12-28-2005, 04:20 AM
This is a pretty interesting, albeit long, read. It'll take 15-20 minutes to go through it all, but it's pretty interesting. It doesn't represent my personal beliefs and I'm not posting it to contradict anyones religion or to try to change anyones ideas or anything, its just something really interesting to think about. And please, if you don't want to read the whole thing, don't post about how much you don't want to read the whole thing, thats just retarded. Enjoy. 
I met god the other day.
I know what youÔÇÖre thinking. How the hell did you know it was god?
Well, IÔÇÖll explain as we go along, but basically he convinced me by having all, and I do mean ALL, the answers. Every question I flung at him he batted back with a plausible and satisfactory answer. In the end, it was easier to accept that he was god than otherwise.
Which is odd, because IÔÇÖm still an atheist and we even agree on that!
It all started on the 8.20 back from Paddington. Got myself a nice window seat, no screaming brats or drunken hooligans within earshot. Not even a mobile phone in sight. Sat down, reading the paper and in he walks.
What did he look like?
Well not what you might have expected thatÔÇÖs for sure. He was about 30, wearing a pair of jeans and a "hobgoblin" tee shirt. Definitely casual. Looked like he could have been a social worker or perhaps a programmer like myself.
ÔÇÿAnyone sitting here?ÔÇÖ he said.
ÔÇÿHelp yourselfÔÇÖ I replied.
Sits down, relaxes, I ignore and back to the correspondence on genetic foods entering the food chain
Train pulls out and a few minutes later he speaks.
ÔÇÿCan I ask you a question?ÔÇÖ
Fighting to restrain my left eyebrow I replied ÔÇÿYesÔÇÖ in a tone which was intended to convey that I might not mind one question, and possibly a supplementary, but I really wasnÔÇÖt in the mood for a conversation. ..
ÔÇÿWhy donÔÇÖt you believe in god?ÔÇÖ
The Bastard!
I love this kind of conversation and can rabbit on for hours about the nonsense of theist beliefs. But I have to be in the mood! Its like when a jehovas witness knocks on your door 20 minutes before youre due to have a wisdom tooth pulled. Much as you'd really love to stay You cant even begin the fun. And I knew, if I gave my standard reply wed still be arguing when we got to Cardiff. I just wasnt in the mood. I needed to fend him off.
But then I thought ÔÇÿOdd! How is this perfect stranger so obviously confident ÔÇô and correct ÔÇô about my atheism?ÔÇÖ If IÔÇÖd been driving my car, it wouldnÔÇÖt have been such a mystery. IÔÇÖve got the Darwin fish on the back of mine ÔÇô the antidote to that twee christian fish you see all over. So anyone spotting that and understanding it would have been in a position to guess my beliefs. But I was on a train and not even wearing my Darwin "Evolve" tshirt that day. And ÔÇÿThe IndependentÔÇÖ isnÔÇÖt a registered flag for card carrying atheists, so what, I wondered, had given the game away.
ÔÇÿWhat makes you so certain that I donÔÇÖt?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBecauseÔÇÖ, he said, ÔÇÿ I am god ÔÇô and you are not afraid of meÔÇÖ
YouÔÇÖll have to take my word for it of course, but there are ways you can deliver a line like that ÔÇô most of which would render the speaker a candidate for an institution, or at least prozac. Some of which could be construed as mildly amusing.
Conveying it as "indifferent fact" is a difficult task but thatÔÇÖs exactly how it came across. Nothing in his tone or attitude struck me as even mildly out of place with that statement. He said it because he believed it and his rationality did not appear to be drug induced or the result of a mental breakdown.
ÔÇÿAnd why should I believe that?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWellÔÇÖ he said, ÔÇÿwhy donÔÇÖt you ask me a few questions. Anything you like, and see if the answers satisfy your sceptical mind?ÔÇÖ
This is going to be a short conversation after all, I thought.
ÔÇÿWho am I?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿStottle. Harry Stottle, born August 10 1947, Bristol, England. Father Paul, Mother Mary. Educated Duke of Yorks Royal Military School 1960 67, Sandhurst and Oxford, PhD in Exobiology, failed rock singer, full time trade union activist for 10 years, latterly self employed computer programmer, web author and aspiring philosopher. Married to Michelle, American citizen, two children by a previous marriage. YouÔÇÖre returning home after what seems to have been a successful meeting with an investor interested in your proposed product tracking anti-forgery software and protocol and you ate a full english breakfast at the hotel this morning except that, as usual, you asked them to hold the revolting english sausages and give you some extra bacon. ÔÇÿ
He paused
ÔÇÿYouÔÇÖre not convinced. HmmmÔǪ what would it take to convince you?ÔÇÖ
'oh right! Your most secret password and its association'
A serious hacker might be able to obtain the password, but no one else and I mean
NO ONE
knows its association.
He did.
So how would you have played it?
I threw a few more questions about relatively insignificant but unpublicised details of my life (like what my mother claims was the first word I ever spoke  apparently "armadillo"! (Don't ask)) but I was already pretty convinced. I knew there were only three possible explanations at this point.
Possibility One was that I was dreaming or hallucinating. NobodyÔÇÖs figured out a test for that so, at the time I think that was my dominant feeling. It did not feel real at the time. More like I was in a play. Acting my lines. Since the event, however, continuing detailed memories of it, together with my contemporaneous notes, remain available, so unless the hallucination has continued to this day, I am now inclined to reject the hallucination hypothesis. Which leaves two others.
He could have been a true telepath. No documented evidence exists of anyone ever having such profound abilities to date but it was a possibility. It would have explained how he could know my best-kept secrets. The problem with that is that it doesnÔÇÖt explain anything else! In particular it doesnÔÇÖt account for the answers he proceeded to give to my later questions.
As Sherlock Holmes says, when youÔÇÖve eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Good empiricist, Sherlock.
I was forced to accept at least the possibility that this man was who he claimed to be.
So now what do you do?
Well, IÔÇÖve always known that if I met god I would have a million questions for him, so I thought, ÔÇÿwhy not?ÔÇÖ and proceeded with what follows. YouÔÇÖll have to allow a bit of licence in the detail of the conversation. This was, shall we say, a somewhat unusual occurrence, not to mention just a BIT weird! And yes I was a leetle bit nervous! So if I donÔÇÖt get it word perfect donÔÇÖt whinge! YouÔÇÖll get the gist I promise.
***********************************
ÔÇÿForgive me if it takes me a little time to get up to speed here, but its not everyday I get to question a deityÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe DeityÔÇÖ he interrupted.
ÔÇÿooh. Touchy!ÔÇÖ I thought.
ÔÇÿNot really ÔÇô just correcting the imageÔÇÖ
Now That takes some getting used to!
I tried to get a grip on my thoughts, with an internal command - ÔÇÿDiscipline Harry. YouÔÇÖve always wanted to be in a situation like this, now youÔÇÖre actually in it, you mustnÔÇÖt go to pieces and waste the opportunity of a lifetimeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou wonÔÇÖtÔÇÖ he said.
Tell you! ThatÔÇÖs the bit that made it feel unreal more than anything else - this guy sitting across the table and very obviously accurately reading my every thought. Its like finding someone else hand inside your trouser pocket!
Nevertheless, something made me inclined to accept the invasion, I had obviously begun to have some confidence in his perception or abilities, so I distinctly remember the effect of his words was that I suddenly felt deeply reassured and completely relaxed. As he had no doubt intended. Man must have an amazing seduction technique!
So then we got down to business
ÔÇÿAre you human?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWere you, ever?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNo, but similar, YesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAh, so you are a product of evolution?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿMost certainly ÔÇô mainly my ownÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand you evolved from a species like ours, dna based organisms or something equally viable?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿCorrectÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso what, exactly, makes you god?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI didÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSeemed like a good idea at the timeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand your present powers, are they in any way similar to what the superstitious believers in my species attribute to you?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿClose enough. ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo you created all this, just for us?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNo. Of course notÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut you did create the Universe?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThis One. YesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut not your own?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThis is my own!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou know what I mean!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou canÔÇÖt create your own parents, so NoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo let me get this straight. You are an entirely natural phenomenon.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEntirelyÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿArising from mechanisms which we ourselves will one day understand and possibly even master?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿsubject to a quibble over who "we ourselves" may be, but yesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿmeaning that if the human race doesnÔÇÖt come up to the mark, other species eventually will?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿin one.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand how many other species are there already out there ahead of us?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿsurprisingly few. Less than fourteen millionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿFEW!?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿPhew!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd how many at or about our level?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿcurrently a little over 4 ┬¢ billionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso our significance in the universe at present is roughly equivalent to the significance of the average Joe here on planet Earth in his relation to the human race?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿa little less. Level One, the level your species has reached, begins with the invention of the flying machine. I define the next level in terms your Sci Fi Author Isaac Asimov has already grasped. It is reached when you achieve control of your own primary ÔÇô the Sun. What Asimov calls a Type I technology. Humanity is only just into the flying machine phase, so as you can imagine, on that scale, the human race is somewhat near the bottom of the level one packÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand all these species are your children?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI like to think of them that wayÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand the point?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿat its simplest, "Life Must Go On". My personal motivation is the desire for conversation. Once youÔÇÖve achieved my level, you cease to be billions of separate entities and become one ecstatic whole. A single entity that cannot die, however advanced, or perhaps, more accurately, because it is so advanced, will get lonely and even a trifle bored! I seem to be the first. I do not intend to be the lastÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso you created a Universe which is potentially capable of producing another god like yourself?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe full benefit will be temporary, but like most orgasms, worth it.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿthis being the moment when our new god merges with you and we become one again?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿdonÔÇÖt play it down, thatÔÇÖs the ecstatic vision driving us all, me included ÔÇô and when it happens the ecstasy lasts several times longer than this universe has already existed. Believe me, it really is worth the effort.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes, I think I can see the attractions of a hundred billion year long orgasmÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand humans havenÔÇÖt even begun to know how to really enjoy the orgasms they are already capable of. Wait till you master that simple art!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo its all about sex is it?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEcstasy is merely a reward for procreating, it is what makes you want to do it. This is necessary, initially, to promote biological evolution. However once youÔÇÖve completed that stage and no longer require procreation, you will learn that ecstasy can be infinitely more intense than anything offered by sexÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSounds good to me!'
'How direct is your involvement in all this? Did you just light the fuse which set off the big bang and stand back and watch? Or did you have to plant the seeds on appropriately fertile planets?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe seeds evolved in deep space, purely as a result of the operations of the laws of physics and chemistry which your scientists have begun to attain a reasonable grasp of. Yes I triggered the bang and essentially became dormant for nearly 5 billion years. ThatÔÇÖs how long it took the first lifeforms to emerge. That places them some 8 billion years ahead of you. The first intelligent species are now 4.3 billion years ahead of you. Really quite advanced. I can have deeply meaningful conversations with them. And usually do. In fact I am as we speakÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo then what?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿDo I keep a constant vigil over every move you make? Not in the kind of prying intrusive sense that some of you seem to think. Let's say I maintain an awareness of what's going on, at a planetary level. I tend only to focus on evolutionary leaps. See if theyÔÇÖre going in the right directionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd if theyÔÇÖre not?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNothing. UsuallyÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually species evolving in the wrong direction kill themselves off or become extinct for other reasonsÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThere have been one or two cases where a wrong species has had the potential of becoming dominant at the expense of a more promising strainÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿLet me guess. Dinosaurs on this planet are an example. Too successful. Suppressed the development of mammals and were showing no signs of developing intelligence. So you engineered a little corrective action in the form of a suitably selected asteroidÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿPerceptive. Almost correct. They were showing signs of developing intelligence, even co-operation. Study your velocirapters. But far too predatory. Incapable of ever developing a "respect" for other life forms. It takes carrying your young to promote the development of emotional attachment to other animals. Earth reptiles arenÔÇÖt built for that. The mammals who are, as you rightly say, couldnÔÇÖt get a foothold against such mighty predators. YouÔÇÖve now reached the stage where you could hold your own even against dinosaurs, but thatÔÇÖs only been true for about a thousand years, you wouldnÔÇÖt have stood a chance 2 million years ago, so the dinosaurs had to go. They were, however, far too well balanced with the ecology of the planet, and never developed technology, so they werenÔÇÖt going to kill themselves off in a hurry. Regrettably, I had to intervene.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿRegrettably?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThey were a beautiful and stunningly successful life form. One doesnÔÇÖt destroy such things without a qualm.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut at that stage how could you know that a better prospect would arise from the ashes?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI didnÔÇÖt. But the probability was quite high.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand since then, what other little tweaks have you been responsible for in our development?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNone whatsoever. I set an alarm for the first sign of aerial activity, as I usually do. Leonardo looked promising for a while, but not until the Montgolfier brothers did I really begin to take an interest. That registered you as a level one intelligent speciesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo Jesus of Nazareth, Moses, MohammedÔǪÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿhmmmÔǪ sadly misguided IÔÇÖm afraid. Anyone capable of communicating with their own cells will dimly perceive me ÔÇô and all other life as being connected in a strictly quantum sense, but interpreting that vision as representing something supernatural and requiring obeisance is somewhat wide of the mark. And their followers are all a bit too obsessive and religious for my liking. Its no fun being worshipped once you stop being an adolescent teenager. Having said that, it's not at all unusual for developing species to go through that phase. Until they begin to grasp how much they too can shape their small corner of the universe, they are in understandable awe of an individual dimly but correctly perceived to be responsible for the creation of the whole of that universe. Eventually, if they are to have any hope of attaining level two, they must grow out of it and begin to accept their own power and potential. Its very akin to a childÔÇÖs relationship with its parents. The awe and worship must disappear before the child can become an adult. Respect is not so bad as long as its not overdone. And I certainly respect all those species who make it that far. ItÔÇÖs a hard slog. I know. I've been there.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYouÔÇÖve been watching us since the Montgolfiers, when was that? 1650s?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿClose. 1783ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWell, if youÔÇÖve been watching us closely since then, what your average citizen is going to want to know is why you havenÔÇÖt intervened more often. Why, if you have that sort of power, did you allow such incredible suffering and human misery?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIt seems to be necessary.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNECESSARY??!!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWithout exception, intelligent species who gain dominance over their planet do so by becoming the most efficient predators. There are many intelligent species who do not evolve to dominate their planet. Like your dolphins, they adapt perfectly to the environment rather than take your course, which is to manipulate the environment. Unfortunately for the dolphin, his is a dead end. He may outlive the human race but will never escape the bounds of planet earth - not without your help at any rate. Only those who can manipulate the world they live in can one day hope to leave it and spread their seed throughout the universe.
Unlike the adaptors, who learn the point of cooperation fairly early on, manipulators battle on. And, once all lesser species have been overcome, they are so competitive and predatory that they are compelled to turn in on themselves. This nearly always evolves into tribal competition in one form or another and becomes more and more destructive - exactly like your own history. However this competition is vital to promote the leap from biological to technological evolution.
You need an arms race in order to make progress.
Your desire to dominate fuels a search for knowledge which the adaptors never require. And although your initial desire for knowledge is selfish and destructive, it begins the development of an intellectual self awareness, a form of higher consciousness, which never emerges in any other species. Not even while they are experiencing it, for example, can the intelligent adaptors - your dolphins - express the concepts of Love or Time.
Militarisation and the development of weapons of mass destruction are your first serious test at level one. You're still not through that phase, though the signs are promising. There is no point whatsoever in my intervening to prevent your self-destruction. Your ability to survive these urges is a crucial test of your fitness to survive later stages. So I would not, never have and never will intervene to prevent a species from destroying itself. Most, in fact, do just that.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd what of pity for those have to live through this torment?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI canÔÇÖt say this in any way that doesnÔÇÖt sound callous, but how much time do you spend worrying about the ants you run over in your car? I know it sounds horrendous to you, but you have to see the bigger picture. At this stage in human development, youÔÇÖre becoming interesting but not yet important.ÔÇÖ
'ah but I can't have an intelligent conversation with an ant'
'precisely'
ÔÇÿhmmÔǪ as you know, humans wonÔÇÖt like even to attempt to grasp that perspective. How can you make it more palatable?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy should I? You donÔÇÖt appear to have any trouble grasping it. YouÔÇÖre by no means unique. And in any case, once they begin to understand what's in it for them, theyÔÇÖll be somewhat less inclined to moan. Eternal life compensates for most things.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo what are we supposed to do in order to qualify for membership of the universal intelligentsia?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEvolve. SurviveÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes, but how?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿOh, I thought you might have got the point by now. "How" is entirely up to you. If I have to help, then youÔÇÖre a failure. All I will say is this. YouÔÇÖve already passed a major hurdle in learning to live with nuclear weapons. Its depressing how many fail at that stage.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIs there worse to come?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿMuchÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿGenetic warfare for instance?
ÔÇÿDistinct PossibilityÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand the problem isÔǪ that we need to develop all these technologies, acquire all this dangerous knowledge in order to reach level two. But at any stage that knowledge could also cause our own destructionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIf you think the dangers of genetic warfare are serious, imagine discovering a secret thought or program, accessible to any intelligent individual, which, if abused, will eliminate your species instantly. If your progress continues as is, then you can expect to discover that particular self-destruct mechanism in less than a thousand years. Your species has got to grow up considerably before you can afford to make that discovery. And if you donÔÇÖt make it, you will never leave your Solar System and join the rest of the sapient species on level two.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÖ14 Million of themÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿJust underÔÇÖ
'Will there be room for us?'
'itÔÇÖs a big place'
ÔÇÿand, for now, how should we mere mortals regard you then?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿlike an older brother or sister. Of course I know more than you do. Of course IÔÇÖm more powerful than you. IÔÇÖve been alive longer. But IÔÇÖm not "better" than you. Just more developed. Just what you might becomeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso weÔÇÖre not obliged to "please" you or follow your alleged guidelines or anything like that?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿabsolutely not. Never issued a single guideline in the lifetime of this Universe. Have to find your own way out of the maze. And one early improvement is to stop expecting me - or anyone else - to come and help you out.'
'I suppose that is a guideline of sorts, so there goes the habit of a lifetime! '
'Seriously though, species who hold on to religion past its sell-by date tend to be most likely to self destruct. They spend so much energy arguing about my true nature, and invest so much emotion in their wildly erroneous imagery that they end up killing each other over differences in definitions of something they clearly havenÔÇÖt got a clue about. Ludicrous behaviour, but it does weed out the weaklings.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy me? Why pick on an atheist of all people? Why are you telling me all this? And why Now?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy You? Because can accept my existence without your ego caving in and grovelling like a naughty child. '
'Can you seriously imagine how the Pope would react to the reality of my existence?! If he really understood how badly wrong he and his church have been, how much of the pain and suffering you mentioned earlier has been caused by his religion, I suspect he'd have an instant coronary! Or can you picture what it would be like if I appeared "live" simultaneously on half a dozen tele-evangelist propaganda shows. Pat Robertson would wet himself if he actually understood who he was talking to.
Conversely, your interest is purely academic. You've never swallowed the fairy tale but you've remained open to the possibility of a more advanced life form which could acquire godlike powers. YouÔÇÖve correctly guessed that godhood is the destiny of life. You have shown you can and do cope with the concept. It seemed reasonable to confirm your suspicions and let you do what you will with that information.
You can and will publish this conversation on the web, where it will sow an important seed. Might take a couple of hundred years to germinate, but, eventually, it will germinate.
Why Now? Well partly because both you and the web are ready now. But chiefly because the human race is reaching a critical phase. It goes back to what we were saying about the dangers of knowledge. Essentially your species is becoming aware of that danger. When that happens to any sapient species, the future can take three courses.
Many are tempted to avoid the danger by avoiding the knowledge. Like the adaptors, they are doomed to extinction. Often pleasantly enough in the confines of their own planet until either their will to live expires or their primary turns red giant and snuffs them out.
A large number go on blindly acquiring the knowledge and don't learn to restrain their abuse. Their fate is sealed somewhat more quickly of course, when PandoraÔÇÖs box blows up in their faces.
The only ones who reach level two are those who learn to accept and to live with their most dangerous knowledge. Each and every individual in such a species must eventually become capable of destroying their entire species at any time. Yet they must learn to control themselves to the degree that they can survive even such deadly insight. And frankly, theyÔÇÖre the only ones we really want to see leaving their solar systems. Species that havenÔÇÖt achieved that maturity could not be allowed to infect the rest of the universe, but fortunately that has never required my intervention. The knowledge always does the trickÔÇÖ
'Why can't there be a fourth option - selective research where we avoid investigating dangerous pathways?'
'As you can see from your own limited history, the most useful ideas are also, nearly always, the most dangerous. You have yet, for instance, to conquer fusion power but you need to do so in order to achieve appropriate energy surpluses required to complete this phase of your social development. It will, when you've mastered it, eliminate material inequalities and poverty within a generation or two, an absolutely vital step for any maturing species. Yet the discovery of the principles which will soon yield this beneficial bounty could, had you abused them, have ended your attempt at civilisation.
Similarly, you will shortly be able to conquer biological diseases and even engineer yourselves to be virtually fault free. Your biological life spans will double or treble within the next hundred years and your digital lifespans will become potentially infinite within the same period: If you survive the potential threat that the same technology provides in the form of genetic timebombs, custom built viruses and the other wonders of genetic and digital warfare.
You simply can't have the benefits without taking the risks'.
ÔÇÿIÔÇÖm not sure I understand my part in this exercise. I just publish this conversation on the web and everything will be alright?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNot necessarily. Not that easy IÔÇÖm afraid. To start with, whoÔÇÖs going to take this seriously? It will just be seen as a mildly amusing work of fiction. In fact, your words and indeed most of your work will not be understood or appreciated until some much more advanced scholars develop the ideas you are struggling to express and explain them somewhat more competently. At which point the ideas will be taken up en masse and searches will be undertaken of the archives. They will find this work and be struck by its prescience. You wonÔÇÖt make the Einstein grade, but you might manage John the Baptist!
This piece will have no significance whatsoever if humanity doesnÔÇÖt make certain key advances in the next couple of centuries. And this wonÔÇÖt help you make those advances. What it will do is help you recognise themÔÇÖ
'can I ask what those advances may be?'
'I think you know. But yes - although you are at level one, there are several distinct phases which evolving species pass through on their way to level two. The first, as we've discussed, is the invention of the flying machine. The next significant phase is the development of the thinking machine.
At your present rate of progress, you are within a few decades of achieving that goal. It marks your first step on the path of technological evolution. Mapping the human genome is another classic landmark, but merely mapping it is a bit like viewing the compiled code in a dos executable. Its just meaningless gibberish, although with a bit of hacking here and there, you might correctly deduce the function of certain stretches of code.
What you really need to do is 'reverse engineer' the dna code. You have to figure out the grammar and syntax of the language. Then you will begin the task of designing yourselves. But that task requires the thinking machine'
ÔÇÿYou say you avoid intervention. But doesnÔÇÖt this conversation itself constitute intervention ÔÇô even if people alive now completely ignore it?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes. But it's as far as IÔÇÖm prepared to go. Its only effect is to confirm, if you find it, that you are on the right path. It is still entirely up to you to navigate the dangers on that path and beyond.ÔÇÖ
'But why bother even with that much? Surely its just another evolutionary hurdle. We're either fit enough or not'
'In many ways the transition to an information species is the most traumatic stage in evolution. Biological intelligences have a deeply rooted sense of consciousness only being conceivable from within an organic brain. Coming to terms with the realisation that you have created your successor, not just in the sense of mother and child, but in the collective sense of the species recognising it has become redundant, this paradigm shift is, for many species, a shift too far. They baulk at the challenge and run from this new knowledge. They fail and become extinct. Yet there is nothing fundamentally wrong with them - it is a failure of the imagination.
I hope that if I can get across the concept that I am a product of just such evolution, it may give them the confidence to try. I have discussed this with the level two species and the consensus is that this tiny prod is capable of increasing the contenders for level two without letting through any damaging traits. It has been tried in 312 cases. The jury is still out on its real benefits although it has produced a 12% increase in biological species embracing the transition to information species.
ÔÇÿAlright, so what if everyone suddenly took it seriously and believed every word I write? WouldnÔÇÖt that constitute a somewhat more drastic intervention?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿTrust me. They wontÔÇÖ
'and so its still the case, that, should another asteroid happen to be heading our way, you will do nothing to impede it on our behalf?'
'I'm confident you will pass that test. And now my friend, the interview is over, you have asked me a number of the right questions, and IÔÇÖve said what I came to say, so IÔÇÖll be going now. It has been very nice to meet you - you're quite bright. For an ant!ÔÇÖ He twinkled.
ÔÇÿJust one final, trivial question, why do you appear to me in the form of a thirty something white male?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿhave I in any way intimidated or threatened you?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿDo you find me sexually attractive?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿer No!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo figure it out for yourselfÔǪÔÇÖ
I met god the other day.
I know what youÔÇÖre thinking. How the hell did you know it was god?
Well, IÔÇÖll explain as we go along, but basically he convinced me by having all, and I do mean ALL, the answers. Every question I flung at him he batted back with a plausible and satisfactory answer. In the end, it was easier to accept that he was god than otherwise.
Which is odd, because IÔÇÖm still an atheist and we even agree on that!
It all started on the 8.20 back from Paddington. Got myself a nice window seat, no screaming brats or drunken hooligans within earshot. Not even a mobile phone in sight. Sat down, reading the paper and in he walks.
What did he look like?
Well not what you might have expected thatÔÇÖs for sure. He was about 30, wearing a pair of jeans and a "hobgoblin" tee shirt. Definitely casual. Looked like he could have been a social worker or perhaps a programmer like myself.
ÔÇÿAnyone sitting here?ÔÇÖ he said.
ÔÇÿHelp yourselfÔÇÖ I replied.
Sits down, relaxes, I ignore and back to the correspondence on genetic foods entering the food chain
Train pulls out and a few minutes later he speaks.
ÔÇÿCan I ask you a question?ÔÇÖ
Fighting to restrain my left eyebrow I replied ÔÇÿYesÔÇÖ in a tone which was intended to convey that I might not mind one question, and possibly a supplementary, but I really wasnÔÇÖt in the mood for a conversation. ..
ÔÇÿWhy donÔÇÖt you believe in god?ÔÇÖ
The Bastard!
I love this kind of conversation and can rabbit on for hours about the nonsense of theist beliefs. But I have to be in the mood! Its like when a jehovas witness knocks on your door 20 minutes before youre due to have a wisdom tooth pulled. Much as you'd really love to stay You cant even begin the fun. And I knew, if I gave my standard reply wed still be arguing when we got to Cardiff. I just wasnt in the mood. I needed to fend him off.
But then I thought ÔÇÿOdd! How is this perfect stranger so obviously confident ÔÇô and correct ÔÇô about my atheism?ÔÇÖ If IÔÇÖd been driving my car, it wouldnÔÇÖt have been such a mystery. IÔÇÖve got the Darwin fish on the back of mine ÔÇô the antidote to that twee christian fish you see all over. So anyone spotting that and understanding it would have been in a position to guess my beliefs. But I was on a train and not even wearing my Darwin "Evolve" tshirt that day. And ÔÇÿThe IndependentÔÇÖ isnÔÇÖt a registered flag for card carrying atheists, so what, I wondered, had given the game away.
ÔÇÿWhat makes you so certain that I donÔÇÖt?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBecauseÔÇÖ, he said, ÔÇÿ I am god ÔÇô and you are not afraid of meÔÇÖ
YouÔÇÖll have to take my word for it of course, but there are ways you can deliver a line like that ÔÇô most of which would render the speaker a candidate for an institution, or at least prozac. Some of which could be construed as mildly amusing.
Conveying it as "indifferent fact" is a difficult task but thatÔÇÖs exactly how it came across. Nothing in his tone or attitude struck me as even mildly out of place with that statement. He said it because he believed it and his rationality did not appear to be drug induced or the result of a mental breakdown.
ÔÇÿAnd why should I believe that?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWellÔÇÖ he said, ÔÇÿwhy donÔÇÖt you ask me a few questions. Anything you like, and see if the answers satisfy your sceptical mind?ÔÇÖ
This is going to be a short conversation after all, I thought.
ÔÇÿWho am I?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿStottle. Harry Stottle, born August 10 1947, Bristol, England. Father Paul, Mother Mary. Educated Duke of Yorks Royal Military School 1960 67, Sandhurst and Oxford, PhD in Exobiology, failed rock singer, full time trade union activist for 10 years, latterly self employed computer programmer, web author and aspiring philosopher. Married to Michelle, American citizen, two children by a previous marriage. YouÔÇÖre returning home after what seems to have been a successful meeting with an investor interested in your proposed product tracking anti-forgery software and protocol and you ate a full english breakfast at the hotel this morning except that, as usual, you asked them to hold the revolting english sausages and give you some extra bacon. ÔÇÿ
He paused
ÔÇÿYouÔÇÖre not convinced. HmmmÔǪ what would it take to convince you?ÔÇÖ
'oh right! Your most secret password and its association'
A serious hacker might be able to obtain the password, but no one else and I mean
NO ONE
knows its association.
He did.
So how would you have played it?
I threw a few more questions about relatively insignificant but unpublicised details of my life (like what my mother claims was the first word I ever spoke  apparently "armadillo"! (Don't ask)) but I was already pretty convinced. I knew there were only three possible explanations at this point.
Possibility One was that I was dreaming or hallucinating. NobodyÔÇÖs figured out a test for that so, at the time I think that was my dominant feeling. It did not feel real at the time. More like I was in a play. Acting my lines. Since the event, however, continuing detailed memories of it, together with my contemporaneous notes, remain available, so unless the hallucination has continued to this day, I am now inclined to reject the hallucination hypothesis. Which leaves two others.
He could have been a true telepath. No documented evidence exists of anyone ever having such profound abilities to date but it was a possibility. It would have explained how he could know my best-kept secrets. The problem with that is that it doesnÔÇÖt explain anything else! In particular it doesnÔÇÖt account for the answers he proceeded to give to my later questions.
As Sherlock Holmes says, when youÔÇÖve eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Good empiricist, Sherlock.
I was forced to accept at least the possibility that this man was who he claimed to be.
So now what do you do?
Well, IÔÇÖve always known that if I met god I would have a million questions for him, so I thought, ÔÇÿwhy not?ÔÇÖ and proceeded with what follows. YouÔÇÖll have to allow a bit of licence in the detail of the conversation. This was, shall we say, a somewhat unusual occurrence, not to mention just a BIT weird! And yes I was a leetle bit nervous! So if I donÔÇÖt get it word perfect donÔÇÖt whinge! YouÔÇÖll get the gist I promise.
***********************************
ÔÇÿForgive me if it takes me a little time to get up to speed here, but its not everyday I get to question a deityÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe DeityÔÇÖ he interrupted.
ÔÇÿooh. Touchy!ÔÇÖ I thought.
ÔÇÿNot really ÔÇô just correcting the imageÔÇÖ
Now That takes some getting used to!
I tried to get a grip on my thoughts, with an internal command - ÔÇÿDiscipline Harry. YouÔÇÖve always wanted to be in a situation like this, now youÔÇÖre actually in it, you mustnÔÇÖt go to pieces and waste the opportunity of a lifetimeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou wonÔÇÖtÔÇÖ he said.
Tell you! ThatÔÇÖs the bit that made it feel unreal more than anything else - this guy sitting across the table and very obviously accurately reading my every thought. Its like finding someone else hand inside your trouser pocket!
Nevertheless, something made me inclined to accept the invasion, I had obviously begun to have some confidence in his perception or abilities, so I distinctly remember the effect of his words was that I suddenly felt deeply reassured and completely relaxed. As he had no doubt intended. Man must have an amazing seduction technique!
So then we got down to business
ÔÇÿAre you human?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWere you, ever?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNo, but similar, YesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAh, so you are a product of evolution?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿMost certainly ÔÇô mainly my ownÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand you evolved from a species like ours, dna based organisms or something equally viable?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿCorrectÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso what, exactly, makes you god?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI didÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSeemed like a good idea at the timeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand your present powers, are they in any way similar to what the superstitious believers in my species attribute to you?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿClose enough. ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo you created all this, just for us?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNo. Of course notÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut you did create the Universe?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThis One. YesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut not your own?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThis is my own!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou know what I mean!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYou canÔÇÖt create your own parents, so NoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo let me get this straight. You are an entirely natural phenomenon.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEntirelyÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿArising from mechanisms which we ourselves will one day understand and possibly even master?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿsubject to a quibble over who "we ourselves" may be, but yesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿmeaning that if the human race doesnÔÇÖt come up to the mark, other species eventually will?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿin one.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand how many other species are there already out there ahead of us?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿsurprisingly few. Less than fourteen millionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿFEW!?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿPhew!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd how many at or about our level?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿcurrently a little over 4 ┬¢ billionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso our significance in the universe at present is roughly equivalent to the significance of the average Joe here on planet Earth in his relation to the human race?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿa little less. Level One, the level your species has reached, begins with the invention of the flying machine. I define the next level in terms your Sci Fi Author Isaac Asimov has already grasped. It is reached when you achieve control of your own primary ÔÇô the Sun. What Asimov calls a Type I technology. Humanity is only just into the flying machine phase, so as you can imagine, on that scale, the human race is somewhat near the bottom of the level one packÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand all these species are your children?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI like to think of them that wayÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand the point?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿat its simplest, "Life Must Go On". My personal motivation is the desire for conversation. Once youÔÇÖve achieved my level, you cease to be billions of separate entities and become one ecstatic whole. A single entity that cannot die, however advanced, or perhaps, more accurately, because it is so advanced, will get lonely and even a trifle bored! I seem to be the first. I do not intend to be the lastÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso you created a Universe which is potentially capable of producing another god like yourself?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe full benefit will be temporary, but like most orgasms, worth it.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿthis being the moment when our new god merges with you and we become one again?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿdonÔÇÖt play it down, thatÔÇÖs the ecstatic vision driving us all, me included ÔÇô and when it happens the ecstasy lasts several times longer than this universe has already existed. Believe me, it really is worth the effort.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes, I think I can see the attractions of a hundred billion year long orgasmÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand humans havenÔÇÖt even begun to know how to really enjoy the orgasms they are already capable of. Wait till you master that simple art!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo its all about sex is it?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEcstasy is merely a reward for procreating, it is what makes you want to do it. This is necessary, initially, to promote biological evolution. However once youÔÇÖve completed that stage and no longer require procreation, you will learn that ecstasy can be infinitely more intense than anything offered by sexÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSounds good to me!'
'How direct is your involvement in all this? Did you just light the fuse which set off the big bang and stand back and watch? Or did you have to plant the seeds on appropriately fertile planets?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThe seeds evolved in deep space, purely as a result of the operations of the laws of physics and chemistry which your scientists have begun to attain a reasonable grasp of. Yes I triggered the bang and essentially became dormant for nearly 5 billion years. ThatÔÇÖs how long it took the first lifeforms to emerge. That places them some 8 billion years ahead of you. The first intelligent species are now 4.3 billion years ahead of you. Really quite advanced. I can have deeply meaningful conversations with them. And usually do. In fact I am as we speakÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo then what?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿDo I keep a constant vigil over every move you make? Not in the kind of prying intrusive sense that some of you seem to think. Let's say I maintain an awareness of what's going on, at a planetary level. I tend only to focus on evolutionary leaps. See if theyÔÇÖre going in the right directionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd if theyÔÇÖre not?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNothing. UsuallyÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually species evolving in the wrong direction kill themselves off or become extinct for other reasonsÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿUsually?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThere have been one or two cases where a wrong species has had the potential of becoming dominant at the expense of a more promising strainÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿLet me guess. Dinosaurs on this planet are an example. Too successful. Suppressed the development of mammals and were showing no signs of developing intelligence. So you engineered a little corrective action in the form of a suitably selected asteroidÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿPerceptive. Almost correct. They were showing signs of developing intelligence, even co-operation. Study your velocirapters. But far too predatory. Incapable of ever developing a "respect" for other life forms. It takes carrying your young to promote the development of emotional attachment to other animals. Earth reptiles arenÔÇÖt built for that. The mammals who are, as you rightly say, couldnÔÇÖt get a foothold against such mighty predators. YouÔÇÖve now reached the stage where you could hold your own even against dinosaurs, but thatÔÇÖs only been true for about a thousand years, you wouldnÔÇÖt have stood a chance 2 million years ago, so the dinosaurs had to go. They were, however, far too well balanced with the ecology of the planet, and never developed technology, so they werenÔÇÖt going to kill themselves off in a hurry. Regrettably, I had to intervene.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿRegrettably?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿThey were a beautiful and stunningly successful life form. One doesnÔÇÖt destroy such things without a qualm.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿBut at that stage how could you know that a better prospect would arise from the ashes?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI didnÔÇÖt. But the probability was quite high.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand since then, what other little tweaks have you been responsible for in our development?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNone whatsoever. I set an alarm for the first sign of aerial activity, as I usually do. Leonardo looked promising for a while, but not until the Montgolfier brothers did I really begin to take an interest. That registered you as a level one intelligent speciesÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo Jesus of Nazareth, Moses, MohammedÔǪÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿhmmmÔǪ sadly misguided IÔÇÖm afraid. Anyone capable of communicating with their own cells will dimly perceive me ÔÇô and all other life as being connected in a strictly quantum sense, but interpreting that vision as representing something supernatural and requiring obeisance is somewhat wide of the mark. And their followers are all a bit too obsessive and religious for my liking. Its no fun being worshipped once you stop being an adolescent teenager. Having said that, it's not at all unusual for developing species to go through that phase. Until they begin to grasp how much they too can shape their small corner of the universe, they are in understandable awe of an individual dimly but correctly perceived to be responsible for the creation of the whole of that universe. Eventually, if they are to have any hope of attaining level two, they must grow out of it and begin to accept their own power and potential. Its very akin to a childÔÇÖs relationship with its parents. The awe and worship must disappear before the child can become an adult. Respect is not so bad as long as its not overdone. And I certainly respect all those species who make it that far. ItÔÇÖs a hard slog. I know. I've been there.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYouÔÇÖve been watching us since the Montgolfiers, when was that? 1650s?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿClose. 1783ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWell, if youÔÇÖve been watching us closely since then, what your average citizen is going to want to know is why you havenÔÇÖt intervened more often. Why, if you have that sort of power, did you allow such incredible suffering and human misery?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIt seems to be necessary.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNECESSARY??!!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWithout exception, intelligent species who gain dominance over their planet do so by becoming the most efficient predators. There are many intelligent species who do not evolve to dominate their planet. Like your dolphins, they adapt perfectly to the environment rather than take your course, which is to manipulate the environment. Unfortunately for the dolphin, his is a dead end. He may outlive the human race but will never escape the bounds of planet earth - not without your help at any rate. Only those who can manipulate the world they live in can one day hope to leave it and spread their seed throughout the universe.
Unlike the adaptors, who learn the point of cooperation fairly early on, manipulators battle on. And, once all lesser species have been overcome, they are so competitive and predatory that they are compelled to turn in on themselves. This nearly always evolves into tribal competition in one form or another and becomes more and more destructive - exactly like your own history. However this competition is vital to promote the leap from biological to technological evolution.
You need an arms race in order to make progress.
Your desire to dominate fuels a search for knowledge which the adaptors never require. And although your initial desire for knowledge is selfish and destructive, it begins the development of an intellectual self awareness, a form of higher consciousness, which never emerges in any other species. Not even while they are experiencing it, for example, can the intelligent adaptors - your dolphins - express the concepts of Love or Time.
Militarisation and the development of weapons of mass destruction are your first serious test at level one. You're still not through that phase, though the signs are promising. There is no point whatsoever in my intervening to prevent your self-destruction. Your ability to survive these urges is a crucial test of your fitness to survive later stages. So I would not, never have and never will intervene to prevent a species from destroying itself. Most, in fact, do just that.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿAnd what of pity for those have to live through this torment?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿI canÔÇÖt say this in any way that doesnÔÇÖt sound callous, but how much time do you spend worrying about the ants you run over in your car? I know it sounds horrendous to you, but you have to see the bigger picture. At this stage in human development, youÔÇÖre becoming interesting but not yet important.ÔÇÖ
'ah but I can't have an intelligent conversation with an ant'
'precisely'
ÔÇÿhmmÔǪ as you know, humans wonÔÇÖt like even to attempt to grasp that perspective. How can you make it more palatable?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy should I? You donÔÇÖt appear to have any trouble grasping it. YouÔÇÖre by no means unique. And in any case, once they begin to understand what's in it for them, theyÔÇÖll be somewhat less inclined to moan. Eternal life compensates for most things.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo what are we supposed to do in order to qualify for membership of the universal intelligentsia?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿEvolve. SurviveÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes, but how?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿOh, I thought you might have got the point by now. "How" is entirely up to you. If I have to help, then youÔÇÖre a failure. All I will say is this. YouÔÇÖve already passed a major hurdle in learning to live with nuclear weapons. Its depressing how many fail at that stage.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIs there worse to come?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿMuchÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿGenetic warfare for instance?
ÔÇÿDistinct PossibilityÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿand the problem isÔǪ that we need to develop all these technologies, acquire all this dangerous knowledge in order to reach level two. But at any stage that knowledge could also cause our own destructionÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿIf you think the dangers of genetic warfare are serious, imagine discovering a secret thought or program, accessible to any intelligent individual, which, if abused, will eliminate your species instantly. If your progress continues as is, then you can expect to discover that particular self-destruct mechanism in less than a thousand years. Your species has got to grow up considerably before you can afford to make that discovery. And if you donÔÇÖt make it, you will never leave your Solar System and join the rest of the sapient species on level two.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÖ14 Million of themÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿJust underÔÇÖ
'Will there be room for us?'
'itÔÇÖs a big place'
ÔÇÿand, for now, how should we mere mortals regard you then?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿlike an older brother or sister. Of course I know more than you do. Of course IÔÇÖm more powerful than you. IÔÇÖve been alive longer. But IÔÇÖm not "better" than you. Just more developed. Just what you might becomeÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿso weÔÇÖre not obliged to "please" you or follow your alleged guidelines or anything like that?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿabsolutely not. Never issued a single guideline in the lifetime of this Universe. Have to find your own way out of the maze. And one early improvement is to stop expecting me - or anyone else - to come and help you out.'
'I suppose that is a guideline of sorts, so there goes the habit of a lifetime! '
'Seriously though, species who hold on to religion past its sell-by date tend to be most likely to self destruct. They spend so much energy arguing about my true nature, and invest so much emotion in their wildly erroneous imagery that they end up killing each other over differences in definitions of something they clearly havenÔÇÖt got a clue about. Ludicrous behaviour, but it does weed out the weaklings.ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy me? Why pick on an atheist of all people? Why are you telling me all this? And why Now?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿWhy You? Because can accept my existence without your ego caving in and grovelling like a naughty child. '
'Can you seriously imagine how the Pope would react to the reality of my existence?! If he really understood how badly wrong he and his church have been, how much of the pain and suffering you mentioned earlier has been caused by his religion, I suspect he'd have an instant coronary! Or can you picture what it would be like if I appeared "live" simultaneously on half a dozen tele-evangelist propaganda shows. Pat Robertson would wet himself if he actually understood who he was talking to.
Conversely, your interest is purely academic. You've never swallowed the fairy tale but you've remained open to the possibility of a more advanced life form which could acquire godlike powers. YouÔÇÖve correctly guessed that godhood is the destiny of life. You have shown you can and do cope with the concept. It seemed reasonable to confirm your suspicions and let you do what you will with that information.
You can and will publish this conversation on the web, where it will sow an important seed. Might take a couple of hundred years to germinate, but, eventually, it will germinate.
Why Now? Well partly because both you and the web are ready now. But chiefly because the human race is reaching a critical phase. It goes back to what we were saying about the dangers of knowledge. Essentially your species is becoming aware of that danger. When that happens to any sapient species, the future can take three courses.
Many are tempted to avoid the danger by avoiding the knowledge. Like the adaptors, they are doomed to extinction. Often pleasantly enough in the confines of their own planet until either their will to live expires or their primary turns red giant and snuffs them out.
A large number go on blindly acquiring the knowledge and don't learn to restrain their abuse. Their fate is sealed somewhat more quickly of course, when PandoraÔÇÖs box blows up in their faces.
The only ones who reach level two are those who learn to accept and to live with their most dangerous knowledge. Each and every individual in such a species must eventually become capable of destroying their entire species at any time. Yet they must learn to control themselves to the degree that they can survive even such deadly insight. And frankly, theyÔÇÖre the only ones we really want to see leaving their solar systems. Species that havenÔÇÖt achieved that maturity could not be allowed to infect the rest of the universe, but fortunately that has never required my intervention. The knowledge always does the trickÔÇÖ
'Why can't there be a fourth option - selective research where we avoid investigating dangerous pathways?'
'As you can see from your own limited history, the most useful ideas are also, nearly always, the most dangerous. You have yet, for instance, to conquer fusion power but you need to do so in order to achieve appropriate energy surpluses required to complete this phase of your social development. It will, when you've mastered it, eliminate material inequalities and poverty within a generation or two, an absolutely vital step for any maturing species. Yet the discovery of the principles which will soon yield this beneficial bounty could, had you abused them, have ended your attempt at civilisation.
Similarly, you will shortly be able to conquer biological diseases and even engineer yourselves to be virtually fault free. Your biological life spans will double or treble within the next hundred years and your digital lifespans will become potentially infinite within the same period: If you survive the potential threat that the same technology provides in the form of genetic timebombs, custom built viruses and the other wonders of genetic and digital warfare.
You simply can't have the benefits without taking the risks'.
ÔÇÿIÔÇÖm not sure I understand my part in this exercise. I just publish this conversation on the web and everything will be alright?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNot necessarily. Not that easy IÔÇÖm afraid. To start with, whoÔÇÖs going to take this seriously? It will just be seen as a mildly amusing work of fiction. In fact, your words and indeed most of your work will not be understood or appreciated until some much more advanced scholars develop the ideas you are struggling to express and explain them somewhat more competently. At which point the ideas will be taken up en masse and searches will be undertaken of the archives. They will find this work and be struck by its prescience. You wonÔÇÖt make the Einstein grade, but you might manage John the Baptist!
This piece will have no significance whatsoever if humanity doesnÔÇÖt make certain key advances in the next couple of centuries. And this wonÔÇÖt help you make those advances. What it will do is help you recognise themÔÇÖ
'can I ask what those advances may be?'
'I think you know. But yes - although you are at level one, there are several distinct phases which evolving species pass through on their way to level two. The first, as we've discussed, is the invention of the flying machine. The next significant phase is the development of the thinking machine.
At your present rate of progress, you are within a few decades of achieving that goal. It marks your first step on the path of technological evolution. Mapping the human genome is another classic landmark, but merely mapping it is a bit like viewing the compiled code in a dos executable. Its just meaningless gibberish, although with a bit of hacking here and there, you might correctly deduce the function of certain stretches of code.
What you really need to do is 'reverse engineer' the dna code. You have to figure out the grammar and syntax of the language. Then you will begin the task of designing yourselves. But that task requires the thinking machine'
ÔÇÿYou say you avoid intervention. But doesnÔÇÖt this conversation itself constitute intervention ÔÇô even if people alive now completely ignore it?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿYes. But it's as far as IÔÇÖm prepared to go. Its only effect is to confirm, if you find it, that you are on the right path. It is still entirely up to you to navigate the dangers on that path and beyond.ÔÇÖ
'But why bother even with that much? Surely its just another evolutionary hurdle. We're either fit enough or not'
'In many ways the transition to an information species is the most traumatic stage in evolution. Biological intelligences have a deeply rooted sense of consciousness only being conceivable from within an organic brain. Coming to terms with the realisation that you have created your successor, not just in the sense of mother and child, but in the collective sense of the species recognising it has become redundant, this paradigm shift is, for many species, a shift too far. They baulk at the challenge and run from this new knowledge. They fail and become extinct. Yet there is nothing fundamentally wrong with them - it is a failure of the imagination.
I hope that if I can get across the concept that I am a product of just such evolution, it may give them the confidence to try. I have discussed this with the level two species and the consensus is that this tiny prod is capable of increasing the contenders for level two without letting through any damaging traits. It has been tried in 312 cases. The jury is still out on its real benefits although it has produced a 12% increase in biological species embracing the transition to information species.
ÔÇÿAlright, so what if everyone suddenly took it seriously and believed every word I write? WouldnÔÇÖt that constitute a somewhat more drastic intervention?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿTrust me. They wontÔÇÖ
'and so its still the case, that, should another asteroid happen to be heading our way, you will do nothing to impede it on our behalf?'
'I'm confident you will pass that test. And now my friend, the interview is over, you have asked me a number of the right questions, and IÔÇÖve said what I came to say, so IÔÇÖll be going now. It has been very nice to meet you - you're quite bright. For an ant!ÔÇÖ He twinkled.
ÔÇÿJust one final, trivial question, why do you appear to me in the form of a thirty something white male?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿhave I in any way intimidated or threatened you?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿNoÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿDo you find me sexually attractive?ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿer No!ÔÇÖ
ÔÇÿSo figure it out for yourselfÔǪÔÇÖ
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