probability ..., a human strategy, aphorism 496

496 

Mortal Acceleration: If one accepts probability, then worldly joys outlast those of eternity. If one accepts the possibility of eternal life, as unlikely as it is, then one still wonders if there can be joy without achievement and advance. One progresses, one perfects, one achieves — only through present exercise. The rest is wishful thinking. And so even if one actually advanced throughout all eternity, the key difference between concentrating on this present challenge within mortality and that later challenge beyond it would be our postponement. Preoccupation with questions whose answers depend upon information we cannot have is not necessarily irrelevant; it becomes as relevant as any other immovable obstacle which is pondered and not bypassed. To refuse the timid wish for immortality is as good as moving any other obstacle out of the way. We accelerate.

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