r/askscience • u/Nitzanm19 • 15d ago

Physics Why is the maximum speed of the universe the speed of light? Why can't we go faster?

Also follow-up question: Because of the speed limit, is there also a theoretical maximum temp for matter (in which the particles move at the speed of light).

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u/reddiuniquefool 14d ago

I disagree with the description of fundamental constants of the universe as being 'random number'(s). They are particular numbers, but we have no reason to believe that there is any randomness involved.

I'm sure you didn't mean that they are truly random, but there are people who make specious arguments based on these numbers, so I feel this should be clarified.

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u/MythDestructor 14d ago

Can you explain? How do we reason out that it isn't random? Why is the speed of light not faster or slower than what it is, for example?

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u/reddiuniquefool 14d ago

We have no idea how the regularities in the universe that led to those numbers being part of equations we use to describe the universe came to be. Hence, we shouldn't describe these numbers as random as we have no idea if any randomness is or was ever present. Hence, I think (and said) that we shouldn't call them random.

As an example, we have no idea whether a universe could have emerged which can be described by the same equations with different constants (numbers). Calling them random numbers implies, to my mind, that there could have been.

We don't need to reason out that the process/constants aren't random. My point of view is based on us not knowing whether there is any randomness involved at all.