"My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is, and why it exists at all." - Stephen Hawking
Stephen proved that the universe began with a singularity- a point of infinite density which by its own nature negates the laws of physics. That's scary stuff for a physicist, especially one that's trying to understand everything. With all the laws he's studied, Stephen is faced with lawlessness. He is a lawyer giving a guided tour of the amazon to caffeinated kindergartners. So Stephen gave up? He packed his bags and traveled the world in search for the perfect enchilada? No he needed to know everything, so he proved himself wrong. That's dedication. It turns out singularities can't exist because of quantum uncertainty- nothing can be located in a precise point in space or time. Everything has a blurry outline. That's something I've always known.
Where does this all end up? With you. Stephen says the past does not determine the present. He says, there is no one present, therefor there is no one beginning. There are infinite histories.
Yesterday my sister met a family she never knew. The mother that birthed her. Her sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmother. She saw their home, she heard their stories. They could have been her. She could have been them. Two possibilities, two presents, two lives to look back on. Two histories leading to two different conclusions. How did they begin? In one way, in two ways? How many beginnings does my sister have?
So, this is Lisa and I'm amazed at the connections your mind makes, Ethan. Thanks for an intriguing and thought provoking way of thinking about all of this. Also, for those reading our family journal here, let me say that it's really the morning here!
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