Helena Wee

Universal Set - Made in Magrathea


Universal Set - Made in Magrathea

This piece references Venn diagrams and set theory, probability, Einstein-Rosen Bridges, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and the history of tea. The spaceship Heart of Gold used the first example of The Infinite Improbability Drive which allowed it to simultaneously be at every point in the universe before reaching its programmed destination. It was powered by the random motion of molecules inherent in a steaming hot cup of tea, otherwise known as Brownian motion. Was the formation of the universe a random process? Could it be explained entirely using mathematics? Could we use set theory to describe the universe? The Magratheans were an advanced race who designed and built two of the greatest computers in the universe to help them find the answer to life, the universe and everything. Their computers were so complex they were sometimes mistaken for planets. The "Universal Set" could be understood as a machine that has not yet been set in motion, a blueprint for a machine not yet built. To work it would need a catalyst. Tea poured into different teacups at different levels could be a way of modelling different facets of reality. But which tea would you use? Here tea could be thought of as a transportation medium. The fluid from the teapot would form a "fountain of knowledge" trickling down to the farthest reaches of the universe.