Jim Devine wrote:
> 
> Michael Perelman wrote:
>
> this fits with my dissertation: the "falling rate of profit" story
> represents a structural tension at the micro-level. This _sometimes_
> leads to macro-level over-accumulation.

At one time cosmologists believed that the universe contained enough
mass that eventually the force of gravity would stop and reverse the
expansion following the big bang, thus eventuating in a "big crush."
This (given current knowledge) is no logner believed to be the case, and
it is expected that the universe will go on expanding forever.

That gravitiy will not bring The Big Crush (Crash) does NOT mean that
gravity is not still the most important force governing our world above
the quantum level. (My ignorance of physics makes it impossible for me
to state this quite accurately). In fact a great deal of human physical
activity is totally dominated by gravity. It explains, for example, why
merely standing quietly, even leaning against a wall, can become
wearying. (it also explains why certain traits of biological entities
are not directly controlled by selection.) No big crush, but gravity is
still the biggest force in our life. Biologists, engineers, many other
scientists and technicians spend a good part of their life figuring out
how gravity effects particular concerns or particular questions in their
fields.

A physicist who felt compelled to begin every paper with a sneer at
cosmologists who forgot that there was no big crush would probably be
told to piss off and get to it.

Carrol

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