Related papers: Influence from Future, Arguments
Influence theory is a foundational theory of physics that is not based on traditional empirically defined concepts, such as positions in space and time, mass, energy, or momentum. Instead, the aim is to derive these concepts, and their…
The Lindy effect is a statistical tendency for things with longer pasts behind them to have longer futures ahead. It has been experimentally confirmed to apply to some categories, but not others, raising questions about when it is…
We propose an approach to explaining why naive large quantum fluctuations are not the right estimate for the cosmological constant. We argue that the universe is in a superposition of many vacua, in such a way that the resulting…
Selection effects in cosmology are often invoked to "explain" why some of the fundamental constant of Nature, and in particular the cosmological constant, take on the value they do in our Universe. We briefly review this probabilistic…
This essay considers a simple model of observers that are influenced by the world around them. Consistent quantification of information about such influences results in a great deal of familiar physics. The end result is a new perspective…
We revisit our 2013 claim [arXiv:1303.7476] that the Universe is the result of a conspiratorial plot, and find that it cannot be trusted, because even the belief in this conspiracy likely results from a conspiracy. On the basis of…
This work presents physical consequences of our theory of induced gravity (Ref.1) regarding: 1) the requirement to consider shape and materials properties when calculating graviton cross section collision area; 2) use of Special Relativity;…
Whether the fate of our species can be forecast from its past has been the topic of considerable controversy. One refutation of the so-called Doomsday Argument is based on the premise that we are more likely to exist in a universe…
This article deals with plausible reasoning from incomplete knowledge about large-scale spatial properties. The availableinformation, consisting of a set of pointwise observations,is extrapolated to neighbour points. We make use of belief…
We study the evolution of social clusters, in an analogy with physical spin systems, and in detail show the importance of the concept of the "self" of each agent with quantifiable variable attributes. We investigate the effective influence…
We are considering the cosmological consequences of an induced gravity theory coupled to the minimal standard model of particle physics. The non-minimal coupling parameter between gravity and the Higgs field must then be very large,…
Recent observations suggest that a large fraction of the energy density of the universe has negative pressure. One explanation is vacuum energy density; another is quintessence in the form of a scalar field slowly evolving down a potential.…
We re-examine claims that anthropic arguments provide an explanation for the observed smallness of the cosmological constant, and argue that correlations between the cosmological constant value and the existence of life can be demonstrated…
It is argued that cosmological models that feature a flow of energy from dark energy to dark matter may solve the coincidence problem of late acceleration (i.e., "why the energy densities of both components are of the same order precisely…
Group field theory has shown to be a promising framework to derive cosmological predictions from full quantum gravity. In this brief note, we revisit the background dynamics when interaction terms are taken into account and conclude that,…
A new category of "intrinsic" effects is proposed to be added to the two already known kinematic and dynamical categories. An example of intrinsic effect is predicted, its origin source is established, and a scheme of its experimental…
The aim of "A glance beyond the quantum model" [arXiv:0907.0372] to modernize the Correspondence Principle is compromised by an assumption that a classical model must start with the idea of particles, whereas in empirical terms particles…
We study a model for social influence in which the agents' opinion is a continuous variable [G. Weisbuch et al., Complexity \textbf{7}, 2, 55 (2002)]. The convergent opinion adjustment process takes place as a result of random binary…
In the context of models where the dark energy density $\rD$ is a random variable, anthropic selection effects may explain both the "old" cosmological constant problem and the "time coincidence". We argue that this type of solution to both…
A model -- by myself and Masao Ninomiya -- which in principle predicts the initial conditions in a way as to minimze a certain functional of the history of the Universe through both past and future -- a functional conceived of as an…