|
|
Introduction At the bottom of this page, you will find a link to a story. It projects how 'endlessness' might 'emerge' for the human race. The action begins two and a half centuries from now. World population is exploding, after the 'cure' of aging, restrained only by wars, pandemics, natural disasters, and similar catastrophes. No widespread agreement as yet exists on how human social order can be best maintained. Many older religions have vanished, but some have evolved into newer ones, based on the idea that humans do not actually 'die', but simply 'migrate' into 'other worlds'. Mathematical fast-footwork based on quantum mechanics is used to defend against claims that these 'other worlds' are simply fantasies, forms of denial where death is concerned. Since people no longer grow old, and since cryonics suspension patients still cannot be reanimated, even with the best entry procedures, enthusiasm for 'life extension' has virtually vanished, except among a few who dispute the other-worlds migration idea and are still set on trying to 'live on, no matter what'. 'Emulations' of frozen people have been tried, but these are not yet regarded as 'reanimations' of the persons concerned. Cloning is forbidden, in most countries. Even normal child bearing is against the law or highly restricted, as a rule. The story linked below is not about down-to-earth 'real people' immersed in commonplace difficulties of life, to which most can relate. Neither is it 'pure science fiction', with spacecraft that exceed the speed of light, etc. A fast-moving plot is blended with ideas. Extensive notes and reference to the current literature are used to provide a plausible foundation for the story. This web page is primarily an introduction for those who have been asked to review and comment on the story, prior to its wider distribution. Thanks, in advance, for any suggestions you may wish to share with us. Kirsch and Alegria Greenwood
p.s. The links immediately below take you to the sources of graphics used here. These images follow from the idea that humanity will someday 'go to the stars', as so powerfully projected in Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" and in the last chapter of Howard Bloom's "Global Brain". The challenge in the story linked below is to imagine just how such an outcome might possibly come about.
One Final Note, before reviewing this soon-to-be-published novel. It was virtually finished before we found The Terasem Movement, Inc.
When published, the introduction will note that BioQuagmire's scenario was outdated before it ever went to press, and that a far more realistic and more challenging picture of what's coming is to be found in Ray Kurzweil's 2005 book The Singularity is Near. To best prepare for this, we'll point out, full participation in The Terasem Movement's Programs would be a good idea. Links to Terasem will be provided
Putting this in the most appreciative way possible, if we'd known about Terasem and had properly appreciated what's coming in terms of Kurzweil's book, this novel could have never been written. The best that can be said of it is that for those who may not yet clearly see what's coming, this story may be a wake- up call. ∞
(starting point of the story)
|
|