Physics, sociology, ethics and philosophy: The intellectual foundations of the "3 Body Problem"

about 1 month ago

There is something that even the most modern of generations, such as the current ones, cannot evade or leave behind.... And yes, I'm talking about curiosity.... That human action, which has allowed us to evolve from hunting and gathering in the years of homo-sapiens instability to understanding the astrophysics that surrounds us, thanks to the series of the moment: "3 Body Problem". Which, in turn, is based on the trilogy written by Liu Cixin, and which Netflix has managed to bring to everyone's screens. This post will address several issues presented in the science fiction novel, and how our understanding of intelligent life and the Cosmos shapes the way we think.

Over billions of years the phenomena that have shaped the nature we know cemented all the characteristics that have been needed by all living things that have inhabited the Earth. In other words, all the beings that have lived on this planet have been thoroughly adapted through evolution, natural selection and due common belonging to the environment where they will live and die. In the novel, and therefore in the series, this physical and biological principle is sacrificed. Since a civilisation, apparently of type 2 (see Kardashev scale) plans to conquer our planet and exterminate us.

So far, nothing strange... Come on, it's just another fiction series. I'm not here to attack it, nor to say what's "science" or what's not. On the contrary, if there's one thing I should point out, it's the impact it has had on the people who have seen the whole thing. Boosting the sales and downloads of the original author, and awakening the real interest of young people in the world of physics, and of an astrophysical problem that has existed for more than 300 years... The 3-body problem is only the statistical and therefore predictive representation of the gravitational interaction of three massive objects with equal, similar or different velocities.

In the novel, and in the series, a civilisation is doomed. Trisolaris, they call themselves. They are the result of evolution within a system with 3 stars. Thus, giving space for tremendously chaotic periods between the orbits that the planet must endure. It is also posited that because of this background, that civilisation has taken more than three times as long to evolve as it has taken us. But because of Einstein's special relativity, what we know about them is "outdated" from what it really is. All thanks to radio astronomy and being able, in the 60's, to collect signals from space, understand them and at the same time, respond to them...

These facts, from my perspective, raise serious discussions that I would be happy to list briefly. You see, I am a supporter of Stephen Hawkins' view on the debate of exposing our position in Cosmos, or on the contrary, sticking with the premise of the "Dark Forest" hypothesis, and being suspicious of our location... Following this line of speculative thinking: why would a civilisation far more advanced than us want to communicate and exchange with us? If we follow the path of evolution, and of history, the future is not encouraging... Europeans and Native Americans, remind you of anything? It did not end well...

Besides, let's not forget that within the context of the novel and the series, a type 2 civilisation has chosen our planet, because in theory they see in our home the stability and order they couldn't find on theirs... To coexist, it seems unreasonable. And we don't have to find fantastic stories to see what our behaviour is like... What happens to rodents, insects and pests in our homes? Exactly! Now, what about the higher animals? As birds, various mammals and equines, we accept and care for them, don't we? That's the question of aesthetics and ethics... United and little discussed. We are tolerant of what we think we know because they look unthreatening, but what about the other way around?

I appreciate that Netflix has presented the aliens in the novel and series as "human". That is, that they have chosen to adopt that image. I suppose, from a tactical point of view, being familiar with what the enemy knows is a key advantage. If they were perceived (by us) as "Ugly" or "Threatening", we would be even more united, and probably accelerate further the process of care and technological evolution to defeat them 400 years in the future... Divide and conquer, as well as dominate through science and the ability to understand is the goal of these civilisations against us. They know that we are intelligent, and that in due time, we would catch up....

Still, they use what primitive civilisations rarely overcome: collective fear, and the sociology of terror, to their advantage. Believe me, of the current series, 3 Body Problem is one of the best series per approach I've seen in recent years. Not only do I recommend it, but I would love to generate a debate in the comments. In advance, I thank you for the time you've taken to read me, and I hope you'll contribute your ideas so that I can learn (as well as I can) from you. This has been an approximation of the truth, from my perspective, and intended to make us all think.