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Old 01-02-2019, 04:31 PM
cosmicfish cosmicfish is offline
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Originally Posted by tsofian View Post
A) The decisions I make in this universe are in no way directly linked to the decisions other mes make in other universes.
Every coin flip and die roll is independent and individual events are unpredictable, and yet for a large number of either the aggregate is thoroughly predictable in their diversity. If there are an infinite number of universes then there are an infinite number of yous and I see no reason not to expect a correspondingly infinite number of actions you would take at any given time. And just as rolling a 1 or a 6 on a die may be thoroughly independent, for a large number of rolls I can find a 1 for just about every 6.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsofian View Post
B) Who cares that there is no net change in goodness in the Universes? Who can measure such a thing? Who has a point of view that would let them even notice that such a balance exists? Who says that isn't the way things work where all things are balanced out across the entire multiverse?
If you care about the net change of goodness in your own universe, why would you not care about other universes if you knew about them? Especially when the people experiencing that change of goodness are more like you than anyone in your own universe ever could be? And if things balance out... then that proves my point.

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Originally Posted by tsofian View Post
C) The Trolley Problem and this variant have no basis in alternative universes or in fact in any reality at all but are thought experiments in ethics. There is absolutely no evidence that it has any relevance to the question of multiple universes.
Yes, it is a thought experiment. Presented as a thought experiment for the reason all thought experiments are presented - to help illustrate a concept that has a bearing on the situation. In this case, the morality of action and inaction with the existence of infinite multiple universes. If you don't like thought experiments, we cannot even have this discussion until someone proves that infinite multiple universes exist.

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Originally Posted by tsofian View Post
D) Given your basic premise, I would just sit on my butt and do nothing, satisfied knowing that in a different universe a me has decided to work and have a job, earn a living and have a nice place to live. That is great but the me that does that is still going be pretty unhappy living in a cardboard box wearing old newspapers for shoes. I only experience the universe I exist in, based on my decisions within it. And guess what,the me writing this wants to experience pleasant things, or at least do the right thing.
Some versions of you may do just that. I suspect most people would take a path of personal comfort, rather than either moral excellence or total apathy, but if you think you would personally lean towards apathy... okay.
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