In 2006, New Scientist magazine celebrated its 50th birthday by tackling the ‘truly big questions.’ The magazine invited ‘leading lights in science’ to write features on the questions posed. Without a subscription to the magazine, this writer did not have the benefit of their respective replies. As there was personal enrichment in researching the articles: The Top Ten Unexplained Mysteries of all Time; and Monoliths of the Nephilim – which was inspired by the article: Five Archaeological discoveries no one can explain – it was considered this might be another rewarding endeavour. 

Wholly objective or definitive answers may be difficult to achieve or articulate. Plus, answers may appear short or incomplete for those of an academic persuasion. Though it is believed the truth or the closest answer to it, is invariably straightforward so that a child can understand. Truth is uncomplicated. 

There are eight questions and the order which follows replicates how they were presented in New Scientist. There is an opening introductory sentence for each, which is included as a springboard in answering.

I. What is reality?

Can we be sure that the world we experience is not just a figment of our imaginations?

This is in all likelihood the most difficult of the eight questions. This subject has been addressed in part, in the article, The Top Ten Unexplained Mysteries of all Time, and more in depth, in the article, Principalities & Potentates: What they want… Who they are. 

The introductory question poses a truism, with a good analogy being that of the 1999 motion picture, The Matrix. In that in the case for humans, reality is relative and it is dual. What we process with our six senses – touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing and instinct – is actually less real than what we are unable to perceive beyond the first three dimensions, in addition to our awareness of time and space. Like the Matrix postulates, we may actually brush with ‘reality’ when we dream. But that is another subject.

The bottom line, is that while awake, humankind lives inside what can best be described as a complex simulation, with every thought, word and action a response governed by an indescribable sophisticated program. This means – as unpalatable as it will be for many reading this – that humans are not in full control of their own lives and are literally prisoners, held captive by an intelligence far older and superior to our own. 

This intelligence operates outside our dimensions and beyond where we dwell; what in religious terminology, would be called the physical realm and in scientific jargon, what is defined as matter. The habitation of our captors would be aptly described in religion as the spirit realm and by science it is presumed, as either the ether; the dimensions beyond our own; the multi-verse; antimatter; or perhaps dark matter. 

Thus while our experiences everyday on Earth are very real for each one of us, thanks to the wiring of our nervous system and brain functions, it is not as ‘real’ as what is experienced outside of the program. As it is all we know, with nothing else to compare our existence to, it is as real as it can be. But, the truth of the matter is that humanity lives, or rather exists, endures and succumbs, to an image and copy or fabrication of true reality, no matter how convincing it seems. Our reality is like a waking dream, walking in the shadows of what is really real behind our personal matrix of software and algorithms which govern our lives. 

Igor Oakwood in his book, Hallu-Cygns – Language of Creation, proposes a logical interpretation for our perceived reality: 

“Reality as we know it is made up of atoms and molecules that form increasingly complex and self-organizing structures which we call living beings. The relationships, geometries and resonances between the components of living beings are the “letters” that make up the language or “the word” of creation and are therefore “sacred.” As a result, we can say that language functions as the universal software program that programs reality. Since the universe is a perpetual self-sustaining system, its language is the key to oneness and immortality. 

Human language, on the other hand, is made of another kind of words. The letters that make up our words are phonetic symbols with which we can transmit very complex information but with which we can also influence our own thoughts and beliefs. It is our thoughts and beliefs that define what we call “reality” or “non-reality” or what is manifest or not manifest. As a result, we can say that human language functions as a software program that programs our reality. In short… language and belief are inextricably intertwined like the two strands of the DNA molecule, the building block of life itself.”

As a number of the subsequent questions overlap with this first question, further details in answering these respective questions will hopefully add insight to the question of what is reality. 

II. What is life?

If we encountered alien life, chances are we wouldn’t recognise it – not even if it were here on Earth. 

We shall return to the introductory statement, for the question what is life is not far removed from the first question. In that there is a dual aspect to our lives and again the life we live is relative. Readers interested in a more in-depth study are welcome to read the article, DEATH: A Dead End or a New Beginning? 

What science does not understand or wish to readily admit, is that animals and humans while alive physically in that they breathe and have blood flow, which with food, liquid and sleep keeps them alive; also have a component within the brain which allows them to not just exist, but to live. This aspect goes beyond the electrical nervous system which operates brain functions and is synonymous with the biblical soul. 

In religious terms, living creatures possess a spirit which animates instinct in animals, relative levels of higher thinking in others and for humans – which elevates them from other mammals – reasoning and intellect. The same way an earthworm experiences a different and heightened life, compared to that of a plant for example; and a bird experiences life on a different level again from the worm; so a person’s life is more complex than that of a bird. Similarly, the value of a human’s life is immensely diminished in comparison to the entities who control the program. 

Which brings us to the opening sentence. The entities in question outside the program would be considered as alien. The irony is that they are already here and are able to enter the matrix of our pseudo-reality. They have made themselves known by liaising with certain world governments and the general populace though abductions and hallucinogenic drug use. They are commonly referred to as Reptilians and Greys and in religious parlance they equate respectively, to fallen angels and demons. While these beings are not our creators, they are unquestionably our manipulators and enemies – refer article: Principalities & Potentates: What they want… Who they are; and Chapter XXII Alpha & Omega.

Science discredits a Creator in favour of an explanation for life which is so flawed its not worth the breath in refuting it – refer article: Chance Chaos or Designated Design? The miracle of life surrounds us for those with eyes to see, whether a single cell organism; a diminutive ant; the tallest Coast Redwood tree; or an enormous Blue whale.

As incredible as the human mind and its spirit component which operates it is, it is only running on ten percent of potential functionality as assessed by scientists. There is an answer for this, as well as the reason why life is temporary as a physical creature. Though these answers are outside the scope of this question – refer Chapter XXII Alpha & Omega.

Life is a precious gift… made all the more priceless when tempered with the surety of death.

III. Do we have free will?

The more we find out about how the brain works, the less room there seems to be for personal choice or responsibility.

This opening sentence is interesting in view of the material we have covered thus far. The question of free will versus predestination is a profound theological debate, with one Christian denomination having predestination as its founding tenet: Calvinism. While humans will swear black and blue they possess free will, the truth is not so black and white – refer article: Predestination & Free Will. There are two aspects to this question. 

Firstly, theologically as demonstrated from the scriptures, some people are predestined to be believers in this age, while the majority of people will be given the opportunity in the future. For while Christ died so that all could ultimately come to salvation, only a few are truly called and converted now. 

Secondly, from a human perspective it is a different answer. Shakespeare insightfully wrote: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts…” (Article: The Shakespeare Shadow). Imagine the letter A representing a person’s birth and Z a person’s death. They are the two constants and certain happenstances in our life. For each person they are events which happen to us and where we have no control over them, except in the case of suicide. 

The Matrix formulates the timing of our birth and the manner of our death. It also constructs our DNA, personalities and what type of person we have become when we die. So that while a person can either develop character or erode it, they bye and large remain the same person for their entire life. You are what you are. Even so a margin exists where a person can seek to grow or not, through the things they think and do. So that between the letter A and Z there are 24 letters not in a sequential order, but rather arranged laterally, B to Y. 

Meaning, a person has multiple options available with every thought and every action during each moment they are alive or specifically, while awake. As there are thousands upon thousands of variables, it means a person in their own mind has freedom of choice along the path of their own life, but the reality – like a program for a computer game – is that all the options one can choose, no matter how many, are all preprogrammed. 

The result is that, while the journey beginning from letter A, may be plain sailing or alternatively a roller coaster ride, it still arrives at destination letter Z. And, in that lifetime, the personalised program for the person in question has achieved what it intended for that specific individual – no matter what choices they made, either freely instigated from their own mind or those which externally affected them. For free will is merely a very cleverly designed tool in achieving a predestined outcome, purposed by the Creator. 

IV. Is the universe deterministic? 

However you look at it, the answer seems to be “maybe” 

This writer must confess, in that they were not exactly sure what this question was asking and checked the definition for deterministic, which is: ‘causally determined and not subject to random chance.’ So in other words, is the Universe and all it contains predetermined? It appears there are innumerable conflicting theories about Determinism, which ‘is the philosophical view that all events in the universe, including human decisions and actions, are causally inevitable’ and ‘Determinism is often contrasted with free will, although some philosophers claim that the two are compatible.’ 

This writer considers that they are, though Determinism is the overriding factor or fail safe in controlling free will so that it does not become an uncontrollable force throughout the Universe and destroy everything in its path. 

As philosopher J J C Smart offered, free will is denied whether determinism is true or not. For if it is true, then all actions are predicted and no one is assumed to be free. But, if determinism is false, all actions are then presumed to be random and as such no one is really free because they have no part in controlling what happens. 

“Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause; everything happens according to law; chance is but a name for law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the law” – The Kybalion. 

Micki Spollern: ‘The universe is governed by laws, meaning nothing happens without reason. You may not be able to directly pinpoint a specific cause for a certain effect because the cause may happen on different planes of existence, but every action has a ripple effect that leads to a consequence.’

There must be a reason why there are a number of words or phrases which support a deterministic Universe, such as: fate; destiny; predestination; karma; and ‘everything happens for a reason.’

V. What is consciousness?

How does the brain, with its diverse distributed functions, come to arrive at a unified sense of identity? 

Consciousness at its simplest, is an awareness of internal and external existence. As experienced through our thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environments. Therefore it is unique to each individual and subjective in nature. As one writer explains: 

“Your conscious experiences are constantly shifting and changing. For example, in one moment, you may be focused on reading this article. Your consciousness may then shift to the memory of a conversation you had earlier with a co-worker. Next, you might notice how uncomfortable your chair is, or maybe you are mentally planning dinner.” 

While animals possess varying degrees of consciousness with some like the dolphin being an example of high intelligence, humans have a distinct spirit which allows them to think beyond one dimensionality possessed by most animals; so that they are spatially aware, comprehending the passing of time more explicitly and its past, present and future contexts. Likewise, whereas some animals can be trained, humans are not only inherently cognisant of right and wrong and good versus evil; they have the ability to choose between the two in their thoughts, words and actions. 

VI. Will we ever have a theory of everything?

2000 years of rational enquiry may be approaching their crowning glory. Just one more push could be enough.

What a question… and wouldn’t every scientist like to know its answer. As luck would have it, an English author gave the world the answer in 1978. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a comic science fiction series originally broadcast on radio and created by Douglas Adams. 

Online Encyclopaedia: “In the radio series and the first novel, a group of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings demand to learn the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything from the supercomputer Deep Thought, specially built for this purpose. It takes Deep Thought 7 1/2 million years to compute and check the answer, which turns out to be 42. Refer: Emerald Tablet –  article: Thoth. Deep Thought points out that the answer seems meaningless because the beings who instructed it never knew what the question was.” 

Mystery solved. That said, the series also reveals: “There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory mentioned, which states that this has already happened.” A character in the series called Prak who ‘knows all that is true’ “confirms that 42 is indeed The Answer, and that it is impossible for both The Answer and The Question to be known in the same universe, as they will cancel each other out and take the Universe with them…” (refer article: 42).

Perhaps we do not need or want to know the actual answer? Joking aside, Unified Field Theory ‘is an attempt to describe all fundamental forces and the relationships between elementary particles in terms of a single theoretical framework.’ No mean feat. Celebrated theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking wrote the following in his 2001 book, The Universe in a Nutshell – emphasis & bold mine:

“Will we succeed in our quest for a complete unified theory that will govern the universe and everything that it contains? In fact… we may have already identified the theory of everything (TOE) as M-Theory.” 

Ellen Rigell: M-Theory ‘is the name of the unknown theory of everything which would combine all five Superstring theories and the Supergravity at 11 dimensions together. The theory requires mathematical tools which have yet to be invented in order to be fully understood. The theory was proposed by Edward Witten.’ 

Hawking: “This theory doesn’t have a single formulation, at least as far as we know, instead we’ve discovered a network of apparently different theories, which all seem to be approximations to the same underlying fundamental theory, in different limits; just as Newton’s theory of gravity is an approximation to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, in the limit that the gravitational field is weak. 

M-Theory is like a jigsaw. It’s easy to identify and fit together the pieces around the edges of the jigsaw… We now have a fairly good idea of these edges, but there is still a gaping hole at the centre of the M-theory, where we don’t know what’s going on. We can’t really claim to have found the theory of everything until we have filled that hole. 

What is in the centre of the M-theory? Will we discover dragons or something equally strange like on old maps of unexplored lands? Our experience in the past suggests we’re likely to find unexpected new phenomena whenever we extend the range of our observations to smaller scale.” 

Well, funny Hawking should quip about finding a dragon at the centre of things, for this is closer to the truth than he realises in regard to the origin of the physical Universe – refer article: Asherah.

Recall, the spirit placed in mankind answers the question regarding his mind, consciousness and his ability to reason. “But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand” – Job 32:8, ESV. 

In like manner, there is a spirit from which the spirit in man originates and it is called the Holy Spirit, for its source is the Creator. “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” – 1 Corinthians 2:11, ESV.

It is by and through the power of his own spirit that the Creator has created all things, both spiritual and invisible… the physical and tangible. Everet Dee: “… everything in the universe consists of thought, and is created by thought” – refer article: Thoth. “Everything that exists, whether in the physical universe, or as abstract concepts or pure energy… is made of spirit, which itself is the product of a universal living mind.” 

It is the Spirit of God which unifies the whole creation and it is His Holy Spirit which is the missing piece that fills the ‘gaping hole at the centre of the M-Theory.’

VII. What happens after you die?

We have all wondered if there is an afterlife, but only a few are brave – or foolish – enough to try and find out.

Constant readers will readily recognise the answer to this question, while new readers if desirous of an in-depth discussion are encouraged in reading the articles: Heaven & Hell; and DEATH: A Dead End or a New Beginning? 

“For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?” – Ecclesiastes 3:19-21, ESV. 

This Bible passage reveals that animals do not live again. When they die, their spirit returns to the Creator; though unlike human beings, it is not so-to-speak, kept for renewal. Humans are composed of a body, soul and spirit. When they die, their body decomposes and their life force or soul dies with them. The so called ‘christian’ doctrine of the immortality of the soul is unchristian and false. People do not go to heaven, hell or purgatory – Article: The Seven Churches – A Message for the Church of God in the Latter Days. 

Rather, they enter a type of sleep and await their resurrection. The Creator retains a person’s spirit, which is eternal. All people will live again and that reanimation is possible because of their spirit being safe guarded for that purpose. Like a CD with data on it, it is integral to a person’s identity and what makes them, unique. The question of a new body or ‘hard drive’ is easy for the Creator to re-engineer, so that once resurrected, a person’s CD-spirit is placed in the new body and they are alive again, awakened out of their slumber – whether the time elapsed has been minutes, days, months, years or centuries.

VIII. What comes after humans?

All species are either fated to die out or evolve into something else – all except humans.

This is an insightful and perhaps the most important question of all. The opening sentence homes in on the fundamental difference between animals and humans. Yet it is incorrect, for humanity is fated to paradoxically suffer extinction, while simultaneously transforming. This is the Creator’s plan, whereby He is offering humanity the chance to go full circle and recapture the status once on offer in the Garden of Eden – Article: The Eden Enigma. To not become God, but to become like God – 1 Corinthians 15:52-53.

The stumbling block is that the Creator’s adversary, seeks to implement a transmogrification in humankind which circumnavigates the Creator’s holiness for something diabolically profane. It includes a spiritual change akin to the antediluvian era – refer Chapter XXII Alpha & Omega. Prior to this, a physical, bio-mechanical alteration will occur as a precursor to this metamorphosis. The first step just on the horizon for humanity is transhumanism – a term first coined in 1957, by Julian Huxley, an evolutionary biologist.

It is the extraordinary concept of utilising science and technology in radically enhancing human capabilities and thereby seek to direct our own evolutionary path. Disease, ageing and death, are all realities transhumanists aim to end. In the process, dramatically increasing our cognitive, emotional and physical capacities. Transhumanists advocate three supers: superintelligence, superlongevity and superhappiness. That is, lasting happiness. 

How all this will be achieved could take different forms. Ideas include, uploading the mind into a digital form, and settling the cosmos as an inter-planetary species. Alternatively, other proponents advocate remaining organic beings but rewiring or upgrading our biology through genetic engineering. So that a future replete with designer babies, artificial wombs, anti-aging therapies and bionic limbs becomes a common place reality. While this may sound like it is in the realm of futuristic fantasy; rapid developments in artificial intelligence and synthetic biology indicate otherwise. 

Prepare for Homo machinus and Homo novus…

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