On “The Last Question”

Inspired by Asimov’s The Last Answer, I have decided to talk about another of his famous short stories, The Last Question. In this story, a computer called AC ponders whether entropy can be reversed. However, it does not come up with the answer until after the universe undergoes heat death. At the end, the computer discovers the answer and decides to demonstrate it:

“And AC said, ‘LET THERE BE LIGHT!’ And there was light—”

Of course, this brings up some interesting questions. First of all, Asimov is referencing the concept of the technological singularity, the idea that technology increases at an exponential rate, and that it will eventually increase infinitely fast so that it encompasses everything. However, I have some doubts about this. If the world were to have a nuclear war or fall into a worldwide depression (both somewhat realistic!), wouldn’t the rate technology is being invented at decrease? After all, technology is probably dependent on the economy (and certainly on the world population). If such an event were to occur, we may never reach this technological singularity.

Asimov is also making an amusing statement about the creation story. (A devout atheist, he often derides religion in his writing.) In The Last Question, he is toying with the definition of God by exploring how an omniscient computer could possible “become” God. If the concept of the technological singularity is true, this is possible—an intriguing yet frightening thought.

But don’t look for this in your lifetime—one thing Asimov hammers home in this story is the stretched-out timeline. If it happens at all, the technological singularity will not happen for billions of years, and our moral, ephemeral bodies simply won’t last that long.