White mars by Brian W. Aldiss & Roger Penrose. Chapter 10, 11

‘The experiment we’re now getting under way involves only a relatively small ring, sixty kilometres in diameter. Will we discover any HIGMOs? That depends on the HIGMO density in the universe, of which there are only estimates so far. We need results. Otherwise – who knows -the terraformers take over, the CFC gases rain down…’

‘Get on with it, then!’ came a shout from the audience, followed by roars of support.

Thorgeson said, ‘The terrestrial economy is still in meltdown. Don’t worry.

‘Our present experiment is basically a pilot project, partly to test out how we work in adverse conditions. Maybe we can manage with this. If not, we hope to build a superfluid ring around the entire planet.’

‘Another way of ruining Mars!’ yelled a voice.

‘We need to solve the problem at last. With the planet ringed, the answer to the vexed question of mass will finally be answered. Maybe Mars was formed precisely to enable us to find that solution.’

‘Victorianism!’ came a cry from a now restive audience.

Thorgeson answered this cry directly. ‘Okay, tell me what else is Mars good for? You invited me here. Listen to what I have to say. I’ll take sensible questions afterwards. Till then, keep quiet, please.’

As if to back him up, Euclid spoke. ‘Say why it is so important to solve the mystery of mass. If a few physicists satisfy their curiosity in this respect, what good does that do ordinary people?’

‘It is always difficult to justify curiosity-driven research in terms of its ultimate benefit to society. We can’t tell ahead of time. Nevertheless the effect of such research, which seems entirely abstract to the lay person, can be tremendous. An obvious example is Alan Turing’s analysis of theoretical computing machines done in the 1930s. It changed the world in which we live. We are on Mars because of it.’

Euclid: ‘You must have some idea as to the value of this immensely costly research in areas other than particle physics.’

‘Smudge research will have an important impact on other areas of physics and astrophysics. After all, it is concerned with the deepest issues of the very building bricks of the universe, the particles of which we are all composed, and their constituent elements.

‘A full understanding of mass may lead to matrix-drives that will carry us to the heart of our galaxy.

‘It’s concerned, too, with gravitation and with the nature of matrix and time. It relates in a vital way to the understanding of the big bang origin of the universe, and thus to deep philosophical questions. The whole mystery of where the universe comes from and of what the universe is composed – this is what smudge research ultimately involves.’

The same angry voice from the audience now interposed to say, ‘Self-justification is no justification.’

I saw anger in Thorgeson’s eyes, but he answered in a controlled manner one could not but admire.

‘You might ask how any of this really affects society, although the matter remains of great interest to any intelligent person. Well, society might also be deeply affected for a different type of reason. This relates to a third breakthrough, which occurred at about the same time, having to do with the very nature of the human mind – or the soul, as some unscientific people put it.

‘In the early years of this century, the development of electronic into quantum computers encouraged the already widely held view that mind was just something that developed when sufficient powerful and effective computations took place. Chess, finally even the oriental game of Go, succumbed to the brutal but speedy computations of these devices.

‘Yet no matter how effective these machines were, it was always obvious that they possessed no minds. They couldn’t even be called intelligent in any ordinary sense of that word. Something essential was missing.

‘With the development of the quantputer about 2023, distinct new physical features were incorporated, using basic quantum-mechanical principles. We have evidence that the human brain itself operates using these same principles. Thus, it is likely that we have in a quantputer all the essentials of human mentality. As yet, we are still short of knowing all the needed physical parameters.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Leave a Reply 0

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *