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In Astronomy
What is singularity?
The term "singularity" is used in several contexts. In mathematics, this is the point at which the plot of the graph turns straight up or becomes discontinuous. In physics, a …singularity is a point of transition, where the normal laws of physics would yield nonsensical results. In astronomy, an example of a "singularity" is the extremely dense center of a black hole, where the math we use to describe gravity suddenly does not make sense. (This is generally understood to mean that we really do not understand yet what is going on under these conditions. We'll figure it out eventually.) The other example in astronomy is the singularity at the start of the Universe in the Big Bang Theory. In philosophy, especially the philosophy of technology, the term "singularity" is used in a similar fashion; a time when the normal continuous path of human progress shifts abruptly. For example, the development of a brain-computer interface would cause a discontinuity in human development and evolution. This is sometimes referred to with the capital letter phrase "The Singularity". Author Ray Kurzweil has written a book "The Singularity Is Near" concerning this phenomenon. (MORE)
