andrel wrote:
> Invisible wrote:
>> Suppose that every atom in the known universe had a unique serial 
>> number. Suppose I picked a serial number at random, and then asked you 
>> to go find out where that particular atom is. (Let us assume that 
>> there is no particular correspondence between serial numbers and 
>> position in space.)
> 
> I don't want to spoil your gedanken experiment, but in modern physics 
> you can not distinguish one (e.g.) hydrogen atom from another.

Sure. You're probably right. And anyway, how the heck would you write 
serial numbers on them, even if you could? More to the point, how would 
you catelogue them all in a giant database? And what if they move 
around? What if an atom is created or destroyed? etc.

My point is really just the staggering difference between complexity 
classes, rather than physical correctness. The same argument would apply 
to *anything* that there's 10^100 of - atoms in the universe is about 
the only [remotely] comprehensible way to describe just what a big 
number that is. ;-)

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