• @[email protected]
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      2 years ago

      While integers are infinite, humans are not. Eventually the entire population of the earth would be on the tracks and nobody to flip the switch.

      • @[email protected]
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        82 years ago

        Do we consider intelligent aliens to be “person”? Because the universe is also infinite AFAIK

          • ddh
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            42 years ago

            Do they? There’s broad consensus on the size of the observable part, but what’s beyond that is surely more speculation than science.

            • @[email protected]
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              32 years ago

              Based on observations it seems that the universe curves in on itself. And is thus finite.

              • @[email protected]
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                22 years ago

                I’m pretty the curvature of the universe has actually been measured to be very close to 0, within margin of error, which would suggest an infinite universe. (It doesn’t prove it by any means, though. The curvature could just too small to measure.)

                However, the observable universe is indeed finite, due to the speed of light being finite.

      • @[email protected]
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        62 years ago

        The entire population of the earth is already on the tracks with nobody to flip the switch, brother.

        lights cigar

    • @[email protected]
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      242 years ago

      Smart solution. Like this, no one ever gets killed but we need an infinite number of people on the switches.

        • Uriel-238
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          42 years ago

          It’s curious how they’re selected. During the nuclear age we’ve had nukes in the hands of fanatics who hated the enemy, who were able to comprehend the gravity of their responsibility enough that not once did a nuclear tipped weapon get launched in error or against orders… or at all.

          We’re closing on eighty years without an atomic war. Not a small accomplishment. It’s one of the few things that gives me hope for humanity.

      • @[email protected]
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        152 years ago

        If we can travel faster than the trolley, we could adjust all switches with one person who continues to travel to the next junction before the trolley arrives!

    • @Little8Lost
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      52 years ago

      what about counting on an integer overflow to add moro humans so the overpopulation gets much worse