this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2023
733 points (97.9% liked)

Memes

46667 readers
1473 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 66 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I pass it to the n+1^th^ person. We can do this forever because integers is infinite.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

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] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Most scientists agree it is finite.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 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] 6 points 2 years ago

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

lights cigar

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 years ago (3 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Until you get to that one person that would like to end mankind way down the line.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 years ago

It just takes one.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 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] 1 points 2 years ago

See? It just needs one asshole to end the world.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)

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!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

At this point some might question why you didn't buy a nuke in order to stop the trolley

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Hell of a job, but yes 😆

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

Horrible metaphor for life deep

[–] Little8Lost 5 points 2 years ago

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