X-Message-Number: 20782
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 12:42:17 -0600
Subject: Re: Donaldson's Hostile Universe
From: Brian A Stewart <>

Well, I don't know about other universes-- they are well outside my
limited expertise--, but I think at least part of what Thomas Donaldson
is getting at is entropy.  The tendency, at least insofar as this
universe goes, is for systems to breakdown, in the long run any given
situation will go from a more organized state to a less organized state. 
In the short run, a system might go against the tendency, but in the long
runs things decay.  Unless there is outside interference, which is where
people have to come in, if they want to survive.

Regarding "God"-- if God exists, "he" certainly has a lot of explaining
to do!  Unfortunately, he probably can not, since is almost certainly not
even remotely human!  (I rather doubt his existence, in any case.)

Brian


>In #20770, Thomas Donaldson says "But the world, by which I mean the 
>Universe itself and other universes if they exist, is NOT indifferent to

>us. It is hostile to us, and shows us that every day.."
> 
>FWIW, I've always viewed the universe as a neutral thing that is simply 
>"there," with an infinite supply of features both comfortable and 
>uncomfortable.  Thomas' description giving it an anthropomorphic 
>consciousness which intends hostility, is a bit much to swallow.  It is 
>akin to belief in an anthropomorphic deity.
 
Brian A. Stewart-- Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we
are to stand by the President right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and
servile, but morally treasonable to the American public."
                            - Theodore Roosevelt

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