Omega point and Frank Tipler

[jitsubruin]

Anyone hear of this guy and his theory? If so, anyone have any thoughts? I am still unsure about whether to take this guy seriously or not. He seems legit with a degree from MIT, but using science to prove a supernatural being?

The Omega Point is a term used by Tulane University professor of mathematics and physics Frank J. Tipler to describe what he maintains is a necessary cosmological state in an inconceivably distant future of the universe.

Tipler has identified this final singularity and its state of infinite information capacity with the Christian God. The implication of this theory for people today is, basically, their resurrection. It would be brought about by an ultimate cosmic computer running computer simulations of all intelligent life that had ever lived (by re-creating simulations of all possible quantum brain states within the master simulation).

According to Tipler's Omega Point Theory, as the universe comes to an end at a singularity in a particular form of the Big Crunch, the computational capacity of the universe would accelerate faster and faster. In principle, then, a program run on this universal computer could continue forever in its own terms, even though the universe would last only a finite amount of proper time.

Researcher Anders Sandberg[1] has stated his view of this theory as: "Tipler claims that Omega will resurrect everyone into an immortal life in what could only be called paradise." ---Wikipedia

http://www.math.tulane.edu/~tipler/biog ... graphy.htm

http://www.math.tulane.edu/~tipler/phys ... ianity.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Point_(Tipler)

[jitsubruin]

Omega Point... Frank Tipler. Can somebody tell me what is up with this guy? Seems legit with a degree from MIT, but using science to "prove" god?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Point_(Tipler)

Anyone want to comment on this?

[dinoboy]

Tipler was a pretty competent scientist once (general relativity) but has taken one too many swims in lake crazy...

[BeAfraid]

I think that this is just a phenomenon that happens to some types of minds.

I also think that a lot of it comes from socialization issues... I noticed, for instance, when I went from being a little nerd kid to being a minor league rock star that many of my previous socialization issues evaporated, and I was no longer drawn to things that were just self-apologies for my perceived failures (and very real failures).

It's just an opinion though... I do wonder how many of these science types would fare if they were treated like rock stars, and had women (and/or men) lining up outside their hotel rooms when on tour.

Matthew Bailey

[CdesignProponentsist]

Omega Point... Frank Tipler. Can somebody tell me what is up with this guy? Seems legit with a degree from MIT, but using science to "prove" god?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Point_(Tipler)

Anyone want to comment on this?

I've read his book "The Physics of Immortality". It is interesting, but nothing more that philosophy and hopeful thinking in my opinion. Besides, his idea of the omega point relied on a closed universe. That has since been blown out of the water by dark energy.

Seems that he may have gone completely nuts since then and is now using it to theorize about the Judeo-christian God and Jesus.

[dashinvaine]

I don't think many Christians would subscribe to the idea that God is a computer that has not been invented yet. This is the sort of idea that would have got you burned for heresy in more enlightened times.

[CdesignProponentsist]

I don't think many Christians would subscribe to the idea that God is a computer that has not been invented yet. This is the sort of idea that would have got you burned for heresy in more enlightened times.

The originator of the omega point concept was Pierre Teilhard de Chardin who was a Jesuit Priest. I shit you not.

[Ex-OEC]

Michael Shermer writes about him (among many other things/people) in "Why people believe weird things" (which I recommend).

I find his idea interesting, maybe even fascinating in a science fiction story capacity, but that's about it.

Also, according to this hypothesis (as far as I can see), the God that resurrects us has become God 'after the fact'; in other words, this God doesn't actually exist now, or has in the past, but only exists at the end of the universe when information is infinite, and is an emergent property thereof.

I really find it hard to see how he can then correlate this with the Judeo-Christian concept of God. It would have to be an extremely liberal Christian view, if so - and even then I don't see it. Prayers would for instance be completely futile for obvious reasons, and where would Jesus' resurrection and redemption come into the picture?

I'll admit I haven't read what he says about these things, but I can't see how one can marry the two concepts.

[dashinvaine]

Pierre Tielhard de Chardin (writing in the 1930s) seems to have envisaged the Omega Point as transcendent and eternal. In his model, rather than everything being pushed away from the big bang, and evolution being an essentially accidental process, everything is being drawn towards the Omega Point, a point of ultimate complexity and interconnectedness. The evilution of humanity's collective consciousness and self awareness was a major step on the road to the Omega Point.

Many of these ideas were indeed seen as incompatable with Orthodoxy, and weren't published until after their author's death in the 50s (and even then they were condemned, from the ecclesiastical and scientific quarters).

[Ex-OEC]

Pierre Tielhard de Chardin (writing in the 1930s) seems to have envisaged the Omega Point as transcendent and eternal.

So in his view, did an already existing God put it in motion, or is the Omega Point it, as I get the impression Tipler believes?

If the latter, I don't see how it could be eternal or transcendent; the whole premise then is that it has been a temporal process and progress within, or of, the universe. Sure, one could make up some convoluted argument that at the ending singularity, time becomes 'irrelevant', but even so - this God would not exist now. It would in that case "be its own grandfather", to put it like that.

[dashinvaine]

It requires a fair amount of metaphysical jiggery-pokery to make the end game the same as the originator and driving force.

[dashinvaine]

It requires a fair amount of metaphysical jiggery-pokery to make the end game the same as the originator and driving force.

[dashinvaine]

It requires a fair amount of metaphysical jiggery-pokery to make the end game the same as the originator and driving force.

[mark1961]

Omega Point... Frank Tipler. Can somebody tell me what is up with this guy? Seems legit with a degree from MIT, but using science to "prove" god?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Point_(Tipler)

Anyone want to comment on this?

It's mentioned in the novel Flash Forward by Robert J Sawyer.

[RaspK]

Wait a second... Is this the same bloody Tipler whom Craig quotes for stating that the Sun would have burned out before any one of ten steps described as necessary for the evolution of Homo sapiens would come to pass due to, believe it or not, their proposed improbability? It would explain a lot!