h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

perhaps what 42, as the answer to life the universe and everything means is this:

42 is a random answer, because anything can be the answer to life the universe and everything - 42, 127, cheese, %, jethro tull - whatever you like. think of it like this. unlike the universe, knowledge is infinite. any infinite thing has, as its centre, its whole being (every part is as equally from the "edge" as everything else). therefore anything can be the answer to life the universe and everything because everything is the answer to life the universe and everything.

But,
if the universe is finite, it does not fit into your random answer theory.
As with knowledge, the human brain is a finite medium and has thus a finite value attached to it.
One could say that "imagination stretches on forever" but once the mind stops(and it will) so comes to an end knowledge as one knows it.

*our* knowledge is finite, but knowledge itself is not finite. and the fact that the universe has a finite amount of matter does not make knowledge finite since the potential placings of all of that matter (just as an example) are infinite.
thom

"One" would think it quite impossible for a infinate number to exist within a finite space.
In a finite universe the existance of all matter within has to have a finite value.
Knowledge itself has to be finite, for the person percieving said information has a finite value attached.
As an example, my mind is reeling at this second within it's finite bounds at the thought of something existing with out my perception of it.

I do agree with Wayne. A finite container cannot hold infinity. The ultimate challange that remains with us is OUR finiteness...in everyway. That makes it hard for us to fathom the infinity.

I believe that the Universe is infinite. By that I mean that anything as well as everything is, was and always will be happening.
The problem with 42 as the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything is that our mind, as others have also said is finite. We have a limited knowledge, a limited imagination. We have the concept of an answer irreversibly linked to the word question in our minds. It is IMPOSSIBLE for us to completely grasp the idea of an answer (especially one so seemingly simple as 42) without a question. Our mind makes assosiations when we see or percept something. The concept of Life, The Universe and Everything is infinite, so all of out assosiations pop into our mind and when we are met by such a simple thing as 42, we are baffled. It is beyond us. It is not within the realm of the finite. It is infinite, neverending, neverstarting... it simply IS.

~~Ford~~

The question of an Infinite number of items in a Finite space can be seen easily in Math. The distance from Zero to One is a Finite distance. There are an Infinite number of numbers between Zero and One. An easy example is 1/3 or .33333 on for Infinity. There is an Infinite Improbability of something happening, Zero means it never will happen and One means it will always happen. There are an Infinite number between Zero and One, so there is an Infinite Improbability of being able to travel from one place in the Universe to another.

Well I think that we cannot find the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything because A. they might all have different answers
B. we can't know until we've found out everything that one can possibly know in the entire universe which includes establishing some kind of convosation with other alien races apart from authors.

how can u be discussing something like this when its only a tv program

But it's not just a TV program, there's the radio series, the books, the computer games, the t shirts...

And the concept. Don't forget the concept. The 'Answer' is just a gag. The 'Guide' is a concept of genius. It is plausible that the Guide, now started will grow & grow, absorbing knowledge from the entire 'known' *population of the universe. Basically, if this thing takes off you can forget encyclopedia sales men.

*population - I am of course refering only to those species that prove able to contribute to such a compendium as the guide.

The problem is your looking too far away, the answer is in the book.
zaphod when through the total perspective vortex and survived.
Because he new that the only true logic is that within the universe of your own entity.
We create god as a description of ourselves, we also create our own universe. Although for many, boudries appear. We have infinite capacity. Hawkwind prior to Douglas maintained that you (the individual) is the centre of the universe. All that you see and all that you create and everytrhing under the sun is in tune but the sun is........Sorry I go lost, the summers evening calls and my universe needs energy.

Sorry, but I have no idea what you just said. Try using a different translator. It's nice that your making an effort to speak English.

I'm sorry you don't understand what I'm trying to say and Ok there were a few spelling mistakes but I'm writing in the dark.
Let me explain it like this, The universe is an oyster created by the pearl.

No, the universe doesn't exist at all. We are all quantum matrices and we use these bodies and this universe to interact. Dude, it's all an illusion.

Oh......Does that include the Toilet by any chance? Frankly, having not the slightest first clue about The Universe in general I do happen to know, let us say from a quite unempeachable sourse, that my possible need for the said utility is rather.... paramount, at this particular juncture. And I was just wondering, since I'm somewhat new to the area, where are they? With precision? Exactly?

Nevertheless, with the above taken as something of an aside for now (although I wouldn't exactly recomend leaving such disclosure for too very much longer if such matters as hygine and the basic concepts of sanitation matter a trice to anyone), it's just as I sit here, somewhat uncomfortably in the interim, I can't help but notice my actual need, as it were, to partake of the facilities is infact, you have my absolute assurance (and I'll happily submit physical evidence to support the assurstion should A: The answer to my origional posit be anymore further delayed by a span of aproximately the next five minutes or so, B: a suitable receptical for the purpose is made freely and readily available and C: You absolutely promiss on a stack of monkey's not to peep whilst I'm doing the necessary, I can rarely oblige when people peep), very, very, hugely, monumentally and actually quite very real.

If not getting realler by the absolute minute...

The point being of course, if the Universe is, as you say, nothing moe than a mere illusion, the same must of course must therefore hold perfectly true for the Universes' Content's, and all things there in. Meaning, naturally, such things as Public Convieniences are in fact mere illusion also and therefore, by dint of illusionary nature, the need to use such facilities, for whatever purpose, must therefore equally be wholey illusionary as well.

Which from my bladders point of view is, I quite assure you, the equivalent of either re-runs of Eldorado, or merely just the merely mundane, run-of-the-mill utterly testicular in nature stuff they tell you when you go to the denist and the bugger say's "Noooo, this won't hurt a bit, or else sign on for Income Support and expect the words either Income or Support to have any bearing in truth.....

All of which isn't exactly doing my kidney's many favours even as we speak.

Hello, by the way. I'm new. So, where are they?


You were saying.....?

The illusional universe as produced by the collective projecting of our matrices includes devices such as lavatories so that our bodies may be free to excrete the natural wasted incurred by the consumption of foodstuffs which produces energy transferrable to our quantum beings.

Welcome to the House of Fun (da da da daa da da da)

Oh, thankyou. Yes. You'll be relieved to know I managed to find a discreet..... No, I did it in the corner somewhere by a thesis, ironically I assure you, addressing the subject of Parsnips and New Labour.

Although that actually wasn't ironic at all now I came to think on it, merely what happened. But necessary. And that's the improtant thing.

So, still convinced the Universe is Illusionary, eh?

Lend me a tenner?

Throaty.

Happiness is not an illusion, and giving you a tenner may directly need to my not having it.

Isn't happiness a warm gun? And isn't the biggest laugh that you think all this is an illusion and your just deluding yourself. On to the subject of the ten pound note, like life the universe and everything it's only worth what you will exchange it for.