DISCLAIMER:
I am glib. I do not have a degree in any of the disciplines I mention here. I have read lots of science fiction, I have "studied" laymen's texts on this stuff, but I DO NOT PROFESS TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL I'M TALKING ABOUT.

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What if the Mayan civilization were a major economic power today?

What if Rome never fell?

What if the American Revolution didn't go as planned?

What if the coin landed on tails instead of heads?
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How different would the world be today if imperceptible minutia precipitated alternate results?

The nature of space and time has become better understood in the last 100 years, giving rise to theories that annihilate our perceptions of reality.
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KEY ASSUMPTIONS:

1) Richard P. Feynman's solution, "Sum over Histories", is true. For every possible path a particle may take, it takes ALL paths; we only perceive one history of the particle's transit. For every possible path of the particle, a separate and alternate universe is created.


2) The implications of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in quantum level events affect us here in the macroscopic world of Classical Physics.


3) M Theory, formerly known as String Theory, implies multiple dimensions (mathematical and spatial) exist within our world, imperceptible except in high energy experiments (maybe).


4) The universe is not infinite, but an expanding sphere of space/time 13 billion light years in radius, with a finite amount of energy and matter, entropy notwithstanding.

THEREFORE:

Every possible particle interaction during every moment of the universe since the beginning of time has spawned a similar but separate universe with it's own distinct history.

What could have been, is. What might have been, was.

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If you've seen the movie "What the $..@% do we know", this discussion goes a step or two further. There isn't any metaphysical soapboxing, no finger waiving.

IF YOU ARE A SCIENTIST:
Science is not a matter of opinion. Anecdotal evidence of alternate histories is called :science fiction:, and empirical evidence comes from lunatics... Right? If you can contribute articles supporting or dismissing this, please join us and do so.

IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST:
All the mediums of expression, from author to painter to musician, have covered this theme for decades. Now it's starting to look not so kooky. How do you feel about this?

IF YOU ARE SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD:
Please follow the links from this group to better understand what all this "alternate history" bullshit is about. Honestly, we're looking for people to debunk and argue against this. I'd rather live in my deterministic, linear reality...

http://tribes.tribe.net/alternatehistories