I've thought this for many years now, in a round about way, but have never discussed it with anybody because...embarrassing? Insane? Absurd? Dunno...

It goes like this. There are 7,700,000,000 people in the world. I am one (1) person. What's of larger importance: my welfare or everybody else's welfare? Mathematically speaking, overwhelmingly the latter....by a factor of 7,699,999,999.

I've heard it said that mathematics is the most truthful and reliable type of science.

Thoughts? 

Well, yeah.

Let the train run over a single person tied to the tracks or have the same train run into a bus load of kids?

...single person tied to the tracks or utterly destroy a continent with a population of 7,699,999,999

(September 26, 2021 at 5:01 am)Lawz Wrote: ...
What's of larger importance: my welfare or everybody else's welfare? Mathematically speaking, overwhelmingly the latter....by a factor of 7,699,999,999.
...

And now the question becomes... why, then, isn't everyone altruistic to an extreme?

Answer: Perceived asset value.

My life is more valuable than yours and everyone else's (with the exception of a small number who have similarly asset-ised), obvs.

Since the Universe is contingent on my personal existence, I’m worth more than anyone else. Neener neener.

Boru

I didn't have you down as a solopsist (spelling) Boru, wonders never cease!

(September 26, 2021 at 6:41 am)Lawz Wrote: I didn't have you down as a solopsist (spelling) Boru, wonders never cease!

It's not solipsism, mate, it's simple definitional physics. The Universe that contains me cannot exist without me in it. When I snuff it, this Universe will cease and be replaced with one that doesn't contain me.

Cool, huh?

Boru

(September 26, 2021 at 6:47 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(September 26, 2021 at 6:41 am)Lawz Wrote: I didn't have you down as a solopsist (spelling) Boru, wonders never cease!

It's not solipsism, mate, it's simple definitional physics. The Universe that contains me cannot exist without me in it. When I snuff it, this Universe will cease and be replaced with one that doesn't contain me.

Cool, huh?

Boru

Errrrr.....so if I eat a mouthful of baked beans, a new universe is created without those baked beans?    I don't think so TBH...

(September 26, 2021 at 7:16 am)Lawz Wrote:

(September 26, 2021 at 6:47 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: It's not solipsism, mate, it's simple definitional physics. The Universe that contains me cannot exist without me in it. When I snuff it, this Universe will cease and be replaced with one that doesn't contain me.

Cool, huh?

Boru

Errrrr.....so if I eat a mouthful of baked beans, a new universe is created without those baked beans?    I don't think so TBH...

But those baked beans still exist, albeit in another form. When my brain eventually shuts down, my consciousness - the stuff that makes me ‘me’ - goes away. In other words, *I* will no longer exist.

Beans aside, though, you’re essentially correct. We can reasonably define ‘universe’ as all things that exist and the spaces between those things. Whenever something comes into or goes out of existence, the definition holds, but it applies to a new set of things. Hence, a different universe.

Boru

(September 26, 2021 at 5:12 am)Lawz Wrote: ...single person tied to the tracks or utterly destroy a continent with a population of 7,699,999,999

Why not both?