PREDICTING THE AFTERLIFE

In his address on receiving the award he gave a virtually complete outline of anti-particles, anti-matter and even hinted at the anti-universe. He specially forecast the existence of a negative proton, which was not observed until 1955. Clearly Dirac’s prediction of everything from anti-particles to an antiuniverse was based entirely on abstract theories. He had not observed anti-particles, nor had he experienced an anti-world; but he knew that the theoretical data at his disposal implied their existence. He started off with the laws of quantum theory and relativity, and conceived an equation to describe the motion of electrons in accordance with these laws. His equation made the spin of the electron a logical consequence of the union of relativity and quantum theory. The inference that he then made was that the equation for the electron implied the existence of another particle having the same mass and spin as an electron, but with a positive instead of a negative electric charge. This is the electron’s anti-particle, now known as a positron. What Dirac did on a scientific level, the preacher of God’s word, one who calls mankind to belief in the afterlife, does on a spiritual level. He takes the “equation” of this world and sees that it implies, with absolute certainty, the existence of an anti-world— the Hereafter—to balance it out. This world is finite: there must be an infinite world as well, for otherwise this world will be incomplete. Injustice prevails in this world: there must be a world of absolute justice, for otherwise, in a world founded on principles of justice, injustice will persist, and that is inconceivable. Certain limitations are inherent to this world; opportunities and potentialities, on the other hand, are unlimited. There must be another world where our unlimited potentialities can find unlimited fulfillment. Without an “anti-world” this world is incomplete: the very existence of a finite, imperfect world implies the existence of another infinite, perfect one. Dirac’s “discoveries” had not been observed when, in 1933, he expounded on them at length in his address on receiving the Nobel Prize. He was, however, so certain of the accuracy of his predictions that he was compelled to communicate them to others. So it is with the one who calls mankind to faith in the afterlife. He is so certain of his “discovery” of the life after death that he feels an obligation to convey the news to others. The very existence of a finite, imperfect world implies the existence of another infinite, perfect one.