On the Nature of Time and Fate (Temporal Singularities)

By Dr. Dystopia
February 17, 2003
 

No action occurs completely independently. Everything that happens does so because other events have already occurred, leading the subject down a path of possibility and probability. A diagram showing the intricate web of probable actions (much less possible ones) would reveal the massive forest of potentially linked events contained within an individual's morning breakfast. But do these different events occur because they could, or because they had to happen? Is there a Scientific basis for the concepts of Fate and Destiny? (Before I go any further, let me assure you that I am not a member of that superstitious breed who visits a carnival and falls head over feet for the worthless predictions of "Madame Fortuna".)

In reading this article, you most likely: awaited the delivery of the latest issue of Paradigma by courier; walked or even hurried upon its arrival to a favorite reading chair in your library, study or laboratory; sat down in said chair; opened the volume and began to read, making your way, however quickly, to the words you now read. How did these things happen? In these very pages, it has been Theorized that there exists, separated by walls of probability, countless dimensions wherein every possible outcome for any single event has taken place. To simplify: if you have ever come to a fork in the road, and eventually made the decision to take the left fork, this Theory states that there exists another you in a different universe where you took the right fork. In fact, there is even a third you in a yet another universe where you instead decided to turn around and return home. Divergent paths, divergent lives, or so the Theory goes.

Perhaps for most events, myriad possibilities and myriad outcomes exist. However, for some moments in time, it seems that there is literally a single, possible result. For whatever reason, the number of potential outcomes dwindles to a single scenario common to all possible universes. These seemingly rare instances are called Temporal Singularities.

A Temporal Singularity is a theoretical structure in the fabric of time wherein an Event (a conceptual term that represents a single action, incident or occasion) will take place with 100% certainty, regardless of apparent efforts to the contrary. A glass falling from a table, a car accident and a rock concert can each be thought of as an Event, though all three take place on different levels of scale, both in physical size and in amounts of time, people and complexity involved. Temporal Singularities affect all possible universes in which all the elements of the singularity exist. For example, it is possible that Germany's 1939 invasion of Poland was, in fact, contained within a Temporal Singularity. If this is true, it means that Germany invaded Poland in every universe in which both the nations of Germany and Poland existed. Other elements may, of course, differ (Roosevelt may not have been elected President, Great Britain may have been long ago conquered by visitors from beyond the moon, etc.).

The observance of naturally occurring Temporal Singularities appears to take place in a manner that is reminiscent of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, which states, "The more precisely the position (of a subatomic particle) is determined, the less precisely the momentum is known in this instant, and vice versa." In speaking of Temporal Singularities, current methods of observation cause the singularity to appear to be either 'fixed' or 'floating'. A fixed singularity is one that is 'fixed' in time. That is to say, it refers to a specific moment in time when the Event occurs. This exact instant is referred to as a Temporal Event Horizon, so named because after that moment, the number of possible outcomes has dwindled to one; the singularity is reached and its Event will then come to pass. However, the Temporal Singularity itself is not restricted to a mere moment; a minute, a day or even a span of years are all perfectly valid durations for a Temporal Singularity. Unfortunately, the knowledge of when a singularity's event will take place comes at the price of knowing exactly what the event is that will happen. A floating singularity provides the opposite information: we know what event will happen, but we cannot be sure exactly when it will occur. Fixed singularities are discovered by analyzing trends or patterns in the data, while floating singularities are found by looking for probability spikes that denote specific events. Once the singularity has passed, the 'tree' of probable events and outcomes instantly branches off again in an infinite number of directions, reflecting the near-limitless possibilities of the universe.

In addition to naturally occurring singularities, it may also be possible to generate artificial singularities in time. Through extreme concentration on a specific outcome, it may be possible to reduce the number of likely results for a situation. Through such effort, it may even be possible to cause wildly improbable events to take place. (While only Theoretical, of course, it would go a long way toward explaining the abilities of some individuals to, say, create flames or spontaneously travel great distances without the use of any Scientific apparatus.)

With further research, I hope to discover a means of charting and identifying these holes in Man's free will, much as sailors map reefs and dangerous currents. With the knowledge of what these events are and when they will occur, we can take the necessary steps to prepare for them, rather than possibly wasting time, effort and resources in what will ultimately be futile attempts to circumvent or change them.
 

GAME NOTES

(Second Edition.) One day, while thinking about the nature of time and space, I began pondering the notion of black holes in time. Temporal Singularities are meant to be used as a Scientific rationale for what other Traditions call Fate, Fortune, Destiny and the like. A number of Time and/or Entropy Effects can be rationalized by including Temporal Singularities into their explanation. 'Fixed' and 'floating' singularities can be used to recreate classic precognitive warnings. The detection of a fixed singularity might elicit the warning, "Be careful next Tuesday. I don't know why, just be careful...", while a floating singularity might result in, "You're going to be in a car accident. I don't know when, but..." It also gives Scientists something to say when the enigmatic soothsayer in their group makes an announcement about 'what is to come'.

2003 Derek D. Bass
 

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