The Three-Body Problem (Fang Yi) by Elizabeth Tang

Imagine

asquarey — 2024-08-24 10:34:37 UTC

Summary

asquarey — 2024-08-24 11:00:20 UTC

The three body problem is a science fiction novel written by Chinese author Liu Cixin, which explores humanity's encounter with an alien civilization, the Trisolarans, who plan to invade Earth after receiving a signal from disillusioned physicist Ye Wenjie during China's Cultural Revolution. As the Trisolarans approach, humanity grapples with the "Dark Forest" theory, which posits that the universe is a dangerous place where civilizations must remain hidden to avoid annihilation. The trilogy follows Earth's desperate efforts to survive in the face of this existential threat, leading to complex interactions between human and alien civilizations, and revealing the terrifying and hostile nature of the cosmos.

If a hunter exposes his position,

asquarey — 2024-08-24 11:10:11 UTC

What would I do?

I am a bad hunter and he is a bad hunter
I am a bad hunter and he is a good hunter
I am a good hunter and he is a bad hunter
I am a good hunter and he is a good hunter

The "Dark Forest" Theory

asquarey — 2024-08-24 14:07:40 UTC

2 Basic Axioms:

Survival is the primary need of a civilization.
Civilizations continuously expand over time, but the total matter in the universe remains constant.

2 Concepts:

Chain of suspicion: Both parties are unable to judge whether the other party is well-intentioned and civilized.

Technological exposure: The speed and acceleration of civilisation progress are not necessarily the same. A weak civilization may surpass a strong civilization in a short period of time.

Conclusion: Any contact with another civilization is potentially deadly because it is impossible to know the other's intentions. Given this uncertainty, the safest course of action is to remain silent and if possible, eliminate any potential threat.

asquarey — 2024-08-24 14:48:08 UTC

In the story, protagonist Luo Ji proves this theory to be true, and uses it to threaten and deter the Trisolaran civilisation from attacking Earth. He claims that if the Trisolarans shows any hostile intent, Earth will broadcast the coordinates of the galaxy that contains both civilizations into the universe, which then by the dark theory, will lead to their communal destruction by other extraterrestrial beings. This successfully brought Earth from the “Crisis Era” to the “Deterrence Era”, where the trisolarans and humans held a period of peace through mutual threat.

In today's world

asquarey — 2024-08-24 14:57:14 UTC

The underlying principles of mutual suspicion and preemptive strikes, where “It's better to strike first than to be struck” are deeply embedded in how civilizations interact.

Past

asquarey — 2024-08-24 15:02:28 UTC

During the Third Punic War, Rome was deeply suspicious of Carthage’s potential to rise again as a threat. To ensure its own survival and eliminate any future danger, Rome preemptively destroyed Carthage, leaving nothing of the city behind. This event highlights how mutual suspicion can lead to hostility between civilizations—a real-world manifestation of the Dark Forest theory.

Present

asquarey — 2024-08-24 15:04:55 UTC

Global powerhouses engage in an arms race of nuclear research and technological innovations to protect themselves from other hunters in the world.

The larger dark forest: Universe

asquarey — 2024-08-24 15:07:03 UTC

Fermi's Paradox: "If aliens exist, why haven't we detected any signs of it?"

Will we be destroyed by the Dark Forest in the Universe, or have we already been destroyed by the Dark Forest on Earth?

asquarey — 2024-08-24 15:09:24 UTC

Do aliens exist?

asquarey — 2024-08-24 15:13:51 UTC

Have we already exposed ourselves?

asquarey — 2024-08-24 23:40:50 UTC

References

asquarey — 2024-08-28 02:50:42 UTC

Andrews, R. G. (2024b, May 23). The Dark Forest Theory in “3 body problem,” explained. Science. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/dark-forest-theory-alien-life
Dystopian science fiction: Bodies of Ideology . Anticapitalist Resistance Dystopian Science Fiction Bodies of Ideology Comments. (n.d.). https://anticapitalistresistance.org/dystopian-science-fiction-bodies-of-ideology/
地球往事编年史- 三体wiki - 北京嘉闻杰诺网络科技有限公司. (n.d.). https://santi.huijiwiki.com/wiki/地球往事编年史