1. Simplifying the task The universe is vast and contains a huge variety of things. Alphomism tackles the difficulties of size and complexity by claiming that everything which exists, apart from space, is made of energy. The simplified task, therefore, is to provide an account as to how, in general, energy operates in space. 2. Avoiding the endless chain Space and energy are taken to be the fundamentals, the point at which analysis has to stop. The difficult question is, ‘where did space and energy come from?’ Some kind of answer might be devised but it will inevitably lead to another question as to what happened before that. An indefinitely long chain of ‘what before?’ is in prospect. This very strongly suggests that if there is to be a complete account of the universe it has to be circular in structure. 3. Limits Yet if we assume that the universe is a closed system of energy operating in space, there might seem to be a question as to what is ‘outside’ the universe. The Alphomist answer is ‘nothing’. There is nothing outside. 4. Primal atom So, the task is to describe a circular process of the operation of energy. It is convenient to start at the point where all the energy in the universe was concentrated into one dense mass. This is often called the primal atom. Here, Alphomism makes the major claim that, before it heated up, the primal atom was something like a fantastically powerful computer. In it, physical activity was at an absolute minimum and mental activity at an absolute maximum. 5. Explosion The next important point on the circle is the explosion of the primal atom which can be called the Alpha Point. At Alpha, energy went from maximum organisation to maximum fragmentation. Physical activity in the universe was suddenly at its highest level, mental activity at its lowest. 6. Nature The Alpha point marks the start of a phase in the history of energy which can be called Nature. At the start of Nature, energy was crashing about in ways which would terrify us but the chaos was not total. There were directive forces operating and residual information in the fragments. 7. Direction These forces were, and are, shaping Nature in a process known as evolution. The simplest summary of this process is that energy is being gradually shifted from chaos to order. Through this process, the level of physical activity decreases whilst the level of mental activity increases. We are at a stage now where, on Earth at least, mentality has gained a tenuous foothold and is beginning to take control. Doubtless, this is being replicated throughout the universe. 8. Burn out If the universe were a purely physical phenomenon, then energy would run down until everything was dark, cold and still, in a process known as entropy. Alphomism claims that the gradual emergence of mental activity reverses this process. Conscious beings take control of energy and, exercising our free will, we shape it to our purpose. 9. Purpose Our purpose is to reach the Omega Point, when all of energy is once more at maximum organisation and, correspondingly, mental activity is at its highest possible level. Our successors will, in effect, ‘re-create’ the primal atom. 10. Resurrection The ‘new’ primal atom, called Alphoma, will, in every respect, be identical to the ‘original’ one. In Alphoma, every self-conscious entity that has existed in Nature will be re-created. Thanks to the fact that Alphoma is all-powerful, every re-born individual will be able to experience anything they wish to experience. Their various worlds will be ‘virtual’ ones, but they will seem to be totally real. 11. Time Our existence in Alphoma is not, as it might seem, short lived. From the point of view of a person in Nature, Alphoma once existed and will exist again. But in Alphoma. there is no time. And because the first and last states are completely identical. it seems to the people therein that their bliss has no beginning and no end. 12. Circle The circle is ultimately simple. Energy erupts out of Alphoma, streams into Nature and is gradually formed back into its original shape. There are two phases to the universe, a temporal one and a timeless one. The one could not exist without the other, but there can be no communication between them. In Nature, we are on our own.