What lies beyond the boundaries of our universe, this time/space continuum which we choose to view in the third dimension? If the Universe is hypothetically infinite then is there even such a thing as "outside the Universe" or would such a conceptualization need to be far more abstract? If time, space and physics as we know them are unique to this Universe then is it possible for anything from eldritch abominations to maddening truths to exist beyond the threshold of perception? Or perhaps our imaginations are the only things which truly exist beyond the limits of time and space.
Unbound by the tethers of reality as we know them would existence for us even be that anymore? Perhaps reality is simply nothing more than the perception of context by which an Ego may differentiate itself from.
You're making this sound a bit more daunting than it actually is, aren't ya?
In an infinite universe, "outside the universe" would refer to other universes.
I personally like the black hole/white hole idea, the whole endless loop thing. But I can't even get people to comprehend the fourth dimension, so, I dunno.
I had some friends in high school who proposed the idea that we had already happened and were just a ghost of a memory of a long dead world that was in the process of being sucked into a black hole, and that was pretty cool. Had some others who decided we created God in order for it to create us, deciding the will was the creation force and the only thing holding reality together. Fun stuff.
Now that I think about it, much of what we claim to know of this universe is based largely on things which we cannot see, but assume to exist base on other phenomena observed among the stars. We class alien planets based on nothing more than the flicker of a pixel representing and impossibly distant blurry star. We purpose the idea of black holes, dark matter and dark energy simply because they must exist for our current models and theories to work. Perhaps this Universe is far more simple than we could have ever imagined and if that is indeed the case, is that itself not more terrifying?
>>17810451
Kind of like how time travel paradox must sustain itself in order for said time travel to occur. We create God that he may create us and so on.
I also like your idea of our reality being a mere echo trapped within the event horizon of a black hole.
>>17810456
Yeah, from what I gather, all of existence boils down to one equation or another. I don't put any stock in that "divine equation" crap that was going around here a while back (something geometry, I can't remember what it was called because it was stupid), but if you've got the right equation and all the variables, you can make a damn good guess as to what will happen.
I don't really think it's terrifying to think the universe is much more simple than we think it is, just maybe a little boring, almost. But, hey, if that were the case, maybe we'd get around to exploring our oceans and taking better care of the environment.
Yeah, that's it.
I kinda like that idea too. It's oddly comforting when I'm going through tough spots in life. I feel like if the universe can push on through freaking stars eating each other, if all of this has already happened, if the universe will just move on without us, then what I'm going through ain't so bad. I'm just a little disappointed that I don't get to look out and see time stretching behind us like theory suggests we should be able to. Or maybe we do, we just have to experience it one lifetime at a time.
>>17810456
you got that pic in a full hd res?
There are stranger things in heaven and Earth, my dear Horatio...
