What you believe in

[hismikeness]

I believe in Neosporin and the wind.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm pretty sure that the universe as we know it is not infinite.

[Byronazriel]

Of course, because knowledge is finite.

[Thumpalumpacus]

No, because time began with the big bang.  If the universe had an infinite size but a finite beginning, that would show a massive violation of relativity.  Of course, that could've happened, I suppose, during Planck-time, but that smacks of special pleading.

[Cecilie]

I didn't know Superman was based on a real story.

[Cite134]

Technically FTL speed is only impossible because it would require greater than infinite energy to accelerate a given mass to a higher speed than 299,792,458 metres per second...

Theoretically you could warp space in such a way that you are actually travelling only a short distance, but you end up a great distance away... Hence "Warp drive"

Wormholes, teleportation, and other such things bypass this rule by crossing great distances without actually crossing great distances... Like taking a shortcut. You're still going the speed limit, but you aren't staying on the road.

In other words in order to cheat you must go from A to C without travelling through B.

Not faster than actual light speed, but I see what you're saying though.

[Asmodean]

There's still the chance of one of the inteligent civilizations developing FTL travel!

Actually, I doubt it. You would need some sort of a singularity drive to achieve that (Or an equivalent that would mnore than likely have just as dangerous implications to it) and that would rip your space craft's atoms apart long before its installation. Personally, I believe in holes in the "fabric of space" more than in conventional C+ travel.

[philosoraptor]

Though I am uncomfortable making a definite and positive assertion, I've had experiences with things that may or may not have been spiritual entities that I cannot find logical explanations for.

That's a kind of fancy way of saying I believe in ghosts.   Although I am still open to the possibility that there is a scientific explanation, I just can't grasp it.

[Asmodean]

Although I am still open to the possibility that there is a scientific explanation, I just can't grasp it.

Can't grasp or, more likely, are unaware of.  

[The Magic Pudding]

I believe there is much we don't know.
I hope we advance steadily for a thousand years, and then a million more.
I don't believe currently perceived limitations would necessarily apply.
Not a belief, just a hope.

[Byronazriel]

No, because time began with the big bang.  If the universe had an infinite size but a finite beginning, that would show a massive violation of relativity.  Of course, that could've happened, I suppose, during Planck-time, but that smacks of special pleading.

That's assuming Time didn't exist in some fashion before the big bang.

I'm not saying time relative to this universe, and sepcifically as a part of spacetime didn't begin with the big bang... Only that there was most likely some sort of Time that exsisted before then in some greater universe containing ours and all universes.

[humblesmurph]

Byronazriel,

To answer the original question.  I believe the universe exists.  

It seems you believe in many things.  I guess the proper question to ask you is what don't you believe in?

[Byronazriel]

I don't believe that good can exist without evil, or at least in any meaningful way.

Nor do I believe that science can explain everything, but that's more to do with the vast amount of things to know, and not a limitation of science.

I don't believe that we are all that is, or will ever be.

I don't believe that consciousness ends with death.

There are a great may things I don't believe in.

[Byronazriel]

I didn't know Superman was based on a real story.

Nor do I, not here and now anyway.

I believe that he exists here and now as a concept, and that he exists in the flesh somewhere.

[Tank]

...You're such a  party pooper.  :verysad:

I really do wish I live long enough to see some sort of alien life confirmed. By all accounts the most likely detection method will be spectroscopy where the reflected light from a planet reveals that there is a lot of photosynthesising plants as they have a characteristic absorption signature as one goes from the infra red (high reflection) to visible light (high absorption).