Isaac Asimov’s Terrifying Vision of the Afterlife | The Last Answer
Oct 20, 2026 · 17 min · 9 segments
What would eternal life mean if you had no say in how you spent it? In Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Answer,” physicist Murray Templeton dies and finds himself speaking to an intelligence that has…
What would eternal life mean if you had no say in how you spent it? In Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Answer,” physicist Murray Templeton dies and finds himself speaking to an intelligence that has preserved his mind. It understands his objections. It can explain why he exists. But Murray’s wishes have very little to do with what it has planned for him. Today, I’m looking at one of Asimov’s most unsettling visions of the afterlife: why the Voice needs human minds, what its power actually allows it to know, and how Murray responds to an existence he never agreed to. I also return to Robert Charles Wilson’s “Divided by Infinity” and Asimov’s “The Last Question,” both of which I’ve covered before. This video discusses the full story, including its ending. 👽 Please consider supporting this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ideasoficeandfire or PAYPAL - https://paypal.me/QuinnsIdeas?locale.x=en\_US 🎨 Art: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gr\65d-GIbfZ\3oaewS86-5CLm0TcFrHB3G434wOpp8/edit?usp=sharing 🎵 Music: https://www.youtube.com/@JamezDahlMusic 📚 Get These Books! Affiliate link* https://amzn.to/3AQ0aSs Quinn's Discord: https://discord.gg/uGx4WsjVCZ FOLLOW QUINN ON TWITTER: Twitter: https://twitter.com/IDEASOFICE\_FIRE I NOW HAVE A SUBREDDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/IdeasofIceandFire/ Quinn's New Graphic Novel: https://www.quinnhoward.net/theliebehindthestar Buy Quinn's Comic Books: https://www.quinnhoward.net/shop Quinn's Website: https://www.quinnhoward.net Like me on Facebook!: https://www.facebook.com/IOIAF 🎥 Mentioned Videos 🎬 Other Playlist Three-Body Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUfIzEhovpQJ2ENiNvJoOD2A H.P. Lovecraft Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUcMoc\ZljrDbgrRi3x\CLYD Hyperion Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUfgKLf-CBr5VCC2xM0qX8Xh Dune Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUdsgN\_vFaZmfjc6bXxPqajV Foundation Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXGGVBzHLUeQMsBkZJ72aIIG8nR-No6J Feel free to leave a comment like and subscribe! Thanks For Watching! Originally published on YouTube: 2026-10-16. Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG35Nuawcls Support the show
What would eternal life mean if you had no say in how you spent it? In Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Answer,” physicist Murray Templeton dies and finds himself speaking to an intelligence that has…
