Synchronicity Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 'Eternal return' is one name for the theory that the universe has existed many times before: it ends in a Big Crunch, or Big Rip, or Big Freeze, and then there's a Big Bounce and the Big Bang happens again and everything restarts, ad infinitum. Frankly, the idea terrifies me and I worry about it a lot: I wouldn't want to live this life again, let alone any others, if reincarnation is real (and I'd like to think it is but, despite being Buddhist, I'm not certain). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_return The theory has probably come about because people can't conceive of a time when the universe didn't exist, so prefer to think of it as cycling indefinitely. But I hate the idea. ☹️ I'd love to hear others' interpretations of this, to set my mind at rest. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Invisible Pumpkin Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 Not to say reincarnation is real, but let's suppose it is. How would you or we know that we weren't here already (and had a good time, or not). As I don't remember any other life before this one, this one is the one that matters to me, however, sometimes I think I have changed so much with time that maybe it can count as a "new me", but that's more of an emotional thing than something else. Not to say the theory is real, but what if it was? It wouldn't change anything, would it? I mean, let's suppose it is real, do we remember a previous universe? I don't. I'm guessing we all can rest despite not knowing if it's truth or not. Doesn't change the present, won't change the future, and won't create another universe, or... eh... Could it? Can we? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
illumi Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 i dont care and it doesnt matter at all what if the theory is true or its false? at the end of the day does it personally affect your life? i bet not. then why care? youll only worry yourself more by thinking such pointless things Quote Link to post Share on other sites
everywhere and nowhere Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 The idea of the Universe ceasing to exist terrifies me much more. Fortunately, I do believe in forces beyond the material, so even then we will continue existing as droplets in the Ocean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Snowfall Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 I mean, the theory's technically possible, but so are a lot of things. Yeah, that does sound kind of bad, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. You might want to look into some stuff about physics and how the universe is predicted to continue. For my fellow massive nerds out there, can I recommend PBS Spacetime on YouTube? They give really good information, and they cover all kinds of things like General Relativity as well as the end of the universe that you're talking about. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lilibulero Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 9 hours ago, sevan said: i dont care and it doesnt matter at all what if the theory is true or its false? at the end of the day does it personally affect your life? i bet not. then why care? youll only worry yourself more by thinking such pointless things That's what Buddha said about gods. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Howard Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 I heard when the Buddha was asked too many questions about reincarnation, he would tell his disciple to concentrate on meditation. Regardless wether there is an afterlife or not, our present moment is better spent focusing on what we're doing right now than pondering too much on what comes after death. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synchronicity Posted August 14, 2022 Author Share Posted August 14, 2022 On 8/12/2022 at 2:07 PM, Queen Snowfall said: I mean, the theory's technically possible, but so are a lot of things. Yeah, that does sound kind of bad, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. You're right, it's pointless worrying about it – but I know about it, and it scares me. This life has been horrible and I don't want to live it again, ever (also, I keep getting déjà vu). I suppose I just want to know that this is the first time the universe has existed. All of the evidence suggests that it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coolshades Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 On 8/12/2022 at 1:28 AM, Synchronicity said: The theory has probably come about because people can't conceive of a time when the universe didn't exist, so prefer to think of it as cycling indefinitely. But I hate the idea. ☹️ I'd love to hear others' interpretations of this, to set my mind at rest. But it still had to start at some point. There had to be a first Universe that got everything started. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synchronicity Posted August 14, 2022 Author Share Posted August 14, 2022 18 hours ago, coolshades said: But it still had to start at some point. There had to be a first Universe that got everything started. Exactly! But some people think the universe has always existed and just keeps cycling. I thought of this theory myself and then found out it was acually a 'thing'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alaska Native Manitou Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 (edited) Not all physicists agree. I recommend reading The Big Bang Never Happened by Eric J. Lerner. In short, the Big bang theory was created by Georges Lemaître, a priest trying to make biblical creation sound scientific. Unfortunately he succeeded, & now scientists who can't overcome their preconceptions are stuck patching the holes with deus ex machina concepts such as "dark matter" & "dark energy." Drowned out are the voices of physicists who believe that the universe is essentially stable, without a beginning or end. Edited August 15, 2022 by 2SpiritCherokee Princess Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coolshades Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 19 minutes ago, 2SpiritCherokee Princess said: In short, the Big bang theory was created by Georges Lemaître, a priest trying to make biblical creation sound scientific. I didn't know about this, but it makes so much sense. I've always told people that to me the Big Bang could have been what occurred when God said "Let there be light," so it's not incompatible with creationism. I assume Lemaître said the same? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Epitaph Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 I think over the last few decades or so it's been a growing thought among scientific circles that we do more or less exist in a state of eternal return. That even after our universe "dies," it will one day reform. Our universe being the product of a previous universe's demise. However, I don't think that all matter would exist in a state of replay. Events wouldn't just repeat themselves infinitely like exact copies. I think it's fair to say there won't be another you and me having this same conversation in the next universe after ours. If matter were to theoretically exist on exact repeat, then it would rasise some very tough questions, such as why a universe would exist in a timeloop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Jade Cross Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 18 hours ago, 2SpiritCherokee Princess said: Not all physicists agree. I recommend reading The Big Bang Never Happened by Eric J. Lerner. In short, the Big bang theory was created by Georges Lemaître, a priest trying to make biblical creation sound scientific. Unfortunately he succeeded, & now scientists who can't overcome their preconceptions are stuck patching the holes with deus ex machina concepts such as "dark matter" & "dark energy." Drowned out are the voices of physicists who believe that the universe is essentially stable, without a beginning or end. 18 hours ago, coolshades said: I didn't know about this, but it makes so much sense. I've always told people that to me the Big Bang could have been what occurred when God said "Let there be light," so it's not incompatible with creationism. I assume Lemaître said the same? I cant remember the country (I think Rusia or China?) that had created an undeground supermagnet which was used to repeatedly compress atoms until it got a reaction and they found that when pressure was applied, you can actually create a new particle out of it, which for irony or convenience, was named the "god particle". Now if that were true, it would essentially explain that in a state of absolute nothingness, there was a concentrated enough amount of atoms which then gave way to god particles which eventially mutated to form what we are now Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.