What happens when we know absolutely everything?

[Undesired Walrus]

So, the year is a stardate far in the future. Mankind has mapped the entire Human Genome. We have worked out every function of the brain, every concievable disease has been destroyed. Humanity is at peace with all in the universe and with each other. We know why the Universe began, how it works, and how it will end. We even know how the Universe functions with the concept of time, and know how we can/cannot travel back.

So.. what is our end goal here, what they hell do we do then? Seriously.

Group orgy?

[Jimbo07]

Since we don't know what knowing everything will entail, it's futile to speculate what conclusions or applications can be drawn from knowing everything...

[Fnord]

Singularity. Then "we" become "God" for the next universe.

Lather.

Rinse.

Repeat.

[The Man]

I suppose that when we do know everything, that would include knowing what we should do next.

I just hope that when we do know everything we do not find that what we need to do is to try and convince some other species to worship us. Threatening them with our absolute omnipotence and demanding complete devotion. I guess that is what gods are supposed to do though. Perhaps an omnipotent god is just bored, knowing every thing already, and needs something to play with.

[drkitten]

So.. what is our end goal here, what they hell do we do then?

Stop watching Deal or No Deal, as it will be a very borning show.

[rocketdodger]

ahhh... then, people like myself will make more $$$ than ever.

video games ftw

[Jimbo07]

video games

Just to note... if someone knows something about everything, all the walkthroughs will be published, no?

[Wowbagger]

What happens when we know absolutely everything?

It will become apparent, perhaps a few years later, that we only thought we knew everything.

And the cycle from ignorance to knowledge begins all over again.

[NoZed Avenger]

What ha[[ens when we know absolutely everyhting?

For me, life went on pretty much as usual.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Knowing everything, if the idea is even coherent, is not the same as experiencing everything.

~~ Paul

[Complexity]

This goes straight to the top of my list of things to worry about.

[rocketdodger]

Just to note... if someone knows something about everything, all the walkthroughs will be published, no?

multiplayer video games ftw

[Jimbo07]

multiplayer video games ftw

So you're assuming that each person doesn't know everything, just somehow collectively?

If so, how will any one of us know if the collective knows everything?

The question in the OP seems beyond worthless, like:
i) Can God make a rock so heavy that God can't lift it?
ii) Well the first problem with that question is...

etc.

[NobbyNobbs]

If we knew everything, then one of the things we would know would be "things we don't yet know". And then we'd have to go learn them. Repeat ad nauseum.

[uruk]

Then we would become that insufferable know-it-all race that alien races will try to avoid like the plague at parties.

[DaChew]

I'll have to kill you all for knowing too much.

[T'ai Chi]

So, the year is a stardate far in the future. Mankind has mapped the entire Human Genome. We have worked out every function of the brain, every concievable disease has been destroyed. Humanity is at peace with all in the universe and with each other. We know why the Universe began, how it works, and how it will end. We even know how the Universe functions with the concept of time, and know how we can/cannot travel back.


It just doesn't sound like fiction, it is fiction.

How would one even know that they know everything?

[DaChew]

How would one even know that they know everything?

They'd be my wife. Apparently.

[uruk]

It just doesn't sound like fiction, it is fiction.

How would one even know that they know everything?

Dont' you know??

Well, They would know because they would know that there was nothing else to know.

And if something is unknowable, then there would be nothing to know about it except that it is unknowable.

Now you know.

[dudalb]

Then there will finally be a God.

[dogjones]

Skepticism would be as obsolete as a 486-66.

[e-sabbath]

Time to build a new universe and see what happens _next_, I say.

[OnlyTellsTruths]

Because of fiction you couldn't know everything unless you killed all other intelligent beings. They could always write a new OZ book or Lucy show (if not something completely original) behind your back.

They could also add a new scene or even sentence to an existing work of fiction and it would be something you don't know about.

my quote from http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?p=3083246

this reminds me of:

How many people have ….

* heard of I Love Lucy?
* seen an episode of ILL?
* seen every episode at least once?
* seen every episode several times?

And that’s just one show…. A related topic would be how some people can remember things from viewing an episode once that the average person would take more viewings to acquire, aside from how close they were paying attention. I would think memory rate and multi-tasking would be different levels of "paying attention".... which just makes me think of processor speed/frequency.

Mass media aside, I agree it would apply to the normally thought of caveman. Say one was powerful enough to have people bring every single mineral, plant, insect, animal, etc. they can find for their examination. Even considering a brief look-over, I doubt they would have enough time in one lifetime…. Not to mention the number of times they would have to say “I’ve seen that already!”.

[rocketdodger]

So you're assuming that each person doesn't know everything, just somehow collectively?



Errr, I am assuming he meant "each person knows everything that can be known outside of the consciousness of others".

So in other words, something like members of the Q continuum, who know everything about the universe except the actions conscious beings will choose at any given time.

[rocketdodger]

It just doesn't sound like fiction, it is fiction.

How would one even know that they know everything?

Do you realize the implications of what you just said in the context of theism?

[Undesired Walrus]

?

The question in the OP seems beyond worthless,

Tad harsh.

[rocketdodger]

Then there will finally be a God.

That is about as meaningful as any single-sentence post I have seen. Nominated.

[Jimbo07]

Tad harsh.

I'm sorry, and I may have been overly flippant. However, given some of the responses we've seen already, I'm not sure, exactly, what you're expecting by means of a serious answer...

Per my post, I do think there are some problems with the framework of the question, because we first have to define what we mean by "know everything."

[Yiab]

Just to note... if someone knows something about everything, all the walkthroughs will be published, no?

Obviously I can't speak for you, but I still enjoy playing video games I already know everything about - just give me time in between runs.

[Undesired Walrus]

I'm sorry, and I may have been overly flippant. However, given some of the responses we've seen already, I'm not sure, exactly, what you're expecting by means of a serious answer...

Per my post, I do think there are some problems with the framework of the question, because we first have to define what we mean by "know everything."

Well, Humans seem to have an incredible urge to understand each other, this world, this universe. I find every stage and every leap fascinating, liberating and overtly good.

I just often wonder, for what end? The ultimate goal is to make sense of it all. We urge to get there, but... what do we do if we ever do get there (I'm not saying that is entirely possible, but I feel the need to ask nonetheless)?

[rocketdodger]

Like I said, video games. A 100% realistic holodeck, with infinite lives, and sh--loads of other people to play with. Sounds like heaven to me, for one...

[JoeTheJuggler]

What happens when we know absolutely everything?

Guess you don't subscribe to that whole Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle or all that probabilistic (as opposed to deterministic) quantum stuff.

It also sounds like you don't believe in anything like free will, because part of knowing everything would be knowing the future, wouldn't it?

Do you suppose all human behavior will one day be known? If I write a novel, can you know how it comes out without reading it?

Aside from pure research scientists, most of of us occupy most of our time with pursuits that really don't involve learning more about the universe.

I can't imagine juggling being different after we "know absolutely everything". Ditto sex. Those are probably my two favorite things to do--not necessarily in order of preference.

[tkingdoll]

Scooty-puff Junior.

[Bikewer]

Isn't that Kurzweil's thing? He refers to "The Singularity" in his writings; the point at which we will literally know everything.

[Jimbo07]

Well, Humans seem to have an incredible urge to understand each other, this world, this universe. I find every stage and every leap fascinating, liberating and overtly good.

Me too!


I just often wonder, for what end?

Well, I don't know... isn't that sort of like asking, "what's the meaning of life?"


The ultimate goal is to make sense of it all. We urge to get there, but... what do we do if we ever do get there (I'm not saying that is entirely possible, but I feel the need to ask nonetheless)?

Again, where is there? What does knowing everything entail? Who knows everything? It's recursive, too. If you know everything, does that also mean that you know that you know everything? If you don't, how do you know you don't?

So far, answered questions have led only to deeper questions (which I think is kinda cool)...

[becomingagodo]

It looks like I have to save this thread, from going into ignorance.

You're assuming everything is knowable, now Godel uncertainty(well in ZF set theory) and Quantum uncertainty disprove this. Even if you could beat the two, how will you know illogic and total randomness?

Plus what about the russel paradox and intuition, paradoxes in general too like the liar paradox.

The human mind itself has limits too, plus your assuming we can understand the universe itself.

-Becomingagodo

[Jimbo07]

It looks like I have to save this thread, from going into ignorance.

Thanks for the help!

:rolleyes:

[-Fran-]

I can't imagine juggling being different after we "know absolutely everything". Ditto sex. Those are probably my two favorite things to do--not necessarily in order of preference.


Is it possible to juggle while having sex? ;)

[Plantfoam]

If we end up knowing everything....well, that would just be bad. Because, well, I would probably have to pay child support then:boggled:

[Schneibster]

Is it possible to juggle while having sex? ;)Never whistle while you're peeing.

[bokonon]

We still won't be able to remember where we filed it.