“The Event Horizon of Life” You can’t teleport a soul.

Explores how a Sci-fi topic and provide insight to what life is.

 

“The Event Horizon of Life” You can’t teleport a soul.

 

Doctor Robertson nursed his beer nervously waiting for Father Walters to arrive.  The airport tavern would be an unusual experience for both yet it provided a plausible meeting place.  Both never ventured into public places much, let alone a tavern.  Robertson suggested the tavern as he needed to take a course of action that if caught would ruin his career and possibly his life. The excuse of waiting for an arriving family member would easily be accepted. Robertson was unsure of the priest’s personal risks.  In life there are times that warrant taking extreme chances.  This was one of those potential moments in the history of man were much could change.  There are times that personal risks must be taken.  This for Robertson was one of them.

 

As a lifelong researcher Robertson never took physical risks having led the solidary life of the foremost theorist on algorithms and technology of matter teleporter physics.  The business consortium that funded his research was content to allow him to lead his life as he desired as long as results were achieved. Minds like Robertson’s had made the consortium the reigning economic power of the time.  

 

The scientific minds such as these throughout history never contemplated the questions of the common man.  The world they saw was made up of equations and physical principles.  The minds of the consortium focused on political power and the economic sway held over others.  The everyday common man either did not exist or were thought of as consumers only.

 

Robertson hoped Father Walters and the Church he represented was of a mind that would provide him sanctuary.  Now he was very much aware of the basic thoughts of the common man. 

 

One hundred years ago a business consortium in the early 22^nd century secured a firm hold on matter teleportation technology.  In the past instantaneous material transportation only had been in the realm of science fiction. With key fundamental research breakthroughs, teleportation proved possible.  Venture capitalists made a concerted effort to legally secure ownership of all rights for this newest technology.  Funding was made available and those pioneering minds like Robertson’s were highly sought after.

 

The investment proved very profitable.

 

The early use of matter teleporters revolutionized much of the world’s economy.  Now in the 23^rd century, physical goods could be easily transported and made available to all in the world.  As with other technology in time the machinery of teleporters became more efficient.  Older methods of shipping goods diminished over time.  The world of man had been largely transformed. 

 

Despite the technological improvements made the ability to transport living matter proved to be the new Holy Grail. 

 

With the current state of technology only inorganic materials can be reliability transported. The consortium invested heavily into the goal of teleporting living beings ever seeking to expand its economic power.   

 

The planned development of the next generation of teleporters would be to first solve the problems of transporting agriculture grains.  While plastics, metals and other inorganic based items can be transported, currently the only organic based materials based on rigid cellulose structures such as wooden furniture could be scanned, transported and replicated.  Basic food grains quickly lost their molecular integrity upon replication and could only feasibility be used as low quality feedstock.

 

Once technology advanced to the stage of teleporting basic viable organic matter the consortium planners assumed that the subsequent improvements to allow the transport of fully living beings would soon follow.

 

This planned development was to be their next guarantee of their hold on power for generations to come.

 

There was no other mind on the planet like Robertson’s when it came to Teleporter physics.  Throughout man’s time on earth breakthrough persons have been rare.  The consortium needed minds like this.

 

Some minds can perceive a solution to a problem before fully putting into words the nature of the problem.  It was as though they moved through the world being open to the working nuances without the need for words.  Their minds operated much differently than others.  Perhaps this is why they did not necessarily engage with the common man on a day to day basis.

 

The danger to such a mind is that if they are engaged in an endeavor whose solution is beyond resolution they may well suffer a personal crisis.  Extreme reclusiveness or even insanity is how they would spend their final days. Robertson had faced such a crisis yet arrived at an unexpected articulated resolution.  Hence the danger once that resolution is made known.  The consortium had invested heavily into the pure research needed and they expected results.

 

Robertson had been rehearsing in his mind what he would say to Father Walters.  The meeting was arranged by a local priest who befriended Robertson.  During the last year as the resolution to the consortium’s  goal eluded him Robertson had taken to solidary walks.  In time his path lead to a small church and over the ensuring months the priest and Robertson struck up a friendship.

 

Never before had Robertson had a relationship with someone that was interested in him as a person, not in his research or the profits that could be made from his gifts.  It was during their conversations that Robertson came to truly understand why the Teleporter development goal he was after was unattainable.

 

The true goal of science is to discover truth.  Through observation, questions are resolved and understanding is obtained.  Yes these truths can be used for other purposes, but pure science seeks to understand the truth of the universe regardless of the implications or applications.

 

In this search there is a fundamental premise that is often adhered to, “Occam’s Razor”.  As stated in common terms, “the simplest answer is usually the most correct”.   Robertson had arrived at just such a statement, but he knew that the consortium oversight board would not accept such a simple result to their large investment.

 

The local priest with whom Robertson was a confidant had a working knowledge of the basic sciences.  As their conversations delved deeper and deeper into the nuances of Robertson’s growing understanding of his current research, the priest and the church had a possible solution for Robertson’s dilemma.    

 

The conversations aided Robertson in how he would explain to Father Waters the results of his research.  In turn he hoped the magnitude of the implications of his revelation would buy him passage out of the risk Robertson now felt himself trapped by.

 

Father Waters, one of the Vatican’s lead research scientists, was anticipating his meeting with one of the world’s leading minds.  Robertson was surprised to learn that the Church allowed scientists in their ranks.  His new friend often spoke that the Church was always open to the truth.  In the most recent centuries the Church knew that to understand the Universe was the only way to help the Church’s members to retain a sense of faith, a sense of understanding.  While Robertson had up to this point never expended energy on this realm of thought he now welcomed the potential collaboration.

 

Robertson had ample experience conveying his insights into basic terms for others to understand.  Over the last 50 years Teleporter technology improved greatly due to Robertson’s leading research that others would put into action. This approach would serve him well now.   Robertson knew that he had no more than a few moments for this Church’s emissary to make a major life altering decision. 

 

 

 

 

 

Robertson would lay out these basic statements.

 

·         It is impossible to transport living matter, let alone an entire living being. 

·         The cellular complexity is of no consequence.  Even the simplest of viruses, the most basic forms of life, cannot be scanned and viably reconstituted.

·         Teleporter technology can fully scan and replicate all physical matter, down to the most elemental physical sub-atomic component.  Even down to the same quantum state of all particles.

·         By deduction living matter cannot be scanned and replicated as can physical matter because that living component is not physical in nature.

·         The physical elemental structure of living matter can be scanned and replicated yet that component that makes the matter actually alive is not physical and cannot therefore be scanned.

 

If such technology was even conceivable the science of the approach one would need to take to accomplish this is a complete unknown to the world of physics as understood or even as speculated to as of today.

 

Looking up, Robertson noticed an out of place gentlemen stop at the entrance of the tavern.  Their eyes met and they knew they had met their appointed contacts.  They spoke for upwards of 2 hours.  Father Walters return flight was scheduled to leave soon thereafter.

 

Father Walters finally relaxed into his seat once the plane was well over the Atlantic and heading back to Vatican City.  He looked over at his newest travel companion dosing comfortably and reflected on their conversation no less than 3 hours earlier.  The first leg of this newest adventure had been completed.

 

Walters had dedicated his research career to the study of sciences and how the tenants of his faith could be reconciled to the revealed truths of pure science.  In any endeavor of research the work of one is based on the work another.  Walters’s work was about to take new turn, one that would have profound consequences.

 

Now gazing out the window of the plane Walters’s thoughts drifted to an early story of the bible �" the Tower of Babel.  Often Walters found that the messages of the bible spoke to the affairs of the modern world.

 

Early man had falsely believed they could be as strong as God and sought to build a tower reaching Heaven to be equal to God.  God, to dissuade man from such an endeavor, caused them to all speak different languages, hence preventing them from completing the tower.

 

Throughout history man has never truly understood the physical world and how this notion of God and the living spirit works in the world.

 

Walters dedicated his life to the contemplation of the mystery of science and the nature of God.  In measure, Walters and Robertson’s minds were more alike than not.  The Church was fearful that continued technological development would further separate man from his faith. Father Walters took comfort that man’s unknowing attempt at tower building was once again laid low. 

 

Some things contemplated by man are simply put, just not possible.

 

These are the events that led up to the collaboration of the minds of Doctor Robertson and Father Walters.

 

Throughout history the Church has published various papers of understanding.  Interpretations of science and faith meant to assist man in his search for their own understanding of those core questions of man’s existence.  These papers never referenced the individuals engaged in their creation.  The minds like Father Walters and Doctor Robertson’s were motivated by a fundamental desire to understand.

 

The observations made were in search of the questions asked by all.  Minds such as these do not seek the adoration of others.  Profit and economic control is not the objective.    Interestingly, “Occam's Razor”, which serves well for the statement of Science principles, serves statements of understanding in matters of faith as well.

 

The Church’s most recent release titled “The Event Horizon of Life” is based on the work of many including the work of Doctor Robertson and unknowingly funded by those profit driven minds of the business consortium.

 

This most recent issuance by the Church had the potential to change history not unlike those 95 theses by Martin Luther which was the foundation for the great reformation of the 19^th century.

 

For the reader here are those basic statements from this most recent Church publication that addresses the question “What is life?”

 

·         Life is a force of nature, just like any other force in the Universe. 

·         It manifests in the physical world when physical conditions are suitable.

·         As with other forces we can observe its nature under the expression of those physical laws in play in the current conditions in the Universe and specifically our world.

·         For us, in our known environment, this expression is through organic molecules. 

·         Once this “Event Horizon of Life” is expressed this force impacts the interplay of those molecules.

·         The expression of this force is what we observe as Life in all beings great and small.

·         In other environments the expression of this force may well vary.

·         While we cannot measure this force through any know technology we can observe its action in our world.

 

From these basic statements a new foundation for the expression of man’s faith has been set which is beyond the intent of this tale.  Suffice it to say the sanctity of the individual has become paramount, the common man as has all living beings are no longer viewed as mere consumers or chattel.

 

In time the power of the business consortium diminished as society and the economies of the world matured and evolved.  The ability to teleport materials became a government controlled monopoly just as the early 20^th century electrical companies.

 

As man’s society has evolved so too has his understanding.  In time all truths will be known and understood, life continues to evolve and hopefully so too does our understanding of all things.

 

Man’s physical tower building has limits. Understanding though continues to ascend.