The Impossible impossible

X

Xerxes

asdfghjkl
Valued Senior Member
I remember posting this idea a loooong time ago. A lot of you weren't here at that time, and now that you are, I'd like all your opinions on this.

The idea was that the only impossible thing, is an impossibility itself. Yes, I know there are examples which seem extremely, near impossible, like me landing on the surface of mars, or farting a crater in the earths crust, but those are near impossibilities. I'm saying that there's no such thing as a zero possibility. What are your opinions?
 
What's the difference between a near impossibility and a... zero possibility?

Is it impossible to concieve the impossible? It's just that we don't have the physical mean to do it?
 
Zero possibility: something that would require breaking the logical rules of our reality.

eg.: 'turning' a frog into gold.

Near impossibility: something that, given our current understanding of the universe, seems to be a physical impossibility, but, we can formulate a theoretical approach towards.

eg.: reanimation from cryogenic suspension.
 
I think that nothing is impossible or 100% certain, apart from one hicup, if that statement is true then its impossible that something is impossible, get my drift?
 
There are so many things that are impossible to do, but many of these are due to our own physical limitations. So far we've been talking about physical impossibilities. Does anyone know anything that isn't physical.
 
Finally!!!! In that last thread (I'll try to find it if I can) Few, if any people agreed. They thought that me landing [and surviving] on the surface of mars, or what not, was impossible given I might not have the right equipment. Sure it's a near impossibility, but not a zero possibility. It just goes to show the difference a year can make.

eg.: 'turning' a frog into gold.
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Actually, if I'm not mistaken that is *kinda* possible, but you'd have to mess around the individual molecules and atoms so much it wouldn't be funny. Scientists could've actually even turned a few particles into gold by now, I'm not totally sure.
 
I was thinking about telepaphy. That may be a non-physical impossibility. Has anyone proved that that doesn't exsist. If not, then it's still a possibility.
 
Actually, Telepathy (if it existed) could very well be physical, just not highly noticeable as in a post it *tm flying out from your ear into the next persons. Very inconspicuos ~sp?
 
Hi Elbaz :) imho, Impossible is Impossible.
That is not to say such things as time travel are Impossible. As Time Travel, in theory, seems possible However, the Laws of Physics CAN NOT attempt to, imho, produce results that are INHERINTLY Impossible. E.g. Click your fingers and create money. Categorically define the existence of GOD. Myself take off and fly alongside a jumbo jet with no aid whatsoever.. I think there is a romantic idea that exists suggesting that nothing is Impossible, this unfortunately is not realtity as I perceive it.
Have a nice day :D
 
Zoidberg,

What about ESP. Bending spoons with your mind. It is done by waves.
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No, Waves are also physical in a sense. The only thing that is non-physical (more anti-physical), is anti-matter.

Aussie,

this unfortunately is not realtity as I perceive it.
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Well, the impossible impossible is basically a reflection of the uncertainty principle, so you can't scientifically say something like that is unrealistic, or say that anything in general is impossible. I'm just trying to point out that the way we percieve reality, may actually be completely different than it exists. Imagine your first time travel experience. You'd be so confused as to the string of events......well just basically major jet lag. Yet here were are, sitting on a rock, that's rotating the sun at enormous speeds, in a galaxy that's travelling through through space at a speed of like 50 000mPH. And you wouldn't even now it. A Catholic in the middle ages would tell you the earth is flat, it doesn't move, it's the center of the universe, above it heaven, below is hell, somewhere between is purgatory, etc. Reality can and always is different from the way we percieve it, and can be changed.

The impossible impossible is just the way I like to define reality itself, as there seems to be nothing else by which we can categorize a definition. So yeah, impossible impossible is the way I see reality -- a really screwy and unreliable thing.
 
Hi Elbaz :)
I think I see what your getting at. The way I perceive reality, is, almost definately scewed :confused: Although, whats to say that we make the simple idea of consciousness more compicated than it actually is? It is what it is, you feel what you feel and that is infact - reality. I would have to disagree slightly with the uncertainty principle as, imho, reality encompasses limits, and hence includes them as part of its' definition. What excatly that definition is ... will remain a mystery. :D
 
I also think everything's possible, but we can't do it...yet. This topic also ties into religion, and a conundrum:

If God is all-powerful, can he make a boulder so large even he himself can't lift it?

Very confusing. :confused:
 
Oh ya, I forgot to welcome you to Sciforums.

Welcome to Sciforums, Aussie! :) I hope you find it as nice a place as I do.

And yes, Sure there are known limits in any given condition, but you can change the environment to make the limits suit your needs. See what I'm saying? For example, if you fold space, then technically you'd be able to travel at speeds faster than the speed of light. Under general conditions, you could never get Light to travel faster than itself, but in a lab........ etc..
 
There has to be limits. You can't have everything being possible, because then impossible would have no meaning.
If nothing was impossible, then it would be impossible for anything to be impossible, which is a contradiction, therefore there must be some things that are impossible.
 
maybe impossible was just a word made up for something someone couldn't figure out how to do, if from lack of intelligence or technology.
 
It is impossible to measure exactly the position and momentum of a quantum object (the Uncertainty Principle).

It is impossible to find the largest integer, because no such thing exists.

It is impossible to breathe in vacuum.

It is impossible to see in total darkness.

It is impossible for A to be B and for B to be C, but for A not to be C.

I could go on...
 
None of those are impossible, wait for furture technology. You could have a oxygen tank in a vacuum. Night vision goggles work really well, want me to go on?
 
Originally posted by Increan
None of those are impossible, wait for furture technology. You could have a oxygen tank in a vacuum. Night vision goggles work really well, want me to go on?
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having an oxygen tank means your respiratory tract isn't in vacuum. You changed the problem.

Night vision assumes there is infra-red emission or at least some sort of photonic emission flying around. That's different from total darkness.

etc.
 
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