Vidal Clement
Center Leo Apostel, Global Brain Institute, Evolution, Complexity and Cognition group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels), Krijgskundestraat 33, 1160 Brussels, Belgium.
Curr Aging Sci. 2014;7(1):3-8. doi: 10.2174/1874609807666140521111107.
The death of our universe is as certain as our individual death. Some cosmologists have elaborated models which would make the cosmos immortal. In this paper, I examine them as cosmological extrapolations of immortality narratives that civilizations have developed to face death anxiety. I first show why cosmological death should be a worry, then I briefly examine scenarios involving the notion of soul or resurrection on a cosmological scale. I discuss in how far an intelligent civilization could stay alive by engaging in stellar, galactic and universal rejuvenation. Finally, I argue that leaving a cosmological legacy via universe making is an inspiring and promising narrative to achieve cosmological immortality.
宇宙的死亡如同我们个体的死亡一样确定无疑。一些宇宙学家构建了宇宙永生的模型。在本文中,我将这些模型视作文明为应对死亡焦虑而发展出的永生叙事的宇宙学延伸来加以审视。我首先阐述为何宇宙的死亡应引发担忧,接着简要考察涉及宇宙层面灵魂或复活概念的设想。我探讨一个智慧文明在多大程度上能够通过参与恒星、星系及宇宙的复兴而存活。最后,我认为通过创造宇宙留下宇宙遗产是实现宇宙永生的一个鼓舞人心且充满希望的叙事。