Monday, March 31, 2014

What Does It Mean For Something To Be Probable or Possible?

Let’s talk mathematics.
  1. A thing that is possible can be represented with the probability 1/(a non-infinite large number from 1 to infinity, non-inclusive)
  2. If the probability of something is 1/1 or greater, the possible thing becomes a certainty—it will exist.
  3. Suppose that a 1/large# possibility is “run” on an infinite number of trials—either in infinite space or infinite time, or both.
  4. The foregoing suggestion should mathematically cause the probability to rise to 1/1 or higher, since the mathematical product of 1/(non-infinite large number approaching infinity) X (non-infinite large number approaching infinity) would be 1, by the cancellation method.
  5. Therefore, if something is possible in this universe, then it must be actual at least once, in some location therein, or else it would be impossible. By the laws of mathematics.


Further, for consideration,

I think the way the word “possible” is used in modern speech is
  1. to mean “that which I don’t know for a certainty is impossible”
  2. possible within a certain time or circumstance, i.e. certain conditions in the past or future.


This second sense narrows the number of trials down to a restricted portion of time and space, so it’s possible for something to be impossible within that circumstance but possible in a total sense. Using the first sense, it’s also possible for people to refer to impossible things as being possible, since the element of ignorance is involved. My definition previously is separate from human experience—a human would have to be able to see everywhere at all times in order to say that something is possible or impossible. And this is what flows into the next point. Namely that a human can make an absolute statement about the possibility of something that is “located” everywhere, at all times, since no matter where or when the human finds himself, he should be able to “observe” it—or not, if it doesn’t exist. And so now we are ready to take our understanding of what is possible, and enter the proof of God from possibility, in the next post.

~ Rak Chazak

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