Calculating God
Encyclopedia
Calculating God is a 2000 science fiction
novel by Robert J. Sawyer
. It takes place in the present day and describes the arrival on Earth of sentient aliens. The bulk of the novel covers the many discussions and arguments on this topic, as well as about the nature of belief, religion, and science. Calculating God received nominations for both the Hugo
and John W. Campbell Memorial
Awards in 2001.
in Toronto
, makes the first human-to-alien contact when a spider-like alien arrives on Earth
to investigate Earth's evolutionary history. The alien, Hollus, and her crewmembers have come to Earth to gain access to the museum's large collection of fossils, and to study accumulated human knowledge in order to gather evidence of the existence of God
. It seems that Earth and Hollus' home planet, and the home planet of another alien species traveling with Hollus, all experienced the same five cataclysmic events at roughly the same time. Hollus believes that the universe was created by a god, to provide a place where life could develop and evolve. Thomas Jericho is an atheist who provides a balance to the philosophical discussion regarding the existence of gods.
At the end the star Betelgeuse
becomes a supernova
, threatening all life within hundreds of light-years with irradiation
. One of several dead civilizations discovered by the alien explorers deliberately induced the supernova in order to sterilize the stellar neighborhood. This was done in order to protect the virtual reality
machinery which now housed all of their personalities. According to the alien visitors, several such worlds exist where the inhabitants uploaded themselves into machines instead of exploring the nature of the Universe and gods.
Although the supernova happened over 400 years before the events of the novel, the radiation is just reaching Earth. However, the alien ship's advanced telescope
in orbit
then sees a large black entity emerge from space itself and cover the exploding star. This is final proof that a controlling intelligence is guiding and preserving some life-forms.
In the final chapter, the scientist, who is dying of cancer, travels to the entity on the alien ship, where a fusion
of genetic materials from human and alien sources produces a new intelligence able to live in space and possibly create its own Universe.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer
Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
. It takes place in the present day and describes the arrival on Earth of sentient aliens. The bulk of the novel covers the many discussions and arguments on this topic, as well as about the nature of belief, religion, and science. Calculating God received nominations for both the Hugo
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
and John W. Campbell Memorial
John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel for best science fiction novel was created in 1973 by writers and critics Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss to honor Campbell's name...
Awards in 2001.
Plot summary
Thomas Jericho, a paleontologist working at the Royal Ontario MuseumRoyal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, makes the first human-to-alien contact when a spider-like alien arrives on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
to investigate Earth's evolutionary history. The alien, Hollus, and her crewmembers have come to Earth to gain access to the museum's large collection of fossils, and to study accumulated human knowledge in order to gather evidence of the existence of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. It seems that Earth and Hollus' home planet, and the home planet of another alien species traveling with Hollus, all experienced the same five cataclysmic events at roughly the same time. Hollus believes that the universe was created by a god, to provide a place where life could develop and evolve. Thomas Jericho is an atheist who provides a balance to the philosophical discussion regarding the existence of gods.
At the end the star Betelgeuse
Betelgeuse
Betelgeuse, also known by its Bayer designation Alpha Orionis , is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and second brightest star in the constellation of Orion, outshining its neighbour Rigel only rarely...
becomes a supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
, threatening all life within hundreds of light-years with irradiation
Irradiation
Irradiation is the process by which an object is exposed to radiation. The exposure can originate from various sources, including natural sources. Most frequently the term refers to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve a specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to...
. One of several dead civilizations discovered by the alien explorers deliberately induced the supernova in order to sterilize the stellar neighborhood. This was done in order to protect the virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
machinery which now housed all of their personalities. According to the alien visitors, several such worlds exist where the inhabitants uploaded themselves into machines instead of exploring the nature of the Universe and gods.
Although the supernova happened over 400 years before the events of the novel, the radiation is just reaching Earth. However, the alien ship's advanced telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
in orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
then sees a large black entity emerge from space itself and cover the exploding star. This is final proof that a controlling intelligence is guiding and preserving some life-forms.
In the final chapter, the scientist, who is dying of cancer, travels to the entity on the alien ship, where a fusion
Fusion
Fusion or synthesis, it refers to the connection of two or more distinct things/bodies:*Cell fusion, an event in the maturation of cells*Fusion cuisine, the combination of elements of various culinary traditions...
of genetic materials from human and alien sources produces a new intelligence able to live in space and possibly create its own Universe.