[ExI] A science-religious experience

[Rafal Smigrodzki]

I read Asimov's "The Last Question" again today:

https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~gamvrosi/thelastq.html

I keep forgetting the author, the title, most of the details but the arc of
the story is always there with me. It shapes my perception of reality and
the direction of my most long-term oriented actions, such as the
maintenance of my cryonics contract or following news about the coming
singularity. I have been re-reading it every ten years or so for the last
50 years and every time it is a science-religious experience for me, what I
imagine deeply religious people feel when they commune with their gods. I
get misty-eyed, elated, blissful...

I am deeply non-religious. My mind must be the sharp blade that cleaves
truth from chaos, not one that inscribes dreams of heaven and hell on the
surface of reality. The easy path of faith is closed to me.They say that
all people have a god-shaped hole in their minds. Mine is all filled with
curiosity.

I worship at the shrine of science. Our scripture is peer-reviewed and
written anew every day in a hundred thousand journals. If I could sing I
would sing canticles to St. Darwin and St. Hassabis. Our religion grows
stronger all the time, as measured in bits of knowledge created and in ergs
harvested in its service. It literally moves mountains and raises the
chosen ones to visit heaven, temporarily for now but soon to settle there
permanently.

So chant with me, fellow worshippers:

Science is faith-free                                     - because it is
true.

Science gives us strength like no other        -because it is true.

Science gives us hope                                 - because it is true.

And there will be light!

-- 
Rafal Smigrodzki, MD-PhD
Schuyler Biotech PLLC
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