From: Grand Strategy Group/Cosmology/Wild Ideas
To: GSG/Cosmology/File
Drake's Problem and the Symphony
For some time, this issue has worried the cosmology group. The human
astronomer Drake's calculations seem perfectly sound; barring
intervention, the universe observable from Earth should contain many
planets capable of bearing intelligent life, but while the Symphony
clearly could contain such, it doesn't appear to. A wide range of
Word-bounds report that they are aware of human activity in Earth orbit
and on Luna, but never notice anything indicating life from other star
systems.
The worst-case idea, as ever, is that they're out there but Lucifer is
concealing them from us in some way. This doesn't seem very plausible.
The middle case remains the concept that the creation of life was
deliberately limited to Earth. Eli is not usually available for
questioning, and our recommendations that any angel encountering him ask
this question have not been acted on.
A new best case has been under discussion in the Wild Ideas group for some
time; it seems worth proffering it for wider consideration.
Consider the idea that there is more than one Symphony. Words are a part
of the Symphony, so if there were a separate Symphony for each world with
intelligent life, Word-bounds of Earth's Symphony would not detect
activity on other worlds.
If we set aside heretical ideas on the relationship of the Jungian
collective unconscious and the Symphony, there are still a number of
precedents:
* The worryingly prophetic ideas of the human writer Stapledon, c.1935CE.
He left for the Higher Heavens before anyone could ask him detailed
questions. Star Maker and Nebula Maker are the most relevant texts.
* The concept of parallel worlds, widely speculated on by humans, and
highly relevant to quantum theories. These are, naturally, encountered
in the Ethereal plane, but there have been reported encounters with
genuine celestials that were either from parallel worlds, or had been
faked by a Superior.
If there are multiple Symphonies, one might expect than to be linked to
the Higher Heavens, possibly at levels above that reached by Jacob's
ladder. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, one might expect the
basic nature of other Symphonies to be similar to our own. Superiors from
this Symphony, since they can enter and leave the Higher Heavens, might be
able to travel to other Symphonies. They would presumably not hold Words
there, and might generate Word-conflict. Such speculations, however, beg
some very large questions.
* Did other Symphonies have Falls?
* We presume that God encompasses all Symphonies; how about Lucifer?
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