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Re:The Universe Is Made of Mathematics by jameshart on Thursday September 03, 2015 @06:27PM (#10167878)
So if you Gödelized the universe - mapped every conceivable state to a number (proving that that is possible left as an exercise for the reader) - then created mathematical operations on those numbers that transitioned the universe from one state to another 'physically possible' successor state.. I guess Gödel would be able to give you a number representing a universe such that you could not prove whether its state was possible or not?

Then all you have to do is demonstrate that we live in such a universe, and all the philosophers can retire because we've found the ultimate answer to the ultimate question.

I think we all know exactly what the Gödel number for our universe would be...

Re:The Universe Is Made of Mathematics by ursus_bonum on Thursday September 03, 2015 @08:23PM (#10168225)
420?
Re:The Universe Is Made of Mathematics by outofcuriosity on Friday September 04, 2015 @11:25AM (#10171042)
My money's on 69.

Rudy Rucker had some interesting conversations with Gödel about a deterministic universe in which (because time is illusory) backward time travel exists: http://www.rudyrucker.com/blog/2012/08/01/memories-of-kurt-g...

Re:The Universe Is Made of Mathematics by jameshart on Friday September 04, 2015 @01:39PM (#10171831)
Thankyou - fascinating account.

I particularly like how, in describing Gödel's office, he mentions "On the empty desk sat an empty glass of milk." The paradox seems appropriate.