Chapter 281: Gene Philosophy
In essence, natural philosophy is the precursor and foundation of natural science.
Philosophy is the longest and most difficult central thread in the universe. Perhaps even after humanity has unlocked a vast array of technological advancements, our philosophical journey will have only just taken its first step.
So, going back to the very beginning, what is the meaning of life, and what is its ultimate goal?
Based on the life forms we have encountered so far, whether on Earth, Mars, or the Nix homeworld, genetic material is their core.
"In other words, all life forms humanity has encountered possess genetic material. It is our most fundamental commonality." Jason paused, looking across the table. "Can this inference be extended to most civilizations in the universe?"
"It’s possible... We can tentatively assume that most carbon-based life forms possess genetic material," Lily nodded.
"Then we can deduce that civilization is composed of life, and life is centered on genetic material. So, is the starting point of this genetic material the same in a philosophical sense?" Jason emphasized his point. "Notice that I’m talking about a philosophical starting point. What is the meaning of life? Why do we live? I believe the answer lies hidden within our genetic material, which constantly drives the behavior and actions of all living things."
"Our understanding of genetics is still very superficial," Lily replied. "Traditional biological sciences suggest that specific gene segments in DNA are useful, but there are also a lot of chaotic segments—so-called ’junk DNA’ and we have no idea what they actually do. These junk DNA sequences do not contain any active genetic traits, yet they behave abnormally stably, and we cannot fathom why they exist in such massive quantities."
"Let me ask you a question," Jason said. "If we removed the ’junk’ parts from a DNA strand and only kept the parts we consider useful, do you think that organism could survive?"
"I don’t know... probably not," Lily shook her head.
Jason gestured with his hands to explain. "So... genes do record a vast amount of biological information and control the synthesis of RNA, proteins, and enzymes. But there are many things that basic genes alone cannot account for. There must be more hidden within DNA, perhaps even the philosophical purpose of life itself. It tells an organism why it lives and regulates its most fundamental instincts."
Seeing Lily’s thoughtful expression, Jason tried to simplify his point. "Let me give you an example. You know what a paramecium is, right? From the moment this single-celled organism is born, it spontaneously moves, feeds, and reproduces. These are all its instincts. But who taught it these instincts? Its genes?"
"No, genes only control the synthesis of proteins in its body. Every protein corresponds to a specific gene. Genes give it the physical ability to eat, but they don’t actively regulate its behavior, right? A paramecium could theoretically choose to starve. But that’s never the case. Almost all paramecia actively choose to ’eat,’ and there must be an underlying reason for this drive. I believe that reason is the philosophical system embedded within its genetic material."
Lily remained silent. She felt his argument made sense, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on the exact mechanism. Genes controlled the traits of organisms, and these traits were mostly concrete, such as the morphology of organs, cellular structures, and physiological characteristics. But how could abstract behavioral drives like "feeding" and "reproduction" be controlled purely by genes? Were they just the result of a complex combination of proteins?
Jason continued, "Therefore, I believe that those disordered fragments in our genetic material—or perhaps some of the most primitive, foundational genes must contain the instincts that regulate life. They contain inherent philosophical directives that humanity hasn’t yet managed to decipher. I call this the ’Gene Philosophy’ system. This system governs the actions and basic instincts of all living things."
"In that sense, the meaning of life is already hardcoded into the Gene Philosophy system. We humans don’t need to force an artificial answer."
Hearing this, Lily couldn’t help but ask, "So, what exactly is this philosophical system?"
Jason hadn’t figured that out yet, so he could only shake his head.
She then asked, "According to your theory, what is the relationship between this biological philosophy of life and the convergence of civilizations?"
Jason replied with a serious expression, "I’m wondering if all life evolved from the same core philosophical system. Just like the vast world and the endless universe are all governed by the same fundamental laws of physics."
"In other words, humans and paramecia have completely different DNA, but the philosophical directives programmed inside us are actually identical. We are all living for the exact same underlying goal. By that same logic, do most civilizations in the universe share the same Gene Philosophy?"
"I think it’s highly likely," Jason nodded. "As civilizations develop advanced technology, their behavioral patterns become increasingly complex. Yet, because they share the same underlying Gene Philosophy, they all ultimately strive for the same purpose. So... on a macroscopic scale, there isn’t much difference between them."
It was just like the universe itself. Scientists had always believed that the physical laws governing the cosmos were fundamentally simple. This complex, infinitely vast universe was ruled by the most elegant and straightforward equations. From the scale of the cosmos down to a single subatomic particle, the underlying laws remained constant.
What if life was the same? Was the philosophical system governing all biological activities truly just a few simple, universal principles?
"Thus, when life evolves to a higher civilizational level, a strong convergence emerges," Jason concluded.
Lily frowned. This was the first time she had heard this theory. It felt a bit far-fetched, yet somehow it possessed a terrifying logical consistency... she just couldn’t articulate why.
Jason offered a few more analogies to prove his point. "Think of it this way... water will always flow downhill due to gravity. This universal behavior is a direct manifestation of fundamental physical laws. A drop of water is made up of countless water molecules, just as a civilization is made up of countless individuals."
"Because of the identical nature of their underlying biological philosophies, will a civilization composed of these individuals naturally move in a specific, predetermined direction, as if pulled by gravity? Is the homogenization of civilizations across the universe just a direct manifestation of these philosophical laws? A sort of... philosophical gravity?"
His explanation was a bit abstract, yet it made an eerie amount of sense. As he spoke, several Senior Scientists in the cafeteria had gathered around to listen, and one by one, they fell into deep, contemplative silence.
A philosophical instinct that governs the trajectory of all life?
This was Jason’s first time publicly proposing an academic theory, but it was remarkably well-received. At the very least, none of the brilliant minds around him could find any fatal flaws in his logic.
Jason continued, "According to this reasoning, the biological philosophies constituting the essence of life are universally identical. They are so rigid that the developmental paths of all advanced civilizations gradually converge into the exact same mold."
And then, a colossal trap appeared on this shared path of civilizational development: the Great Filter.
Because of their nearly identical, rigidly converged social structures, almost all civilizations were ultimately stumped by this exact same monumental hurdle! Their highly advanced, homogenized societies were structurally incapable of crossing this final threshold!
Was this... the true essence of the Great Filter?
The more they thought about it, the more terrifyingly plausible it seemed! At this point in the discussion, many of the surrounding scientists were beginning to fully buy into Jason’s theory.
So, what exactly was this Great Filter?
The answer was a technological barrier. It was an ultimate technological bottleneck that was virtually impossible to overcome under "normal," universally converged social conditions!
A scientist nearby spoke up, his expression grim. "...Nuclear fusion! Or rather, the lack of controllable nuclear fusion!"
"The Nix Civilization, despite having exhausted almost all of their planet’s massive uranium reserves, a fission energy source that sustained them for 100,000 years still failed to develop a working model for controllable nuclear fusion!"
As he spoke those words, the blood rushed to his face, and he was practically gritting his teeth in frustration.
It seemed that almost no civilization in the universe had ever managed to solve the ultimate puzzle of controllable nuclear fusion!
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