what if you are the nth person on line?

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I pass it to the n+1^th person. We can do this forever because integers is infinite.
- While integers are infinite, humans are not. Eventually the entire population of the earth would be on the tracks and nobody to flip the switch.
  
  Do we consider intelligent aliens to be "person"? Because the universe is also infinite AFAIK
  
  Most scientists agree it is finite.
  
  Do they? There’s broad consensus on the size of the observable part, but what’s beyond that is surely more speculation than science.
  
  Based on observations it seems that the universe curves in on itself. And is thus finite.
  
  I'm pretty the curvature of the universe has actually been measured to be very close to 0, within margin of error, which would suggest an infinite universe. (It doesn't prove it by any means, though. The curvature could just too small to measure.)
  However, the observable universe is indeed finite, due to the speed of light being finite.
  
  The entire population of the earth is already on the tracks with nobody to flip the switch, brother.
  lights cigar
  
  It depends on if we develop the capacity to colonize off world, and the rate at which each test occurs. Even a one-lever-a-second rate would be out grown by the current population rate, and yet some limiters to population are catching up to us. So long as we can keep the population growth rate high (which involves securing food and habitat for the people) we can outrun the trolley into the forseeable future.
- Smart solution. Like this, no one ever gets killed but we need an infinite number of people on the switches.
  
  Until you get to that one person that would like to end mankind way down the line.
  
  It just takes one.
  
  It's curious how they're selected. During the nuclear age we've had nukes in the hands of fanatics who hated the enemy, who were able to comprehend the gravity of their responsibility enough that not once did a nuclear tipped weapon get launched in error or against orders... or at all.
  We're closing on eighty years without an atomic war. Not a small accomplishment. It's one of the few things that gives me hope for humanity.
  
  See? It just needs one asshole to end the world.
  
  If we can travel faster than the trolley, we could adjust all switches with one person who continues to travel to the next junction before the trolley arrives!
  
  Hell of a job, but yes 😆
  
  At this point some might question why you didn't buy a nuke in order to stop the trolley
  
  Horrible metaphor for life deep
- what about counting on an integer overflow to add moro humans so the overpopulation gets much worse

75 comments