Parallel Universes
- The theory is that there are a multitude of parallel universes called the multiverse. A new universe is created at every decision point. If you need to decide whether to have coffee or tea in the morning, there are suddenly 2 universes - one where you had coffee, one where you had tea. Each is a complete universe with the same past - they just change from where you made the decision. If you decide on tea you continue on in the tea universe.
- This means that theoretically there are a great number of yous, varying from you you by different degrees depending on where they branched off and what the implications of the decision point were.
- This is one of the great “what if” tropes, and closely related to the alternate history trope. What if Lincoln had not been assassinated? What if the Nazi’s won WWII? What if there had been no extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs?
- Thought experiment about causality - what makes what happen - and the shaping of the human psyche. How would one event/choice make a person different?
- Used to bring to different versions of a character face to face.
- Also known as alternate reality.
Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. LeGuin
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