As long time readers of this blog know, I have previously expressed my interest in a concept that has received some attention in scientific circles over the last several years: That our vast universe (with all of its vast galaxies) is only one small part of a much bigger multiverse. For some physicists, mathematicians, cosmologists, etc., a multiverse explains many things that have puzzled them for years. Indeed, for some of them, it has even called into question what we define as reality.
In some versions of the multiverse, each one of us has a doppelganger (counterpart or exact duplicate) living in each of these other realms acting out a different version of our lives. The thinking is that each time we make a choice/decision in our life - the alternative(s) is/are acted out somewhere else by another version of us. Thus, in theory, we would be exposed to all of the possible outcomes for our lives based on the different choices/decisions that we make for ourselves.
Now most of the folks who subscribe to this view characterize it as endless, but what if it wasn't? What if the death of the individual was a constant in all of these universes? Yes, the length of the life would vary across the spectrum (depending on choices made), but what if all of the various manifestations of you had to end in death? The possibilities would still be staggering, but they would not be endless. And, when the last you drew its last breath, then what? Could this be indicative of some greater design and purpose?
What if the function of this life is to clearly demonstrate to us that we cannot make it on our own? What if this life isn't a matter of being tested, but rather being given an opportunity to prove to ourselves that all of our decisions/choices will end in the same place? Could this be the ultimate expression of free will? Are we all learning a profound lesson about our need for something greater than ourselves? Are we preparing ourselves to make the ultimate informed decision someday? What do you think?
In some versions of the multiverse, each one of us has a doppelganger (counterpart or exact duplicate) living in each of these other realms acting out a different version of our lives. The thinking is that each time we make a choice/decision in our life - the alternative(s) is/are acted out somewhere else by another version of us. Thus, in theory, we would be exposed to all of the possible outcomes for our lives based on the different choices/decisions that we make for ourselves.
Now most of the folks who subscribe to this view characterize it as endless, but what if it wasn't? What if the death of the individual was a constant in all of these universes? Yes, the length of the life would vary across the spectrum (depending on choices made), but what if all of the various manifestations of you had to end in death? The possibilities would still be staggering, but they would not be endless. And, when the last you drew its last breath, then what? Could this be indicative of some greater design and purpose?
What if the function of this life is to clearly demonstrate to us that we cannot make it on our own? What if this life isn't a matter of being tested, but rather being given an opportunity to prove to ourselves that all of our decisions/choices will end in the same place? Could this be the ultimate expression of free will? Are we all learning a profound lesson about our need for something greater than ourselves? Are we preparing ourselves to make the ultimate informed decision someday? What do you think?
If all decisions lead to the same result, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
ReplyDeleteThe multiversed experiences of us each would only be useful to us if somehow they all merged at the end.
In some versions of the universe, you wouldn't exist because your ancestors would have deceased before they had descendants.
JJ Abrams explored this somewhat in his brilliant TV series "Fringe".
ReplyDeleteIn order for it all to reconcile in the end, there would have to be universal salvation.
If God is capable of guiding the big bang and evolution, orchestrating a multiverse would be a snap. I'd just love to hear what another universe's Stevie Ray Vaughan or Grateful Dead wrote and recorded. Their Salvador Dali, their Andy Warhol. The hotrod that their James Dean or Dale Earnhardt drove. Maybe their versions of the Armstrongs actually have integrity and are benign and pleasant to be around.
It's fun to speculate, but all of what we are conscious is what we have here and now. It's our job to maximize, and make the most of what we've got.
BB
Gordon, the point that I was trying to make was that all of our choices/decisions save one (the decision to choose God's way of love, kindness, mercy and compassion for others) will end in the same place (failure and death). Yes, I didn't explicitly state that the merging of those experiences would have to take place at the end, but this speculation would only work if it did. In some versions, you wouldn't exist. In some versions, you wouldn't have any children (or you might have different ones). It would be the ultimate expression of the premise of the old Jimmy Stewart movie "It's A Wonderful Life."
ReplyDeleteByker Bob, It is fun to speculate, and that's exactly what this is - speculation. And I agree that we must maximize what is before us. Even so, I believe that we were meant to explore and ask questions. Moreover, these kind of considerations serve to remind all of us that we don't have all of the answers - that there is very probably a great deal more to all of this than we have even begun to understand or appreciate. In short, it tends to point out the absurdity of us believing that we have figured everything out.
"we don't have all of the answers" oh NO! With a COG background I have to have all the answers or else things will seem out of control. LOL.
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm glad I don't have the answers. Can you imagine how unchallenging life would be if we did have them all?
Byker Bob and MJ, I hope one day we can sit down together and solve at least one of life's mysteries. Or you two can do it by yourselves and we'll name the new knowledge after your combined names: the Bob Jones theorem.