Anders Sandberg wrote:
> > I have question concerning Tipler's beliefs.
> > I've heard people on this list say he uses his
> > Omega Point theory to justify his religious
> > beliefs, but from what I understand his theory
> > states that there will be infinite computation
> > and all beings that have ever existed or could
> > have existed will be resurrected. Does he use
> > this as justification for religious beliefs?
>
> Not directly, but his aim is rather clear by his
> theological speculations in PoI and the fact
> that he proposes an omega-point state that is
> awfully close to the typical western concept of
> God even when alternatives (such as a fractally
> divering pantheon of Powers or something
> similar) are possible within the OPT framework.
I haven't read the book (I only became aware that there was a book after following several links from your own web site) but I read the reviews and wondered if Tipler had specifically said this was the Christian God. I looked it up at Amazon and the reviewers were split between those who think it's the ultimate satire and those who think Tipler's trying to confuse them with physics. Strangely, no religious persons had commented.
> > Personally I can't see any link between the
> > potential existence of a God-like entity and
> > worship. Or does the Omega Point have a huge
> > ego that must be satisfied by long-dead
> > entities going to church?
>
> Tipler doesn't propose worship (other than the
> fundamentally important mega-project of starting
> the omega-development process), but his theorty
> seems to give at least some people the same
> comforts as standard religion: there is a
> wonderful eternal life to look forward to, the
> evils of the world are necessary but will be
> corrected, and so on. Not quite a religion in
> the social sense (yet), but not far off.
So in reality his ideas are not justification for religious practise.
If the universe is open, would it be possible to collapse it? Or if not collapse it, how about constructing a massively dense *thing* with a huge gravitational pull and dragging all the other matter our way. Seems like a good alternative to interstellar travel.
BM