Parrallel Universe Theory

Parrallel Universe Theory Today, astronomers can see out to a distance of approximately 42 billion light-years, our cosmic visual horizon, and we have no reason to believe that the universe ends there (Physics for Dummies, 2011). There exists the possibility that there are an infinite number of domains beyond our own. The majority of cosmologists today agree with the concept of a multiverse where the same laws of physics apply in all domains, but some dare to take the notion even further. Some physicians believe in the existence of infinite parallel universes with different laws of physics, alternate histories and other dimensions than ours (Science Universe, 2012). With this essay, I aim to pursue the parallel universe theory in order to determine its validity outside the realm of science-fiction. I will explore the justifications for it as well as the criticisms against it by consulting the theories of various cosmologists and quantum physicians. The ultimate reason for this pursuit is to determine whether or not the theory of parallel universes can be considered as an indisputable scientific fact or should rather remain in the world of fiction. Before proceeding, I need to state the limitations and scope of this paper and clearly disclose the structure in which the subject matter will be discussed. Firstly, I will define a parallel universe and provide some background information on the subject, as will be applicable to the essays content. Secondly, I will identify the theories that support the idea of parallel universes and organise them according to a cosmological or quantum physics perspective. Thirdly, I will identify the theories that criticise the idea of parallel universes and again organise them according to a cosmological or quantum physics perspective. Lastly, after analyzing both schools of thought, I will conclude my findings and determine if parallel universes are indeed fact or fiction. Part 1: Parallel Universes: Definition and Background To understand the concept of a parallel universe, one must first define the umbrella term it falls under, namely a multiverse. The multiverse theory claims that our universe is not the only one of its kind and that there exists many universes parallel to one another (The Theory of Parallel Universes, 2011). The universes that exist within this multiverse are called parallel universes. These multiple universes consist of everything and anything that can exist in matter, time, energy and space (The Theory of Parallel Universes, 2011). Other terms that are used to refer to parallel universes include quantum universes, alternative universes, alternative realities or parallel worlds. The following paragraphs will give an overview of some scientific theories on parallel universes in order to give an understanding of the argument and the logic that supports the notion. We will first look at the argument as approached from a cosmological perspective. According to Ellis (2011), if the universe and the possible histories that take place within it are infinite and the number of types of DNA-based beings are finite, then this infinite universe will contain an infinite amount of copies of these finite DNA-based beings. He goes on to say that, given this argument, some of these living beings will inevitably follow very similar lines of history (Ellis, 2011). In lay terms, when given the prospect of an infinite amount of histories combined with finite types of living beings, these histories will repeat to infinitum. However, Soler Gil and Alfonseca (2013) do not agree that if there are an infinite amount of possible histories, that these histories will necessarily be repeated in parallel universes. They state that given this scenario, the amount of histories will always be greater than the number of living beings, therefore if these beings are infinitely repeated they will still experience different histories (Soler Gil and Alfonseca, 2 013). Given this brief background overview, it is evident that the scientific community is still heavily divided on the notion of the existence of parallel universes. We will now continue by evaluating more detailed descriptions of theories that promote and refute the existence of parallel universes. For the purpose of this paper, we will only draw from the fields of cosmology and quantum physics. Part 2: Theories that promote the Existence of Parallel Universes Quantum physics is the science that attempts to explain phenomena which cannot be explained by the regular laws of science and physics. The parallel universe theory was first formulated in 1956 by Hugh Everett. Everett formulated this theory in an attempt to substantiate his belief that every probable outcome of any decision we make, does actually happen. He claimed that even though we may choose option A in this universe, we will choose option B in a parallel universe (Everett, 1956). Everetts theory is relatively new to the history of physics but it has already become a popular and controversial topic in the scientific community. This proposal was coined the Many-Worlds Interpretation. It essentially states that any object can be in any state at any time in a different parallel universe (Everett, 1956). This implies that the wavefunction of a state of being does not collapse at the moment of observation (like we observe in the Double-Slit Experiment later in the paper), but rather continues to evolve in a deterministic manner while simultaneously embracing all its possibilities (Everett, 1956). Everett (1956) notes that even though every possible outcome does exist simultaneously, they do not interfere with one another due to the fact that we are unable to observe these alternate realities. The Cosmological Perspective Max Tegmark, a well known modern cosmologist, states that if space is indeed infinite and inhabited by a finite number of living beings, then there is bound to be some identical occurrences that take place in different universes (Tegmark, 1997). Tegmark goes on to make use of a mathematical equation to calculate the probable distance of our nearest doppelgà ¤nger at any given time. His answer being approximately 1010115 meters. This theory coincides with a fundamental conjecture of cosmology, namely that the universe exists beyond the scope of our observation. Tegmark formulated a categorisation that recognizes four different levels of the multiverse where each level builds on the previous one. Tegmark (1997) refers to the first level as the level Beyond our Cosmological Horizon. This refers to an infinite universe that contains Hubble volumes that concern themselves with realising all primary conditions. Tegmark (1997) states that an infinite universe will necessarily contain an infinite amount of Hubble volumes that are subjected to the same physical laws. Given this precedent, there are bound to be Hubble volumes that have identical configurations to ours in some universes. This statement is rooted in the cosmological principle that states that we do not possess a unique Hubble volume. The second level concerns Universes with Different Physical Constants (Tegmark, 1997). He coins these universes as bubble universes and claims that our universe is just one of many bubble universes in existence. Tegmark (1997) then builds on the cosmic inflation theory in order to justify his argument that although the multiverse is infinitely stretching, there are some regions that cease to stretch. Once they become stationery, they form bubbles that may possess differing physical constants. The third level is an expression of the Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics (Tegmark, 1997). One feature of quantum mechanics is that there is no observation that can be predicted with absolute certainty, but there is rather a range of probable observations. By applying this feature to the many-worlds interpretation, one can deduce that each probable observation should be compatible with a different universe. Tegmark (1997) explains that the difference between level one and level three is that in level one our doppelgà ¤ngers reside in a three-dimensional space whereas in level three they reside in an infinite-dimensional space. The fourth level is referred to as the Ultimate Ensemble or the Mathematical Universe Hypothesis (Tegmark, 1997). He claims that due to mathematics abstract nature, one can use a mathematical structure to prove just about any Theory of Everything (Tegmark, 1997). Given this statement, one can describe any imaginable parallel universe at level four and include all other ensembles by simply using mathematics. By doing so, one will bring an end to the multiverse hierarchy and eliminate any probability of the existence of a fifth level. Even though Tegmark does utilise some characteristics of quantum mechanics to promote the existence of parallel universes, he is fundamentally a cosmologist. There is, however, another physician that uses the field of quantum physics more extensively in this pursuit. In the next section we will evaluate Brian Greenes argument for the existence of parallel universes from a quantum physics perspective. The Quantum Physics Perspective Before discussing Greenes application of quantum physics to promote the existence of parallel universes, we first need to recognize three observations about quantum physics. Firstly, energy has the ability to travel through space without having the need to cover the superseding distance (Physics for Dummies, 2011). This means that energy and quantum particles possess the ability to exist in more than one place at a time. This observation is clearly fundamental for the substantiation of the parallel universe theory from a quantum physics perspective. Secondly, all quantum particles exist in different places at any given time, even though we are unable to see them (Physics for Dummies, 2011). Given this observation, there is a possibility that doppelgà ¤ngers may exist in different locations. Thirdly, quantum particles are influenced by the practice of observation when we observe them (Physics for Dummies, 2011), which plays an important role later in the paper when we discuss the Dou ble-Slit Experiment. Greene attempts to comprehend the origin of multiverses by utilising string theory. String theory speculates that the universe can be described in terms of small strings that vibrate in ten or eleven different dimensions that we are unable to see (Greene, 2011). Greene (2011) claims that string theory not only includes strings but also objects that resemble two-dimensional membranes. He goes on to suggest that we may be living on one of these two-dimensional surfaces and that other surfaces may be floating around us in space. This claim is currently without any emprirical evidence, but Green (2011) says that this can be tested in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. If Greenes hypothesis is correct, then when particles are slammed together in the LHC, debris can be emitted off of our membrane surface and into the greater cosmos where our membrane is floating. This loss of debris will take away some amount of energy in our universe. We can then measure the amount of energy and com pare it to the amount that was present before the collision. If there is found to be less energy afterwards, it would indicate that some energy had been launched into the greater cosmos (Greene, 2011). This particular outcome of the experiment will prove that Greenes hypothesis is correct. However, until this experiment at CERN takes place and is found to be successful, Greenes hypothesis remains pure speculation. Part 3: Theories that refute the Existence of Parallel Universes The Cosmological Perspective Cosmologist, Paul Davies, is a firm believer that notions of parallel universes belong in the realm of scientific philosophy and not in physics. Even though all cosmologists accept the existence of other regions that we are not able to observe, most of them do not deduce the existence of infinite universes from this precedent. Davies addresses the topic in his New York Times opinion piece by saying that physicists should not believe a theory based on faith, but rather insist on hard scientific facts supported by empirical evidence: The multiverse theory may be dressed up in scientific language, but in essence it requires a leap of faith (Davies, 2007). George Ellis is another cosmologist who shares the same sentiment as Davies towards the parallel universe theory. Ellis (2011) points out that the basic problem with the multiverse proposal is the existence of a cosmic visual horizon, as we will never be able to observe these universes even if they did exist. He also rejects the application of string theory, as attempted by Greene (2011), in order to substantiate the plausibility of the parallel universe theory. Ellis (2011) states that string theory is not yet a complete theory that has been tested or proven. He admits, however, that if string theory is ever proven correct then there will be a legitimate argument for the existence of a multiverse. Ellis (2011) concludes that multiverse proposals are merely scientifically based philosophical speculation and cannot even qualify as a well-defined scientific theory. He states that before the multiverse proposal can be considered to be a scientific theory, it needs to be coherent and not just a patchwork of different ideas (Ellis, 2011). The Quantum Physics Perspective The most common criticism of the parallel universe theory is the lack of scientific facts derived from empirical evidence collected by means of observation and experiments. It has proven difficult to acquire scientific proof for the existence of alternate realities for many reasons, one of these reasons being that by observing reality, we are also altering it. This fascinating notion is demonstrated by the famous Double-Slit Experiment (Live Science, 2012). Essentially, this experiment proves that energy and matter display characteristics of particles and waves, indicating the fundamental probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. In a basic Double-Slit Experiment, we observe the light of a laser beam aimed towards a thin plate pierced with two parallel slits. The wave-like nature of the light results in the light waves interfering with each other while passing through the two slits. When observed from behind the plate, one sees bright and dark bands being created, which is unexpecte d if one were to assume that light only consisted of particles. Instead of acting like particles, the light becomes absorbed on the screen as if it consisted of photons or discrete particles (Live Science, 2012). The mysterious result of this experiment lead to the detection of the inherent probabilistic nature of individual photons. When Deutsche (2001) conducted his version of the Double-Slit Experiment, he took the findings even further. He states that when we perceive a photon passing through one slit, a parallel universe might perceive a photon passing through another slit. According to Deutsche (2001), our universe is the reality of the tangible particles that we observe whereas the reality of the shadow particles is actually a parallel universe. However, there are very strong arguments against Deutschs interpretation of the findings of the Double-Slit Experiment. It is impossible to confirm Deutschs claim that the photon goes through one of the slits and not both because an interference pattern emerges when we try to measure this (Sturman, 2011). Even though the standard way of approaching quantum mechanics does not provide a satisfactory explanation of the Double-Slit Experiment in terms of a single universe, it does not give precedent to an unverified theory of a multiverse that might explain it better. After observing that when a photon passes through the first slit, it interferes with a photon that might have passed through the second slit, Deutsch deduces that a photon must have passed through the second slit in a parallel universe (Sturman, 2011). This, however, is unsatisfactory due to the fact that Deutsch has not proven that the photon passes through one of the two slits even though it could have passed through the other slit. There is still a distinct possibility that the photon is passing through both slits at the same time in our universe (Sturman, 2011). What I think Deutsche has forgotten in his pursuit to desperately prove the existence of parallel universes, is that the role of physics is to describe what we experience in our world. When we consider the notion of doppelgà ¤ngers in different universes which we cannot observe, we are stretching the field of physics to be greater than our experiential reality. In my opinion, this cannot be considered science, but rather speculation. Conclusion After analyzing both schools of thought on the existence of parallel universes, I remain firmly unconvinced by this theory. The unverified cosmological arguments made by Tegmark (1997) and the futile attempts of Greene (2011) and Deutschs (2001) quantum physics approach did not succeed in convincing me that parallel universes exist. Even though I approached this concept with an open mind, one must still require empirical evidence before confirming any theory to be remotely factual. Given the evidence, I can confidently conclude that the case for the existence of parallel universes remains unproven for now. However, I have found the contemplation of a multiverse extremely enticing as a way to reflect on the nature of our existence. There is no doubt that the concept belongs in the realm of philosophy for now, but the lack of scientific proof does not leave it entirely worthless. We should rather embrace what multiverse proposals truly are scientifically based philosophical speculatio n (Ellis, 2011). By doing this we can bring newfound legitimacy to the subject. Instead of trying to force it into the field of natural sciences, where it clearly does not belong, we should welcome it in the field of social science. I think that by doing this, we will enable the concept of parallel universes to be explored to its full potential without the boundaries set by the scientific method.

Danielle Steeles Daddy and Norman Macleans A River Runs Through it :: essays research papers

The two books Daddy by Danielle Steele and A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean are both stories where the main characters are male. The books deal with how a man reacts when he is presented with different situations. Oliver, the main character from Daddy, and Norman the main character from A River Runs Through It, are both presented with different situations that bring out their prevailing qualities. The two men have both similar and different traits. The time periods and society that they live in have totally shaped the way Norman and Oliver react when presented with certain qualities however they still have the same masculine traits. The time period in witch both men are accustomed to are very different. Norman lives in the early 1900’s when it was still the time of men had their place working and women had their place in the kitchen. While Oliver is in the time setting of around the late 1980’s to the early 1990’s in a time when women are equal to men. The time periods that the two characters live in have changed their personalities. If they were to switch places they would more than likely have reversed personalities. Norman is living in the early 1900’s when the man was expected to be the strong one in the any situation. Norman does this stereotype justice he is in his early to mid 20’s and an upstanding citizen. Norman is faced with the problem of facing his brother’s death. His brother’s death is not a situation that is confined to this time period it is just handled differently because of this time period. Norman handles the situation by not mentioning it very often and acting like it didn’t happen. Whereas if Norman was living in a more modern time period he may be more apt to talking about his brother’s death Oliver is a middle aged advertisement agent in the 1990’s, a time when men are not depended on so much to be the tough guy and people are more open-minded to the different things. Oliver is presented with a lot of the problems that are common to the 90’s. He is also a very decent guy that is presented with some of the hardships of life, but unlike Norman Oliver is not ashamed of his problems because they are more acceptable in the time that he is living. Danielle Steele's Daddy and Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through it :: essays research papers The two books Daddy by Danielle Steele and A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean are both stories where the main characters are male. The books deal with how a man reacts when he is presented with different situations. Oliver, the main character from Daddy, and Norman the main character from A River Runs Through It, are both presented with different situations that bring out their prevailing qualities. The two men have both similar and different traits. The time periods and society that they live in have totally shaped the way Norman and Oliver react when presented with certain qualities however they still have the same masculine traits. The time period in witch both men are accustomed to are very different. Norman lives in the early 1900’s when it was still the time of men had their place working and women had their place in the kitchen. While Oliver is in the time setting of around the late 1980’s to the early 1990’s in a time when women are equal to men. The time periods that the two characters live in have changed their personalities. If they were to switch places they would more than likely have reversed personalities. Norman is living in the early 1900’s when the man was expected to be the strong one in the any situation. Norman does this stereotype justice he is in his early to mid 20’s and an upstanding citizen. Norman is faced with the problem of facing his brother’s death. His brother’s death is not a situation that is confined to this time period it is just handled differently because of this time period. Norman handles the situation by not mentioning it very often and acting like it didn’t happen. Whereas if Norman was living in a more modern time period he may be more apt to talking about his brother’s death Oliver is a middle aged advertisement agent in the 1990’s, a time when men are not depended on so much to be the tough guy and people are more open-minded to the different things. Oliver is presented with a lot of the problems that are common to the 90’s. He is also a very decent guy that is presented with some of the hardships of life, but unlike Norman Oliver is not ashamed of his problems because they are more acceptable in the time that he is living.

Complete lives

The Complete Lives System The allocation of healthcare has always been a huge issue in our society and the principles to allocate this resource also has come under fire. In the past it has always been â€Å"first come first serve† basis. Whether or not this approach is ethical is another question, but is it practical. The authors of â€Å"Principles for allocation of scarce medical interventions† have discussed a new approach called the Complete Lives System.The complete lives system posses five principles for allocation that Include: ingest first, prognosis, save the most lives, lottery, and Instrumental value (Principles 6). The priority of this system Is to lad those who have not yet lived a complete life and will not be able to do so unless they get the aid necessary. This idea also considers many ethical factors such as saving the most lives possible, as well as a lottery, which takes into account the little information needed for recipients.While this system is no t practical for an entire economy at this point, it is a step closer to determining an appropriate approach to our health care system. The Complete Lives System is an ethically Justified and practical approach to health care because; it takes into account various practical approaches to healthcare, and it focuses on those able and capable to live a complete life with the public resources that they have used in the past. The Complete Lives system takes into account a variety of different principles used around the world.As stated before, the core principle Is youngest first. The system focuses on â€Å"youngest first† by giving the priority to those between the ages of 15 and 40. The mall reason why this first approach Is ethically Justified Is that adolescents eve received substantial education and parental care, and these investments would be wasted without a chance at a complete life (Principles 6). These resources primarily schooling would be a waste if without aid necessa ry. Infants have not received this benefit so they should not be considered a factor for instrumental value.They are also unable and incapable forming long term plans and values that some have already received before they turn 18. While alone this principle is impractical, the combination of prognosis and instrumental values makes this model ethically sound. Demand will always be larger than supply In the healthcare system it is almost an Inevitable factor when determining a correct model. The argument of which healthcare model should be used Is focused around who will receive the appropriate care, and who will be left out.The abandonment of the â€Å"sickest first† Is ethically Justified based on the principle of prognosis. Factoring prognosis Into the model takes into account that large amounts of resources will not be use the majority of resources to those that can benefit the most? I believe so, and the tutors of this article also agree. If the care given to those termina lly ill only give benefits of a couple of weeks or a few months compared to multiple years for those that are better off, it is hard to not see this as an ethically Justified model.As I said before not every person is able to reap equal benefits of the healthcare system, no country possesses the resources capable of achieving this utopia. The most practical method is providing aid to those that can reap the most benefit from the care. Objections to the Complete Lives System is said to discriminate against older people. Everyone was once the age of 25 and able to seek the benefits of the system but why now that they are 65 that they cannot? Some tend to say that this is discrimination and â€Å"ageist†.The system was designed to give each person an equal responsibility of living a complete life, which has been accomplished at the age of 65. They have already had the chance to live a complete life and reap the benefits designed by society such as education e. T. C. When the sys tem is maximized, it is designed to offer the greatest benefit to those that need it. An adolescent offers more infinite to society in the future then an elderly one would. As an economics major I have always thought to look at decisions based on the opportunity cost, or the cost associated with an alternative decision that is forgone.What would be the opportunity cost of choosing to extend an elder life potentially 10 years, over an adolescent for maybe 50-60? Obviously it depends on the specific person but the benefit to society by one living another 50 years triumphs one that only has a few left. If the United States would switch to the Complete Lives system then my current enervation would benefit greatly from this change. We would be able to look forward to the high possibly of benefiting from a â€Å"complete† life.It gives a sense of relief knowing that if I were to develop an ailment in the near future that I would be able to get the care I need to regain my quality o f life. In contrast those that are past the age to be prioritize will not feel the same way about the system. One quote I found particularly interesting was the rule of rescue, â€Å"our moral response to the imminence of death demands that we rescue the doomed† (Principles 2). The Complete Lives System does not factor the sickest first, which usually is the elder generation.Its hard to agree with the principle knowing that when I get older and my quality of life decreases, that I will not receive the same treatment as I once did. This is the only flaw of this system it does make you question whether or not it could be effective when it is put into action. Even with this flaw in the system it is still nice to know that the priority is given to those that have not lived a complete quality filled life. Recently I had a close family member of mine pass away at the age of 87. He had been dealing with various health problems the last 5 years or so and had been receiving pretty ext ensive medical care.I definitely believe that under this system that he would not have received the same amount of care and most likely would not have lived as long. When the time came for my family and him to decide what the future plan of action would be, they decided he did not want to continue the treatment to only be in pain for maybe a couple extra months. When he passed it was very hard for all of us to accept the news and the decision but in the end it was to receiving the treatment he needed years ago under the Complete Lives System and looking at it now I probably would not want the system to apply.I believe that this system is a step forward in the right direction for our healthcare system but any person is selfish in dealing with one of his or her own friends or family members. While I wouldn't have wanted the system to apply to my family member I could accept the fact knowing that the resources necessary too keep him alive could be better used on someone else to increas e their quality of life. The Complete Lives System uses a variety of different principles to try and have a concise system in place to designate who receives the appropriate care.At this time it would be hard to put a system like this into place in somewhere such as the United States, but if used appropriately for the correct system it could be considered as an ethical approach to this big question. Some of the opposing viewpoints accurately generate questions about various aspects of the Complete Lives, but I believe that it is a legitimate policy that factors in all aspects of morality.

Essay Gender Inequality in the Filming Industry - 668 Words

Gender diversity in the filming industry has been a long standing problem. It is common knowledge that in the movie industry, the male reigns supreme, whether it be leading character roles or the director. Take Star Trek: Into Darkness, for example. The director, J.J. Abrams, is male. Out of the ten leading speaking roles, only three are female, while the rest of the minor speaking roles are also predominantly male. Let’s take another movie, Pacific Rim, into consideration. The director, Guillermo del Toro, is also male. Only three women speak in the movie, compared to the numerous amount of male actors. In fact, those three women are the only ones named out of the fifty-six actors that appear in the ending sequence. From these two movies†¦show more content†¦This test will draw attention to films that meet this criteria, and as a result, will cause the public to be more aware of the issue. Interestingly enough, not only does the Bechdel Test raise awareness for gende r inequalities in films, but it also raises awareness for gender inequalities in society. In today’s society, females and males do not have the same opportunities or equal rights. Females are paid considerably less than males; for every dollar that a man earns, a woman receives seventy-seven cents, and both are equally qualified for the job (Weiner). The correlation is seen in the movie industry too, as Angelina Jolie, the highest paying female in the film industry at thirty-three million dollars, makes roughly the same amount as the two lowest-ranked men in 2013 (New York Film Academy). Women are also less likely to be promoted or be rewarded for their hard work, although they may perform just as well as their fellow male co-workers. Such is the case for women in the filming industry; in Academy Award history, only four female filmmakers have been nominated for best director, but only one has won. It is clearly evident that there is a similarity between the two. The fight f or gender equality and diversity in the filming industry represents the desire for gender equality in society. Having the solution to gender inequality happen at once is neither plausible or feasible. Therefore, itShow MoreRelatedCrouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon a Movie Directed by Ang Lee2055 Words   |  8 Pagesstory takes place. In many mainstream movie communities like Mtime and Douban in China, Crouching Tiger does not rank even top 30 in overall film ratings. How does it happen? I think the director and his filming style is a really important clue for this question. And with the director’s unique filming style, Crouching Tiger succeeds internationally and differs itself from other martial arts genre and Hollywood action movie for unique culture background, artistic shooting and the combination beyond EastRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Society1929 Words   |  8 Pagestraditional ideas about gender. Jiangying Yang W1565168 We have to admit that media is a central and essential part of modern life which brings a huge impact on our ideology. At the same time, gender and media are connected in an inextricable way; gender remains the foremost position of how we think about our identity. Media creates tons of images of male and female and passes the message about gender role today. However, what we saw in the media about gender recent decades year ago