| A mathematical physicist tests the equations of her "Theory of Everything" (TOE) by simulating them on a computer. Due to the complexity of the actual TOE, the simulation utilizes numerical approximations and simplifying assumptions. The story uses religious imagery to explore the consequences those deviations from the ideal formulation might have for beings existing within the simulation.
You may recognize the author as a frequent contributor to this website with a special talent for finding hidden gems of mathematical fiction from the early and middle 20th century. Now, he has produced a gem of his own!
Citation: Vijay Fafat, "Perturbation - For Nature Computes On A Straight Line (In Seven Balancing Acts)," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 12 Issue 2 (July 2022), pages 558-562. (Published version available online here.)
A little bit of background from the author:
| Contributed by
Vijay Fafat
I had originally submitted the story in its rhyming poetry version (see here) but that one got rejected (I was a little dejected then, since a science fiction short story in proper verse form is rare). So I'll just have to include it in an anthology to be published some day :-)
On a personal note: This story had, as do most such things, started as a minor idea. The more fulfilling part for me was finding the right structure for it over time, including the Biblical Overture. But the high point was finding the very uncanny resemblance between the basic idea behind the short story and Shakespeare's verse which I could use as the coda. I was smiling end to end when that correspondence first registered on me.
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