Subject:
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Re: An interesting Sci-fi idea
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 13 Jun 2003 03:02:37 GMT
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Viewed:
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208 times
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Are you sure all organic lifeforms are carbon based. That is a pretty big
assumption. Sure it holds true on earth (at least as far as we have
explored) but what about other planets? Also, you did not comment on my
previous statement:
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Well, like it was mentioned before: “organic” means “carbon based.”
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Ok. I did not know that. (Obviously.)
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And no, I’m not 100% sure that all life is carbon based, but seeing as there
is no evidence whatsoever of any other type of life, then, using Occam’s
Razor, we can’t accept it.
And there is always the possibility, but, being a skeptic, means that
everything is a possibility. In order to predict, we have to cut out the
likelihood of what we may find. I’ll grant that silicon and other based
lifeforms may be found, but that the likelyhood is low. From what I remember
of my organic chemistry class, carbon and silicon react too differently for
silicon to be a mass replacement of carbon.
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Within our limited knowledge that is absolutely correct.
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As there are an infinite number of possible molecules, logically there are
an infinite number of lifeforms.
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well, you have to accept the limitations of the laws of physics. that
certainly lowers the number of possibilities to a finite amount.
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Actually, the above statement IS my reply to your statement.
Since there are only a finite number of elements and a finite number of
interactions possibile between elements to form molecules
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...to form ‘known’ molecules you mean.
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and a finite number
of atoms available, then all possible combinations MUST be finite. but that
number will be MASSIVELY HUGE.
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Ok I will concede that using ‘only’ what we know, there are a finite albeit
massively huge number of possibilities. Of course unless something contradicts
that there is no reason to belive other wise in a strictly sceintific sense.
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This is similiar to how many combinations LEGOs can be put into. There are
some several thousand different types of LEGOs, and each can be combined in a
varied number of ways, and given a massive supply of each of these thousand
different pieces, one might say that there are infinite combinations
possible.
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There is no theoretical limit to the number of peices one can add to the
construct though.
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I would argue otherwise. the number may be ridiculously huge, and
ridiculously difficult to even begin to calculate, the number remains finite.
Lets say we’ve got 10,000 different pieces. each can be connected 10
different ways. and lets say there are 10,000,000,000,000 (ten trillion)
pieces in existence of each type. That means there are
100,000,000,000,000,000 (one hundred quadrillion, or one hundred million
billion) possible pieces that can each be combined in 10 different ways. I
dunno if I should do pieces x combinations, or pieces ^ combinations (as an
exponent), or some other computation, but either way the number remains
FINITE, but like i said above MASSIVELY HUGE.
To your average person, you could easily say “the possibilities are endless”
and be mostly correct. heck, TLG is currently building more and more pieces
everyday. but no matter how many they make, or even if they make new pieces,
it will remain a finite number of possibilities.
you may do whatever you like. My original theory was within a scifi context,
meaning that fake scientists had studied lifeforms from all over the galaxy
and then developed the theory. it was not meant to say that i think this is
the truth and everyone must agree, which is why i did not post a full
responce.
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Oh my mistake. I thought this was some new ‘real world’ theory.
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you are always entitled to your opinion and im not going to try to
persuade you. i posted the original message just for fun.
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I agree, it is fun getting new ideas and veiw points from other people.
-Mike Petrucelli
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