But at this point I’m still leaning towards one reality existing at the end. Part of my thought on this comes from the fact that the current alternate reality does not seem to be an independent reality, but rather tied very closely to the ‘original’ reality. This leads me to believe that it was not always in existance and connected by the bomb, but brought about by the magnetic field being released when the bomb went off. I have a somewhat crazy idea that the moment the bomb went off and released the magnetic field from the island’s core, the alternate reality was created in ‘imaginary time’ (see obessedwlost latest post), and the conversion to that altenate reality occured at the speed of light. The explosion, being slower than the speed of light, therefore followed the flash into the alternate reality and sunk the island in the alternate reality.

I do not think the realities will merge, though. I think as the imaginary time *alternate reality/universe* and real time *original reality/universe* move through real space, they will reach some sort of timepoint where only one can continue to exist. I have no logical basis for this, however. Still pondering….

I basically do not see a need to have only one universe (read reality where I use the word universe ). I’m going against the grain with almost everyone on this thought. IMO the bomb didn’t create the alt universe, just merely connected them. I do not yet see a credible need to have one win out over the other and merging the universes should actually be avoided.

I read a lot of science fiction and dealing with alternate universes isn’t a far out idea to me. In the vast majority of alt universe stories that I have read merging two universes would certainly guarantee that both are destroyed, so it is a better idea to keep them separate. But all of this is just my opinion on the subject. Lost may prove to be the exception.

Thank you for your comment and ideas.

This post utilizes a different interpretation called the Transactional Interpretation. Cramer, the scientist who first proposed it, does away with the need for an observer in this interpretation. In this view the waves sent back by one out of an infinite many number er of events needs to connect to a wave sent out from a past event in order for the wave function to collapse and become reality. The scientist Fred Allan Wolf took the concept a step further by proposing that our minds do this all the time.

I’ll address the question of which reality will exist in the end in my comment to Clairespeanutbutter. Their comment is similar to that portion of yours.

I’ll put “Quarantine” on my reading list. It sounds very interesting. Who is the author?

IMO, this would mean that one of the realities might cease to exist… I think this is exactly why Desmond needs to contact all of the 815′ers… What he needs to show them is the other reality as Charlie allowed him to see it. Everyone from parallel/ALT 815 will have to consciously “observe” the original reality in-order for one of the realities to collapse. And, Desmond who is now on the island would have to have everyone consciously “observe” the parallel/ALT reality… This could be why Desmond went willingly with Sayid… He needs to find everyone to show them, make them see what he already knows exists.

ELOISE: Someone has clearly affected the way you see things. This is a serious problem. It is, in fact, a violation. So, whatever you’re doing, whatever it is you think you’re looking for…. You need to stop looking for it.

The concept of wave function collapse is also the major plot line in the novel “Quarantine.” I guess I don’t have to explain why I threw this in… Well, anyway a bubble/quarantine is place around the universe to prevent the act of observing… That is until it was discovered that it could be done through the conscious mind… The conscious mind is then presented with a choice. Either suspend the wave function collapse or choose which state of the wave function that would collapse.

I’m allergic to physics, so hopefully my understanding made a bit of sense? I know there are many views on the subject but, I really think this idea connects with what you laid out in your theory…

As for Hurley’s abilities, I really like that idea… Charlie’s statement, “I am dead but I am also here,” would take on a whole new meaning.

Also, I think Isabella could have contacted Hurley from the parallel/ALT reality… She did tell Richard, through Hurley, that they were already together. So, I believe what she meant was in death!

If both timelines can influence one another, wouldnt it make sense that if Hurley is talking to dead people,he may have died in the alt timeline. The same can be said about Sun, she can only speak chinese after she got shot.

Like a said just a thought