Professor Fred Adams and Professor Gregory P. Laughlin suggested a way of divided the universe up into five ages in their book: The Five Ages of the Universe. The ages described in the book are: the primordial era, the stelliferous era, the degenerate era, the black hole era, and the dark era. This is an example contrived knowledge, which is to say that the ages are map placed over the landscape. The map is less accurate than the landscape, because it has to be. Contrived knowledge is always wrong, but can be useful. And that is the key here. We are aiming for: wrong but useful.
Wrong but useful is how to approach everything on this page, everything that Professor Harbinger puts out. Everything. But now, why did I use the example of the five ages of the universe to make that point?
Because this is where the defense of the flame originates. Life emerges because of the existence of the second generation of stars from the stelliferous era. We are in the stelliferous era, in case there was a question. Higher elements on the periodic table are forged in the hearts of those second generation stars. And when those stars go supernova, the building blocks of life are cast across the universe. Life is possible because of the actions of the stelliferous era. And as we enter the degenerate era, life will become increasing less likely, and eventually that flame will go out.
There are five ages of the universe. We are in the second. And it is possible that the second is the only age that can sustain life. Life, this amazing little act of defiance against entropy, may only exist for a fleeting moment in the life of the universe. We are a flickering candle in an infinite darkness. And that is precious.
As the Buddha is quoted as saying, “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, And the life of the candle will not be shortened.” And so we have our task. Light a thousand candles. We have only this brief short era, so spread the light.
Professor Harbinger's School for Villains 