Maybe a "confused slinky" ?

Or "I'm an emo (emu!) slinky - no-one else is like me - i'm different!!" ?

Jumpingmedic · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:18

Just because something's infinite doesn't mean it doesn't follow the rules. An infinite universe does not necessarily contain a 1000 monkeys tapping away at typewriters. Numbers are infinite but it doesn't mean numbers eventually become letters just for the heck of it. They will always be numbers.... as far as i know anyway... I never counted past 1000 lol.

I suppose such a slinky may be possible given some fairly interesting technology though. Or are you talking about the possibly of a normal slinky created at a toy factory that by pure chance is somehow different and responds differently to gravity?

I believe quantum theory does predict this kind of event. Supposedly there is a chance that all your atoms will spontaneously disappear and reassemble on Mars, someone worked out the odds of this happening, I don't remember the number but it was a very, VERY small chance, so dont worry

I suppose if that's possible then, given an enternity of slinky production, it's probable that such a slinky may one day appear.

Melm0 · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:21

Awww i have a real urge to play with a slinky now

Borris · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:21

Jumpingmedic said:
...I never counted past 1000

Pfft - You haven't lived until you hit 10k

Oh look ^^

A number became a letter

Jumpingmedic · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:31

Borris said:
Pfft - You haven't lived until you hit 10k

Oh look ^^

A number became a letter

I was waiting for someone to mention hex numbers actually, but you found another one

Jumpingmedic · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:33

Melm0 said:
Awww i have a real urge to play with a slinky now

Mine kept breaking

The plastic ones anyway. The one metal one I had did well for a while but it gradually got more and more stretched till it flopped more than slunk.

Melm0 · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:35

Yeh, the metal slinkies i had always bent so the coils were all messed up.

Annoying!

Borris · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:36

Jumpingmedic said:
did well for a while but it gradually got more and more stretched till it flopped more than slunk.

Have you tried cialis?

Beren · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:39

Uhh I guess a slinky might be able to travel up stairs in an infinite universe. We dont know for certain if there is such a thing as a graviton particle (afaik) therefore it may be able to generate them, hence your slinky could travel down the stairs then you create a gravity well at the top and it travel back up again.

Ummm probably more science fiction that science fact in the terminology there, but I think it could be possible therefore in an infintie universe there is indeed a slinky going up some stairs ;o)

Jumpingmedic · 24 Feb 2006 at 12:42

Borris said:
Have you tried cialis?

OI!