[~ot] why is programming so fun?

[Don]

Simen Kjaeraas wrote:
> John Reimer Wrote:
>> Don't you think you would be lucky that "2+2=4" occurs
>> consistantly in a random chance universe.  
> 
> I find it unlikely (though not impossible) that life would exist in a universe where 2 + 2 != 4. However, if we assume that every possible universe exists, we would exist in that (those?) most fitting for our survival.
> 
> Logically, we exist on earth because the sun is too hot, and pluto is too cold. "How lucky we are that the earth is just the right distance from the sun, has just the right amount of this and that..." Yes, it is a rare coincidence. But if it weren't so, we wouldn't be here to consider it.

Which is called the "Anthropic Principle".

 > You've probably heard of the Many-worlds interpretation.
[snip]

Unfortunately, once any kind of probabilities are involved, the 
anthropic principle won't help you. If this is just a random universe...
why is it so big? We could exist in a much simpler, smaller universe.
In fact, it's overwhelmingly more likely.

It this is a random universe, it's a freak.