Eternal return
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| - | '''Eternal return''' (also known as "'''eternal recurrence'''") is a concept which posits that the [[universe]] has been [[recurring]], and will continue to recur in a [[self-similar]] form an [[infinity|infinite]] number of times. The concept has roots in [[ancient Egypt]], and was subsequently taken up by the [[Pythagoreans]] and [[Stoics]]. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the notion is supported in the book of [[Ecclesiastes]]. With the decline of [[classical antiquity|antiquity]] and the spread of [[Christianity]], the concept fell into disuse, though [[Nietzsche|Friedrich Nietzsche]] briefly resurrected it. | ||
| - | In addition, the philosophical concept of eternal recurrence was addressed by [[Arthur Schopenhauer]]. It is a purely [[physics|physical]] concept, involving no "[[reincarnation]]", but the return of beings in the same bodies. Time is viewed as being not [[linear]] but [[wheel of time|cyclical]]. | + | '''Eternal return''' (also known as "'''eternal recurrence'''") is a concept which posits that the [[universe]] has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a [[self-similar]] form an [[infinity|infinite]] number of times across infinite time or space. |
| - | + | The concept is found in [[Indian philosophy]] and in [[ancient Egypt]] and was subsequently taken up by the [[Pythagoreans]] and [[Stoics]]. With the decline of [[classical antiquity|antiquity]] and the spread of [[Christianity]], the concept fell into disuse in the [[western world]], though [[Nietzsche|Friedrich Nietzsche]] resurrected it as a thought experiment to argue for ''[[amor fati]]''. | |
| - | The basic premise is that the [[universe]] is limited in extent and contains a finite amount of [[matter]], while [[time]] is viewed as being infinite. The universe has no starting or ending [[state (physics)|state]], while the matter comprising it is constantly changing its state. The number of possible changes is finite, and so sooner or later the same state will recur. | + | |
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| - | Physicists such as [[Stephen Hawking]] and [[J. Richard Gott]] have proposed models by which the (or a) universe could undergo [[time travel]], provided the balance between mass and energy created the appropriate cosmological geometry. | + | |
| - | More philosophical concepts from physics, such as Hawking's "[[arrow of time]]", for example, discuss cosmology as proceeding up to a certain point, whereafter it undergoes a [[time reversal]] (which, as a consequence of [[T-symmetry]], is thought to bring about a chaotic state due to thermodynamic [[entropy]]). | + | |
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| - | The [[oscillatory universe]] model in physics could be provided as an example of how the universe cycles through the same events infinitely. | + | |
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| - | [[Peter Lynds]] has proposed a model in which time is [[cyclic]], and the universe repeats exactly an infinite number of times. Because it is the exact same cycle that repeats, however, it can also be interpreted as happening just once in relation to time. | + | |
| + | In addition, the philosophical concept of eternal recurrence was addressed by [[Arthur Schopenhauer]]. It is a purely [[physics|physical]] concept, involving no supernatural [[reincarnation]], but the return of beings in the same bodies. [[Time]] is viewed as being not [[linear]] but [[wheel of time|cyclical]]. | ||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Cyclical pattern]] | ||
| + | *[[Endless knot]] | ||
| + | *[[Ergodic theory]] | ||
| + | *[[Eternal Return (Eliade)]] | ||
| + | *[[Eternalism (philosophy of time)]] | ||
| + | *[[Historic recurrence]] | ||
| + | *[[Infinite loop]] | ||
| + | *[[Mandala]] | ||
| + | *[[Möbius strip]] | ||
| + | *[[Nikolay Danilevsky]] | ||
| + | *[[Ourobouros]] | ||
| + | *[[Poincaré recurrence theorem]] | ||
| + | *[[Universal Function]] | ||
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Revision as of 10:32, 20 August 2012
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Eternal return (also known as "eternal recurrence") is a concept which posits that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a self-similar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space. The concept is found in Indian philosophy and in ancient Egypt and was subsequently taken up by the Pythagoreans and Stoics. With the decline of antiquity and the spread of Christianity, the concept fell into disuse in the western world, though Friedrich Nietzsche resurrected it as a thought experiment to argue for amor fati.
In addition, the philosophical concept of eternal recurrence was addressed by Arthur Schopenhauer. It is a purely physical concept, involving no supernatural reincarnation, but the return of beings in the same bodies. Time is viewed as being not linear but cyclical.
See also
- Cyclical pattern
- Endless knot
- Ergodic theory
- Eternal Return (Eliade)
- Eternalism (philosophy of time)
- Historic recurrence
- Infinite loop
- Mandala
- Möbius strip
- Nikolay Danilevsky
- Ourobouros
- Poincaré recurrence theorem
- Universal Function
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