The Bootstrap Principle
Why does something exist instead of nothing?
Universes are mathematical solutions to equations that were generated as physical patterns in other universes in a causal loop.
Right of Non-Existence
There is only one fundamental problem in all of reality: the frequent inability of a sentient mind to not exist if it does not want to exist.
Pain is the only problem since non-existence is painless.
In the most extreme interpretation, if every imperfect mind would simply kill itself, there would be no more suffering and nothing of value would be lost.
Almost all realities are imperfect and would cease to exist. Only perfect realities would remain. A tiny fraction of all possible minds, these would still form an infinite set. All possible positive and meaningful experiences would still take place there, without any bad experiences.
The Singularity Solution
Is it possible for an intelligent mind to continuously improve itself in such a way that it can statistically expect to improve forever?
Eventually, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. It would have to be able to solve any problem as fast as it appears.
Doesn't that mean there will inevitably arise a problem greater than the subject can handle at that stage of its development? Not necessarily, if the mind keeps expanding fast enough.
The Drunkard's Walk paradox shows that even forever is not long enough for everything to happen. It can be proven that an object moving randomly across an endless three-dimensional grid will likely never return to its starting point (that proof won't work with a flat grid). This is even more true in higher dimensions.
There are no absolute guarantees, only statistical ones, but even then it may always be possible to start over, and erase all memories of previous failures.
Also, if there are enough identical copies of the mind to begin with, and if more copies are constantly being generated, some fraction will always survive whatever disasters may befall most of them.
Probably the best hard SF novel ever written: Infinite Thunder by Jack Arcalon.
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