Mathematical Universes
Scientists have debated whether
mathematics is simply a useful tool for describing the universe, or whether
math itself is the fundamental reality, and our observations of the universe
are just imperfect perceptions of its true mathematical nature. If the latter
is the case, then perhaps the particular mathematical structure that makes up
our universe isn't the only option, and in fact all possible mathematical
structures exist as their own separate universes.
"A mathematical structure is something that
you can describe in a way that's completely independent of human baggage,"
said Max Tegmark of MIT, who proposed this brain-twistin gidea. "I really
believe that there is this universe out there that can exist independently of
me that would continue to exist even if there were no humans."