3 ms·
Assuming that time moves forward, probability of all events that have already happened is 1. Probability of all events that could have happened, but did not 0.
by TrainedMonkey 8y ago
Assuming that time moves forward, probability of all events that have already happened is 1. Probability of all events that could have happened, but did not 0. There is an interesting parallel that could be made to quantum states collapsing.
Given that the question asks about 'current' universe arising spontaneously from vacuum the probability is 1 because that has already happened.
The more interesting question, what is the probability of a new universe similar to our own arising. To the best of our knowledge (which for this type of extrapolation is admittedly flimsy) this is also 1, this just takes a very long time. The expected time it would take (10^10^10^56) is specified on the last row on the "Future of the Earth, the Solar System and the Universe" table.
- taneq 8y ago> Given that the question asks about 'current' universe arising spontaneously from vacuum the probability is 1 because that has already happened. Well, we don't know that. Whatever 'came before' (if that even makes sense) probably wasn't a vacuum with the same rules as we see now.
- pc86 8y ago> Probability of all events that could have happened, but did not 0. Only if you meant "could have happened, but did not, and now for some reason can no longer happen." "All events that could have happened, but did not" would reasonably encompass every event with 1 > P > 0, wouldn't it?
- TrainedMonkey 8y agoWhat I specifically meant is that to best of our knowledge past is deterministic, but future is not.