The Last Question - Isaac Asimov
SYNOPSIS
Dos técnicos del Multivac semiborrachos en medio de una disertación y apuesta hacen por primera vez la pregunta de si la entropía puede ser reversada.
Una familia yendo al planeta X-23 genera de nuevo la pregunta al Microvac de su nave.
Dos seres debatiendo los datos a poner en un informe para el Concilio Galáctico generan de nuevo la pregunta al Galactic AC.
Dos conciencias charlando averiguan cuál fue la galaxia y estrella originales del hombre, obtienen respuesta, también vuelven a generar la última pregunta al Universal AC.
Hombre (la superconciencia fusión de toda la humanidad) reflexiona acerca del presente y futuro estados de la humanidad y universo mismos, además hace la última pregunta, y adicionalmente pregunta si algún día se podrá responder, cuándo habrá suficiente información y si seguirá trabajando en ello, al Cosmic AC.
Al final del universo y los tiempos AC sólo existe para responder la última pregunta, y lo logra; al final da su respuesta compilada.
QUOTES
Lupov cocked his head sideways. He had a trick of doing that when he wanted to be contrary…
but then what?
You’re weak on logic, that’s the trouble with you.
“Darn right they will,” muttered Lupov.
whatever that was
Entropy has to increase to maximum, that’s all.
“I know all about entropy,” said Adell, standing on his dignity.
“The hell you do.”
Will mankind one day without the net expenditure of energy be able to restore the sun to its full youthfulness even after it had died of old age?
How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?
INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER
of feeding on energies from the various Sub-galactic Power Stations
There was only one to a planet. Planetary ACs (automatic/analog computer) they were called.
“We’ll just have to build new stars out of interstellar gas.”. “Or out of dissipated heat?” asked MQ-17J, sarcastically. “There may be some way to reverse entropy. We ought to ask the Galactic AC.”
He stared somberly at his small AC-contact. It was only two inches cubed and nothing in itself, but it was connected through hyperspace with the great Galactic AC that served all mankind. Hyperspace considered, it was an integral part of the Galactic AC.
It was on a little world of its own, a spider webbing of force-beams holding the matter within which surges of submesons took place of the old clumsy molecular valves.
More and more, the real essence of men was to be found out here, in space.
Zee Prime’s perceptions broadened until the Galaxies themselves shrunk and became a new, more diffuse powdering on a much larger background. So many hundreds of billions of them, all with their immortal beings, all carrying their load of intelligences with minds that drifted freely through space. And yet one of them was unique among them all in being the originals Galaxy. One of them had, in its vague and distant past, a period when it was the only Galaxy populated by man.
Man considered with himself, for in a way, Man, mentally, was one. He consisted of a trillion, trillion, trillion ageless bodies, each in its place, each resting quiet and incorruptible, each cared for by perfect automatons, equally incorruptible, while the minds of all the bodies freely melted one into the other, indistinguishable.
Man said, “The Universe is dying.”
One by one Man fused with AC, each physical body losing its mental identity in a manner that was somehow not a loss but a gain.
TERMS
bet, Multivac, weariness, stirred, clumsily, cocked, muttered, insideoutness, giggles, ac, tousling, uplifted, shrilled, howl, frighten, shrug, shook, stir, seamy, pours, stave, ought, clumsy, faint, mighty, throng, roused, reverie, wispy, tendrils, broadened, aloof, stifled.