Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Religious Music and Entertainment
3 Body Problem (and The Dark Forest)

3 Body Problem (and The Dark Forest)

Last updated on: April 13, 2024 at 8:47 am by James F. McGrath

0 Comments

3 Body Problem (and The Dark Forest) 2024-04-13T08:47:17-04:00 James F. McGrath

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I listened to Cixin Liu’s famous novel The Three-Body Problem some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it didn’t inspire me to write a blog post the way the sequel, The Dark Forest did. I began writing this post when I had just finished the second novel and had quickly begun listening to the third and final novel in the trilogy. If you’ve read the series you’ll know why the second book especially grabbed my interest, and the series as a whole. If you want to stay completely spoiler-free, turn back now and please read these stories. They are definitely worth it. If discussing major themes without revealing much in the way of plot points is not the sort of spoiler you worry about then you can safely read on.

Now, on to a discussion of the details. The second novel, as so many that deal with the existential threat of humanity’s annihilation, mentions God quite often. The way the word is used strikes me as rather distinctive. There are the references one might expect, such as in connection with seemingly miraculous technology and the apparent impossibility of achieving something. In addition, there is also talk of God and/or of a higher intelligence in the galaxy or universe that might work towards justice. Love becomes a major theme, with the possibility that humanity’s experience and expression of love and trust (as evidenced not least by our eagerness to contact other intelligent life in the universe) is something rare and perhaps precious in the universe, that it might be the key to transforming the “dark forest” of the universe. This metaphor is a reference to the idea that in a universe of limited resources all living things and all civilizations need to act speedily to eliminate others they encounter, since they will also seek to do the same to you if they are wise. The universe may be understood that way, but one can choose to approach it differently. One can value kindness and other things more than survival, and some characters do – sometimes with tragic and sometime with beautiful consequences, and at times both simultaneously.

The Chinese context of Liu’s life and writing as well as his main characters makes the religious elements intriguing, to say the least. The question of the existence of God comes up again in the third book in the trilogy, Death’s End, which as I mentioned I’ve only just begun relatively recently. I’m making good progress, and while aspects of it are somewhat surprising in relation to what preceded, the religious themes remain, such as the description of experiencing 4-dimensional space, revealing infinite depth to even the most familiar and mundane 3-dimensional objects, as a “spiritual baptism.” In a time of despair people become more religious and express it in different ways and with different objects, constructing a giant cross in orbit, or beseeching a representative of another world to provide a revelation. There is also reference to a coded message beginning to be treated like the Bible, by which is meant that people seek to find confirmation of what they already believe in it rather than trying to actually decipher it. When something seemingly technologically impossible is explored it is regularly coupled with phrases like “God’s engineering project.” I find myself wondering whether reference to God in this way is common and acceptable in China. I am also amazed by the way the negative impact of the Cultural Revolution on people and a central character in particular is presented. Indeed, there is a real sense in which the harm inflicted by that period and what it showed about humanity ends up having a more devastating impact on humanity’s future than might otherwise have been the case.

In case you aren’t aware of it, Three Body Problem has been made into a series for Netflix. Here’s the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mogSbMD6EcY

That it would be adapted and changed was not surprising, but I was surprised to learn that the series would be based on all three novels in the trilogy. Having watched it, they kept the essence while weaving elements from the sequels into it in ways that I think make sense for television. Have you watched it? If so, what did you think? Let me know whether you watched it having also read one or more of the novels. I’m curious whether those who have done so will evaluate the series differently than those who have not.

Of related interest:

Paul Levinson on 3 Body Problem

If Scientists Were Angels

The techno-optimist case for unlimited economic growth

A Soft Landing on the Moon and Cixin Liu’s Three Body Problem

Alien Civilizations and 3 Body Problem in New Humanist

Religious Music and Entertainment

Previous Post

March 25, 2024

Testament: The Story of Moses

Next Post

April 25, 2024 Generative AI Comes for Songwriting

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"V. good.For me, the gold standard for this sort of thing is still Wikihistory by ..."

Scurra

The Time-Traveler’s Apprentice (A Short Story)

"The one who says "no one comes to the Father but through me" is the ..."

James F. McGrath

Attack on Religious Freedom in Indiana

"Until I read, "As a Christian, it is possible but not at all necessary to ..."

Sam Vimes

Attack on Religious Freedom in Indiana

"Hey James, regarding your penultimate paragraph, I struggle with the same issue. I do think ..."

Jeff Cate

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy academia Acts of the Apostles afterlife Akhaten Alcatraz American Academy of Religion Amos Anglican Arabic Aramaic archaeology art artificial intelligence astronomy atheism atonement Babylon 5 Baptists Battlestar Galactica Bible Biblical Studies Carnival biblioblogging Black Mirror Blade Runner Book of Job book review Buddhism Call for Papers China Christianity Christmas Christology Chronicles Coptic creation Daniel Deuteronomy Doctor Who Dune Easter Ecclesiastes economics education Eldad Keynan Enoch Seminar Ephesians eschatology Esther Evangelicals evolution Exodus Expanse Ezekiel Ezra fantasy Fringe fundamentalism Galatians games Ge'ez genealogy Genesis Gnosticism Gospel of Jesus' Wife Gospel of John Gospel of Judas Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Gospel of Peter Gospel of Thomas Greek Harry Potter Hebrew Hebrews Hinduism historical Jesus history Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Holidays horror Hosea humor incarnation India inerrancy information literacy inspirational Intelligent Design Ireland Isaiah Islam Israel Italy James Jeremiah John the Baptist Jonah Joshua Judaism Jude Judges Judith Lamentations languages Latin Leviticus libraries literature Lord of the Rings LOST Mandaeans Mandaic memes Methodism Micah monotheism morality Mormons movies music mythicism NASSCAL Nehemiah new perspective New Testament news Numbers Orthodox paganism panentheism pantheism Patheos Paul and his letters Pentecostals Philippians Philippians 2:6-11 philosophy physics Planet of the Apes podcast politics Progressive Christianity Protestantism Proverbs Psalms pseudoscience racism religion Revelation Roman Catholicism Romania Romans Ruth scams science science fiction Secret Gospel of Mark Society of Biblical Literature Song of Songs Star Trek Star Wars Stargate Swahili Syriac Taoism technology Terminator The Handmaid's Tale The Hobbit The Matrix theodicy theology theory Timeless Titus tomb Torchwood travel TRON Uncategorized United Kingdom Westworld X-Files young-earth creationism Zechariah

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 February 2007 January 2001

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz