ARE SPACE AND TIME INFINITE? 85 



as the working-hypothesis of thermodynamics rather 

 than its declaration of faith. It is one of those conclu- 

 sions from which we can see no logical escape — only 

 it suffers from the drawback that it is incredible. As a 

 scientist I simply do not believe that the present order 

 of things started off with a bang; unscientifically I feel 

 equally unwilling to accept the implied discontinuity in 

 the divine nature. But I can make no suggestion to 

 evade the deadlock. 



Turning again to the other end of time, there is one 

 school of thought which finds very repugnant the idea 

 of a wearing out of the world. This school is attracted 

 by various theories of rejuvenescence. Its mascot is the 

 Phoenix. Stars grow cold and die out. May not two 

 dead stars collide, and be turned by the energy of the 

 shock into fiery vapour from which a new sun — with 

 planets and with life — is born? This theory very 

 prevalent in the last century is no longer contemplated 

 seriously by astronomers. There is evidence that the 

 present stars at any rate are products of one evolutionary 

 process which swept across primordial matter and 

 caused it to aggregate ; they were not formed individually 

 by haphazard collisions having no particular time con- 

 nection with one another. But the Phoenix complex is 

 still active. Matter, we believe, is gradually destroyed 

 and its energy set free in radiation. Is there no coun- 

 ter-process by which radiation collects in space, evolves 

 into electrons and protons, and begins star-building all 

 over again? This is pure speculation and there is not 

 much to be said on one; side or the other as to its truth. 

 But I would mildly criticise the mental outlook which 

 wishes it to be true. However much we eliminate the 

 minor extravagances of Nature, we do not by these 

 theories stop the inexorable running-down of the world 



