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The Last Question
¿Es posible revertir el inevitable final del Universo, o el mundo debe acabar de todas formas? es la pregunta que desde un día del siglo XXI, hasta generaciones y generaciones posteriores en el tiempo, hacen los humanos a los ordenadores.
En un relato aparentemente sencillo sobre un asunto sobrecogedor, el fin de los días, Asimov demuestra, una vez más, una mente preclara y una mano maestra para sobrecoger al lector y dejarlo en vilo, incluso después de la lectura.
En un relato aparentemente sencillo sobre un asunto sobrecogedor, el fin de los días, Asimov demuestra, una vez más, una mente preclara y una mano maestra para sobrecoger al lector y dejarlo en vilo, incluso después de la lectura.
9 pages, Audio CD
First published November 1, 1956
About the author
Isaac Asimov
3,955 books23.5k followersIsaac Asimov was a Russian-born, American author, a professor of biochemistry, and a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books.
Professor Asimov is generally considered one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. He has works published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (lacking only an entry in the 100s category of Philosophy).
Asimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, was considered one of the "Big Three" science-fiction writers during his lifetime. Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation Series; his other major series are the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series, both of which he later tied into the same fictional universe as the Foundation Series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those pioneered by Robert A. Heinlein and previously produced by Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson. He penned numerous short stories, among them "Nightfall", which in 1964 was voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America the best short science fiction story of all time, a title many still honor. He also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as a great amount of nonfiction. Asimov wrote the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.
Most of Asimov's popularized science books explain scientific concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage. He often provides nationalities, birth dates, and death dates for the scientists he mentions, as well as etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Examples include his Guide to Science, the three volume set Understanding Physics, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery.
Asimov was a long-time member and Vice President of Mensa International, albeit reluctantly; he described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs" He took more joy in being president of the American Humanist Association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, a Brooklyn, NY elementary school, and two different Isaac Asimov Awards are named in his honor.
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Isaac Asimov. (2007, November 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:50, November 29, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Professor Asimov is generally considered one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. He has works published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (lacking only an entry in the 100s category of Philosophy).
Asimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, was considered one of the "Big Three" science-fiction writers during his lifetime. Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation Series; his other major series are the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series, both of which he later tied into the same fictional universe as the Foundation Series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those pioneered by Robert A. Heinlein and previously produced by Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson. He penned numerous short stories, among them "Nightfall", which in 1964 was voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America the best short science fiction story of all time, a title many still honor. He also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as a great amount of nonfiction. Asimov wrote the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.
Most of Asimov's popularized science books explain scientific concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage. He often provides nationalities, birth dates, and death dates for the scientists he mentions, as well as etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Examples include his Guide to Science, the three volume set Understanding Physics, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery.
Asimov was a long-time member and Vice President of Mensa International, albeit reluctantly; he described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs" He took more joy in being president of the American Humanist Association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, a Brooklyn, NY elementary school, and two different Isaac Asimov Awards are named in his honor.
----------------------------------------
Isaac Asimov. (2007, November 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:50, November 29, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,775 reviews
March 17, 2013
What's the point in giving you a summery for a 4,000-word short story? So here's what I'll do instead: I'll give you a lesson in physics. Sound good? Cool. Ever hear of the second law of thermodynamics? Yes? But you have no clue what it means? Okay, well we can work with that. Here's what Wikipedia has on the subject:
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system never decreases, because isolated systems spontaneously evolve towards thermodynamic equilibrium—the state of maximum entropy.
Pretty simple, right? What do you mean you don't understand entropy? Of course you understand entropy, I assure you. Every time you see a sand castle crumble away in the wind, every time your car breaks down on the road, every time somebody you know dies and is gone forever... you are seeing entropy in motion. Entropy is the measure of disorder in a system... a measure of chaos. The second law of thermodynamics tells us that entropy in a closed system, be it your sand castle, car, or life... never decreases, it will only ever increase to maximum.
But here's the thing, it's not really a law by any means. Nothing in all of actual physics states that this must be, physics actually says it's perfectly possible for random sand molecules to be blown in a way where they land and form a perfect sandcastle (instead of making one crumble away). So why not? Why don't we see things like this happen? Statistics. Yes, the second law of thermodynamics is actually a statistical principle; entropy could indeed decrease in a system (any system like this would be considered a perpetual motion machine), but it's just not statistically likely.
Meaning a sand castle could coincidently form by the winds blowing dust randomly..., but it won't. It won't because the statistical likelihood of the wind and molecules to just happen to be in the right position and velocity for this sand castle to just appear is so slim, I do not have enough memory in my computer to type out all the zeros I need to put behind the odds of it happening (1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,...).
This statistical principle is so powerful and universal, we call it a law. It explains a lot of things in our universe. Before we knew about the second law of thermodynamics, it used to bother physicist that we could move in any direction in space (up, down, forward, backward) but we could only move in one direction in time. Space and time being so closely linked, why was it we could only move forward in time? It’s because entropy always increases that we move forward in time (and never back in time), in a way time is just a measure of increasing entropy. We only go from one moment to another as entropy increases.
Ahhh, I see what you are thinking. Yes, our universe is a closed system, and yes that does mean it will die, . You think it's a little sad that in the end chaos will always win? I don't think so, after all life is beautiful don't you think? Life is amazing in that it can bring a little bit of order in this chaotic world, but funny enough, without entropy there would be no life. So I don't think it's sad, it's just the natural state of affairs that we will grow old, live our lives fighting entropy, and we will die. it's really quite beautiful.
If you want to read a book that asks the questions: what if we could defeat entropy? What if we could win? What would happen? Read this book.
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system never decreases, because isolated systems spontaneously evolve towards thermodynamic equilibrium—the state of maximum entropy.
Pretty simple, right? What do you mean you don't understand entropy? Of course you understand entropy, I assure you. Every time you see a sand castle crumble away in the wind, every time your car breaks down on the road, every time somebody you know dies and is gone forever... you are seeing entropy in motion. Entropy is the measure of disorder in a system... a measure of chaos. The second law of thermodynamics tells us that entropy in a closed system, be it your sand castle, car, or life... never decreases, it will only ever increase to maximum.
But here's the thing, it's not really a law by any means. Nothing in all of actual physics states that this must be, physics actually says it's perfectly possible for random sand molecules to be blown in a way where they land and form a perfect sandcastle (instead of making one crumble away). So why not? Why don't we see things like this happen? Statistics. Yes, the second law of thermodynamics is actually a statistical principle; entropy could indeed decrease in a system (any system like this would be considered a perpetual motion machine), but it's just not statistically likely.
Meaning a sand castle could coincidently form by the winds blowing dust randomly..., but it won't. It won't because the statistical likelihood of the wind and molecules to just happen to be in the right position and velocity for this sand castle to just appear is so slim, I do not have enough memory in my computer to type out all the zeros I need to put behind the odds of it happening (1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,...).
This statistical principle is so powerful and universal, we call it a law. It explains a lot of things in our universe. Before we knew about the second law of thermodynamics, it used to bother physicist that we could move in any direction in space (up, down, forward, backward) but we could only move in one direction in time. Space and time being so closely linked, why was it we could only move forward in time? It’s because entropy always increases that we move forward in time (and never back in time), in a way time is just a measure of increasing entropy. We only go from one moment to another as entropy increases.
Ahhh, I see what you are thinking. Yes, our universe is a closed system, and yes that does mean it will die, . You think it's a little sad that in the end chaos will always win? I don't think so, after all life is beautiful don't you think? Life is amazing in that it can bring a little bit of order in this chaotic world, but funny enough, without entropy there would be no life. So I don't think it's sad, it's just the natural state of affairs that we will grow old, live our lives fighting entropy, and we will die. it's really quite beautiful.
If you want to read a book that asks the questions: what if we could defeat entropy? What if we could win? What would happen? Read this book.
July 4, 2022
This is certainly classic science fiction. A cosmic question that might not be ever solved. It’s even grander than the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, to which we know the answer (42!) but not the question itself.
Here we know the question - can the entropy leading to eventual, billions-of-years-in-the-future end of the Universe be reversed? Can the supercomputer answer that?
"THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."
I can’t say my little human mind that has a lifespan dwarfed by that of a mayfly on a galactic scale can really feel the existential anguish of the thought that countless billions of years from now the Universe may just cease. There are certain matters that lack relevance due to their sheer cosmic enormousness.
But still, the answer in this one is lovely, and exactly what I thought it would be.
The story is here: http://youcanscience.com/wp-content/u...
Classic.
——————
Recommended by: Peter
Here we know the question - can the entropy leading to eventual, billions-of-years-in-the-future end of the Universe be reversed? Can the supercomputer answer that?
"THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."
I can’t say my little human mind that has a lifespan dwarfed by that of a mayfly on a galactic scale can really feel the existential anguish of the thought that countless billions of years from now the Universe may just cease. There are certain matters that lack relevance due to their sheer cosmic enormousness.
But still, the answer in this one is lovely, and exactly what I thought it would be.
The story is here: http://youcanscience.com/wp-content/u...
Classic.
——————
Recommended by: Peter
September 6, 2020
The Last Question (When the World Ends), Isaac Asimov
A science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov.
The story deals with the development of a series of computers called Multivac and their relationships with humanity through the courses of seven historic settings, beginning in 2061.
In each of the first six scenes a different character presents the computer with the same question; namely, how the threat to human existence posed by the heat death of the universe can be averted.
The question was: "How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?"
This is equivalent to asking: "Can the workings of the second law of thermodynamics (used in the story as the increase of the entropy of the universe) be reversed?"
Multivac's only response after much "thinking" is: "INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER." ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم ماه دسامبر سال 2008میلادی
داستان کوتاه «آخرین سئوال» پیشتر در مجموعه ی داستانهای کوتاه «آسیموف» چاپ شده است، و جناب آقای: «حسین شهرابی» هم، ترجمه این داستان را در سال 1385هجری خورشیدی و در آکادمی فانتزی، و در آدرس زیر برای خوانشگران
http://www.fantasy.ir/news/story/the-...
آراسته است
نمونه متن: «الکساندر آدِل و برترام لوپوف، دو تا از مهندسان کشیکِ ساعی و وفادارِ «مولتیواک» بودند؛ آن دو هم همان اندازه خبر داشتند پشت چهره ی چشمکزن و سرد و پرسروصدای آن کامپیوتر غولآسا، که اندازه اش چندکیلومتری میشد، چه میگذرد، که بقیه ی انسانهای عادی؛ هر چند که دستکم آنها تصوری مبهم از طرح کلّیِ آن رله ها و مدارها داشتند، که مدتها بود دیگر هیچ بنی بشری به تنهایی از کل آن سر درنمیآورد؛ مدتی میشد که کار مولتیواک به شیوه ی تنظیم و تصحیح خودکار بود؛ در واقع، میبایست همین طور هم میبود؛ چرا که انسان دیگر نه از پس آن برمیآمد با سرعت لازم کامپیوتر را تصحیح و تنظیم کند، و نه حتا کار را با دقت لازم انجام بدهد؛ به همین دلیل، آدل و لوپوف به این غول عظیم الجثه فقط کمکهای سطحی و دم دستی میرساندند؛ یعنی کاری را میکردند که هر انسان دیگری هم از پسش برمیآمد: اطلاعات را به کامپیوتر میدادند، سئوالات را متناسب با مقتضیاتِ کامپیوتر تنظیم میکردند، جوابهایی را هم که کامپیوتر میداد ترجمه میکردند؛ با وجود این، مطمئناً این دو و بقیه ی افرادی که مثل این دو بودند، مستحق فخر و شکوهی بودند که در اصل از آن مولتیواک بود؛ چندین دهه میشد که مولتیواک در طراحیِ فضاناوها و تعیینِ مسیرِ موشکها کمک کرده بود و انسان را یاری رسانده بود تا به ماه و مریخ و ناهید دست یابد، اما از این که گذشت، منابع ناچیز زمین دیگر فایده ای برای ناوها نداشت؛ چنین سفرهای طولانیمدتی نیاز به صرفِ انرژیِ بسیار داشت؛ زمین زودتر از این، زغالسنگ و اورانیومش را با بازده بالا استخراج کرده بود و دیگر چیزی از آن نمانده بود؛ اما اندک اندک مولتیواک آموخت تا به سئوالات بغرنجتر پاسخهای اساسیتر بدهد؛ روز 14، ماه مه سال 2061میلادی بود که نظریه، بدل به حقیقت گشت؛ در آن تاریخ، انرژی خورشید را ذخیره، و تبدیل به دیگر انواع انرژی کردند، و مستقیماً در تمام سیاره از آن بهره گرفتند؛ همه ی زمینیها، زغالهایی را که میسوخت، و اورانیومهایی را که دچار شکافت هسته ای میشد، خاموش کردند، و کلیدی را زدند که همه چیز را به ایستگاهی کوچک، با قطر یکیدو کیلومتر، متصل میکرد، و ایستگاه هم در فاصله ی نصف ماه تا زمین دور زمین میچرخید؛ دیگر در زمین همه چیز را پرتوهای نامریی آفتاب راه میانداخت؛ گذشتِ هفت روز آنقدر کفایت نکرده بود که شکوهِ این واقعه را زایل کند و آدل و لوپو�� سرآخر تصمیم گرفتند تا از مردم کناره بگیرند و جایی همدیگر را ببینند که عقل هیچ کسی قد ندهد، تا آنجا دنبالشان بگردد؛ یعنی در اتاقکهای متروک زیرِ زمین، که بخشهایی از بدنه ی مدفون و مقتدرِ مولتیواک خود را مینمایاند؛ مولتیواک هم که بدون مراقبت و در حال سکون، دادهها را با تِکتِکی رخوتآور منظم میکرد، داشت از تعطیلاتش استفاده میکرد، و این دو پسر هم قدردانِ این قضیه بودند؛ و البته در ابتدا هیچ منظور اذیت کردن آن را نداشتند.»؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
A science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov.
The story deals with the development of a series of computers called Multivac and their relationships with humanity through the courses of seven historic settings, beginning in 2061.
In each of the first six scenes a different character presents the computer with the same question; namely, how the threat to human existence posed by the heat death of the universe can be averted.
The question was: "How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?"
This is equivalent to asking: "Can the workings of the second law of thermodynamics (used in the story as the increase of the entropy of the universe) be reversed?"
Multivac's only response after much "thinking" is: "INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER." ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم ماه دسامبر سال 2008میلادی
داستان کوتاه «آخرین سئوال» پیشتر در مجموعه ی داستانهای کوتاه «آسیموف» چاپ شده است، و جناب آقای: «حسین شهرابی» هم، ترجمه این داستان را در سال 1385هجری خورشیدی و در آکادمی فانتزی، و در آدرس زیر برای خوانشگران
http://www.fantasy.ir/news/story/the-...
آراسته است
نمونه متن: «الکساندر آدِل و برترام لوپوف، دو تا از مهندسان کشیکِ ساعی و وفادارِ «مولتیواک» بودند؛ آن دو هم همان اندازه خبر داشتند پشت چهره ی چشمکزن و سرد و پرسروصدای آن کامپیوتر غولآسا، که اندازه اش چندکیلومتری میشد، چه میگذرد، که بقیه ی انسانهای عادی؛ هر چند که دستکم آنها تصوری مبهم از طرح کلّیِ آن رله ها و مدارها داشتند، که مدتها بود دیگر هیچ بنی بشری به تنهایی از کل آن سر درنمیآورد؛ مدتی میشد که کار مولتیواک به شیوه ی تنظیم و تصحیح خودکار بود؛ در واقع، میبایست همین طور هم میبود؛ چرا که انسان دیگر نه از پس آن برمیآمد با سرعت لازم کامپیوتر را تصحیح و تنظیم کند، و نه حتا کار را با دقت لازم انجام بدهد؛ به همین دلیل، آدل و لوپوف به این غول عظیم الجثه فقط کمکهای سطحی و دم دستی میرساندند؛ یعنی کاری را میکردند که هر انسان دیگری هم از پسش برمیآمد: اطلاعات را به کامپیوتر میدادند، سئوالات را متناسب با مقتضیاتِ کامپیوتر تنظیم میکردند، جوابهایی را هم که کامپیوتر میداد ترجمه میکردند؛ با وجود این، مطمئناً این دو و بقیه ی افرادی که مثل این دو بودند، مستحق فخر و شکوهی بودند که در اصل از آن مولتیواک بود؛ چندین دهه میشد که مولتیواک در طراحیِ فضاناوها و تعیینِ مسیرِ موشکها کمک کرده بود و انسان را یاری رسانده بود تا به ماه و مریخ و ناهید دست یابد، اما از این که گذشت، منابع ناچیز زمین دیگر فایده ای برای ناوها نداشت؛ چنین سفرهای طولانیمدتی نیاز به صرفِ انرژیِ بسیار داشت؛ زمین زودتر از این، زغالسنگ و اورانیومش را با بازده بالا استخراج کرده بود و دیگر چیزی از آن نمانده بود؛ اما اندک اندک مولتیواک آموخت تا به سئوالات بغرنجتر پاسخهای اساسیتر بدهد؛ روز 14، ماه مه سال 2061میلادی بود که نظریه، بدل به حقیقت گشت؛ در آن تاریخ، انرژی خورشید را ذخیره، و تبدیل به دیگر انواع انرژی کردند، و مستقیماً در تمام سیاره از آن بهره گرفتند؛ همه ی زمینیها، زغالهایی را که میسوخت، و اورانیومهایی را که دچار شکافت هسته ای میشد، خاموش کردند، و کلیدی را زدند که همه چیز را به ایستگاهی کوچک، با قطر یکیدو کیلومتر، متصل میکرد، و ایستگاه هم در فاصله ی نصف ماه تا زمین دور زمین میچرخید؛ دیگر در زمین همه چیز را پرتوهای نامریی آفتاب راه میانداخت؛ گذشتِ هفت روز آنقدر کفایت نکرده بود که شکوهِ این واقعه را زایل کند و آدل و لوپو�� سرآخر تصمیم گرفتند تا از مردم کناره بگیرند و جایی همدیگر را ببینند که عقل هیچ کسی قد ندهد، تا آنجا دنبالشان بگردد؛ یعنی در اتاقکهای متروک زیرِ زمین، که بخشهایی از بدنه ی مدفون و مقتدرِ مولتیواک خود را مینمایاند؛ مولتیواک هم که بدون مراقبت و در حال سکون، دادهها را با تِکتِکی رخوتآور منظم میکرد، داشت از تعطیلاتش استفاده میکرد، و این دو پسر هم قدردانِ این قضیه بودند؛ و البته در ابتدا هیچ منظور اذیت کردن آن را نداشتند.»؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
January 27, 2014
JUST GOOGLE IT AND READ IT!!! A very quick 15 minute read and easily one of the best sci-fi short stories I've ever read. Whatever their literary tastes, anyone is capable of thoroughly enjoying this great work by one of the greatest sci-fi authors of all time! The last two sentences will leave your mind more blown than
when you hear the wedding ring explanation for Inception’s ending! (Finally nailed it!)
October 15, 2022
“The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061”
Like a children’s picture book, this has six iterations of a scenario, repeated with small changes each time. Even the progression of the characters’ names tells a story: of humanity’s - and computers’ - development on earth and far beyond, over billions of years. There’s also something rather childlike about the successive generations of humans with their pedantic disputes and repeated questioning.
However, the ideas require a more adult mindset: mortality, immortality, predestination, extinction, eternity, faith (religion?) versus science, AI and beyond, finite fossil fuels, and infinite solar power.
Well, the last one isn’t quite infinite; it will last “Till the sun runs down”.
But what then - can entropy be reversed?
“INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER”
The ending is to die for, even though you’ll probably divine it before you read the last line.
Image: Stunning illustration for the story, by Fran Fdez (Source)
See also
• Read the story HERE. It’s about a dozen pages and was published in 1959.
• If you want to understand entropy more than is explained in the story, see Wikipedia HERE, or the simple English version, HERE. However, there’s no need to.
• Transhumanism is nothing to do with gender, and although Asimov doesn’t use the term, he does portray it. See Wikipedia HERE.
• This story has more belief in Malthus’ 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population than I have. See my review HERE
• In the 1940s or 50s, Flanders and Swann penned a comic song about entropy, First and Second Laws (of thermodynamics). My review of their songbook, HERE, has has links to the lyrics and to a recording.
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams started as a radio drama in 1978. He pioneered comedy sci-fi, but the story is not quite as original as I’d previously believed. See my review HERE.
• Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut in 1985, features Madarax, which is very like The Hitchhiker’s Guide. See my review HERE.
Image: xkcd 1448, “Question”. Mouseover text is: “The universe long dead, IsaAC surveyed the formless chaos. At last, he had arrived at an answer. 'I like you,' he declared to the void, 'but I don't LIKE like you.'” (Source)
Like a children’s picture book, this has six iterations of a scenario, repeated with small changes each time. Even the progression of the characters’ names tells a story: of humanity’s - and computers’ - development on earth and far beyond, over billions of years. There’s also something rather childlike about the successive generations of humans with their pedantic disputes and repeated questioning.
However, the ideas require a more adult mindset: mortality, immortality, predestination, extinction, eternity, faith (religion?) versus science, AI and beyond, finite fossil fuels, and infinite solar power.
Well, the last one isn’t quite infinite; it will last “Till the sun runs down”.
But what then - can entropy be reversed?
“INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER”
The ending is to die for, even though you’ll probably divine it before you read the last line.
Image: Stunning illustration for the story, by Fran Fdez (Source)
See also
• Read the story HERE. It’s about a dozen pages and was published in 1959.
• If you want to understand entropy more than is explained in the story, see Wikipedia HERE, or the simple English version, HERE. However, there’s no need to.
• Transhumanism is nothing to do with gender, and although Asimov doesn’t use the term, he does portray it. See Wikipedia HERE.
• This story has more belief in Malthus’ 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population than I have. See my review HERE
• In the 1940s or 50s, Flanders and Swann penned a comic song about entropy, First and Second Laws (of thermodynamics). My review of their songbook, HERE, has has links to the lyrics and to a recording.
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams started as a radio drama in 1978. He pioneered comedy sci-fi, but the story is not quite as original as I’d previously believed. See my review HERE.
• Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut in 1985, features Madarax, which is very like The Hitchhiker’s Guide. See my review HERE.
Image: xkcd 1448, “Question”. Mouseover text is: “The universe long dead, IsaAC surveyed the formless chaos. At last, he had arrived at an answer. 'I like you,' he declared to the void, 'but I don't LIKE like you.'” (Source)
November 2, 2019
A short story about…entropy? A reader might question how exciting such a tale can be!
In “The Last Question,” Asimov presents nearly immortal humankind facing the end of all existence, “The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first stepped into the light. The question came about as a result of a five dollar bet over highballs, and it happened this way ...” Asimov tells a story that stretches billions of years into the future with both characteristic seriousness and a nod to the comical. At that point, even if the question is answered, but man is no longer around, is the question relevant? Great ending! 3.5 stars
In “The Last Question,” Asimov presents nearly immortal humankind facing the end of all existence, “The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first stepped into the light. The question came about as a result of a five dollar bet over highballs, and it happened this way ...” Asimov tells a story that stretches billions of years into the future with both characteristic seriousness and a nod to the comical. At that point, even if the question is answered, but man is no longer around, is the question relevant? Great ending! 3.5 stars
August 13, 2017
Este cuento o relato corto me ha dejado perplejo, no solo por la cantidad de ciencia ficción y geekismo que posee si no también en un sentido filosófico...
¿En que momento dejaremos de existir como humanidad y que podemos hacer para evitarlo?
Bajo este premisa se desarrolla toda la historia con un final que te deja la boca abierta y la mente ocupada por varios días. Te preguntas si es posible que ese final sea factible y si no nosotros como raza estamos tan locos como para hacer eso y la verdad es que si... Si lo estamos.
Impresiona que el relato se haya escrito hace tanto tiempo y que siga tan vigente su premisa, es una genialidad por parte de Asimov.
Deben leerlo, no toma mas de 30 minutos.
¿En que momento dejaremos de existir como humanidad y que podemos hacer para evitarlo?
Bajo este premisa se desarrolla toda la historia con un final que te deja la boca abierta y la mente ocupada por varios días. Te preguntas si es posible que ese final sea factible y si no nosotros como raza estamos tan locos como para hacer eso y la verdad es que si... Si lo estamos.
Impresiona que el relato se haya escrito hace tanto tiempo y que siga tan vigente su premisa, es una genialidad por parte de Asimov.
Deben leerlo, no toma mas de 30 minutos.
April 5, 2018
It’s Asimov, it’s a classic golden age SF short story, it’s original with so much packed into so few pages and just maybe it’s prophetic.
I don’t often split out a particular story from a “best of “ or other compendium of short stories, but this is just so iconic that I’ve rated it as a separate entity
I don’t often split out a particular story from a “best of “ or other compendium of short stories, but this is just so iconic that I’ve rated it as a separate entity
December 23, 2022
فااااااک!
این چی بود من خوندم، عالیه
مغزم جوشید.
آسیموف عالیه
این چی بود من خوندم، عالیه
مغزم جوشید.
آسیموف عالیه
May 31, 2013
Steinhardt and Turok's book
Endless Universe
spends a surprising amount of time discussing this classic SF short story. I think that tells us something both about Isaac Asimov and about the state of modern early-universe cosmology.
January 6, 2015
Mind blown in 5 pages.
I've never wondered so deeply about the walks of our universe in 22 years of my life as much as I have in the span of barely fifteen minutes, which began with me opening this story and ended with me finishing it.
There is no proper review for me to provide to do justice to a book this short-lived and astounding.
Read it and you'll know it.
I've never wondered so deeply about the walks of our universe in 22 years of my life as much as I have in the span of barely fifteen minutes, which began with me opening this story and ended with me finishing it.
There is no proper review for me to provide to do justice to a book this short-lived and astounding.
Read it and you'll know it.
October 31, 2016
" THERE IS YET INSUFFICIENT VOCABULARY TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL REVIEW OF THIS SHORT-STORY. "
Heck, what enormous stuffs people are capable of thinking!!
And only thing in my mind now is :
Heck, what enormous stuffs people are capable of thinking!!
And only thing in my mind now is :
November 2, 2021
I cannot deny that Asimov is a brilliant mind and on an intellectual level that probably makes me an amoeba, but there is something falsely brilliant about this story that repelled me. It is an absence of any belief system for man, a belief in nothing except the technology he creates that outstrips him and leaves him a disembodied, un-individualized Borg. Even Star Trek knew that no matter how efficient the collective might be it was not the answer. What good is immortality to these people, for that matter what good would it be for any of us? There is an answer to the Last Question, maybe just not the answer people want to hear.
Queen got it right. Who Wants to Live Forever
Queen got it right. Who Wants to Live Forever
May 3, 2020
I listened to this audiobook on YouTube.
MQ17J of Nicron saying the Galaxy would be filled in five years? VJ23X is such a putz. 20,000 years and the Galaxy is filled up, and that doesn't suggest an inevitable bad end for Humanity?! Thomas Malthus was right, per Asimov.
Happen I agree...though I doubt my sense that this is the one and only planet we'll have a chance to fuck up. Entropy is a mean ol' daddy and we don't have (and won't IMO) the nous to grow out from under his hateful rule.
THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.
There always will be.
MQ17J of Nicron saying the Galaxy would be filled in five years? VJ23X is such a putz. 20,000 years and the Galaxy is filled up, and that doesn't suggest an inevitable bad end for Humanity?! Thomas Malthus was right, per Asimov.
Happen I agree...though I doubt my sense that this is the one and only planet we'll have a chance to fuck up. Entropy is a mean ol' daddy and we don't have (and won't IMO) the nous to grow out from under his hateful rule.
THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.
There always will be.
May 9, 2016
Interesante explicación del origen del universo. No puedo decir mucho más de lo que pienso porque sería spoiler, pero muy interesante historia.
October 22, 2022
4★
“For decades, Multivac had helped design the ships and plot the trajectories that enabled man to reach the Moon, Mars, and Venus, but past that, Earth's poor resources could not support the ships.”
This short story was written in 1956 and begins more than a century later, in 2061. Two men, Adell and Lupov, are congratulating themselves on having attended to Multivac, a giant computer with a “cold, clicking, flashing face—miles and miles of face” so well that it has solved the energy problem for space exploration.
Coal and uranium won’t supply enough power to take ships beyond the Moon, Mars and Venus, but Multivac has now got all of Earth running on sunpower, thanks to the feeding of data and questions by the two men who are now celebrating.
But, but, but – everything runs out eventually, doesn’t it? Will we be able to restore the sun one day, once its power has been depleted? They decide to ask Multivac, which seems to know everything. They place a $5 bet on the answer. They have a long wait.
“Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.
Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.
"No bet," whispered Lupov. They left hurriedly.
By next morning, the two, plagued with throbbing head and cottony mouth, had forgotten about the incident.”
Through many generations, computers and people change, and conversations about the problem all conclude with that generation’s version of “Ask Siri” or “Google it”. The interactions between friends, parents and children, co-workers, and others are all recognisable and entertaining.
Trigger warning: You may inadvertently learn some science and home truths.
I have to remind myself that this was written before many of today’s readers were even born, let alone reading science fiction. Asimov had an uncanny sense of the future and great concern about the offhand way humanity considers serious issues.
It’s a short story, available free online here: https://www.multivax.com/last_questio...
Asimov was a fascinating man, interesting writer, and great thinker. I particularly enjoyed his 1988 interview with Bill Moyers, which you can watch here, or read the transcript. https://billmoyers.com/content/isaac-...
“For decades, Multivac had helped design the ships and plot the trajectories that enabled man to reach the Moon, Mars, and Venus, but past that, Earth's poor resources could not support the ships.”
This short story was written in 1956 and begins more than a century later, in 2061. Two men, Adell and Lupov, are congratulating themselves on having attended to Multivac, a giant computer with a “cold, clicking, flashing face—miles and miles of face” so well that it has solved the energy problem for space exploration.
Coal and uranium won’t supply enough power to take ships beyond the Moon, Mars and Venus, but Multivac has now got all of Earth running on sunpower, thanks to the feeding of data and questions by the two men who are now celebrating.
But, but, but – everything runs out eventually, doesn’t it? Will we be able to restore the sun one day, once its power has been depleted? They decide to ask Multivac, which seems to know everything. They place a $5 bet on the answer. They have a long wait.
“Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.
Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.
"No bet," whispered Lupov. They left hurriedly.
By next morning, the two, plagued with throbbing head and cottony mouth, had forgotten about the incident.”
Through many generations, computers and people change, and conversations about the problem all conclude with that generation’s version of “Ask Siri” or “Google it”. The interactions between friends, parents and children, co-workers, and others are all recognisable and entertaining.
Trigger warning: You may inadvertently learn some science and home truths.
I have to remind myself that this was written before many of today’s readers were even born, let alone reading science fiction. Asimov had an uncanny sense of the future and great concern about the offhand way humanity considers serious issues.
It’s a short story, available free online here: https://www.multivax.com/last_questio...
Asimov was a fascinating man, interesting writer, and great thinker. I particularly enjoyed his 1988 interview with Bill Moyers, which you can watch here, or read the transcript. https://billmoyers.com/content/isaac-...
March 27, 2017
Estaba segura que odiaba la ciencia ficción... hasta hoy.
April 3, 2018
The only question worth asking.
December 22, 2020
گیلگمش، 2400 سال پیش از میلاد:
«انکیدو، دوست تو که دست تو را میگرفت، مانند خاک رس ��ده، او غبار زمین شده. او در خاک افتاده و خاک شد.»
گیلگمش میخواست که باز هم بیشتر بپرسد که سایه انکیدو ناپدید گردید. گیلگمش به اوروک باز گشت. به شهری که حصار های بلند دارد. گیلگمش بر زمین افتاد تا بخسبد. و مرگ او را در تالار درخشندهی قصر وی را در آغوش کشید.
انسان، تریلیونها سال بعد:
انسان گفت: «آک! این پایان است؟ نمیشود این آشفتگی را یک بار دیگر به عالم منظم تبدیل کرد. نمیشود این آشوب را معکوس کرد؟»
آک گفت: «هنوز دادههای کافی برای پاسخ معنادار موجود نیست.»
آخرین ذهن بشر هم درآمیخت و فقط آک بر جا ماند... و آن هم در فرافضا بود.
آخرین سوال برای من یک شاهکار بود. یک شاهکار وصف نشدنی. سوالی که ذهن بشر ابتدایی رو تسخیر کرده. سوالی که پس از سال ها تکامل و پیشرفت تکنولوژی همیشه پابرجا خواهد موند. و چقدر خوب، اسیموف تونست این تکامل و این پایستگی رو نشون بده. ما هر چقدر هم پیشرفت کنیم، حتی اگر نامیرا هم بشیم، به مرگ فکر می کنیم. مرگ حیوان، مرگ گیاه، مرگ اندیشه... و در نهایت، مرگ جهان.
اخرین سوال قطعا کتابی هست که بتونه ذهن من رو تا مدت ها درگیر خودش کنه.
پ.ن. دلیل اینکه انقدر یهویی رفتم سراغ اسیموف این بود که مدت ها بود، چندتا ایده برای داستان کوتاه سای-فای داشتم و یکهو طی فشاری عجیب، تصمیم گرفتم برم چندتا داستان کوتاه تو همین ژانر بخونم و یاد بگیرم. حالا که این داستان رو خوندم، حس میکنم شاید فعلا دست از نوشتن بردارم و بیشتر بخونم. شاید.
«انکیدو، دوست تو که دست تو را میگرفت، مانند خاک رس ��ده، او غبار زمین شده. او در خاک افتاده و خاک شد.»
گیلگمش میخواست که باز هم بیشتر بپرسد که سایه انکیدو ناپدید گردید. گیلگمش به اوروک باز گشت. به شهری که حصار های بلند دارد. گیلگمش بر زمین افتاد تا بخسبد. و مرگ او را در تالار درخشندهی قصر وی را در آغوش کشید.
انسان، تریلیونها سال بعد:
انسان گفت: «آک! این پایان است؟ نمیشود این آشفتگی را یک بار دیگر به عالم منظم تبدیل کرد. نمیشود این آشوب را معکوس کرد؟»
آک گفت: «هنوز دادههای کافی برای پاسخ معنادار موجود نیست.»
آخرین ذهن بشر هم درآمیخت و فقط آک بر جا ماند... و آن هم در فرافضا بود.
آخرین سوال برای من یک شاهکار بود. یک شاهکار وصف نشدنی. سوالی که ذهن بشر ابتدایی رو تسخیر کرده. سوالی که پس از سال ها تکامل و پیشرفت تکنولوژی همیشه پابرجا خواهد موند. و چقدر خوب، اسیموف تونست این تکامل و این پایستگی رو نشون بده. ما هر چقدر هم پیشرفت کنیم، حتی اگر نامیرا هم بشیم، به مرگ فکر می کنیم. مرگ حیوان، مرگ گیاه، مرگ اندیشه... و در نهایت، مرگ جهان.
اخرین سوال قطعا کتابی هست که بتونه ذهن من رو تا مدت ها درگیر خودش کنه.
پ.ن. دلیل اینکه انقدر یهویی رفتم سراغ اسیموف این بود که مدت ها بود، چندتا ایده برای داستان کوتاه سای-فای داشتم و یکهو طی فشاری عجیب، تصمیم گرفتم برم چندتا داستان کوتاه تو همین ژانر بخونم و یاد بگیرم. حالا که این داستان رو خوندم، حس میکنم شاید فعلا دست از نوشتن بردارم و بیشتر بخونم. شاید.
October 18, 2018
THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL REVIEW.
February 13, 2016
Our Sun will support life for billions of years, but what happens when it burns out? Perhaps future technology will enable us to seek out the safety of distant stars and habitat new planets, but then eventually those stars will die too. So is life as we know it, and all of mankind, destined to be doomed? Is it possible to reverse entropy?
This short story starts off in the year 2061 (keep in mind this was written in 1956) and follows the evolution of man and the subsequent advancement of technology throughout the ages. Split into seven sections, each story features a different POV that takes you further into the depths of space and time, racing towards the end of humanity, and ends with the resounding question, How exactly may entropy be reversed? growing ever more important. This question, propelled by man's innate desire to live forever, is oft repeated, yet never is there enough data to give a "meaningful answer" by the pansophical Multivac, a self-learning machine capable of evolving and expanding itself into the universe, which humans have now found themselves increasingly dependent on.
The world Asimov creates is simply incredible, and downright ingenious. Even today, The Last Question rivals the ingenuity of science fiction novels, and transforms speculative fiction into something more thought provoking and profound. It is daring, and I found myself growing more and more transfixed as the story progressed, and the imposing, unanswered question became critically relevant.
So, has Man been doomed from the start? Can entropy ever be reversed? And will the answer come soon enough before life as we know it cease to exist?
The answer will surprise you.
This short story starts off in the year 2061 (keep in mind this was written in 1956) and follows the evolution of man and the subsequent advancement of technology throughout the ages. Split into seven sections, each story features a different POV that takes you further into the depths of space and time, racing towards the end of humanity, and ends with the resounding question, How exactly may entropy be reversed? growing ever more important. This question, propelled by man's innate desire to live forever, is oft repeated, yet never is there enough data to give a "meaningful answer" by the pansophical Multivac, a self-learning machine capable of evolving and expanding itself into the universe, which humans have now found themselves increasingly dependent on.
The world Asimov creates is simply incredible, and downright ingenious. Even today, The Last Question rivals the ingenuity of science fiction novels, and transforms speculative fiction into something more thought provoking and profound. It is daring, and I found myself growing more and more transfixed as the story progressed, and the imposing, unanswered question became critically relevant.
So, has Man been doomed from the start? Can entropy ever be reversed? And will the answer come soon enough before life as we know it cease to exist?
The answer will surprise you.
July 25, 2018
خاکستر درختان را نمیشود دوباره به درختان تبدیل کرد، ولی از آن خاکستر میشود برای رشد گیاه تازه استفاده کرد
این ارتباط، قابل تعمیم به اکثر رابطه ها در جهان است
انسان ناموفق سعی میکند با تولید مثل، انسانی موفق وارد دنیا کنند
انسانهای مرده دوباره زنده نمیشوند، ولی از افکار صحیح آنها استفاده میشود تا زندگی انسانهای زنده بهتر شود
نظریه های منسوخ شده باعث ایجاد نظریه های جدیدتر و بهتر شدند
انسان تا جایی که توانست مذاهب و خدایان را به روز رسانی کرد
خدایان و مذاهب ابتدایی ناقص بودند و از بین رفتند و گذشت و گذشت و گذشت تا خدایی به وجود آمد که مذهبیون میتوانستند اعمال و اتفاقات در جهان را از طریق آن توجیه کنند
منتهی این "بهتر شدن" همیشگی نیست و رشد انسان و افکارش زمانی متوقف خواهد شد و به دنباله ی آن، دنیای انسان هم به خاکستر تبدیل میشود
و بعد آخرین سوالِ بعد از آخرین سوال آزیموف به وجود می آید
آیا دنیایی بهتر از خاکستر دنیای قبلی به وجود خواهد آمد؟
این ارتباط، قابل تعمیم به اکثر رابطه ها در جهان است
انسان ناموفق سعی میکند با تولید مثل، انسانی موفق وارد دنیا کنند
انسانهای مرده دوباره زنده نمیشوند، ولی از افکار صحیح آنها استفاده میشود تا زندگی انسانهای زنده بهتر شود
نظریه های منسوخ شده باعث ایجاد نظریه های جدیدتر و بهتر شدند
انسان تا جایی که توانست مذاهب و خدایان را به روز رسانی کرد
خدایان و مذاهب ابتدایی ناقص بودند و از بین رفتند و گذشت و گذشت و گذشت تا خدایی به وجود آمد که مذهبیون میتوانستند اعمال و اتفاقات در جهان را از طریق آن توجیه کنند
منتهی این "بهتر شدن" همیشگی نیست و رشد انسان و افکارش زمانی متوقف خواهد شد و به دنباله ی آن، دنیای انسان هم به خاکستر تبدیل میشود
و بعد آخرین سوالِ بعد از آخرین سوال آزیموف به وجود می آید
آیا دنیایی بهتر از خاکستر دنیای قبلی به وجود خواهد آمد؟
December 26, 2017
آسیموف اطلاعات زیادی در مورد عهد عتیق و کلاً امور دینی داره (یک تفسیرگونه ای هم بر عهد عتیق نوشته) و یکی از دغدغه هاش امور دینی و ماورائیه. همینه که فرق میذاره مثلاً بین داستان های علمی تخیلی آسیموف و داستان های علمی تخیلی ژول ورن. ژول ورن جز همان که داره می گه چیز دیگه ای نمی خواد بگه. حرف پنهانی، نکته مستوری، اشاره ای به چیزی. خبری از این ها نیست. ولی آسیموف گهگاه، دقت که بکنید، داره راجع به یه چیزی حرف می زنه، چیزی غیر از همین داستان که پیش روی آدمه.
دو داستان "آخرین سؤال" و "آخرین جواب" ترکیبی از فلسفه و تخیله. ترکیبی زیبا، که با کمی لحن طنز، به دغدغه های فلسفی آسیموف می پردازه، بدون این که بخواد جواب واضحی بهشون بده.
لینک ترجمه فارسی دو داستان:
آخرین سؤال
آخرین جواب
دو داستان "آخرین سؤال" و "آخرین جواب" ترکیبی از فلسفه و تخیله. ترکیبی زیبا، که با کمی لحن طنز، به دغدغه های فلسفی آسیموف می پردازه، بدون این که بخواد جواب واضحی بهشون بده.
لینک ترجمه فارسی دو داستان:
آخرین سؤال
آخرین جواب
November 25, 2019
What a genius! I never read or listened to Isaac Asimov's text. An audiobook in Portuguese. This a science fiction short story written by Isaac Asimov in 1956. The story deals with the development of computers (artificial intelligence) called Multivacs and their relationships with humanity through the courses of seven historic settings, beginning in 2061.
March 11, 2017
Me dejo realmente sorprendido, Asimov es un GENIOOOOOO...... Ese final me dejo con la boca abierta, solo asimov podría considerar y crear algo de tal magnitud en tan pocas páginas..... me encanto
September 25, 2015
Yes. When you want to actually think on what you are reading, pick this short story. Isaac Asimov was a genious, oh yhea. Science "Fiction" in its most perfect example.
Santo Dios
Jesús en la Cruz!
Santo niño de atocha!
Ave Maria Purisima!
Mas todas las exclamaciones que se te puedan ocurrir (Insertar aquí).
Lean este relato. Solo léanlo y ya. No pregunten, no digan nada. Solo háganlo. Un sumamente interesante relato sobre el hombre, la maquina, la mente, el universo y la entropia.
Santo Dios
Jesús en la Cruz!
Santo niño de atocha!
Ave Maria Purisima!
Mas todas las exclamaciones que se te puedan ocurrir (Insertar aquí).
Lean este relato. Solo léanlo y ya. No pregunten, no digan nada. Solo háganlo. Un sumamente interesante relato sobre el hombre, la maquina, la mente, el universo y la entropia.
October 31, 2019
Siempre he pensado que la última pregunta que se hará la Humanidad será alguien diciendo: "¿Qué pasará si aprieto este botón?".
Pero Asimov plantea en este relato una pregunta mucho más interesante y transcendental demostrando el maestro que es en Ciencia Ficción.
Los relatos de Asimov casi que me gustan más que sus novelas.
Pero Asimov plantea en este relato una pregunta mucho más interesante y transcendental demostrando el maestro que es en Ciencia Ficción.
Los relatos de Asimov casi que me gustan más que sus novelas.
April 15, 2016
¡Big Bang!
December 10, 2019
An individual on GR sent me this short story, and I just read it in the hairsalon while I was waiting. This was an interesting short story, and I do admit, it's thought-provoking, but it wasn't really something I'd go out of my way to read. I would certainly recommend this to fans of science-fiction, though.
May 25, 2023
اولین بارم بود از آسیموف داستانی میخوندم
اولش یکم حوصله ام سر رفت ، حواسم پرت میشد میگفتم خب که چی؟
ولی آخرش
Wow
So cool
انتظارشو نداشتم اصلا
خیلی خوب بود
داستان کوتاهه ، هیچی درباره اش نمیگم زیباییشو از دست نده
اولش یکم حوصله ام سر رفت ، حواسم پرت میشد میگفتم خب که چی؟
ولی آخرش
Wow
So cool
انتظارشو نداشتم اصلا
خیلی خوب بود
داستان کوتاهه ، هیچی درباره اش نمیگم زیباییشو از دست نده
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