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Author Topic:   Is The Future Knowable? another Omni question...
Flamingo Chavez
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 5 (58811)
09-30-2003 5:18 PM


Is the future knowable? With all that we know about particle theory is it logically possible to know the future?
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"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstein

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by PaulK, posted 09-30-2003 6:01 PM Flamingo Chavez has not replied
 Message 3 by sidelined, posted 09-30-2003 7:05 PM Flamingo Chavez has replied

  
PaulK
Member
Posts: 17822
Joined: 01-10-2003
Member Rating: 2.2


Message 2 of 5 (58819)
09-30-2003 6:01 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Flamingo Chavez
09-30-2003 5:18 PM


At this stage certainly it has to be a philosophical issue - all at present we can state is that we have no way to predict the future.
I would also say that a "yes" answer raises some serious problems for theology. For the future to be knowable it must be fixed which raises some interesting questions - still more if you consider a creator deity. (Consider - if a creator deity does know the future and acts within the framework of time as we see it, then the creator deity has no choices - everything is inevitable and known to be inevitable, eliminating the whole notion of responsibility. If outside then the creator deity has responsibility for every action that happens within our universe - including every "free" choice we make).

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Flamingo Chavez, posted 09-30-2003 5:18 PM Flamingo Chavez has not replied

  
sidelined
Member (Idle past 5908 days)
Posts: 3435
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Joined: 08-30-2003


Message 3 of 5 (58831)
09-30-2003 7:05 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Flamingo Chavez
09-30-2003 5:18 PM


Flamingo I have always wondered if that question wasn't in the same league as the immovable object meets irresistible force.
Consider what does it mean to know the future? In a practical sense we would have to actually occupy it otherwise there is no way of confirmation since we have no clue as to what the future holds. If we do so ( occupy the future) then it is no longer the future is it?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Flamingo Chavez, posted 09-30-2003 5:18 PM Flamingo Chavez has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by Flamingo Chavez, posted 09-30-2003 10:01 PM sidelined has replied

  
Flamingo Chavez
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 5 (58871)
09-30-2003 10:01 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by sidelined
09-30-2003 7:05 PM


You're taking all the fun out of it sidelined. I guess the ability to know the future would the ability to predict with 100% certainty the outcome of any given event.
------------------
"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstein
[This message has been edited by Flamingo Chavez, 09-30-2003]

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 Message 3 by sidelined, posted 09-30-2003 7:05 PM sidelined has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by sidelined, posted 10-01-2003 12:55 AM Flamingo Chavez has not replied

  
sidelined
Member (Idle past 5908 days)
Posts: 3435
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Joined: 08-30-2003


Message 5 of 5 (58908)
10-01-2003 12:55 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by Flamingo Chavez
09-30-2003 10:01 PM


Flamingo That is the curse and the wonder of science. We must understand what are reasonable questions to begin with. Such is the point of my example of the immovable object and irresistible force. A lot of people fall for that illusion and I thought that it applied here.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by Flamingo Chavez, posted 09-30-2003 10:01 PM Flamingo Chavez has not replied

  
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