Is very finite number of ways that matter can be arranged?

humbleteleskop said:
Even if the space was indeed infinitely divisible (Zeno's paradox), which it doesn't seem to be the case, even then it would only mean you can rotate a painting through infinite number of degrees, but the painting itself would stay the same, and there is non-infinite number of unique paintings that can possibly exist on that particular canvas size.
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How many perfect squares fit into 1 square meter?
 
Tailspin said:
I hereby refine my question: is it possible to arrange matter in an infinite number of ways in any finite space?
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No. There is abnormally large but finite number of combinations matter can be statically arranged in a finite space. There might still be infinite number of ways how you can feel about it, and that's something.
 
So that's it then, hope is dead.

All possibilities are finite, there will inevitably exist an infinite number of exact copies of myself and everyone else, originality will run out and all events will repeat themselves over and over.
Unless the universe ceases to exist or something, I also find that deeply depressing.
 
Tailspin said:
So that's it then, hope is dead.

All possibilities are finite, there will inevitably exist an infinite number of exact copies of myself and everyone else, originality will run out and all events will repeat themselves over and over.
Unless the universe ceases to exist or something, I also find that deeply depressing.
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You've seen nothing yet! The Sun will die out and our solar system will fall apart long time before we manage to come even close to 1% of all the possible combinations. Don't be sad, you will die before you see almost anything at all.
 
I don't think you've been reading my posts.

What bothers me is not just the fact that it will be exhausted but the fact that it can be exhausted. I always thought of creativity as a world of infinite possibilities. Where people could do anything, bring into the world creations that were unique and individual as they were. Now it seems it's just filling out a predetermined possibility. That is not acceptable to me.

And yes I know I will be gone long before it happens but that doesn't make me feel better at all. To me, what becomes of creativity in the future and directly effects what it is here and now. I don't want to be created if it's not what I thought it was, and without creativity my life will be miserable.
And then there is the thought that everything, literally everything is part of a predetermined set of possibilities.
 
Please people I need your help.

After that last post by humbledesktop I hit rock bottom. I called up my dad who is a scientist but he just got very angry and said I was being ridiculous. That hurt.

And now I'm feeling there's absolutely no hope left, no hope that this theory is not true, no way out. And I know this isn't the place talking about feelings of desperation that you are the only people I have to talk to about this problem.
 
Tailspin said:
I don't think you've been reading my posts.

What bothers me is not just the fact that it will be exhausted but the fact that it can be exhausted. I always thought of creativity as a world of infinite possibilities. Where people could do anything, bring into the world creations that were unique and individual as they were. Now it seems it's just filling out a predetermined possibility. That is not acceptable to me.

And yes I know I will be gone long before it happens but that doesn't make me feel better at all. To me, what becomes of creativity in the future and directly effects what it is here and now. I don't want to be created if it's not what I thought it was, and without creativity my life will be miserable.
And then there is the thought that everything, literally everything is part of a predetermined set of possibilities.
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Boo-hooo. There are people dying in this world because they have nothing to eat.
 
Tailspin said:
Please people I need your help.

After that last post by humbledesktop I hit rock bottom. I called up my dad who is a scientist but he just got very angry and said I was being ridiculous. That hurt.

And now I'm feeling there's absolutely no hope left, no hope that this theory is not true, no way out. And I know this isn't the place talking about feelings of desperation that you are the only people I have to talk to about this problem.
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I don't know if there is any answer that will bring you comfort. But look at it this way, every person is unique. Every person has different experiences and their brains are 'wired differently'. That means that every person has a different perception of the world. If their perceptions are different then there art will be different so we will never run out of new ways to express ourselves. Look at music. Even the same piece of music played by different musicans will be different because it will be played based on there interpretation of the piece, it is in fact unique.

Besides we will develope new ways through technology to express ourselves. Think; movies, computers, new musical instruments, etc, etc.

Good luck!
 
exchemist said:
Ah now I begin to see what you may have been driving at. This drawing makes it look as if the curve of the Rayleigh-Jeans law reaches some asymptotic minimum wavelength, below which one cannot go.
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I think this illustrates it better:
1000px-RWP-comparison.svg.png


Note that it's a log-log graph.
 
Thank you for your response Origin but are we really unique? According to what we've discussed here, there are finite possibilities on absolutely everything, including people. If it's true then you and I are just two possible human beings out of a vast array of possible people.
And no amount of technology can overcome what is apparently a condition of the universe itself.

I called the Samaritans earlier tonight and then I spoke to said that, in his opinion, all theories are eventually disproven and discarded as our understanding evolves. Is there any chance that is what happened here? And if so how big of a chance? You've been so good to allow me to go on the way that I have, you think you could put up with me a little longer?
 
Humbleteleskop, Maybe you need a little help with some basic math?

I can fit 4 ("how many") perfect squares that each have dimensions of .5 x .5 meters ("how big") into a 1 square meter square.

or

I can fit 16 ("how many") perfect squares that each have dimensions of .25 x .25 meters ("how big") into a 1 square meter square.

See how that works? Do you agree so far?
 
Motor Daddy said:
So you don't understand what I've posted, or you just don't agree?
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I don't know what are you talking about or why are you talking about it. I don't see it has anything to do with what I said in this thread.

Anyway, I agree about 4 and 16 smaller squares fitting in 1 square meter.
 
humbleteleskop said:
Anyway, I agree about 4 and 16 smaller squares fitting in 1 square meter square.
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So how many possible combinations of "how many" and "how big" are there, that equal 1 square meter?

Like, we know 2 of the combinations that equate to 1 square meter, 4 - .5x.5 squares is one combination that fits. Another combination that fits is 16 - .25x.25.

So how many different combinations are there that will fit into a 1 square meter square?
 
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