I came across an article in The Hindu last week about a scientist, Hugh Everett and his theory, which, many notable scientists of his time discarded as rubbish. The theory is now being called by many as 'Many-Worlds Interpretation' - the existence of millions and millions of parallel universes. I have often thought about it myself, though I always referred to it as The Fifth Dimension - The 3 spacial axises -x,y,z and time, t make 4 dimensions while the fifth being probability (its a misnomer but I stuck to it). It must have actually been 'the set of probable events that could occur from a scenario.' At a given place (x,y,z) and time (t), one could react in many different ways to a particular situation, leading to many parallel concurrent universes of events. And here I am, reading about something I have thought about, something that someone has postulated as a theory and many 'now' believe to be true. I therefore decided to find out and understand more about it. This was also an opportunity for me to tell myself that my physics degree was not a complete waste of time and effort. Time, because I spent a few years in the name of studying physics. Effort, because I 'tried' to understand my coursework, and the question 'did I really understand?' is irrelevant here. psi is always sigh for me; and I still think of a 'bra' when someone mentions 'a bra and a ket'.
I googled to read several related articles on the theory, understanding something in some of them and nothing in many of them, until I finally stumbled upon this link, which seemed to be the common-man's version the Many-World's Interpretation.
For the many of you who do not have the patience to read the entire 44 page (A4, Times New Roman, 13.5) synopsis, here is what I think as a simplified version of the simplified version.
'Everything' (universe) is in a wave form. It all started as 'one' grand wave that branched into several branches (possibilities) everytime there is an event. These branches never come back to intertwine with one another. The physical substances of the universe (me, you, men, women, dog, cat, etc., etc.) are called 'macrosystems' and are part of the wave. When more than one macrosystem interacts with other macrosystem(s), it causes an event, which irreversibly alters the state of all macrosystems (me, you, men, women, dog, cat, etc., etc.) involved in the interaction. Upon this interaction, the 'wave' branches into several sub-branches based on the state (reaction to the event) of all involved macrosystems. At this juncture the macrosystems (me, you, men, women, dog, cat, etc., etc.) become copies of themselves and join each branch. They also become unaware of the other copies of themselves in the other branches.
The article also talks about the concept of 'many-minds' - 'an infinity of separate minds associated with each single brain 'state'. When an 'event' occurs, a single physical brain state with its infinite separate minds are 'differentiated' by the event. It also states that the 'quantum noise' of these interactions (events) are so low to affect the free will of individuals.
Some questions:
Is there a possibility of two worlds merging together as one in some distant future?
For such a thing to happen, all the constituents of the two worlds must coincide with their counterparts simultaneously, and there are millions and millions of constituents that form a world and therefore it is virtually impossible for such a thing to happen.
Where do the other world's exist?
In space and time, the other worlds are in the same place as where our world is. However, they differ in the fifth dimension, the dimension that we are unable to experience.
Why am I in this world and not another?
I would like to quote the same analogy used by Michael Price, the author of the article.
Fred has his brain divided into two and transplanted into two different cloned bodies. Let us further suppose that each half-brain regenerates to full functionality (Split brain experiments were performed on epileptic patients. Complete hemispherical separation was discontinued when testing of the patients revealed the presence of two distinct consciousnesses in the same skull. So this analogy is only partly imaginary.) and call the resultant individuals Fred-Left and Fred-Right. Fred-Left can ask, why did I end up as Fred-Left? Similarly Fred-Right can ask, why did I end up as Fred-Right? The only answer possible is that there was no reason. From Fred's point of view it is a subjectively random choice which individual "Fred" ends up as.
To the surgeon the whole process is deterministic. To both the Freds it seems random.
29 November 2007
27 November 2007
Blurry to Blind/Bright - preliminary examination
I checked in at the hospital at 11 AM for my appointment at 11 30. There must have been a hundred patients and half of them were looking skyward with eyes closed and cotton in hand. There was a tv hanging from the ceiling and a doctor was speaking from it. As I craned myself to understand what he was saying, the doctor disappeared and a magnified view of an eye emerged. We were being shown a taped surgery. The eye was wide open, and then, from nowhere, came something like a scalpel and jabbed at the black of the eye. That was enough. My body went limp while every hair on it stood erect. I am not watching it anymore and please tell me that they are not going to do the same thing to my eyes. And why does the censor board cut scenes with smooth skinned babes but pass such morbid videos? I tried to concentrate on the pleasant things life had to offer. I noticed that most female opthamologists (eye doctors) were good looking but I could no longer appreciate them after the video. I closed my eyes, looked skyward trying to sublime into the motley group when someone called out my name.
The nurse tried to strike a conversation in English as she prepared to check my eye 'power' with the Snellen's chart (Thats a chart with a huge 'A' on top and a random set of alphabets lined up in a number of rows. The letters became smaller and smaller as you went down. If you could read the second last row without doubt, your eye sight is good enough). I replied back in Thamizh. A ploy I use to get special treatment whenever I am speak to someone in Chennai. It worked yet again!
No change in power. Next were the compatibility tests for the surgery. I was passed on from one nurse to another and I couldn't stop but look at in awe at the efficiency of the entire process. After every test, the nurse smiled at me and asked me to wait in the hall adjoining the examining room. I was to be called by someone else in 5 minutes. And it was 5 minutes every single time. The new nurse came in calling for me.
One test I particularly liked was a scan. I was to put my head into a machine that looked like a 1940 still camera and cover myself with a black cloth. From the other end emerged something like an electric blue lightsaber from Star Wars and that was it! A colour printout popped out of the printer with pictures disecting my eyes in all possible angles. It showed my cornea, the retina, all the nerve bundles and a lot more I did not understand. My cornea was thick enough for the surgery.
The nurse for the tear test spoke a lot. She would'nt stop speaking. She handed me a pamphlet that explained the surgery. I pulled out 6 pamplets that the other nurses had given to me earlier in the day and showed it to her. she pursed her lips, let out a wry smile and continued with her lecture. She announced that she was to undertake the pressure test as well. A ball like thing from a machine was to 'gently' press my eyeballs to find out my eye pressure. I better be nice to her. I asked her 'her name'. She had the same name as "You-know-who". Mute. It is better to undergo the pressure test quietly. The pressure was within limits. Nurse 7 continued: 'Now I am going to show you an animation picture'. Me: 'Do you have Tom & Jerry?' She was in splits, laughing so loud that she could be heard at the other end of the hallway. The animation picture was to be a mockup of the surgery.
It was only after four hours I was marked fit for the operation. I had one more Snellen's chart to read before I could go home. The local anaesthetic used for the tests continued to work and I could not even figure out the largest 'A'. But then I had memorised the entire list during my checkup earlier in the day and I could recall every one of them with my eyes closed. The nurse found that out as I was reading with my eyes closed. Nurse 9: 'That's okay. It's just the anaesthetic that is working up. It happens all the time. You are good to go. I will provide you with Shobana's cell phone number and introduce you to her. She will clarify any remaining doubts you have regarding the surgery'. Shobana :D (yamunai aatrilae eerakkaatrilae kannanoadudhaan aada). Nurse 10: 'Yes, how may I help you?' She was the Shobana from Manichithira Thaazhu. Me: Nuh, nothing, I can't think of anything right now. I will call you if something props up.'
The nurse tried to strike a conversation in English as she prepared to check my eye 'power' with the Snellen's chart (Thats a chart with a huge 'A' on top and a random set of alphabets lined up in a number of rows. The letters became smaller and smaller as you went down. If you could read the second last row without doubt, your eye sight is good enough). I replied back in Thamizh. A ploy I use to get special treatment whenever I am speak to someone in Chennai. It worked yet again!
No change in power. Next were the compatibility tests for the surgery. I was passed on from one nurse to another and I couldn't stop but look at in awe at the efficiency of the entire process. After every test, the nurse smiled at me and asked me to wait in the hall adjoining the examining room. I was to be called by someone else in 5 minutes. And it was 5 minutes every single time. The new nurse came in calling for me.
One test I particularly liked was a scan. I was to put my head into a machine that looked like a 1940 still camera and cover myself with a black cloth. From the other end emerged something like an electric blue lightsaber from Star Wars and that was it! A colour printout popped out of the printer with pictures disecting my eyes in all possible angles. It showed my cornea, the retina, all the nerve bundles and a lot more I did not understand. My cornea was thick enough for the surgery.
The nurse for the tear test spoke a lot. She would'nt stop speaking. She handed me a pamphlet that explained the surgery. I pulled out 6 pamplets that the other nurses had given to me earlier in the day and showed it to her. she pursed her lips, let out a wry smile and continued with her lecture. She announced that she was to undertake the pressure test as well. A ball like thing from a machine was to 'gently' press my eyeballs to find out my eye pressure. I better be nice to her. I asked her 'her name'. She had the same name as "You-know-who". Mute. It is better to undergo the pressure test quietly. The pressure was within limits. Nurse 7 continued: 'Now I am going to show you an animation picture'. Me: 'Do you have Tom & Jerry?' She was in splits, laughing so loud that she could be heard at the other end of the hallway. The animation picture was to be a mockup of the surgery.
It was only after four hours I was marked fit for the operation. I had one more Snellen's chart to read before I could go home. The local anaesthetic used for the tests continued to work and I could not even figure out the largest 'A'. But then I had memorised the entire list during my checkup earlier in the day and I could recall every one of them with my eyes closed. The nurse found that out as I was reading with my eyes closed. Nurse 9: 'That's okay. It's just the anaesthetic that is working up. It happens all the time. You are good to go. I will provide you with Shobana's cell phone number and introduce you to her. She will clarify any remaining doubts you have regarding the surgery'. Shobana :D (yamunai aatrilae eerakkaatrilae kannanoadudhaan aada). Nurse 10: 'Yes, how may I help you?' She was the Shobana from Manichithira Thaazhu. Me: Nuh, nothing, I can't think of anything right now. I will call you if something props up.'
Having got my appointment for the operation at 1:30 PM on the 7th, December, I rode back home dizzy eyed.
26 November 2007
Blurry to Blind/Bright - spectacle days
I have had vision problems right from a very early age. For a long time I wondered if it was the school bus accident that blunted my eyesight. I later forgot about the whole incident; but that did not improve my condition.
There are several problems associated with wearing spectacles early on when you are kid. First, unless you are popular or any other kid in the class wore thicker glass than you did, you are ridiculed by all sort of characters; sometimes some teachers as well. I was popular and there were a couple of kids who had as much as 4 times my 'power'; so I was normal. I could also punch anyone into unconsciousness. (I did that once and everyone believed I could do that many times over) I missed my first weekend outing without parental guidance, and Jurassic Park with it (I finally saw the movie a year ago) because I broke my glasses the first day I entered hostel. My dad drove 8 hours to get them repaired for me. Swimming was difficult; so were any contact sports (Anyone aware of any non-human-contact sports other than cricket being played in a field?) and I spent 2 hours everyday playing. It was always difficult to distinguish an 'a' from an 'e' on the black board and every word in high school invariably had an 'a' or an 'e'. I cursed the teachers for their bad handwritings and practised mine hard on four line notebooks to make sure that no blurry visioned student cursed me if I happen to become a teacher myself someday in the future.
My physical education director suggested contact lenses. He wanted his team to win at any cost. The cost was Rs 2000/-. Dad's money. I did not regret it; afterall, all I had to do was slip in a lens that was as thin as a peel of an onion and I could go glass-less. No more spectacle breakage in crowded buses, snazzy lay-ups or fist-fights! But that did not solve all the problems. I still woke up every morning to find everything dizzy around me and missed overnight parties because I will have to give my lenses and eyes some rest. The worst was to travel overnight in buses. I wore spectacles while I travelled but did not sleep with them on. But then there was always a thiruttu VCD being played in the TV after I prepare to sleep and there invariably was a raunchy number or a scene where the villain tries to rape the heroine and I can not deny myself of seeing it. I don't want to see ghosts on the screen and so I scamper for my spectacles before the scene ends only to find the pretty female sitting opposite to me staring at me with disgust. (always a pretty female. why? why? and why disgust?) But who cares? I will not miss it for the girl I will never meet again.
So there you see, contact lenses are also not a solution for my problems. The Renu Multiplus has already eaten away a lot of my savings. That was when someone told me about the laser treatment. Voila! After speculating the pros and cons of my either going blind or having a 6/6 eyesight, I am deciding to go for it. And now that I am attempting my 5th blog and I need episodes to fill its pages to give it 'respectable' appearance, I have decided to chronicle the entire process into something of the likes of a mega serial. So expect more...
There are several problems associated with wearing spectacles early on when you are kid. First, unless you are popular or any other kid in the class wore thicker glass than you did, you are ridiculed by all sort of characters; sometimes some teachers as well. I was popular and there were a couple of kids who had as much as 4 times my 'power'; so I was normal. I could also punch anyone into unconsciousness. (I did that once and everyone believed I could do that many times over) I missed my first weekend outing without parental guidance, and Jurassic Park with it (I finally saw the movie a year ago) because I broke my glasses the first day I entered hostel. My dad drove 8 hours to get them repaired for me. Swimming was difficult; so were any contact sports (Anyone aware of any non-human-contact sports other than cricket being played in a field?) and I spent 2 hours everyday playing. It was always difficult to distinguish an 'a' from an 'e' on the black board and every word in high school invariably had an 'a' or an 'e'. I cursed the teachers for their bad handwritings and practised mine hard on four line notebooks to make sure that no blurry visioned student cursed me if I happen to become a teacher myself someday in the future.
My physical education director suggested contact lenses. He wanted his team to win at any cost. The cost was Rs 2000/-. Dad's money. I did not regret it; afterall, all I had to do was slip in a lens that was as thin as a peel of an onion and I could go glass-less. No more spectacle breakage in crowded buses, snazzy lay-ups or fist-fights! But that did not solve all the problems. I still woke up every morning to find everything dizzy around me and missed overnight parties because I will have to give my lenses and eyes some rest. The worst was to travel overnight in buses. I wore spectacles while I travelled but did not sleep with them on. But then there was always a thiruttu VCD being played in the TV after I prepare to sleep and there invariably was a raunchy number or a scene where the villain tries to rape the heroine and I can not deny myself of seeing it. I don't want to see ghosts on the screen and so I scamper for my spectacles before the scene ends only to find the pretty female sitting opposite to me staring at me with disgust. (always a pretty female. why? why? and why disgust?) But who cares? I will not miss it for the girl I will never meet again.
So there you see, contact lenses are also not a solution for my problems. The Renu Multiplus has already eaten away a lot of my savings. That was when someone told me about the laser treatment. Voila! After speculating the pros and cons of my either going blind or having a 6/6 eyesight, I am deciding to go for it. And now that I am attempting my 5th blog and I need episodes to fill its pages to give it 'respectable' appearance, I have decided to chronicle the entire process into something of the likes of a mega serial. So expect more...
21 November 2007
Children's day
It is children's day today. This is the first time I take note of a children's day in a long long time. I can only think of two reasons for that. 1. The monotony of my new structured life is calling for a break and I can not wish for anything more than my summer vacations when back at school. 2. It is time to bear children.
While I let my thinking mind contemplate which one of these two is the cause, I meander back 15 years to revisit yet another of my children's days.
White shirt, white banian, white pants, white belt, white handkerchief, white socks, white shoes, black underwear and jet black spiky hair. While I now need a set wet styling gel or a visit to Green Trends to spike my hair, then, it was my regular hair-do. Perched atop a table, leaning against the window, I absentmindedly waited for the rain to stop as I stared at the tea-master's astute tea making at the other end of the road (rakkamma kaiya thattu blared from a loud speaker in the background). Those were the day's when breakfast meant a glass of milk, 4 dosais, a banana and a handful of toffees. As the thundering rain reduced to trickling droplets, the sun rose up brightly and it was time for school - time for my mum's suprabaadham. 'Did you do finish the maths homework? Look at your crayon box. It is scattered all across the floor. You should be a role model to your sister and here you are. Try not to dirty your clothes atleast today. Where is your social science monthly test paper?’ The theme remained the same, only the lyrics changed everyday. She dragged me away from the table, put my shoulder bag on and pinned a tri-colour onto my shirt pocket - it was children's day.
While I let my thinking mind contemplate which one of these two is the cause, I meander back 15 years to revisit yet another of my children's days.
White shirt, white banian, white pants, white belt, white handkerchief, white socks, white shoes, black underwear and jet black spiky hair. While I now need a set wet styling gel or a visit to Green Trends to spike my hair, then, it was my regular hair-do. Perched atop a table, leaning against the window, I absentmindedly waited for the rain to stop as I stared at the tea-master's astute tea making at the other end of the road (rakkamma kaiya thattu blared from a loud speaker in the background). Those were the day's when breakfast meant a glass of milk, 4 dosais, a banana and a handful of toffees. As the thundering rain reduced to trickling droplets, the sun rose up brightly and it was time for school - time for my mum's suprabaadham. 'Did you do finish the maths homework? Look at your crayon box. It is scattered all across the floor. You should be a role model to your sister and here you are. Try not to dirty your clothes atleast today. Where is your social science monthly test paper?’ The theme remained the same, only the lyrics changed everyday. She dragged me away from the table, put my shoulder bag on and pinned a tri-colour onto my shirt pocket - it was children's day.
5 November 2007
wateri thoughts
Last night my roommates wanted me to drink with them. Well, drinking is good. It makes me happy and I always aspire to be happy. There was one problem though. It was raining hard and the roads were slushy. That is bad news as I hate to touch water even on a sweltering day. I am hydrophobic. It is not that I detest diving into a swimming pool but I loathe the sensation of the first drop of water touching my skin. It is why I leave toilet seats up. My roommate showers, speckles the seat with ice cold water and leaves for office. me; the first thing I do every morning is pick up my newspaper and run to the pot. god, how do I explain that feeling - the joy of the bull climbing another 300 points intertwined with the pain of cold water piercing my bottom is inexplicable.
Moving back from my abhorrence to contact with water on the outside to my water for the inside plan; I convinced one of my roommates to do the buying for all of us. I felt bad for him to ride up in the rain, push past dirty men, squeeze in to the counter, harangue with the salesman that beer prices are not RPL shares to change 20% every week, to finally get hold of bottles that are 30 degrees warm.
That is when a fairy appeared.
Isabel: 'I am an angel from heaven. I am looking for directions. The roads here don’t match the blue prints we have up there.'
me: 'yeah, lot of illegal constructions or may be you bought your map when the previous government was in place. We here change street names to city names everytime there is a government change. Anyway, where do you want to go?'
Isabel: 'I would like to meet a doctor to get my boobies bigger. That’s the fashion again back up there now.'
me: 'hmm.. I never had to make any-thing of mine bigger, so I really do not know who you should go to. But why don’t you call just dial. They may be able to help.'
Isabel: 'Thanks very much. I am indebted for your help. I would like to do something for you. Do you wish to ask something? I am a fairy and I can do magical things.'
I have re-rehearsed this scene several times in my dreams.
Starfish: 'Make a wish'
myself: 'I wish for three wishes.'
Starfish swore that I was the devil and smacked me so hard with her wand that a horn popped out of my head.
I didn’t want to get smacked another time. So I told Isabel a more practical problem. She listened intently and said 'I am impressed that you have thought not just for yourself but for millions of other people. I shall be able to suggest an idea but it is left up to you to execute it. Why don’t you start a beer distribution company? Just like these pizza delivery guys. All you will need is a back office operator answering calls sitting atop of a giant freezer, a couple of guys or girls and second-hand motorcycles. Doing some rough math, I can see you will pocket close to 50K a month initially and it isn’t a bad start. You can always expand to other cities or diversify to other services. And when you are dead, you will get an automatic entry to heaven as you would be known as the great man who quenched the thirst of millions.'
me: 'That looks like a good idea. I shall give it a thought. Thanks for the advice.'
Isabel:' you are welcome. I better get going. Your warm beer has arrived.'
me: 'okay. And...'
Isabel: ' And what?'
me: 'Will you come around here just before you go back home? I have never seen an implant before. ;)'
Moving back from my abhorrence to contact with water on the outside to my water for the inside plan; I convinced one of my roommates to do the buying for all of us. I felt bad for him to ride up in the rain, push past dirty men, squeeze in to the counter, harangue with the salesman that beer prices are not RPL shares to change 20% every week, to finally get hold of bottles that are 30 degrees warm.
That is when a fairy appeared.
Isabel: 'I am an angel from heaven. I am looking for directions. The roads here don’t match the blue prints we have up there.'
me: 'yeah, lot of illegal constructions or may be you bought your map when the previous government was in place. We here change street names to city names everytime there is a government change. Anyway, where do you want to go?'
Isabel: 'I would like to meet a doctor to get my boobies bigger. That’s the fashion again back up there now.'
me: 'hmm.. I never had to make any-thing of mine bigger, so I really do not know who you should go to. But why don’t you call just dial. They may be able to help.'
Isabel: 'Thanks very much. I am indebted for your help. I would like to do something for you. Do you wish to ask something? I am a fairy and I can do magical things.'
I have re-rehearsed this scene several times in my dreams.
Starfish: 'Make a wish'
myself: 'I wish for three wishes.'
Starfish swore that I was the devil and smacked me so hard with her wand that a horn popped out of my head.
I didn’t want to get smacked another time. So I told Isabel a more practical problem. She listened intently and said 'I am impressed that you have thought not just for yourself but for millions of other people. I shall be able to suggest an idea but it is left up to you to execute it. Why don’t you start a beer distribution company? Just like these pizza delivery guys. All you will need is a back office operator answering calls sitting atop of a giant freezer, a couple of guys or girls and second-hand motorcycles. Doing some rough math, I can see you will pocket close to 50K a month initially and it isn’t a bad start. You can always expand to other cities or diversify to other services. And when you are dead, you will get an automatic entry to heaven as you would be known as the great man who quenched the thirst of millions.'
me: 'That looks like a good idea. I shall give it a thought. Thanks for the advice.'
Isabel:' you are welcome. I better get going. Your warm beer has arrived.'
me: 'okay. And...'
Isabel: ' And what?'
me: 'Will you come around here just before you go back home? I have never seen an implant before. ;)'
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