Our human quest with the Black Hole

Abstract

Black holes are fundamental: They are where small and large scales meet, where the two main theories of physics clash, and where the finite and infinite come together. Furthermore, the explosion of twentieth century black hole science coincided with a shift in the phenomenology of the universe. We consider this philosophical turn towards cosmic mindfulness, and ask whether there are definite limits to our interaction with black holes, and if a human world could ever take direct advantage of the counterintuitive effects happening near a black hole’s event horizon.