Quantum Physics 123: Wednesday 5 October

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor smiles as he enters the classroom, smelling faintly of grilled beef and malt vinegar. He perches on the desk.]

Today we're going to continue our discussion from Monday. Mr Crichton had a good point when he speculated that Fandom High is a crossroads of sorts between our different worlds. Do you think that we now currently exist in all of those worlds? None of them? Or perhaps just slightly askew dimensionally?

It's an interesting thought to ponder. Let's talk about the consequences of that--just in general terms, no need to get overly scientific.

Oh, and as this weekend is Homecoming and you'll be drinking and snogging instead of studying, and so will I, I'm not assigning any homework this weekend--BUT there will be some assigned on Monday. I'll also get last week's homework back to you then because I was too 'busy' last night to finish it.

Comments

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

The consequences of what, exactly? I'm kinda confused, sir. Are you meaning the consequences of attending Fandom High?

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

I thought the consequences were pretty obvious... don't go out alone, you'll be eaten by a grue.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

...what's a grue?

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

I think it's a bit like a Rodent of Unusual Size. Hates light. Always keep a lighter on you, just in case.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::makes mental note to add "Grue" and "Rodents of Unusual Size" to the list of things not to tell the parents about::

You've run into these things around here? ::furrows her brow, and bites her lower lip::

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

Well, I haven't, no. Probably for the same reason I didn't have any zombie trouble. But a place with gremlins and cockroaches that could form their own union probably also has it's share of giant rodents, too. SOMETHING ate one of my roommates, after all.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::shudders::

I guess you're right. Hehe, maybe there's cylons on campus too.

::pauses:: ...where's Sparky at?

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

::shifts over just in time to hear the last::

::looks mildly offended::

I am not a cylon.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::laugh::

I kinda gathered that, from the fact you aren't towering over us in your shiny metal armor with that little red light thingie they have.

::sticks out her tongue::

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

::decides he is allowed to be not-dignified and sticks his tongue out at Cally::

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

*reaches over and ruffles his hair* Of course you're not.

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

::looks a little startled, but doesn't object::

Definitely not. I mean, what would a cylon do here? A gremlin would infect it, or a grue would eat it...

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::raises an eyebrow::

How exactly is a gremlin going to bite through big metal bits? Or a grue, for that matter.

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

How do they bite through anything? ::shudders:: Sharp teeth. I doubt a cylon's armor would be a match for that.

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

*grins*

Well if one did show up, we could always tie it up and haul it out to the firing range, I suppose.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Huh... why does Cylon shooting practice sound like a really good idea to me?

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

Because you hate toasters with a firey passion, Cally.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

I do not! Toasters hate me. I'm a big fan of toasters and the toasted bread product goodness they provide. It's not my fault they all self-destruct on me.

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

Aw, c'mon. Deep in your heart, you know it's true.

Toasters are the Spawn of Satan.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

If toasters are the Spawn of Satan, what does that make toast? The Spawn of Spawn of Satan? ::blinks:: SO-SOS? ::laughs::

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

It makes toast... um.

Some mighty tasty evil, I guess.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[coughs] Excuse me, could we get back on the topic of dimensional congruence, please?

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::eek-faces::

Sorry sir.

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

Now that is an excellent solution. I wonder if I could make copies of cylon pictures...

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

See? It'd be fun!

[sparkplugfelix.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes it would. ::grins::

[littleluck.livejournal.com]

Mwaha. We need to do this some time.

...we need to get out more, period, I think.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::nudges Dom with her elbow::

You two do. I swear, Sparky, you don't really exist outside of this class. I never see you anywhere else.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack slides into his seat, still turning over the conversation from Speech class (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomhigh/179066.html?thread=7252090) in his head. "Are we back to not knowing if the cat is alive or dead?"

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Did we ever know if the cat was alive or dead?

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it alive *and* dead? So does that mean we exist in all worlds *and* none?

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::stops, and thinks::

Yes. So, if we exist somewhere, we exist everywhere. And nowhere.

::pinches the bridge of her nose::

Okay, this doesn't make sense.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

I think you need to drink heavily to understand this.

Okay. Hi. I see you. You're Cally. I recognize you, so therefore you exist. Unless I don't exist or am imagining you and did I mention the heavy drinking? So we can say with some certainty that you don't NOT exist.

...right?

Why the hell do I have to understand the theoretical aspects of time travel in order to be a time agent? Just put me in the ship and let me go!

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Right. It's all down to perceptions again... cause if you're percieving me as existing, that would mean that you're also assuming that your perceptions as real, and that you too exist.

...Did I actually say something that made sense?

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I got very confused.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::sighs::

Maybe we should just do that whole "Drink Heavily" plan. That makes more sense than any of this.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

What do you say after class we head into town and try that "Drinking Heavily" thing? Spike's Pub?

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::a little surprised::

Oh. I... Okay. ::blinks::

::Did a guy really just ask me to go drinking with him? Frakkin' Awesome!::

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Great! I'll see you there.

[OOC: Will probably have to slow-play it.]

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

::smiles, and nods::

[ooc: Slow play is perfectly fine.]

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

::thinks on this for awhile before speaking::

Well, obviously other versions of ourselves exist in some other universes, but I doubt that we each exist, or could exist, in all of them.

As a case in point, we have students here from magic-based universes. There are even magical creatures here. Could they exist in universes without any magic at all, such as Professor Jerusalem's?

Also, what about universes with vastly different populations? There are several million people in my state alone, and I get the impression that there are far, far fewer on the entire planet in some universes.

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

As a case in point, we have students here from magic-based universes. There are even magical creatures here. Could they exist in universes without any magic at all, such as Professor Jerusalem's?

John nods in agreement. "I agree with Hank in that for other variations of us to exist, the conditions needs to be favorable. I, for instance, would do horribly in a solely magic world because I know nothing of magic.

That said, perhaps allowing someone like me into a magically based world is where resiliency and adaptability comes from."

[soniabelmont.livejournal.com]

"I can't help but to think of something I read before...vhen Camus said 'Everything is true, and nothing is true.'"

Sonia looks rather pensive, and looks over a few of the pages of notes she's made. She mumbles as she reads, not quite realizing she's talking aloud. Anyone listening closely might hear a few phrases garbled in Romanian, intersperced with English here and there.

"So it's all about perception...or is it? And if time is not linear, does that mean it's entirely possible to be somevhere else at this moment, and yet still be here? Or it vould require *returning* to that moment, as it is not possible for vun person to be in two places at vunce. But if you introduce the idea of different *versions* of ourselves existing in other places at this time..."

She stops for a moment and sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. She never expected this to be easy, but it is nonetheless quite the exercise for her mind.

[lady-jessica-bg.livejournal.com]

(ooc: real life has been bad this week, but I'm catching up now. Hence the lazy comment.)

Jessica comes in and listens thoughtfully to the others in the classroom.