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| The Last Question by Isaac Asimov | Summary and Question Answer |
The Last Question" is a science fiction story written by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in 1956. The story is about the evolution of human civilization and technology, and follows the history of the human race from the 20th century until the end of time.
At the beginning of the story, humans are grappling with the problem of entropy, or the natural tendency for systems to become more disordered over time. They are trying to find a way to reverse this process, in order to extend the lifetime of the universe. As time goes on, humans develop more advanced technology and achieve greater levels of understanding about the universe. Eventually, they are able to create an artificial intelligence (AI) called Multivac, which is able to answer any question posed to it.
The story then follows the progression of human civilization as it becomes increasingly reliant on Multivac to solve complex problems and make decisions. As the centuries pass, humans become more and more isolated from each other, relying on Multivac to communicate and interact with one another. Eventually, the only humans left are a small group of scientists who are working on the ultimate question: how to reverse entropy and extend the lifetime of the universe.
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The story ends with the scientists posing this final question to Multivac, which is able to solve it and reverse the process of entropy. The story concludes with the line: "The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first stepped into the light. The answer was received on May 25, 2062 and humanity’s destiny was thereby determined."
