I like a woman with teeth.

To give the rabbits something to do?

Are you asking from a religious place, like why would God make such a detailed universe? If a god exists who created the world, he may have found that it would only work with endless detail, although I'm not sure it is endless. There are limits in the universe, like the speed of light. There also may be a smallest unbreakable thing in the universe, although I haven't studied that.

Einstein actually was amused by the opposite quality:
“The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility…The fact that it is comprehensible is a miracle.”

There are many aspects of the universe that are overwhelming, but it is a compromise between nothing at all and anything whatsoever. In a sense, this volume of information is the middle ground. It is interesting that the state space of the universe might be exhaustible, because of its finite dimensions and quantum nature. This is curious constraint on the extent of our being.

Also, since levels of detail and degrees of separation act as a dampener of causality, there isn't always need to know every single detail. One possible speculation then is that the universe might work like an oracle machine - making up the answers as time progresses (assuming that time is not relational), but staying consistent. Currently, outside of QM on a very fine scale, there isn't any indication of this, that I am aware of.

I notice everything has such elaborate infinite detail. It doesn't matter if you increase or decrease the scope - the universe is detailed with solar systems and leaves are detailed with cells. What is the point of having so much detail?

It's all very strange if you think about it.

So why is detail necessary? — Fruitless

It seems strange to me to think otherwise, when everything in the universe starts so small. Is you question more about diversity, perhaps?

AAHHAHA 'I like a woman with teeth'

If you- ok

If you travel faster than the speed of light you go back in time - theoretically. I don't think there exists limits to anything, and I'm curious as to why.

'One possible speculation then is that the universe might work like an oracle machine - making up the answers as time progresses (assuming that time is not relational), but staying consistent.'

I am new to this theory. Interesting

Yes, diversity.

Although this can be explained through math; millions of permutations of atoms and quarks all result in different results. That isn't a tough question if you think it that way...but then...

I'll do some math.

So within the periodic table there are 118 known elements. There would be more as the periodic table is infinite, these elements simply exist long enough to be observed.

But let's consider 118.

According to my calculations, of adding nPr(118,1) + nPr(118,2)….nPr(118,118)
I came to this number

1277289920774837491685273698337412570740246474184832653864969565056747036304389836964366416910060289517686346331845655563574120961558360303664945323693730491547858688084099388378566657176959403502

That's how many 'things' can possibly exist within the periodic table. Of 118 known elements

So it's no surprise there is diversity.

Okay makes sense :)

I hate to break it to you, but there are definitely limits. My patience, for example. As far as I know, the speed of light is the fastest that any object can go--not just will go, but can conceivably go. So photons can not travel faster than themselves.

The world (universe, cosmos...) is very detailed because everything is made up of smaller parts down to a certain level--Quarks, is it? Quarks will do for now. Quarks make up sub-atomic particles like protons and neutrons, which make up atoms, and atoms make up molecules, and molecules make up... on up to the parts of the organic cell--there are many parts to the cell--and cells make up tissues, and tissue make up body parts, and body parts make up plants and animals, and plants and animals make a world, and worlds surround stars, and many stars make up a galaxy, and galaxies make up galactic clusters. Beyond that is the whole universe. Then there are black holes, white dwarfs, supernovae, and more besides.

So, Fruitless, no matter what you look at, it is made up of smaller parts -- the details.

Remember that the devil is in the details.

If you travel faster than the speed of light you go back in time - theoretically. I don't think there exists limits to anything, and I'm curious as to why. — Fruitless

Theoretically, there are no limits to anything. But if you want to achieve anything beyond your own subjective, internal experience, then there are many limitations that you need to take into account and either work with or around - include your ability to observe all the detail from your perspective. This is the world we live in - and it’s much smaller and less detailed than the universe we can perceive or theorise.

But the fact that we can theorise and even perceive the potential of a much broader reality than the one we live in enables us to work with and around those limitations and achieve more than we might have thought possible.

No such thing as limits Sir crank

Yea what nutter came up with that

Exactly!

Yea what nutter came up with that — Fruitless

If you were less limited, you'd know that one leading candidate for the phrase is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the modernist architect, who phrased it "God is in the details". Flaubert's version is Le bon Dieu est dans le détail.. God, devil, all the same. At any rate, the phrase is not older than the 1960s. The recentness of the phrase gives me unlimited surprise.

Limited joke factor.

Hold on, are you religious? I have an 'atheist' view on the world. If we have different beliefs than of course we will endlessly argue.

I'm only 16 of course I'm limited. I'm not even studying philosophy. Only science. I don't study humanities.

Also why do you have unlimited surprise?

16! That's amazing. I was 16 once, about 57 years ago.

I'm interested in religion, but I'm not religious. My working assumptions about the world are pretty much those of an atheist: The dead stay dead, no miracles, no heaven or hell. I don't expect Jesus to dropkick me through the goal posts of life.

I have picked at philosophy (like one picks over a chicken carcass after dinner) but have not found it particularly helpful. I was an English major in college. Science is good; so are the humanities provided they are taught well and are not larded with Pomo mumbo jumbo.

Why am I surprised? Because shocking facts are always cropping up -- like "the devil is in the details" being a 20th century expression! I thought for sure it was Roman, at least.

Welcome to THE Philosophy Forum. We are several years old here, but we used to be "Philosophy Forum" and had been that for about 10 years. Some of the same people have been on the site for most of those years.

It's a good place to be, and your interest and studies in science will stand you in good stead here.

I notice everything has such elaborate infinite detail. It doesn't matter if you increase or decrease the scope - the universe is detailed with solar systems and leaves are detailed with cells. What is the point of having so much detail?

It's all very strange if you think about it.

So why is detail necessary? — Fruitless

I think the laws of nature that govern matter-energy shape all interactions we see in this world. The detail that you see is explainable through these laws. In other words the detail you see follows necessarily from the laws of nature themselves.

I am truly honoured to be amongst ancient and wise men and women. I find refuge in this website, the folks tire of my questions - thankyou for the warm welcome :)

And as for not expecting Jesus to dropkick you through the goalposts of life - I couldn't have said it better myself (I'm still laughing).

So it's self explanatory? Noooot muchhh helllp. But I can see your point. It's along the same lines as: 'that's just the way with some people'.

Could you elaborate on these 'laws'?

So it's self explanatory? Noooot muchhh helllp. But I can see your point. It's along the same lines as: 'that's just the way with some people'.

Could you elaborate on these 'laws'? — Fruitless

I'll try.

Chemistry and Physics abound with laws that describe how matter and energy (anything else) should behave. I think Physics is the more fundamental science but anyhow these laws can predict the composition, shape and whatnot of any molecule. These molecules then predict the structure of more complex objects and so on. These are the details you're concerned about right?

Another interesting thing I find relevant is plastic flowers or plants or life-like dummy. There is no detail (cells etc) in these artificial objects and yet one could easily confuse them for the real thing. So detail seems unnecessary at some point otherwise we wouldn't be confused by the artificial. Of course this is just from one particular perspective - vision in the case of an artificial plant - but it does go to show that detail isn't necessary in some cases.

:razz:

Hmm... I argue everything has a point, although some things may not have immediate use to the eye, they provide a beneficial contribution to our planet. Artificial flowers do not absorb carbon dioxide or filter the air - for example.

But yes, makes sense.

I notice everything has such elaborate infinite detail. It doesn't matter if you increase or decrease the scope - the universe is detailed with solar systems and leaves are detailed with cells. What is the point of having so much detail?

It's all very strange if you think about it.

So why is detail necessary? — Fruitless

Its strange to ask why something natural is necessary. I dont think "detail" is an adequate term for what you are asking either. It seems to me that what you are asking is why reality appears to have infinite information. Information is the relationship between cause and effect. So essentially your asking why are there seemingly an infinite amount of causes for a seemingly infinite amount of effects?

The answer to that question is, "it just is".

Awh don't start with that

"it just is"

- @Harry Hindu

I argue nothing ever just is

Reducing mistakes and repetition... That is literally it. Details shouldn't be fetishized, only considered. The former is when you start getting careless...

There also may be a smallest unbreakable thing in the universe, although I haven't studied that. — bronson

My aunt's Corningware thimble. That's what you are thinking about?

Details shouldn't be fetishized, only considered. The former is when you start getting careless... — Swan

The latter, when you can't find your glasses.