$10,000 question: Is reality digital or analog?

Discussion in 'Science & Society' started by Michael, Nov 2, 2010.

  1. Kennyc Registered Senior Member

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    Veggiepatch, yes, that's exactly what I'm getting at with my question. There really are multiple parts I guess. Is reality actually analog or digital and/or is our measurement, perception, and/or experience of it analog or digital.
     
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  3. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    It is a add for a book.

    No nerve "firings" (discharges) do not take place across the synapse. The discharge (firing) of a nerve is when there is a sudden influx of Na+ ions across the axon wall. Prior to that influx the axon interior is at -70mV and the in rush of positive ions takes it to a slightly positive voltage.

    If you had falsely said that electric currents are discrete because the charged protons traveling down the wire are discrete, I would have said: I think you mean electrons traveling down the wire. Normally one thanks for simple corrections, instead of trying to defend their error.

    If you are going to speak explain something you need to use the correct terms. Someone correct your terms is not being pedantic.
     
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  5. veggiepatch Registered Senior Member

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    At -70mV, it is called the resting potential but when ions flow across the cell membrane, the neuron gets excited and the action potential of +40mV is reached which causes the terminal buttons of the neuron to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.

    The whole thing takes about two milliseconds.
     
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  7. Kennyc Registered Senior Member

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    Jeeze, it's not an ad for a book wtf?

    Yes, you are being pedantic when we are talking about commonly known terms that clearly others understand. Here's the definition for your edification:
    pe·dan·tic
       /pəˈdæntɪk/ Show Spelled[puh-dan-tik] Show IPA
    –adjective
    1.
    ostentatious in one's learning.
    2.
    overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, esp. in teaching.



    Now you still did not answer the question, you keep blabbing about irrelevant detail.

    All it takes is a yes or no Billy.
     
  8. Kennyc Registered Senior Member

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    993
    and it's a go/no-go right, either it reaches that potential and fires or it doesn't.
     
  9. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 23, 2010
  10. Kennyc Registered Senior Member

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    993
    It's not an advertisement, it's an online google book, can't YOU get anything right.

    And I'm still waiting on your answer Billy. Yes or No.

    Quiet simple, but you still want to flim-flam.
     
  11. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    "online" wtf? Go to your link and see you can buy it from Barnes & Noble for $31.57
     
  12. Kennyc Registered Senior Member

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    993
    WTF man. :shrug: I'm done with you, but still want a yes or no answer to the question. HTH did you ever get to be a moderator with the attitude and lack of understand you exhibit.
     
  13. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    13,105
    Ah, but is that truly the case. An actual hypothetical I came up with while pondering the threads actual question involves that if our reality is emulated, then time itself only appears to flow one direction because of inadequacies within design. These inadequecies might not be purely inherent but only exist until we are technologically astute to understand how to utilise certain methods effectively.

    I linked these inadequacies down to two-dimensional storage media and how any multidimensional analyse is "Flat packed" for data integrity/storage. (I might have misconstrude what Fermilab is looking at in regards to it's holometer, however my assumptions themselves might share a similarity in reasoning to our "fake 3D" universe.)

    I actually hypothesised further that an amendment to two-dimensional storage media would actually allow for Time to move bidirectionally, at least in regards to computation (While also increasing data integrity). Obviously I can't go into too much detail wouldn't want a bunch of mulleted individuals working out how to become Time hackers.
     
  14. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    Good question. In order to create a simulation model of reality from 'nothing' or a zero energy state then one must use the digital methodology. The idea of analogue is just our current inability to actually complete a succinct fractal model of creation/bigbang/expansion/reality imo. I used to like the idea of an anologue reality, but that was just a 'romantic notion' of someone young and idealsitic. The smallest scale possible has to be digital imo, otherwise you will never have a starting place in order to model from. Try it yourself and you'll see.
     
  15. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    I'd still go with "both", as Digital is to Order as Analogue is to Chaos.
     
  16. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    You're getting confused with the concept of entropy or the "number of ways". It's the ordered structure before the big bang which has low entropy (i.e. all the matter particles are very ordered and similar to one another) and the subsequent aftershock of the big bang which has high entropy (i.e. all the matter particles are now in very dissimilar orientations and structures). Therefore the idea of "both", laughably initially put forward by phlog, is a bit of a ludicrous suggestion. No offence intended of course. Just saying.
     
  17. Dinosaur Rational Skeptic Valued Senior Member

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    As posted previously by me, the classical reality of our senses is based on quantum level phenomena.

    The uncertaintly principle & other features of the Quantum Level strongly indicate a digital reality, not a continous analog reality.

    Unless you are willing to ignore Quantum Theory, you should vote for reality being digital.

    Of course any digital data which is fine grained enough will appear to be continous & analogue.

    I think more people would vote vote for digital (discrete) over analogue (continuous) if the question were posed as discrete or continous rather than as digital or analogue.
     
  18. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    I agree with you Gremmie, it doesn't make sense to consider both to be true at the same time. But there is another way of thinking about it. Analogue structures could have been created initially and then after the big bang they break up and combine into the digital structures of today:
    1. Analogue matter/energy was created in the first place
    2. This analogue structure was spirals of spirals and grew to enormous size
    3. A right hand spinning structure and a mirror right hand structure formed opposite
    4. At a critical size vibration energy breaks structures connection with creation stream
    5. Both structures travel around wraparound universe
    6. Both structures collide almost 100% head-on
    7. Analogue structures become broken into digital structures
    8. Opposite spinning double ring helices are formed a.k.a neutrons
    9. Same direction spinning ring helices are formed a.k.a protons & anti-protons
    10. Protons, anti-protons & neutrons emit helices which act as gravity force
    11. Gravity and long-lived particles shape our world
     
  19. fedr808 1100101 Valued Senior Member

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    6,706
    Wait a second, it has to be digital.

    One example is the three main states of matter. Analog cannot be a discrete signal, from what I know it is mainly just yes or no.

    matter is not just solid or liquid, it can be solid, liquid, and a gas.

    Even moreso is the fact that it relies upon heat and pressure.

    There are many examples where systems require many variables to dictate the final product, that implies that the product is digital.
     
  20. Diode-Man Awesome User Title Registered Senior Member

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    I think the brain operates bio-digital. Without consciousness there is nothing, so yeah, digital.
     
  21. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    It's a superb competition. The voting has been done but correspondence is still continuing. The best essay for me was from David Tong, High Energy Particle Physics Group, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge. Here's his essay Physics and the Integers by David Tong
     
  22. Xmo1 Registered Senior Member

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    501
    Reality is analog, or more properly in the analog; analog meaning 'in the flow of things.' The information you observe is translated as you will. Locality is important too. You and the things you do create local events. So you may define your observations as digital or analog, or both.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2011
  23. 1337spb Registered Member

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    I reckon digital. I feel that digital is necessary for logical cause and effect. Although I suppose illogical cause and effect could occur!
     

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