What if he rolls the dice and gets a different number? What are the chances of him rolling the same combination and making another human?

This starts with an assumption - that the universe is eternal.
If we mean the physical, material universe then that's a big assumption and you need to question what exatly "eternity" means.

For example, I do not consider eternity to be an infinite future but rather the absence of time altogether. As time is a component of the physical universe, eternity is not something then that can be found within the material realm.
Eternity belongs to what is beyond/transcends this universe.

To expand on the above - We can say one of two things about the Physical Universe (Plato's Sensible Realm):_

i) That is it infinite
ii) That it is finite

First we have to clarify what we mean when we talk of the "universe".
It makes sense to be describing the one which we inhabit, as this is where the OP is describing such events occuring.

So, if we take the first proposition then we are claiming the quality of infinity for this universe. The first issue we encounter is that this contradicts current scientific opinion. If there was a Big Bang, then we have a starting point for this universe - a beginning. If we have a beginning them we immediately have a contradiction with this first proposition, because what is infinite is without beginning or end. If we have a beginning to the universe then we rule out the possibility of it beng infinite. So if we are going with this claim, we are necessarily rejecting the current scientific model. As such, we would be required to offer some sort of proof to back up this rejection.

If we take the second claim, that the universe is finite (it has a beginning and/or end) then there is not an infinte amount of time to create people over and over again (or "roll the dice" as it was phrased above).

There is an added objection to the scenario as a whole - whch is the suggestion that God operates within the constrains of time, which is a quality of the physical universe. Most religions and philosophies hold God to be a transcendent being. Indeed it is logical to suppose this if we believe that this God is the creator of our universe. If he created it, then he preceeds the universe. As time is a component of the universe (Relativity holds space and time to be the same thing - space-time), then a creator has existed not only "before" time came into existence, but therefore he exists outwith time (as he exists outwith our universe).
Thus God is eternal because he exists outside of the realm of time (our universe). Eternity is the condition where there is an absence of time.

It is incorrect to think of eternity as an infinite future. It is the absence of future or past as both of these belong to time. With eternity, these conditions are nonsensical. There is only ever the present. Plato described the difference as that of Being and Becoming. In the Intelligible Realm (the eternal realm) things simply are. We cannot even really say they have always been and always will, because this again is a temoral perspective.
There is no "always has been" or "always will be", there only ever "is" or "being".
The Sensible Realm (the temporal, physical universe) is the world of Becoming. Things, as Heraclitus observed, are always in flux - always changing. You are not the same person you were a second ago. The atoms & molecules in your body have altered, you have included new memories and experiences, you have perhaps forgot something. We, like everything else in the universe, are constantly changing and thus never Being but alays Becoming something else.

I say therefore, that infinity is a quality that belongs to eternity, and not something native to our universe. It belongs to the other, that is whatever is outwith our universe. Ours is a universe with limits - spacial limits, temporal limits. It is a finite unverse with a beginning and presumably an end.

Quote:
"For example, I do not consider eternity to be an infinite future but rather the absence of time altogether."

Yes absence of time altogether. Infinite duration exists at the event horizon of black holes.

---------- Post added 11-14-2009 at 04:22 PM ----------
Quote:
"The first issue we encounter is that this contradicts current scientific opinion. If there was a Big Bang, then we have a starting point for this universe - a beginning."

Yes, they are now considering what is called the "Big Bounce" Where everything is compressed and bounces back again. This is part of Hindu Philosophy as well, that everything recycles. The energy would have to go somewhere, and would have to come from somewhere and be conserved. So it makes sense that it bounces back.

Quote:
"There is an added objection to the scenario as a whole - whch is the suggestion that God operates within the constrains of time."

God isn't needed for this at all. There is no god, let's use the world "existence."

Quote:
"It is incorrect to think of eternity as an infinite future. It is the absence of future or past as both of these belong to time."

Infinity is just a word I used to describe the now, or "present." The present is vast and incomprehesible. At any one second there are 100 trillion billion stars, and complex reactions taking place. So humans could be formed every second on different planets quite easily.

Thank you very much for your replies, they are well thought out.

Kevin Thomson

Huamn is our given time name being, so to say humans will live forever even if we die off, means little when we die we no longer are human.
We are not sure what we become when we die but it is no longer human i would guess, now if we ask whether humanity will die when we do this is another question, because humanity is not always reliant upon the human part as much as it is the eternal part of us.

If being human is to be engaged as a Self in the human world, then surely if there is no possibility of engagement, then there is no possibility of human existence.

Nietzsche's eternal recurrence of the same argues that if time is infinite and matter finite then everything that has happened will happen again. This argument, however, seems to be at odds with modern probability theory.

Moved to a more appropriate forum.

My advice for anyone who is dissatisfied with the mortality of humanity is to stop creating interpretive illusions of immortality.

I have no doubt that the universe IS eternal. Wasnt there some theory a while back that saw us as in revolving circles of time? The universe i mean? And i also wanted to comment on mental illness, well as well as closing most doors, it also brings about a freedom of expression as promoted by a lack of inhibitions. Werent plenty of great thinkers, mad? And not only Nietsche!

But back to the thread. I also believe that we each have a spirit whom we leave behind when we die. Whether he(/she) goes up or down, is up to uss when we are alive! Thats what i believe anyway. Thanks for listening.

What does this have to do with mortality? The statement merely says that what randomness has created it will create again with enough time.
Given enough time, the DNA sequence of every human being on this planet will be recreated. This has nothing to do with immortality, however. If human B was created from human A in this fashion, they would not be the same person any more than twins are the same person, which is to say not at all.

I invite you to study my evaluation of the human evolution


http://www.philosophyforum.com/philosophy-forums/branches-philosophy/metaphysics/6793-logical-evaluation-human-self.html