How does the zero-zero drive threaten the universe?
At the big bang, the first cosmic quantum leap was not to the lowest energy level, also known as the ground state or substrate, but to a higher level, like an electron falling to an outer orbit. The zero-zero drive borrows energy from the substrate which can spontaneously collapse. Such a collapse would cause a sphere of nothingness to expand at the speed of light and to annul everything. Although this kind of cosmic collapse is so improbable that it is unlikely to happen before the last proton has disintegrated, the zero-zero exchange of energy between substrate and universe destabilizes the substrate, thus increasing the probability of collapse. This is one reason why the Tahirians stopped interstellar travel - although not the only reason. (Indeed, is this reason merely a rationalization of their sociopsychological distaste for starfaring?) The calculations were made so long ago and are so esoteric that they are known only to few who do not like to talk about it. Profoundly unscientific.
My only problem with Yu's account of the Tahirians' findings is a logical one. She claims that the expanding sphere of nothingness would annul the past so that:
"'...we not only cease to be, we never were." (p. 290)
When Sundaram replies that it has not happened yet, she replies that it may already have happened somewhere and be on its way. But, if the past had been annulled, then the annulment would not now be on its way. It would already have happened. To describe the sphere of nothingness as expanding at a finite speed, the speed of light, toward Tahir is precisely to say that the sphere will destroy Tahir at whatever future time it arrives there but that meanwhile the universe with a sphere of nothingness expanding through it continues to exist and has not been annulled from its beginning. This still existent universe contains Yu's current conversation with Sundaram which she, completely inconsistently, says might not now be happening.
This purely logical point does not contradict the possibility that we will all be annihilated in future - which is what I expect to happen to mental processes at death in any case.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
You raised legitimate criticisms of these Tahirian calculations. They should have been repeatedly and rigorously reexamined for possible flaws in their reasoning. NOT seized on so eagerly by one Tahirian faction as justification for the kinds of public policies they wanted.
And Yu Wenji seemed, at least at first, to have accepted those Tahirian calculations too willingly.
And you already know I don't believe our consciousnesses ends at death.
Ad astra! Sean
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