Do you believe in the Multiverse Theory?

Imagine a reality that is slightly different than the one you are currently experiencing. For example, perhaps earlier in the day you decided to have a chicken sandwich for lunch, but in another reality you decide to have a pasta. Everything else would be exactly the same except the choice of meal. Now imagine you changed other variables of your current day: you decided to read the paper in the morning, you called a friend on the phone, you started that course you were always talking about etc..

How about major changes. Like you win the $10m lottery, you are an elite athlete, you are a move star, a rock star etc. or less desirable changes like you are homeless, you develop cancer, you have a mental health disorder etc.. The possibilities are literally endless when you consider the potential for change, no matter how small or large.

Now imagine that all those realities exist in parallel to each other, but we are only aware of our present reality. This would be a simplified explanation of the Multiverse Theory (MVT).

So what are some objections to the MVT? From a scientific point of view, I would say that the theory is not really testable, or more accurately: that other realities (besides the current one) currently cannot be measured or observed is probably of major concern. From a philosophical point of view, I would argue that defining and separating different realities would be problematic.

Most people would agree that just because something can be thought of, does not make it real. Some people, however, would contend that if something can be imagined, then it exists. But if this is the case, can nothing be imagined? Think about that for a second. If the most basic building block of matter or spirit could be identified in everything and anything that can be thought of, how can a lack of anything without that property exist?

Another issue with the MVT is the way it relates to time. If time is really an illusion and all that we actually ever experience is the present, how could alternate realities even come to exist? They couldn't it seems.

There is no doubt that believing in the MVT requires a certain level of faith which most people don't seem to possess. But this does not invalidate the theory altogether. After all: the belief in the existence of a God is held by most people on this planet and no concrete evidence has established that as true.

Some interesting ideas about the MVT:

* Are dreams a gateway to the realms of alternate universes?
* Is each individual person/animal/creature/plant experience so unique that MVT might be the explanation?
* How exactly does time-travel relate to the MVT?

What are your thoughts on this topic?

I like the idea of a multi universe but the possibilities are endless. If every little thing that happens has untold ways of happening each of those untold happenings have countless untold happenings. Makes my mind boggle

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I believe that although multiverses would exist, they would nevertheless share one dimension: time.

Each time something goes back in time, this something generates a change of history (and thus a new multiverse) in the past. The new multiverse is separated from our by Time only, and as we both continue on rushing futureward at the speed of +1 seconds each seconds, then the paradox never reaches our universe (and its records).

a reply to: Cloudbuster
I think you might of got ahead of yourself. For us to understand our place in other dimensions then we have to first understand this one.
We are so far away from understanding true life then we will never move forward with dimensional understanding.
For us to understand life we first have to understand the true definition of life. at this present time the definition of life does not go far enough because of our mental limitations. the true definition of life would include the force that holds everything together to form the said body. We are all made from 'things'. everything is made from these. What gives it form.
If you include this in the definition of life then everything is alive. The air the earth, the universal, the microbe and the force that holds it together.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

Just one question. How did I come to get the crappy universe all the time?

Just joking you. It is a very interesting theory. I am not convinced of the dimensional thing where there are multi versions of this reality, but I think there are many clusters of what we call the universe spread out in eternity. Why would it just be one area of space where we have galaxies and stars? I think they may stretch through all eternity, being born and dying and being born again at different stages in an endless dimension of space and time, that had no beginning and will have no end.

Interesting thread. My take is there are an infinite number of Multiverses that exists but within each is a limited number of alternative realities. So we may live in Multiverse 7, alternative reality 1. This reality is my normal life, 2 is where I married differentlt, 3 no kids, 4 I died as a teenager, 6 I'm a mlb shortstop etc. The local alternative realities are small changes in what we know. Different Multiverses are drastic changes in timeline, maybe one where there was no Hitler, one without technology due to the industrial age not starting etc.
Just my 2 cents

a reply to: Dark Ghost

It's possible...let's face it, in a multiverse - everything that can possibly be conceived is not just possible, but probable.

Now...imagine we have all these alternate versions of ourselves, each living very similar and very different lives due either to very minute changes or choices each version makes, or very large differences based on accumulations of minute changes made during our lives...now imagine if we could contact them.

What if we could link to them somehow, perhaps not in a physical sense, but mentally?

If they are all us, the same, similar or completely different versions of ourselves, on an experiential level, we would be experiencing the diversity of life experience that each of us have on this planet.

Hard to explain and get my meaning across without sounding nuts...but another way of thinking about it is like this:

That person you love to hate, on the media, in politics, in sport, that cop who has a bad rep, that judge who wronged you, that teacher who everyone hates, that dictator who murdered his people, that mugger who mugged you, that beggar looking to buy drugs, that bully who made your life miserable in school...that's you, or a version of you.

On the other hand the same also applies to those people you admire. That athlete who broke the record, that carer who nurtured you, that cop who saved you, that judge who saw the truth, that wealthy person who gives to charity, that actor who is loved by fans, that visionary who wants to change the world for the better...that is also you, or at least another version of you.

If there is infinite Universes or bubble Universes, making a Multiverse...all of these things will be true.

'Believe'?
I have to consider it being real, as the physicists base this theory on results from scientific tests with sub particles.
Nobody ever just made it up. The existence of Multiverses is a valid assumption to make and so far much more logical than the 'big bang' and linear timelines.

The more we find out, the more we have to be open to new explanations. Especially when they make a lot more sense than theories based on out dated data.

However 'Multiverses' sounds like Star Trek travelling and such, when in reality it is very probably far less amazing. For once we could be jumping universes all the time without noticing, it would just be as ambiguous as time. It sure would explain a hell of a lot of things though.

nope, I do not buy into that theory.
I think with as old as the big U is....
There is other life out there and we only have this one run at life. So make the bgest of it!

a reply to: MysterX
You have just explained you in one reality. You have the possibility to exist as each one of the people you just described. Multi worlds are within us all and we can bring them through (archetypes). Time travel is by memory.

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: Dark Ghost

I believe that although multiverses would exist, they would nevertheless share one dimension: time.

Each time something goes back in time, this something generates a change of history (and thus a new multiverse) in the past. The new multiverse is separated from our by Time only, and as we both continue on rushing futureward at the speed of +1 seconds each seconds, then the paradox never reaches our universe (and its records).

There is 11 dimensions that they share according to some popular models.

The paradox that made me stop dwelling on the subject was "if there are infinite universes, then there must be infinite in which multiverse theory is not a reality."

Multiverse theory could still be real and there might be a million to a factor of a million iterations of reality...but not an infinite number. It stands to reason that there would be a bunch of laws governing the creation and interaction of these realities that we can't even begin to imagine as of yet.

originally posted by: chewi
a reply to: MysterX
You have just explained you in one reality. You have the possibility to exist as each one of the people you just described. Multi worlds are within us all and we can bring them through (archetypes). Time travel is by memory.

And every time you make a decision , you split off at least one alternate universe.

originally posted by: chewi
a reply to: MysterX
You have just explained you in one reality. You have the possibility to exist as each one of the people you just described. Multi worlds are within us all and we can bring them through (archetypes). Time travel is by memory.

But where are you?
What are you?
Is there not just what is appearing as scenery? The scenery consists of colours and sounds. What else is there besides what is appearing presently?

a reply to: Itisnowagain
They consist of colours and sounds we can hear and decipher. With our limited understanding due to lack of knowledge. We need machines to see all the colours of the rainbow and we cannot hear all sound pitches and frequencies. They were there before we understood or knew of their existence. Our understanding stops us believing in higher life forms or more intelligent forms. Some force must be responsible for the construction and constraints of all particle s or collection of particles to assemble something larger.
This should be included in the definition of life and would bring into existence the large assembly of particles beyond our comprehension. The Earth herself is 1.
It has a controlling energy down to the smallest particle and the function it carries out. To assist the higher being. Energy for want of a better word.

originally posted by: Itisnowagain

originally posted by: chewi
a reply to: MysterX
You have just explained you in one reality. You have the possibility to exist as each one of the people you just described. Multi worlds are within us all and we can bring them through (archetypes). Time travel is by memory.

But where are you?
What are you?
Is there not just what is appearing as scenery? The scenery consists of colours and sounds. What else is there besides what is appearing presently?

If we go along with some of the more unorthodox thinking in theoretical physics, like 'reality only exists when we interact with it' (paraphrasing)...there's nothing AND everything besides what is appearing presently.

originally posted by: MysterX


If we go along with some of the more unorthodox thinking in theoretical physics, like 'reality only exists when we interact with it' (paraphrasing)...there's nothing AND everything besides what is appearing presently.

But what is interacting with what?
The assumption is that there is a you and reality.
The assumed separate thing assumes there is other separate things.
Reality is not made of two - it is non dual.

Until individuality of the self is assumed there is nothing - just the beingness of the present. Then at the moment of apparent separation a whole world of things appear - but only in imagination. There is only ever what is happening.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I'm a believer in the multiverse theory but I dont think it works how many people do. My theory and I may not be the originator of it, (but if I am, wooo hooo) is that the multiverse isn't for every single decision, I just cant see that happening, I think it's more the major events or events that could or would change history, for example in this universe 911 happened, in another it didn't and then in a third it was going to happen but was either averted at the least minute or was stopped a few days before.

I think that would make sense as it would create two new universes for this one, and yes you could expand that to be another two with another where it almost happened but instead of one plane missing its target, they all did or two did etc. but I'm saying that it would have to be major events not smaller things, I mean imagine how big the void holding all the multiverses would have to be if every little decision we make would create a new one, so for Dinner I'm having Pot noodle but in another universe I'm having KFC and in another I'm having chicken, I just dont really see that happening unless my dinner was somehow connected to a larger puzzle.

I think at some point in this multiverse there was an original universe, the first universe and from that all others were created...come to think of it, imagine for a second that there was what I'll call the 'First Universe', imagine if the person we see as God, in his many forms was actually a scientist in the first universe trying to open a worm hole into space and through his actions create another universe and then that universe created another and eventually it was because of the scientist action or accident we now that he is our creator and thus God, but then that would still leave the question, then who created him and the first universe (Does that make sense?).

So in short, I believe in the multiverse theory but for major events not all small little decisions, it just wouldn't make sense for me.

Another issue with the MVT is the way it relates to time. If time is really an illusion and all that we actually ever experience is the present, how could alternate realities even come to exist? They couldn't it seems.

The same way a movie film (or cartoon) has all of the frames of each moment existing Now, but you can still play it and watch it from beginning to end.

With each choice we make we are traveling through a different universe, like whether we choose to eat this or that for lunch.

Our beliefs/expectations/consciousness/mind causes us to shift, which is why some people always seem to have good "luck".

a reply to: Dark Ghost

We are the mulitiverse.. the universe resides in everyone of us...

purp..