Scientists get religion

Politics and religion
1

So this is another of this big-think pieces about how the current leading edge of scientific theories says the universe is headed for a zero-energy frozen death in a few billion years, wiping out all intelligent life and their accomplishments. Amusingly, this kind of matches the Norse myths.

But wait! We could escape into an alternate universe?

http://prospectmagazine.co.uk/article_details.php.6701.html

Just flipping through it, the rhetorical parallels to the utopian end-times stories of christianity blink out of the page…

2

So double posting is the secret to becoming Magister Mundi McCullough…

3

I see Jason doesn’t read much science fiction.

There’s lots of “heat-death-of-the-universe” material; Stephen Baxter’s Ring is basically the article linked to above in novel form. Or actually, it’d be the other way around, given the publication dates.

And incidentally, describing any of this as religion misunderstands the material; it’s simple speculation and extrapolation based on available data. Tipler’s conviction that we’re all going to be reincarnated at the end of time by a transcendent civilization - now THAT’s religion. As is much of transhumanism. … As is also (just to get this back onto a proper topic) much of leftist ideology :-)

4

Escaping the heat death of the universe is probably second only to machine life exterminating biological life as a typical convention of hard-hard sci-fi. Of which I have read far, far too much. :lol:

5

Discover had a whole section on this topic a few months back.

It’s pointless speculation, but it’s like videogames for eggheads.

6

I see Jason doesn’t read much science fiction.

I used to, actually. Just recently I’ve found the religious tone of articles like this amusing.

7

Isaac Asimov, “The Last Question”, 1956.

http://dookaloosy.dyndns.org/wail_-thoughts_on_a_book-_Asimov1.htm

8

Also Asimov “The Gods Themselves”.

Build the Electron Pump, and bingo.